april-2012

“
ON THE TOWN: ORLANDO
HOUSE MUSIC
A private living room in a private house in a residential neighborhood is quickly becoming the
hottest venue in Orlando for sophisticated jazz concerts.
We’re going to take you on
a complicated journey,”
saxophonist Jack Wilkins
declares, introducing his
Appalachian Mountainsinfl
uenced compositions before
launching into a multi-layered
song accompanied by trombonist
Keith Oshiro and fellow sax player
Tamara Danielsson. Wilkins’
original jazz works are being played
by 16 musicians—two guitarists, a
full horn section, three marimbas
and a jazz triangle player—all
crammed into Benoit Glazer’s
living room.
This living room is known
as the Timucua White House,
a mostly undiscovered musical
haven in Orlando, and Glazer’s life
passion. The plain, modern exterior
gives little hint to the wood lined,
multi-leveled performance space
inside, dominated by a two-tier
balcony and hung with art created during
concerts by local painters. Combining
advanced design with acoustically perfect
construction, the family’s private quarters
share the building with the three-story
“living room.”
Glazer, the musical director for the
Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba show for almost
14 years, plays trumpet in the Downtown
Disney complex fi ve days a week. That
leaves him just enough time to plan two
shows a month at the House—his house.
We believe the arts
and music belong
to everyone
He’s been producing this non-profi t, private
music series since 1998, dedicating his home
to the sounds he loves. “After moving to
Orlando, I realized there wasn’t anywhere
to hear new contemporary music on
weeknights, so my only choice was to do it in
our house,” he explains. “I started by playing
shows with my family, but by the second
night, it had already become an outlet for
other musicians. We’ve become a part of the
circuit for players from all over the world,
and that’s fantastic.”
Glazer’s French-Canadian accent sings
as he talks about growing up with the music
his father played on the fi ddle, and how
the family tradition continues through him
and his wife, Élaine Corriveau, a piano
teacher and accomplished vocalist. Their
three talented children open most White
House concerts: Charles-Édouard, 18, on
GLAZER’S TOP 5 GLAZER HAS BEEN SHOWCASING MUSICIANS IN HIS HOME FOR 13 YEARS AND HIS FAVORITES INCLUDE:
▪ Jazz-fusion trumpeter Tiger ▪ Jazz legend Sam Rivers and his ▪ Trio BraamDeJoodeVatcher, a ▪ “He played two weeks before
Okoshi in 2003. “He was the first orchestra, and classical trumpeter contemporary Dutch jazz group, he won the Pulitzer Prize for music
internationally-known musician to Jens Lindemann headlined the were joined by guitar great Larry in 2008,” Glazer recalls about
play at the House,” Glazer says. “He Glazer-organized Orlando Brass Coryell in 2009. “It was a very composer David Lang, known for
put us on the map.”
Festival in 2006.
thrilling surprise to have Larry here.” his work with Bang on a Can.
APRIL 2012 86
GO MAGAZINE
BY JOSEPH HAYES
bass or violin; Camille, 16, on the piano; and
14-year-old Jean-Marie on drums.
Admission to these concerts is a simple
potluck—your entrance fee is a bottle of
wine. The audience of up to 150 musicphiles
is an eclectic mix of students, seasoned jazz
afi cionados and those curious about this
underground jazz club/house party hybrid.
The schedule focuses on jazz and
modern classical music, but those with
diverse taste will also fi nd shows by artists
such as the contemporary Japanese koto
player Tomoko Kawahara, avant-garde jazz
pianist Matthew Shipp, and klezmer and
classical music from clarinetist Christine
Barron to be just the (BYOB) ticket.
Glazer’s credo is a simple one. “We
believe the arts and music belong to
everyone,” he says, “and they belong in the
living room.” timucua.com
1 2 3 4 5
▪ Japanese percussionist Tatsuya
Nakatani played a spectacular solo
show in 2011. “He included us in
his 2012 world tour in March,”
Glazer said.