Distractions, reflections

Distractions, reflections

David Ing, at large … Sometimes, my mind wanders

Monthly Archives June 2008

2006/06/26-29 John Abercrombie, Mike Stern, John Scofield, Donny McCaslin, Lizz Wright, Toronto Jazz Festival

June 29, 2008
The annual Toronto Jazz Festival meant another week of packed-in jazz performances.
Toronto is a sufficiently large venue that jazz players visit throughout the year. In combination with other venues across North America and the world, though, there’s a long tradition of chaining musicians into compressed weeks, such as the Toronto Jazz Festival. For years, now, Andy and I have had standing plans to attend see world-class jazz together.

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I made a tactical error by not buying tickets in advance, so the tent was sold out. Andy and I were sitting at a picnic table way out on Nathan Phillips Square, too far to see, but easily close enough for amplified sound.

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I don’t understand why the jazz festival organizers decided to book three great New York-based guitar players on the same bill. I would have paid to see them separately, on three different nights. John Abercrombie was on first. Zooming out my camera to maximum (432 mm), I photographed images that I couldn’t see with my unaided eyes.

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Second on the bill, Mike Stern was next. He played a great set, but I’ had seen him play longer at the 55 Bar in NYC, 2 weeks earlier.

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On bass was Chris Minh Doky, who I’ve never seen play live, before. Continue reading “2006/06/26-29 John Abercrombie, Mike Stern, John Scofield, Donny McCaslin, Lizz Wright, Toronto Jazz Festival“

2008/06/23 Donny McCaslin, Ben Monder, Adam Cruz, Boris Kozlov at 55 Bar

June 23, 2008
I’ve seen Donny McCaslin play in a trio and in Steps Ahead, and now in a quartet of top New York musicians.
I’ve seen Donny McCaslin play in a trio at Louis 649, and with Steps Ahead at Iridium. Since I was spending a lot of time in NYC this summer, I decided to see him perform in a quartet at 55 Bar. When I arrived, there was one seat the bar, right up at the front … and I had a nice conversation with the drummer’s fiancee.

The motivation for seeing the quarter was the sidemen: Adam Cruz on drums. Boris Kozlov on bass, and Ben Monder on guitar. Some of Donny’s tunes I’ve heard before, but in jazz there’s always space for different interpretations.

55 Bar, as usual, was packed. It’s a long, narrow basement with a few row of tables and lots of people standing at the back. Continue reading “2008/06/23 Donny McCaslin, Ben Monder, Adam Cruz, Boris Kozlov at 55 Bar“

2008/06/14 Installing ceiling fans

June 14, 2008
Installing ceiling fans was a good excuse to ask Don to come over with his family for a visit.
Since we’re in a three-storey house (plus basement), the upper floors are too warm and the basement in too cool in the summer. Since I’ve added another PC in our bedroom — as a Mythbuntu personal video recorder — it makes the room even warmer. We have a ceiling fan above the third floor landing. Since we were going to install a fan into the master bedroom, we decided to install in all three bedrooms. We asked Don to teach Adam how to do it.

Don came over with the family. I don’t advocate video games — the boys have funded their own recreation — but it was something for Ryan to do with Anderson and Michaela.

Of course, we wouldn’t let everyone go home without have dinner. Continue reading “2008/06/14 Installing ceiling fans“

2008/06/13 The Bad Plus, Glenn Gould Studio, Toronto Jazz Festival

June 13, 2008
Glenn Gould Studio seems a bit formal as a venue for The Bad Plus, but we were totally entertained and the performance was great.
I’m fortunate to not have to travel far to go to Toronto Jazz Festival events. I can choose between bicycling or taking the streetcar! The jazz festival brings some great bands to town. Andy and I went to see The Bad Plus at the Glenn Gould Studio, in the CBC Broadcasting Centre. The trio is an entertaining mix of styles — and not just musical styles. Ethan Iverson, on piano, wore a suit and tie, and had a totally deadpan delivery in his slow delivery of jokes. Reid Anderson let his bass do the talking, pushes the music forward with lots of energy.

Dave King was a wild man on drums. Of the three, he attracts the most attention, with a big smile on his face.

For a jazz combo of three acoustic instrument, this group feels like a rock band. They’re great musicians, but they don’t take themselves too seriously. The Glenn Gould Studio feels a bit formal for a jazz performance, but the sound is great. Continue reading “2008/06/13 The Bad Plus, Glenn Gould Studio, Toronto Jazz Festival“

2008/06/10 Virginia Tech campus, Blacksburg, VA

June 10, 2008
With afternoon meetings ending early, we went for a walk around a bit of the Virginia Tech campus.
I normally visit a lot of big cities, so it’s a change of pace when I get to a smaller town. Virginia Tech — officially Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University — is in Blacksburg, Virginia. Bill and Lee and I finished our afternoon meetings early, and decided to get a bit of exercise walking around campus. Starting from the entry to the northeast, we walked west on Alumni Mall, through the Torgerson Hall bridge.

The mall ends in a circle at the War Memorial. Looking back east, there’s a clearer view of the bridge at Torgerson Hall.

To the west, the plaza with monuments on it is the roof of War Memorial Chapel.

From the roof of War Memorial Chapel, Burress Hall is northeast across the Drillfield. Continue reading “2008/06/10 Virginia Tech campus, Blacksburg, VA“

2008/06/07 Bike tour: Pape – Midland – Kennedy – Unionville – 7 – Warden

June 7, 2008
Simon and I rode from downtown Toronto to Unionville … hopping the subway to cut down the distances both ways.
Simon and I live downtown, and have usually driven (way) uptown to visit Greg. Our preferred mode of transportation is bicycle, so good weather presented an opportunity for a tour. I’m less ambitious in my distances than Simon, and suggested reduced pedaling by riding the TTC. We started the journey from Queen Street East up to Pape Station — after I changed two flat tires. The gauge on the new bicycle pump reads differently!

I chose my vintage 1983 touring bike with cycling shoes and toe clips for this trip. Simon has a really nice Cannondale touring bike, but doesn’t like to park it outside. He chose to ride his father’s old bike, and thought flip flops were sufficient for pedaling in the summer heat .

From Pape Station, we rode up to the Kennedy station, and changed to the Scarborough LRT. Bikes are not that unusual on the subway, outside of rush hour.

The LRT routing jogs north before turning due east, so Midland station is closest to Unionville. This is where our ride seriously started. Continue reading “2008/06/07 Bike tour: Pape – Midland – Kennedy – Unionville – 7 – Warden“

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