Norwegians and others at Vancouver Jazz Fest

[Dennis Gonzalez]

This review was sent to me by fellow JC'er Nitya Nadesan:

Jazzland Community in Vancouver Canada


Jazzland Community [assorted artists on the Jazzland label from Norway] played two nights at Vancouver's Performance Works. The first night was sold out with standing room only. Stig Henriksen did a fantastic job with the sound. I sat behind the sound board and the sound was studio perfect. The room did not interact to effect the music at all. Eivind [Aarset]'s guitar and picks did not make it to the venue in time for his set so he was playing a borrowed bright cherry red Strat (which he told me during the intermission he was not at all happy about). Bugge [Wesseltoft] opened the show: where he spent much time under the hood of the Steinway plucking and using a mallet on the strings, just incredible! Then Eivind, Marius [Reksjo] and Welte [Holte] came on stage and they played as a quartet. Bugge left the stage shortly and Eivind and the guys played Electromagnetic then followed with a GREAT new track I had never heard before with Welte playing G4 and xylophone. Next Hakon Kornstad came out and did Sweden from Single Engine. Then he did a second song (improvisation) on flutonette. After the intermission Sidsel [Endresen] quietly slipped on stage, removed her shoes and sat on a stool and scat sang for about 10 minutes when finished it took her 3-4 minutes to catch her breath. The crowd was in awe and clapped like crazy. Then she did a song poem with the lyrics "eeezzeee laaay-zee, sit down" (Living Rooms?) with Bugge on kalimba. For the finale all the musicians came out and did Downwind. After the standing ovation all came back and did a laid back number. Sidsel was the crowd favorite although that by no means should be construed as the audience not enjoying the entire evening and all the musicians as well.


The second night followed the same order although Bugge really cranked it up a notch. Eivind and I were to have lunch in the afternoon but he had a photo shoot come up and then went to pick up some midi gear. I believe it was this midi gear Bugge was using and he blew the doors off the venue with a spirited improvisation. Aarset, Holte and and Reksjo then came on and Eivind had his regular ax. They REALLY rocked Electromagnetic and then followed up with the new song which once again ROCKED harder than the first night. Hakon did the same two numbers (same but different with improvisation). Then a break and Sidsel came out and did some scat singing then Slow Song and what I think is Living Rooms with Bugge on kalimba. Same scenario as first night with last song and encore. Once again Sidsel stole the show and was the audience favorite.


Interesting the first night it was standing room only and the crowd was a little reserved. Canadians are quite generous with their applause and there was much first night. Second night the venue was only about 3/4 full but the crowd was REALLY enthusiastic clapping and stomping and whooping after each number and going totally bonkers for Sidsel.


What a blessing these guys played two nights in Vancouver.


Then Sunday night Nik Bartsch's Ronin. These guys are all in their 30's. The play "ritual groove music". One of the guys plays contra bass clarinet. Pretty hard to describe their music but the crowd went wild. Their music is very minimalist sort of like Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians.