The Festivus Celebration: Airing of the Grievances: Jazz

If you’re a friend on Facebook, you’ll notice that I’ve been posting a series of “Airing of the Grievances” in a celebration of “Festivus” which is the fictitious holiday created by George Costanza’s father Frank on the TV show “Seinfeld”.   It’s a funny episode.   You should watch it.

But I think I’d like to take this moment to “air” one grievance I have this year, and its about “jazz”.

1) The Definition of Jazz- Quit your arguing- Here it is.

So, what is jazz?   Is it in the instrumentation?   Is it the swing or sound?    Lots of questions.   So what is jazz?   Its the art of improvising a melody over a set of chord changes.   That is what jazz is.   It doesn’t matter whether the beat is swung, shuffled, straight or absent: if you’re improvising a melody over it, it is jazz.   Simple as that.   Doesn’t matter whether Louis Armstrong played his trumpet over Ain’t Misbehavin’  or some grade 7 kid made up his own solo over Chameleon, or if a rapper free-styled over top of some beats, its jazz.

So what does radio think jazz is?   I have no idea.   My band was told by smooth jazz people that we were too straight-ahead because we had too much improvisation.   A couple straight-ahead jazz stations called us smooth jazz (probably because we’re guilty of having memorable melodies and a back-beat).   Ironically, those stations will play people covering Beatles and other classic pop/rock tunes as long as the instrumentation is classic “jazz” (upright bass, acoustic piano, light drums).   No improvisation though.   So, music with a melodic hook, a back-beat, and improvisation over changes that are challenging is “not” jazz, but a torchy version of “MacArthur Park” (don’t know whether that exists but would actually think it’d be cool) sung by “insert name here” is jazz.

And by the way: my band is jazz-funk with elements of nu-jazz (because we bring in elements of drum and bass and house).  So we’re not “smooth”  (see previous blog: Smooth Jazz-WTF)

2)  The “Jazz is Dead” Argument

A musician based out of New Orleans wrote a big blog called “Jazz Is Dead”.   Although he rubbed many of my friends the wrong way, and even made me uncomfortable, I also understood what he was saying.   So, is “jazz” dead?   Well, like I said before, jazz is the art of improvisation, so no it isn’t dead.   But if your personal definition of jazz is based around the fact that nothing good has been produced in jazz since 1965, then yes, its dead.   You’re reliving a memory.   That music was written in a different era with its own set of political tensions (racism, sexism, the cold war) than now.  And the technology was very different then too.  Our own set of tensions (apathy, xenophobia, religion-based distrust, corruption) and a very fast information network of 24 hour news, obviously politically slanted news and the internet have created its own environment and its own art.   Even if the next John Coltrane appears, he/she won’t be relevant.  That time has passed.

In short: if your interpretation of jazz is limited to swing/be-bop/bossa then yes, its dead.   If its not, then its alive.   Its only enemies are apathy, and short-attention spans.

So, that ends my “Airing of the Grievances” portion of the “Festivus” celebration.   Tomorrow there will be a big dinner at my place, and then the “Feats of Strength”.    Good times.

Getting to see Roy Ayers

On Sunday, Nov. 20th I got a chance to see one of my biggest influences in my writing: Roy Ayers. He’s been called the godfather of acid jazz, as well as the 2nd most sampled artist in hip-hop (James Brown being #1 in that category). I’m a big fan of Roy Ayers because of the way he infuses jazz with strong funk and dance grooves. He plays a brand of jazz fusion that doesn’t go over people’s heads or gets aggravating after 5 minutes. As a player he has a sound that I like: jazz finesse but blues firepower. So, needless to say, I was very excited to be going to the concert.

So on the day of the concert, Meghan and I got there a bit early so we could stake out a good seat. The DJ (John Kong) was playing some great tunes. The Mod Club is a cool venue. it reminds me a lot of Revival, but just a bit more “shiny”. I liked the projector screens on the sides of the stage. During all of the shows they were showing the promotion video of the Toronto Nu-Jazz festival. I had a sense of satisfaction seeing my band’s picture and name up on those screens during the night. I was proud to be part of the whole festival and the Roy Ayers show was the best way to wrap it up.

The first band started around 9:30pm. It was a band known as BadBadNotGood. They liked to utilize a lot of sound effects and patches while incorporating rhodes and upright bass sounds. It was a cool set. But most impressive was the drummer. Clean as hell and strong. Really enjoyed listening to him. It must’ve been hot under that pig mask he was wearing though. The 2nd act that went up was Ian Kamau, a local artist based here in Toronto. The band sounded great. The keyboardist/vocalist was really sweet-sounding. She definitely has a great voice. Ian Kamau is a great rapper/poet: strong presentation and even stronger lyrics. I like that he works aspects of Canadian and local politics into his lyrics. It was a smart show he put on. I mentioned to him afterwards that I want to work with him sometime. I hope we get that chance.

And then it was Roy Ayers turn. MAN!! The crowd loved him!! I thought he was great. His set seemed to be mainly songs from his Polydor days but to be honest, those were some great days!! I was just happy to hear Running Away, Everybody Loves the Sunshine and it was cool to hear You Send Me (a cover of an old 50s song that he recorded back in the 70s). For a guy who is 71, he paces his shows really well. He’s got a much better singing voice than i ever gave him credit for. And what I loved about his vibes playing is that you can hear the jazzy-swing in his soloing. The band was pretty good behind him. Most of them are cats he’s played with over the years. I was a tad jealous though: I would’ve loved to been the bass player for that show. Nothing against the gentleman playing bass with him though, he did a great job. I just want what I want.

There were a couple things that I didn’t like though: there were some sound issues (especially monitors for Roy Ayers). Feedback isn’t that hard to get rid of in monitors and PA systems: find the frequency and remove it through the Equalizer. The other thing that was a bit disheartening was watching the crowd get smaller near the last two songs. Seriously Toronto?!??! The guy comes to Toronto once every 2-3 years, is a legend in the music industry, and you’re looking to get out early? Just another strike against Toronto the conservative. But I was glad to see that 80% of the audience stayed to the final note and loved every bit of it.

A great show that I’m grateful that I had a chance to go check out. Thanks to nujazz.ca, NuFunk.ca and Manifesto for bringing Roy Ayers up to Toronto.

Here’s one of my favorite live Roy Ayer’s Tracks:

A Lord Bubba’s Nu-Jazz Project Update: Shows and Radio Play

Lots to good news and some happenings to tell you about.

Radio Airplay

Where do I start? Over the last couple weeks we have been seeing an increase in our radio airplay and in the number of radio stations playing tracks from our album “The Nu Standards“. CBC Radio has been great to us, having played us on shows such as “Fresh Air“, “Tonic“, “Saskatchewan Weekend” and even using clips of our music as bridge music between news stories on “As It Happens“. And as of this week, we are receiving or about to receive airplay on 101.5 FM CIOI-Hamilton, 93.3 FM CFRU-Guelph, 93.3 FM CFMU-Hamilton, 90.9 FM CJSW-Calgary, and 94.9 FM CKUA- Edmonton. Online, we have Swissgroove.ch, Groove FM, Acid Jazz Radio, Attention Span Radio, Sky.FM (DaTempo Radio), DC Soundstream, and Global Funk Radio playing us. And to top it all off, Galaxie, the digital radio station that you can hear from your cable/satellite TV carrier, is playing us on their Jazz Now station. And the radio station list keeps growing. Watch here for more stations AND, if you live near these radio stations, don’t be too shy to request us.

Live Shows

We have two shows coming up. On Thursday, October 6th, Lord Bubba’s Nu-Jazz Project won’t just perform at Harlem Restaurant (67 Richmond St East, Toronto) but we’ll be giving you a sneak peak at some new tracks that will be on the second album. And of course, we’ll be featuring many of the tracks on our current album “The Nu Standards“. And Harlem has some great food as well. You need to check it out!!

You can also swing out to our monthly residency over at Zemra (778 St. Clair Ave. West, Toronto) that happens every 3rd Sunday of the month. In this case, our next show is October 16th. Show starts around 8pm. This is a great place to come and chill out before a busy week of work.

AND OF COURSE

And, just one more thing: if you want to join the e-mail list for Lord Bubba’s Nu-Jazz Project (to keep updated on news on the band and to receive VIP deals on shows) then just email us at lordbubbasnjp@gmail.com.

In the meantime, keep supporting live music, and come to our shows!!! Also, feel free to check out The Nu-Jazz Funk Radio Show. This is a podcast that is hosted by me (Lord Bubba) and features some great jazz-funk, funk and fusion artists from the GTA. You can download the podcast at www.nujazzfunkradio.wordpress.com.

Jams: Do’s and Don’ts from a man who used to host them

As some of you know, but many of you don’t, I used to be part of a jam that happens down at Harlem Restaurant here in Toronto every Monday night from 8pm to midnight. Its a jam hosted by Carolyn T. I had the pleasure of being one of the main bassists for the jam over the last couple years but decided that it was time to pursue other challenges (ie. promoting my band “Lord Bubba’s Nu-Jazz Project” and my podcast “Nu-Jazz Funk Radio“.) But I still like to go down to Harlem (which, btw, I encourage you to do as well, its at 67 Richmond St. E, just west of Jarvis). It was neat being a “jammer” again. Its fun.

Here is my take on the people at a jam and my list of DOs and DON’Ts.

THE PATRON

To the people who go to check out the jam: its fun. You get to see lots of talented acts and performers go up. And you get to see them on the cheap too (jams have low admission or just a tip jar). You also get to see something else that can bring you some entertainment: the train-wreck. There is not always one at a jam, but sometimes it can be entertaining. Especially a “singer” with an attitude and a sense of pitch that only can be rivaled by a dog’s howl. Its like watching NASCAR for the crashes. What can be great though is to continue to go to the same jam night at a later date and watch how some have improved dramatically. Others not so much. But you give them your applause and appreciation because, my friend, you were just entertained. On the other end of the spectrum you have some people who could be considered almost world-class: artists who are already pro and come out to a jam just to work out new things or to promote an upcoming show. As a patron to a jam you get to see experimentation, and in that you get to see magic. So my “do”s and “don’t”s for you:

Do have fun
Do tip
Don’t give up: there’s another artist/act coming who sounds different and you might like.
Don’t heckle: some jammers and hosts can be violent (heh heh heh)

THE PARTICIPANT (aka THE JAMMER)

You’re a musician (professional, semi-pro, or amateur) and you want to play with some other people, try out new things or you have something to promote. That is excellent. A jam sounds right for you. The jam can be a useful tool for networking, fan-base building, experimenting, and just having a good time. But you also need to understand that the guys you will likely play with might not be on the same page as you. That’s good though. This will keep you on your toes and you get to have fun on a different level. This is where the magic can happen. Here are my tips to you, the participant (aka the jammer):

Do have fun
Do tip (if you can)
Do Eat/Drink (jams don’t last long at clubs if you don’t buy stuff there)
Don’t drink too much (nobody likes seeing a drunk train-wreck, spill stuff and drool on stage)
Don’t judge others: even if you’re awesome and they’re beginners, remember you were a beginner once too
Don’t expect to duplicate a song: guess what- its a JAM, song forms change and solos are added.
Do respect the terms of the jam: if its a blues jam, do blues. If the rule is no blues, don’t do blues.
-if you feel disrespected because you’re a hot-shot blues artist and you’ve been told no blues, then don’t feel the need to bitch and moan, do something else or don’t participate. There’s tons of jams in any city that do the style that specialize in what you do.
Do Bring Charts for originals and non-standard covers: No one knows every song.
Do Be Patient: sometimes there’s a ton of singers and they need to be paired with the right musicians.
Don’t Be Afraid to Remind the Host That you Are There: hosts can get really busy at times and its not out of maliciousness that they forget about you, its just overwhelming at times. They’re human and they forget.
Don’t Remind the Host of your existence more than once every 20 minutes.
Don’t talk to the host when he/she is talking to the audience. Besides being unprofessional, it makes you look a bit self-absorbed.
Do respect the schedule: if you’re there at 11pm when people who were there earlier are waiting to get up, don’t expect to get up before them.
Do respect the gear: the hosts are being gracious enough to let you use it. Don’t break it, or be prepared to replace it or pay for the cost to fix it.
Do bring your instrument: don’t expect other people to loan you a guitar, bass or horn. Patch-cords are good too.

THE HOSTS

You host a jam. You’re doing a service to the music scene, and if its appreciated, then they come. Jams are also a great way to keep players sharp and to experiment. But they come with headaches too: drunk jammers, hecklers and the “jamateurs”: those who come in and butcher the same tune every week. Sometimes, it can make you jaded and it can frustrate you. Other times there can be some spectactular magic moments that make playing music so much more meaningful. Its a high that no drug can reproduce. However, your service to the music industry can come at a price: a very low price at times if you know what I mean. But think of it this way: what else were you going to do in that Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday night? And frankly, jams are fun. Here’s my lists of “do”s and “don’t”s:

Do be friendly and respectful: no mocking or rude comments (save them for after the jam)
Do be open-minded (within the boundaries of the jam rules and philosophy)
Don’t accept rude behaviour from a jammer: if he/she mocks someone on stage, kick them off. They’re toxic.
Do be nurturing: don’t be afraid to give constructive, KIND criticism to those who ask for it.
Don’t bash/berate other players/bands/jammers/hosts. Not pro. Even if those clowns do it first.
Do respect the time restraints of some jammers. Some have to be home early. Don’t let them wait longer than they have to.
Do be willing to re-arrange songs on the fly: Add solos, change keys, all that good stuff.
Do accept the fact that people will use your gear: You agreed to host the jam, don’t be a clown and tell people to bring their own amps or drum kits. You don’t have time to switch over gear. If you don’t want people handling your amps, drums, mics, then guess what: you shouldn’t be hosting a jam. Exceptions are basses, guitars, patch cables, drum sticks, cymbals, wind/brass instruments: that’s up to you to let people use that stuff (I’m choosy about that).

In general: DO HAVE FUN, and hit these jams. You can be entertained, network with fellow musicians and sometimes experience some magic. Hosting a jam is a great way to meet new players and to help nurture a music scene. Personally, even though I’m not part of it anymore, I still love going to the Harlem Jam occasionally just to hang. But there are great jams everywhere. In fact, if you want, leave a comment here to tell me what, where and when your favourite jam is.

The Birth of a Podcast

Sorry for the delay in posting here. But I’m back. Its been busy as of late: recording sessions, teaching and the usual gigs. And I’ve been working on a little something too.

I’ve started a podcast.

With the help from some friends and peers in the music scene I’ve been able to put together the debut podcast of “The Nu-Jazz Funk Radio Show“. My hope with this radio show is to help bolster a part of the jazz music scene that is still coming out. This is a highly entertaining style of jazz that is evolving. I’m hoping to fill a niche with acts that are too funky for straight-ahead jazz, and too progressive for smooth jazz.

I’m planning on doing a podcast once every two weeks, though I might do a whole live show of one of these bands if they’re into it (will likely experiment with my band Lord Bubba’s Nu-Jazz Project first though.)

So, who else is involved in this project? Well I have a great line-up. From Guelph, Ontario I have Jason Raso, a great funk-jazz bassist and bandleader who my friend Gina P discovered for me last Sunday. He’s got a great sound and vibe that I know you will enjoy. I also have a guy who I consider the king of funk in Toronto (and quite possibly Canada): KC Roberts. KC Roberts and the Live Revolution is a 7-piece act that is tighter than a spandex suit and funkier than anything you’ve heard. Its high energy and smart. And then I also have this act: Brownman’s Electryc Trio, led by Brownman, who is one of the best-known trumpet players in Canada. He’s one of the most aggressive trumpet players you will ever hear. Brownman’s Electryc Trio combines jazz with sounds reminiscent of Squarepusher and Aphex Twin while embracing jazz tradition. You owe it to yourself to give it a listen. And last, but definitely not least, I’ve got Rich Brown’s Rinsethealgorithm. This is definitely some excellent jazz fusion. Its funky, melodic and progressive. It has a Weather Report vibe to it, but Rinsethealgorithm is definitely its own band and sound. And that’s a sound that you need to check out.

Of course, there’s an act named Lord Bubba’s Nu-Jazz Project as well. They’re pretty decent too.

The new pod cast is located at www.nujazzfunkradio.wordpress.com. Go give it a listen. Download it if you’d like. And if you like what you hear, then support these artists in any way you can.

As for the radio show itself, please feel free to give me your opinion and to recommend artists that you think would be a great fit.

Give it a listen. You’ll be glad you did.

An Update on Lord Bubba’s Nu-Jazz Project

Sorry for the lack of updates. This summer has been a busy one as of late. Personally, I’ve had many shows playing for other artists and have been teaching at the Cityarts Rock Camp (www.rockcamp.ca) as I have for the last couple summers. And unfortunately, very little time for blogging.

So I thought I’d make this blog an update on what has been happening with my band, “Lord Bubba’s Nu-Jazz Project“.

Lord Bubba’s Nu-Jazz Project is playing at the Oakville Downtown Jazz Festival this Friday, August 5th. We’re at the Lakeshore Rd/Allan St stage, or the farthest east stage in the festival. In this case, the east is where the beasts of jazz-funk will be residing. Well, at least from 6pm-7:30pm this Friday. Its an all-ages event and its free. Its also near the waterfront, so its going to be nice having that cool breeze while you’re checking out one of Canada’s best jazz-funk acts.

In other news: the band began their monthly series at Zemra Lounge on Sunday July 17th with our special guest artist Alan Penner sitting in with us. It was hot that night. Almost as hot as Mr. Penner’s playing. If you haven’t checked him out with The Last Trio or any of his acts, I encourage you to do it. Did I mention that it was hot that night? That night was the hottest night of the summer, and yet people came out, stayed hydrated and took in the jazz-funk. Needless to say, the debut of the series (happening every 3rd Sunday of the month) was a success. The next show of the series is on Sunday, August 21st. Keep watching the website (www.lordbubba.com) or the facebook page (www.facebook.com/lordbubbasnujazzproject) for any updates on times or potential guests.

And last but not least: WE’RE BEING PLAYED ON CBC!!! For the last month, CBC has been playing songs from our debut album (The Nu Standards) on “Fresh Air” (hosted by Mary Ito) as well as having clips of our music being used to bridge stories on “As It Happens” and as a lead-in for a story on CBC News. And there is more potential airplay in the future. Needless to say, this is a big step forward in reaching people with our style of jazz-funk and I hope we keep on reaching. Special thanks to all at CBC for giving us a chance.

And in case you’re wondering: we will be returning to Harlem on Thursday, October 6th. We will also be returning to The Rex. Keep watching www.lordbubba.com for the dates and times.

In the meantime, keep it cool and funky.

The Hottest gig ever. Seriously!!

The debut show over at Zemra last night was hot. In fact, it was hot in many ways. The hottest day of the year so far: 34°C. Thank god for the fan that my girlfriend/awesome singer Meghan McMaster brought. It helped to cool us off, while we heated up the place with some of our jazz-funk.

We had special guest guitarist Alan Penner stepping up to fill-in for our keyboardist, Scott. And needless to say, it was fun. Alan and I have been friends since high school (best 8 years of my life). He’s an amazing guitarist and one of the guys that I learned how to solo from. If you’re ever around the Detroit area, go check him out.

As hot as the gig was, it was incredibly fun. The food at Zemra is awesome, and the cold beer helped to keep us cool throughout the show. Unfortunately, I forgot to hit “record” on the digital recorder, and didn’t get any audio samples. Lesson learned. And despite a hot night, we had a great audience. I’m looking forward to Sunday, August 21st when we perform at Zemra once again.

And for those of you in the Oakville/Burlington/Mississauga area, Lord Bubba’s Nu-Jazz Project is playing at the Oakville Jazz Festival at the Allan St. stage on Friday August 5th, from 6:30-7:45pm. No cover charge, and its an outdoor stage. You can’t go wrong with this. Come watch us bring the jazz-funk to Oakville.

Short and sweet this week: Cruising Tunes

You’ll have to forgive me for posting my blog a bit later in the week than normal. I was at my girlfriend’s cottage for half the week. It was great: fishing, swimming and great food. Only one incident where my friend Christina, my girlfriend Meghan and myself were moving a dock from one end of the lake to another. When I got into the water to help push off the dock, I accidentally stepped on a rock bass. Both of us survived, but only one of us shrieked like a 4 year old girl. Therapy and beer will help with the mental scarring though.

So, one of the great things about these trips to the cottage is the road-trip portion. 3 1/2 hours of driving and a great time to listen to some great music. And being the jazz-funk fan that I am, I have some recommended listenings:

1) Roy Hargrove/RH Factor- Hard Groove
What a great album!! Elements of jazz funk, fusion and neo-soul all mixed in. And it sounds great.

2) Dimitri From Paris- A Night At The Playboy Mansion
Classic disco-house music from 2000. I first heard this album years ago and loved it.

3) Roy Ayers- Mystic Voyage
What’s a road trip without any Roy? It’d be a road trip without some dirty jazz-funk. A road trip without dirty jazz-funk is like a road trip without ice cream or sunshine.

4) Jazzanova- Of All the Things
Just awesome. The track “Let Me Show Ya” isone of my top 5 favourite songs ever!!

5) Compilation-Funk+Latin+Jazz=Bluenote
It has an awesome start with Medeski Martin and Wood, and Charlie Hunter and tends to mellow out near the end. Perfect way to end a vacation.

So, what are your favorite cruising tunes?

Halfway Point of the TD Toronto Jazz Festival; What to see next?

I have to say that the jazz festival has been pretty cool this year. So far there’s been great shows by Dave Brubeck, Aretha Franklin, Average White Band and Return To Forever (even though they played at the same time as my band, “Lord Bubba’s Nu-Jazz Project“… Stanley, how could you!!!!).

So, its Wednesday and the festival is half over. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t some great things left to check out, especially for the jazz-funk enthusiast. Here are my recommendations of shows to check out for the rest of the Toronto Jazz festival.

Thursday June 30, 8:30pm: Bela Fleck and the Fleck-Tones- How could you go wrong with Bela Fleck, and especially with Victor Wooten on bass. Its at the Metro Soundstage.

Friday, July 1, 2pm: Jay Cleary- Fusion of Jazz and Hip-Hop Workshop: Tell me that this doesn’t look interesting… I dare you!! Jay Cleary is a promoter of nu-jazz, funk and hip-hop in the GTA. He knows his stuff. Should be a good seminar. That’s going on at the HMV Store in Metro Square.

Friday, July 1st, 8:30pm: The Roots- Main Stage (Metro Soundstage)… What else can I say? DJ John Kong opens up that show.

Friday, July 1st, 11pm: Rinsethealgorithm: A great local jazz fusion act led by Rich Brown. Fun tunes and great players. A great way to wrap up Canada Day. That show is happening at The Rex (194 Queen St. W)

Saturday, July 2, 8:30pm: Bootsy Collins- The guy is a funk pioneer. Go see him.

So, is there any other acts you recommend seeing before the end of the jazz festival?

Lord Bubba’s Nu-Jazz Project @ Harlem, June 28th: The Review

Harlem Restaurant, June 28th, 2011: Wow!! That’s all i can really say. We had a great crowd all throughout the night, and I have to say, they were great to play to. It was standing-room only from beginning to end and the audience was excellent. It was a pleasure to play to everyone who came out.

What made this night exceptionally cool was the fact that we were streamed online thanks to our good friends at Live Eye Media. So that way the show could be broadcast to anywhere in the world. And from what the people who watched the live stream told me, it looked and sounded great. If you ever need live streaming done, contact Fitzgerald at Live Eye Media. Just great work, and very easy to work with.

I have to say that the one moment that sent chills down my spine was how quiet it was at the end of the song “Worst Night”. The song has a fade-out ending, and when it was just Rino and myself playing the last few bars, there was this silence before the applause. We also had fun with this tune, a cover of the Roy Ayers song, “Evolution”. Its a high energy classic jazz-funk tune and frankly, its a ton of fun to play.

I want to thank Carl Allen, Ana Silva and Carl Cassell at Harlem for giving us such a great feeling and sounding venue to play at. Harlem is one of the best small venues you could ever check out a show or perform at. And the food is INCREDIBLE!! (best fried chicken in the world).

I also want to thank Meghan and Olga for all their hard work last night working the door and selling CDs. Couldn’t have done it without you two.

The next show is the start of a monthly residency at Zemra (778 St. Clair Ave. West, Toronto, ON). That will be happening starting Sunday July 17th and every 3rd Sunday of the month.