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Sax concert attracts packed house

Ottawa Saxophone Camp Concert

Monday's Saxophone Camp concert, with guest artists Mike Murley (sax) and Ian Froman (drums), attracted a packed and enthusiastic house, ending in a standing ovation. The group, which also included organizer Mike Tremblay (sax), Mark Ferguson (piano), and Tom McMahon (bass), played originals by Murley, Tremblay, and Ferguson, as well as standards. A highlight was a sax-only duet between Murley and Tremblay in which Stella by Starlight got thoroughly shaken out and bumped around, but ultimately celebrated.  Photo © Brett Delmage.

 

June 30: Maria Schneider Orchestra

Maria Schneider does textures and patterns and the full range of possibilities that 18 musicians can provide. The result -- although she uses almost the same pattern of instruments as a standard big band -- is about as far from standard as you can imagine. Do not think the Boss Brass or Louis Armstrong: think Carla Bley and Darcy James Argue. Or maybe she's just sui generis.

Read more: June 30: Maria Schneider Orchestra

 

June 30: Julian Lage

No one can deny Julian Lage's facility on the guitar. He can make that instrument laugh or weep or call out stridently -- or bop along. But what really made his short appearance Monday night in Confederation Park special was the originality of his group's instruments and material.

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June 30: Josh Rager

Montreal pianist Josh Rager, who brought his trio to Cafe Paradiso in November, appeared at a much larger venue and with three more musicians as the first main stage act Monday at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival.

While his piano still drove the action on-stage, he was well-matched by Frank Lozano on tenor sax, Al McLean on alto, Jean-Nicolas Trottier on trombone, Dave Laing on drums, and Dave Watts on bass. They added the extra bounce and brilliance needed to push the music across the park. In originals like "Indian Summer", Watt's bass added an extra level of urgency; in the standard "I'm old-fashioned", Lozano's tenor was smooth and assured after a bouncier solo by McLean.

Read more: June 30: Josh Rager