Volume 24 Issue 1 - September 2018

JAZZ/BLUES/STREET ART
Beat by Beat | Mainly Clubs, Mostly Jazz!
School’s Back
So Time to Play!
COLIN STORY
It’s September, and, for students and faculty members of the Toronto
jazz community, it’s time to head back to school. While not all who
play jazz in Toronto teach or study, the scene is still very much tied
to the academic calendar, and, as the pervasive humidity of summer
gives way to the first crisp whispers of autumn, everyone is suddenly
back in town, venues return to their regular post-festival-season
programming, and a variety of new musical ventures are suddenly at
hand. September heralds the coming of a new artistic year, and, in the
spirit of yearly reassessment and rejuvenation, September prompts the
jazz community to undertake new projects.
Despite the persistent sentiment that performance opportunities
for jazz musicians are shrinking by the minute, it is reassuring
that the past few years in Toronto have seen new jazz programming
efforts in festivals, clubs
and other venues. These
larger efforts reflect the
ideals found, at the best of
times, in post-secondary
music programs: namely,
that new opportunities
and resources should be
developed not for the
gains of the individual, but
for the betterment of the
community.
TUJF: One of the
best examples of this
community spirit comes
in the form of the Toronto
Undergraduate Jazz
Festival, now in its fourth
year (having had its inaugural
run in 2015), running
from September 4 to 8.
Helmed by David M.J. Lee,
Dave Holla and Eunsang
Edwin Yu – all of whom
attended post-secondary
jazz programs in Toronto –
the festival’s mandate is to “bring attention to the younger generation
of musicians” in Toronto, with an emphasis on musicians currently
enrolled in (or recently graduated from) post-secondary music
programs at the University of Toronto, York University and Humber
College. This mission is commendable, as it can take a considerable
amount of time for young jazz acts to establish themselves and book
the larger shows necessary to the process of audience development; by
programming a number of these acts together, the TUJF has created
both a valuable opportunity for musicians and a compelling package
for audiences who, in other circumstances, might not connect with
these performers for several years.
With main festival grounds at Mel Lastman Square and additional
performances at Jazz Bistro, Memorial Hall, and The Frog: A
Firkin Pub, all of the TUJF performances and masterclasses are open
to the public and free to attend. In addition to performances from
young musicians, Toronto jazz mainstays Mike Downes and Larnell
Lewis are also playing with their respective bands. (Both Downes and
Lewis, it should be noted, are also prominent jazz educators, and are
on faculty at Humber College.) In addition to these performances,
highlights from the festival include The Anthology Project, playing
at 8:30pm on September 6, guitarist Luan Phung, playing with his
quintet at 6pm on September 7, and Montreal pianist Marilou Buron,
whose sextet will be playing at 6pm on September 8. Other notable
attractions, according to the 2018 festival map: food trucks, a VIP
section, and multiple bouncy castles. Check out listings in this issue
of The WholeNote and tujazz.com for full schedule and additional
information.
Kensington Market Jazz: September will also feature the third
annual edition of the Kensington Market Jazz Festival, another relatively
new enterprise started by local musicians looking to fill a gap
in pre-existing jazz programming. Led by Molly Johnson, Ori Dagan,
Genevieve Marentette, and Céline Peterson, the KMJF will take place
from September 14 to 16, with a large number of different artists in
various formats, from solo pianists (including Nancy Walker, Robi
Botos and Ewen Farncombe) and guitarists (such as Margaret Stowe,
Harley Card and David Occhipinti) to full big bands (including the
John MacLeod Orchestra, the Brian Dickinson Jazz Orchestra and the
Toronto Jazz Orchestra), with all manner of acts in between.
One of the most interesting aspects of the KMJF is its engagement
with Kensington Market businesses in the creation of new performance
spaces: while many shows will be taking place at venues that
present music throughout the year, including Poetry Jazz Café,
The Heavyweights Brass Band return to this year's Kensington Market Jazz Festival.
Supermarket and LOLA, a large number of shows will be held at businesses
that are not regular music venues. Some, like the coffee shop
Pamenar and the Hotbox Lounge and Shop, are venues that do host
live events, although they do not usually present jazz. Other businesses,
like the discount suit shop Tom’s Place, are functioning as
special venues specifically for the festival.
Beyond the shows previously mentioned, highlights include Joanna
Majoko, playing at 1pm on September 15, Tania Gill and Friends,
playing at 5pm (also on September 15), and Anh Phung, who will
be playing at 6pm on September 16. Please check out listings in this
issue and kensingtonjazz.com for full schedule – and please note that
ticketed events are cash only (although the festival features both free
and ticketed shows).
Apart from new programming at emergent jazz festivals, September
sees the return of post-secondary ensembles to the Toronto club
scene, with representation from U of T, York and Humber: U of T jazz
ensembles resume their weekly slot on Mondays at 6pm at The Rex,
the Humber College Faculty Jazz Jam will be taking place at 9:30pm
on September 18 (also at The Rex), and the York Jazz Ensemble will be
50 | September 1 – October 7, 2018 thewholenote.com