Ottawa Jazz Festival so far pt II…

Monday night:

Josh Rager Sextet
Amazing jazz set they put on.

Julian Lage.
Nice set and surprised with his guitar playing skills.

Maria Schneider:
What a lovely beautiful lady.
Nice composer and the music was beautiful.

Ottawa Jazz Festival so far…

Here are some photos I forgot to show on this site.
Who were amazing during the Ottawa Jazz Festival.
Also check out this Youtube clip.
I am started to appreciate the world of jazz for now.
Amazed by the musicians and how they play their instruments.

Al Green @ Ottawa Jazz Festival

Wow! I just finished watching Al Green play a wonder concert at the Ottawa Jazz Festival.
This was my first time seeing this legend.
Fun and soulful.
He was throwing roses at the audience.

Love the medley of classic songs he sang like Sugar Pie, You Are Everything and alot of wonder classics.

What a fun time!!
Dancing up a storm!
I wonder who can top that at the Ottawa Jazz Festival?

Comment on this entry if you were at the show?

Michael Jackson: RIP

OK I am slow in mentioning this.
Just got back from the Ottawa Jazz Festival and having no internet there.

Hearing the new of Michael Jackson’s death is very shocking.
I never bought any of his albums but I know I should.

I am a 80s kid so I grew up listening and watching to tracks like Billie Jean, Bad, Thriller and others.
While the 90s was his so called waning days.

He is still the King of Pop in my opinion.
Its his music that people love him for. Not the whole weird “Wacko Jacko”/allegations that sort of known him for.
May he rest in heaven.

I could never do the Moonwalk.
Download this great megamix

Jazzfest: Opening day

Tonight was the official opening day of Ottawa’s Jazz Festival.

Playing at Confederation Park were:
Alicia Borisonik

Dave Douglas

Roberta Gambarini

It was a nice event of music.
The weather hold up and it didn’t thunderstorm like the weather report mentioned.

Review: Jazzfest surprise free show

Tonight was a surprise free show at the 29th edition of the Ottawa Jazz Festival.
Even I wasn’t aware about it either.
Playing at Confederation Park were:
Souljazz Orchestra

Pavlo

Terence Blanchard

I wasn’t aware that tonight was a free show.
Thought Thursday was the kick off to the festival.
It was a nice evening for great music at the park.
The weather was nice.
Surprised alot of people came to the festival.

The Most Serene Republic – …And The Ever Expanding Universe (CD Review)

Ever since I saw The Most Serene Republic live last Thursday at NXNE.
I couldn’t help and purchased their upcoming album which doesn’t drop on July 14th.
Its kind of hard for a band that is in shadow with other label mates like Stars, Broken Social Scene and Feist.
But they are starting to branch off with their own kind of music.
I can’t stop listening to this album. Meaning this is a sign that it is a great album.

With the album title, it does feel grandiose with its sound and lyrics.
Conceptual maybe since it feels like its a journey to out of body experience.
Or as I like to make it a spaceship journey through the universe.

The whole album has this high energy and playful sound.
Heavens to Purgatory relies on the banjo and I don’t remember if they ever used the banjo.
Phi reminds me of a old Broken Social Scene song.
All Of One Is The Other is very slow ballady track.
The one track to stood out for me is Patternicity which I think is ambitious of them to go the instrumental route.
I really love it since its like listening to a comtemporary classical track.
Four Humours, Catharsis Boo and Don’t Hold Back, Feel A Little Longer are the only tracks that is very upbeat, experimental dancey.

Not sure if this album will make or break The Most Serene Republic but I totally enjoy this album.

Best tracks:

• Bubble Reputation
• Heaven To Purgatory
• The Old Forever New Things
• Patternicity (I would be interested if they did a vocal version of Patternicity)
• Catharsis Boo
• Don’t Hold Back, Feel A Little Longer
• No One Likes A Nihilist

NXNE: Final Thoughts

Finally done editing the photos from NXNE.
These four days being in Toronto were fun for myself.
I never experience such a great live music scene there.
Compared to Ottawa, Toronto totally blows us out of the water.

I got to meet some interesting people who got media passes and wondering who they were covering for.
Also people who weren’t on the media were very nice and commenting on how I was at this and that show taking photos.
People who I met were:
Historyjen
Garry Tasconas
Matthew Filipowich
The Singing Lamb
Marine Gobert
Ryan O’Shaughnessy
Frank Yang
If I forgot to mentioned anyone please make a comment.

I didn’t get to see the ones I wanted to see at the festival.
Like No Age, The Black Lips, Great Bloomers, The Darcys, Mika Miko, Japanther, Charles Sperin & The Happiness Project, some of the acts from Ottawa and many more.
While the ones I got to see are covered on this blog.

There were alot of things to do.
I didn’t get time to see any of the films and the conferences held at NXNE.

My input to NXNE is they should do a bike rental for those like myself who don’t have access to a car and its more environmentally friendly and saves on cash.
Taxi is very costly. I read that Pop Montreal is going to be doing bike rentals for this year’s festival.

Overall it was a great first experience to attend NXNE.
I wish some of my Ottawa friends could have attended this.

Review: Show at Rolly’s Garage

On Saturday during the Toronto rainy afternoon.
I decided to hit up the No Shame/Daps Duo show and BBQ.
Took place at a Garage Bodyshop down in Ossington.

Playing there were:
Ruby Jean & The Thoughtful Bees
Lightmares
Swirling Shores (aka Spiral Beach)
Times Neue Roman
Pick a Piper
Laura Barrett

NXNE: Day 4

My last night in Toronto for NXNE.
I decided to hit up The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern.
Playing there were:
Woodpigeon
DD/MM/YYYY
Ruby Coast
Jason Collett and Hot Panda (both I missed)
The Lovely Feathers
During the times I missed Jason Collett and Hot Panda, I went to the Reverb.
Playing there were:
Said The Whale
Grand Analog