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Ottawa Jazz Scene editor Alayne McGregor talks to singer Nicole Ratté about her musical path to the release of her first album.
You can hear the excitement and anticipation in Nicole Ratté's voice, right down the telephone wire.
The Ottawa jazz singer will launch her first CD on March 19, at a concert at the NAC Fourth Stage. It's the culmination of two years of planning and work, and close collaboration with several local musicians – and she's proud of it.
But she's come to this milestone by a path particularly her own. A francophone vocalist in a primarily English-speaking genre, a musician who didn't discover jazz until well into adulthood, and an entrepreneur who has opened up new venues to jazz, Ratté hasn't followed the standard jazz career.
Saturday, March 13 - 4:30 p.m. (doors open at 4 p.m.)
Admission: $15
Advance registration required: e-mail
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or phone 613-832-0896
- Johannes Welsch - symphonic gongs
- Jesse Stewart - waterphone
Jesse writes: "I'll be participating in a concert of music for gongs and waterphone at the Dunrobin Sonic Gym, an absolutely beautiful facility outside of Ottawa. In addition to boasting the most breathtaking collection of gongs I have ever seen or heard, the Sonic Gym has a lovely recording studio where I did some recordings recently. Note that you have to register in advance if you plan on attending. I really cannot recommend this place highly enough. I hope you can check it out!"
The first recording coming out of the new studio at the Sonic Gym has won the "2009 Waterphone Competition": Inner Voices by Jesse Stewart. See http://www.waterphone.com/competition.php. You may not be familiar with the waterphone but will likely have experienced its mesmerizing sound while watching movies such as Poltergeist, Star Trek, The Matrix, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
http://sites.google.com/site/dunrobinsonicgym/symphonyofsound
Dunrobin Sonic Gym
2909 Torwood Dr.
Dunrobin, Ontario
[maps and directions]
Saturday, March 13 - 9 p.m.
Admission: $10 at the door
- Philippe Lafrenière - drums
- Zakari Frantz - alto sax, soprano sax, flute
- Pierre Chrétien - electric piano, clavinet, organ
- Raymond Murray - baritone sax, alto sax
- Marielle Rivard - vocals, shekere
- Steven Patterson - tenor sax
If you missed the first CD release party in Ottawa in late February...
With its raw blaring horns, dusty vintage keyboards, and fierce earthquaking percussion, the Souljazz Orchestra is redefining modern groove music, creating a potent new blend of Funk, Soul, Jazz, Afrobeat, African and Latin styles.
This is a release party for Souljazz's new album, Rising Sun, on Strut Records. This is the group's first all-acoustic afro-jazz album. Playing over thirty different instruments, the musicians create a rich soundscape of otherworldly jazz, driven by heavy African rhythms and soulful vamps. The esoteric arrangements and fiery improvisations make it one of the Souljazz Orchestra's most unique offerings.
Le Petit Chicago
50 Promenade du Portage
Gatineau, Québec
819-483-9843
[map]
Applications are now open for young jazz musicians to take part in the Youth Summit during the 2010 Ottawa International Jazz Festival. Musicians between the ages of 17 and 22 are eligible to participate in the workshop, under the leadership of Humber College jazz professor Jim Lewis.
It will run during the Festival from June 24 to July 4. The results will be showcased during a special Canada Day presentation on July 1, and again on July 4 on the Festival's Main Stage in Confederation Park.
Deadline for applications is March 30th, 2010.
For more information, see ottawajazzfestival.com/e/jazzyouthsummit2010.html
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