Seven men with instruments and one woman with a potent sax took a journey through a century of jazz last Saturday (Feb. 21) in Sechelt in a presentation from the Sunshine Coast Music Society.
The Jazz Group of Seven and special guest Karen Graves played a few familiar tunes made famous by the big bands such as Take the A Train that moved at least one couple to get up and dance, as well as many not so well known but worth reviving.
The traditional St. James Infirmary that we associate with the jazz era actually dates back to an English folk song in the 1700s, but has now become a blues classic. Graves sang vocals on that and another oldie, Won’t You Come Home, Bill Bailey. Many of the tunes were arranged by the Jazz Group’s leader John Frederickson.
It was the 20th century that made jazz into the popular music of today, and the group tackled a Thelonious Monk tune, Straight, No Chaser. Monk is not everyone’s favourite — Frederickson called it quirky — but it does give the brass a chance to shine.
Graves was the vocalist on Call Me, a song that British pop singer Petula Clark made famous. She followed this with some soulful solo bits on tenor sax for a John Coltrane number, Naima.
The Jazz Group of Seven are all locals who have been playing together for the past six years. Five of them play with the Creek Big Band while others are members of the Suncoast Concert Band, the Baroque and Blue Jazz Trio or they play professionally with the Steve Giltrow Quartet. They are: Frederickson on trumpet, Carl Montgomery, alto sax, Ken Grunenberg, tenor sax, Bryan Airth on trombone, Steve Giltrow, guitar, Sacha Fassaert on bass and Tim Enns on drums.
The Sunshine Coast Music Society’s next event is Shall We Dance? a programme of classical dance music on Sunday, March 1 at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons.
