Fantasy JC Festival

[Cem]

I've had this whirling 'round my brain for a while. Here's the germ of an idea Lois & I discussed. We both agreed it'd be really cool if we could follow through with it. Just curious as to whether there's enough interest/support for this idea: A Jazz Corner Festival / Gathering / Hang / Conference!!

An annual, bi-annual, once-every-few-years event or a one time event. JC artists, Speakeasy artists, posters can all perform. It could happen at a different city/place annually, bi-annually, etc...

Are enough folks around here interested in such a musical vacation? Is it a feasible/self-sustaining thing? Let's hear a list of people on top of your list you'd like to hear live. Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Some thoughts on the line-up, etc. from me:

One could take place at Rime in Vancouver. If it happened here, it could happen around the time of our jazz fest (June 23-July 2, 2006)... or not. A bit of a haul for East Coasters & dwellers of other continents, but not too far for the residents of Alberta, Alaska & the West Coast.

Dennis Gonzalez
Ellery Eskelin
Mark Taylor
Robin Eubanks
Gary Bartz

Pete C. (word warrior)
SDCS (does what he does best)
Chuck Beattie Band (Dr. Dave)
An eai component to keep those geeks happy
A jam session or two for general JC'er participation
Workshops, lectures, "show & tell" (Jazzzoline & Nagel )...

I've forgotten some, I'm sure. Who else? ... & who's coming?

[Peterdubya]

There could be mud wrestling!
Dunk tanks!
Loud debates.....

No lets stick to jazz.

I think it's a fine idea, ,but since everyone is so spread out, it'd be tough.

[Cem]

There could be mud wrestling!
Dunk tanks!
Loud debates.....

[Dan G]

Cem - I'd be the first to sign up but next summer won't work for me. So far, our (my wife would also want to com) agenda for then already includes 1 wk in Germany in mid June, 2 wks in Australia in late July. On top of that, I have a week in the mountains in May (work related) and my wife also has working trips to Toronto, Washington, San Antonio, Los Angeles, and Stockholm some time between May and August...

So, yeah, we're a bit booked, but I'd love to pencil at JC fest in Vancouver as my first plan for 2007!

[Cem]

Thanks, Dan. Time, place, performers are all up for discussion. I want to know how many would be up for it, what people could afford and how far would folks be willing to travel. Obviously, a New York or East Coast fest would draw higher numbers.

[MRS]

Dan, my man. . .that's a busy time in Allemania World Cup and all!

(thanks for the indirect Togashi recommendation--fucking awesome record)

[Lois Gilbert]

Well as Cem said, we talked about this, and making it to a reality. As promised Cem, I mentioned it to Gary Bartz today, and if all could work, he would be up for it... So let's see interest and scheduling. If there's enough interest from the East Coast contingency to make a trek this Summer to the West Coast ("aye") Canada, I might be able to connect to some group rates. What would be awesome is if we can get a sponsor for this or any other JC Hang.

[Ron Thorne]

Lois and Cem-

I think that this is an ambitious, creative idea. And, one for which I'm pleased to lend some support.

Obviously, Patti and I would be able to work out logistics and expenses better if (at least the initial one) were held on the west coast. Since we haven't visited Vancouver in far too long, that would be an added treat.

Alaska Airlines has expanded its service to the east coast and Vancouver, so you may want to approach them for some special package rates. They also engage in music series sponsorships, here and elsewhere.

There are many fine musicians in the Pacific Northwest who would likely be interested in lending their support to such an endeavor, too.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

I love these suggestions and would be delighted to participate! My schedule is overloaded, but with enough advance warning I should have a fighting chance to make it.

[Cem]

Right on, Lois. Good to hear Mr. Bartz is interested. Good idea on the group rates. Same with the sponsorships, Ron. I knew I could count on you folks !

Not my strong suit to deal with corporate culture, but I'll look into some possibilities over here, too. Wouldn't it be nice if the US gov't kicked in to these kinds of initiatives? Maybe, they do. I'll look into some Canada Council $. There's a really cute b&b 2 blocks from Rime. I'll see if I can get a deal there & some other places.

Yaay, Steve! Dan, like I said, you never know when it'll happen. Hope you'll make it. Good to see there's some interest overall.

[Cem]

Tom Storer's upcoming visit reminded me of this thread. up for discussion...if any...?

btw/ Rime is a jazz festival club venue this year...

[bluenoter]

btw/ Rime is a jazz festival club venue this year...

Cem--

Sorry I have nothing to contribute to this thread so far, but mazel tov on that!

(Uh, which festival--or more than one?)

[Dr Dave]

Click here for the Chuck Beattie Band schedule. I'd love to do it, and I think Chuck would go for it, but the travel costs would be a major obstacle. I might add that while Chuck has Miles and Herbie Hancock in his book, nobody is going to confuse the Chuck Beattie Band with a jazz group...

[Cem]

(Uh, which festival--or more than one?)

Vancouver International Jazz Festival

We'll have a 6 pm, 8:30 pm & 11 pm shows...2 sets each...plus afternoon gigs on the weekend & may have the 2 am onward (avant) jam session nightly, depending on whether the bureaucrats have recently got laid or not...

Musically, it's gonna be all over the place, including some great out of towners. One way or another, our good friend Mr D.G. will be here during the festival, too!

I don't know whether there's enough time to set something up for more of a JC component...if anyone's up for it, drop me an email at hey at zula dot ca. I have to finish my booking in less than 10 days!!!

...& I just thought of another potential: The Bivster & the Unstable Ensemble! ...btw, Jason, have you guys ever thought of changing it to the Unstable Unsemble? just wondrin'....

[Gary Sisco]

And Walter Horn, Brett Sroka, Phil Grenadier ...

A great idea that should happen. It's out of my realm of possibility but I'd like to see it happen.

[Jason Bivins]

Cem, we'd probably be up for playing (or rather, up for traveling). We've been mulling over heading West for the first time. Keep me in the loop, my man.

[mtaylorjazz]

Cem,

Of course you know I'm into it! Just keep me posted (kinda cool to make the list at the top of the thread too!).

MT
http://www.marktaylormusic.net

[Ron Thorne]

Keep hope alive! Keep hope alive!

I'd do my best to be in attendance, Cem.

[patricia]

A gathering of JCrs on the West Coast, to meet and listen to some great music, is probably the first one in six years that is a possibility for me.
I live an hour by air from Vancouver, so let's not let this idea die.
If it gets legs, I'm there!!

[claude]

I would love to attend something like this! It would be difficult since I'm on the opposite coast but I, like Gary, would to see it happen even if I couldn't make it.

[patricia]

I would love to attend something like this! It would be difficult since I'm on the opposite coast but I, like Gary, would to see it happen even if I couldn't make it.

I would too, Claude. So far, all the get-togethers have been in New York and, much as I would love to go, it would have been a major thing for me. But, though I know it would be just as major for our East Coast friends to come this way, turnabout is fair play.
It goes without saying that we would make a special effort to go East in the future, if we had clapped eyes and ears on our friends from the East on this side of the continent.
Vancouver is a gorgeous city, well worth checking out. Also, there are some major and rising jazz acts whom I for one would love to hear.

[claude]

Vancouver is a gorgeous city, well worth checking out. Also, there are some major and rising jazz acts whom I for one would love to hear.

It sure is, I've only been there once but was mightily impressed. It didn't even rain the whole week we were there!

[patricia]

It sure is, I've only been there once but was mightily impressed. It didn't even rain the whole week we were there!

Impressive. The jazz Gods were surely with you that week.
There have been vicious rumours for years that it's always raining in Vancouver. Seattle too. NOT TRUE. It rains in the same months, more or less, that it snows in colder climates. Miserable, sure, but at least you don't have to shovel rain. But, most of the time the weather is very nice.

[Cem]

Wow! Good news Doc, Jason, Claude, Ron, Mark, Patricia! Nice to hear about so many players. Gary, yes I forgot those fine musician folks...there must be a way to get you out here. Rita's gotta make it somehow, too. This is sounding like a party!

Should we look at a dry run this year (& do a big one next year?), as in do a hang in tandem with the jazzfest this year with some JC shows & folks or is there enough time (& interest) to make it a real JC event this year? I guess, mostly I need to answer that... but would love your input.

[patricia]

If by a dry run, Cem, you mean get some of these folks out to the Jazz Festival in Vancouver, with the intention of meeting up there, for at least a day or two during the Festival and then as a group, a day or two after, if we don't hate each other, I'm in.
Then, perhaps we would have some basis for getting together for a bona fide hang, outside the Festival on the following years, assuming that we are a cohesive group. Of course, that would put a fairly heavy burden on those who actually live in the city to do yeoman's work, but that can't be helped.
Could you expand on your ideas, over the next little while, since there's still time for everybody to warm up to the suggestion of a hang, finally, on the West Coast of Canada? No offence intended, naturally, to the East Coasters, of course. We all recognize that you ARE jazz, but so are we, in our laid back, West Coast style.

[Cem]

OK. Dennis & the boys (Yells At Eels) are coming to perform at Rime as part of the Vancouver Jazz Festival. We're a club venue, so I set them up with 2 gigs (both double trio gigs... one with Almost Transparent Blue & one with Bruce Freedman Trio...so one set each by each band & a sextet set), plus one gig by the Unconscious Collective Stefan's project with Aaron, Devon Wells and Greg Prickett.

It would be nice to have some JC faces around here this year. A casual hang. The Vision Fest JC thing should be awesome (See The Vision Thread), as there may be a live performance or two, even. So that may be our first JC Micro Fest. Maybe next year we do a full on West Coast JC Micro Fest...? Any thoughts?

[Cem]

I forgot to mention the 1am Jam. Dennis, Stefan & Aaron will each host one.

[clinthopson]

'07 would be better for me than '06.

Long range planning, y'know.

[walto]

I forgot to mention the 1am Jam. Dennis, Stefan & Aaron will each host one.

I'd like to jam with those boys again, but....here is better. Take this show EAST, Cem!

[Cem]

Well boys, this year is kind of a dry run, only for those nearby or able to make it on short notice. If I had my way, we'd have an east & a west thing annually or alternating. So, let's start planning for next year. I'm ready, if you're game. Waddya say?