It's good for me to sit back and reflect on chunks of time. I generally do a lot of stuff in my wacky, and full life, and more and more I'm forgetting half of what I do! “Norm……just get activity #13 done, and move right on to activity #14”! I need to do this, to remember, and to take stock, and maybe learn from experiences.
So the season is done, I'm adding up the numbers, writing the last cheques, and resetting the books for next year. So I thought I'd look back and tell you about what I see, and hopefully remind a few of you of what you saw and heard this past season. As Always I'm intrigued to hear what you think. Please leave comments, criticisms, ideas, and donations! We need them, and enjoy them too (not the criticisms, they're like vitamins....).
So here is part 1 of my review!
The season started, really at the Halifax Jazz Festival, where Tim Crofts, Lukas Pearse and I played a set at 1313 Hollis Street. I love being around for the Jazz Fest, it's nice to be back home from PEI where I live in summer. Unfortunately it's usually a quick trip, without much time to bask in the great vibe they make each year.
(okay now I have the calendar out....)
September 15 was Hoarse Rattle, the first Main Series show with Arthur Bull and Isaiah Ceccarelli (I learned to spell, without hesitation some good names this year: Ceccarelli, Vespaziani, Reidemeister, oh yeah....). This concert was fun, because we rehearsed only a couple of times, a little less than I like to, but the trajectory of musical development was really clear and surprising! Each time we played, the music grew and shifted, until showtime I can only wonderwhat might have happened if we had a few more days! The music was super confidently made, it was a great way to start the year. We got video of the concert and I put an excerpt or two on the sL YouTube Channel, check it out.
JP Carter at 1313 Hollis
Later in September we opened up the Open Source, with JP Carter, a Vancouver based trumpeter, on a Circuit tour. JP had a sound all his own, using some looping and effects in his rig. Geordie Haley, Tim Crofts and Panos Giannoulis joined him for his second set. The music was abstract and noisey, and although Panos’ bass quit on him, halfway through the last tune, he slapped his lifeless instrument trying to make some sort of sonic contribution to the band!
Next was Dragos Diatribe. You are going to have to tell me about this one, I was out of town on our annual 3 days in Kingsport NS for the weekend, and left Tim in charge. They shared a show with Jerry Granelli and Dani Oore. I'm always fascinated and excited to get calls or emails from out of the blue asking to play in Halifax. My first reaction is always, "why ask me?" And then I remember, oh yeah, we've been around for a while here, suddenlyLISTEN is a known entity! That makes me happy.
rehearsal for Dorian
Our next Main Series fun was found in Dorian. This concert was a sort of last minute, late summer idea, after another concert idea fell through. I had the wish to start combining improvisers from different media, and the theatre felt like a good start. My friend Karen Bassett had an idea and an improvisatory spirit, and few like-minded friends, and Dorian happened! We had a great time, exploring A Picture of Dorian Grey, finding new ways to work together and learning to speak each other’s languages. We had a great quartet of musicians, eager to explore: Lukas, Gina Burgess, and David Christensen, and me. In the end this was our best-attended and probably most hilarious, and of course, dramatic concert of the season. We’ll do it again, and hopefully Dorian will grow more, as a continuing project. I put a video excerpt here.
December 12, we held the 2nd Annual benefit for Medecines sans Frontieres. This is a show that suddenlyLISTEN presents that features member of the Improvisation Workshop. It’s part Xmas party and part concert, and it’s always fun. This year we raised $150 top help with the good works of MSF.
And that concluded 2011. There's more to come and I'll let you know when it's up here.
As always suddenlyLISTEN thanks Nova Scotia Communities, Culture and Heritage, The Canada Council, 1313 Hollis, our board of directors, and you all for your interest and support! More to come >>>>
Jun 11, 2012 at 16:11
Comments