Home : Plato's Words : November 2006

November 2006

November somehow crept up on me! I am on my second little early winter tour performing now with my quintet in the USA. Last week I was in BC performing with my quartet. Once again similar to earlier in the fall I performed my “With A Song In My Heart” program. I am really enjoying singing those songs and paying tribute to some of the music sung by a number of the greatest jazz singers of all time. Our BC trip was nerve wracking at times because the winter weather conditions hit hard as we were driving through the mountains in between Osoyoos and Creston through mountainous terrain. Cars and semi truck trailers were flipped over or lying in the ditch right there alongside the slippery highway. These were reminders that one’s life and wellbeing is somewhat fragile when traveling through mountain passes this time of year. Luckily we remained safe but I really don’t wish to travel that time of year and would much rather opt for later spring or earlier fall for touring dates. Of course I realize that Mother Nature can swiftly decide at any time to surprise us with weather changes but I do feel somewhat safer choosing seasons where that is less likely to happen. During the drive from Osoyoos to Creston while my steady as ever colleague and bassist Paul Rushka drove us I looked out the window and wondered if indeed we were going to make it. Paul was wonderful driver, calm and careful and got us there unscathed. Bill Coon and Nino DiPasquale, my other two band mates on this trip were concerned too of course and we were all thankful to have that part of the trip over with. There were definitely some white knuckles and worried gasps involved on a couple days of driving but we simply took our time and remained in good spirits along the way. Some how making music together after that was a welcome relief for us all. That is what made it all worth it in the end. During those days of traveling through winter weather we did listen to much music together and some of our choices really seemed to match what we were seeing in the mountain landscape. We listened to the Bach Cello Suites on a particularly wintery day. The trees were hanging heavily with freshly fallen snow and the sky really did have the winter tone of a deep blue blended with grey. Bach’s music was the soundscape to the landscape and they were perfectly matched it seemed. On another day of driving we selected a recording of Bill Frisell’s and somehow the music once again matched the type of scenery that we were experiencing. Moody and atmospheric musical explorations matched the visual. We each commented on this perfect combination and it made for a certain satisfaction for each of us. I suppose I would say it would be similar to enjoying the perfect pairing of food and wine. I don’t know so much about that art, but I understand it truly is an art; pairing food and wine so that the pleasure is complete. Perhaps unknowingly on our travels we selected music to listen to that would have been a sommalier’s choice, matching the BC mountain passes with our choices of music during the first true winter days that we have seen this season. Aside from Bach and Frisell we did listened to various genres of music including some classic country music, a genre that is a particular favorite of bassist Paul Rushka. It was fun to witness Paul’s excitement when he was listening and singing along to Johnny Cash tunes for example. Nino and Bill also contributed choices of other great instrumental jazz artists. I had CD’s along too but it was more fun for me to simply listen to my fellow travelers choices.

This week I am traveling and performing with my quintet, once again with Bill Coon on guitar, Nino DiPasquale on drums, now adding Doug Stephenson on the bass and Lou Mastroianni on the piano. Our first performance was at the Seattle Asian Museum where Jim Wilke, a wonderful radio station host on KPLU, recorded us for future broadcast. It was one of those rare days for me whereby I did not feel nervous or constrained and singing felt uninhibited and focused. Of course that made me very happy. The following day we performed at one of my favorite Seattle area jazz clubs; Bakes Place. Once again there was a type of magic in the air I suppose as all five of us seemed to connect musically speaking and each tune we performed was pure pleasure. My bassist Doug played for the second time an Eminence bass, which is a small size type of “stick bass”. Seattle bassist Jeff Johnson was kind enough to loan the instrument to us for this trip while he was away on a tour of his own with his other bass. Doug, ever the professional had only a few moments to familiarize himself with the feel and approach to playing this very uniquely designed and shaped instrument and then suddenly we were playing and in fact being recorded. Doug sounded fantastic as he always does and no one would have known that this was a first time for him on that particular instrument. This would not be the same as a pianist playing a completely different instrument each time while on tour or even a drummer going to a new kit. In this case the instrument is completely differently shaped from the regular full body acoustic bass so it truly must feel awkward even to hold at first but Doug made it his own and played beautifully.

Now we are on the way to performing two concerts in Oregon where we have an acoustic bass that is being provided for us. On a trip such as this with five people in a mini van, plus two guitars, drum kits, amplifiers and luggage there is no possible way to travel with the acoustic bass. Even now as I type this on my lap top computer I am in the very back of the van comfortably sealed in, so to speak, in amongst all the gear. I kind of like it but there definitely would be no way to include the acoustic bass. Today on our drive we are listening to our very own BC residing Campbell Ryga and once again the music matches what we are witnessing out the window. Here in Washington State gorgeous fall color remains on the trees. Today the clouds are rather wild at times; it rains for a while then full sunshine follows and once again complete cloud cover blankets the sky. Campbell and Rene Rosnes and the rest of the band continue to change moods throughout their recording; creating dynamic contrasts similar to the contrasts we are witnessing with our eyes. This fascinates me on today’s drive and fascinated me last week on our BC travels also.

Yesterday in Seattle while I remained in the hotel nursing some swollen tonsils the band headed downtown to a great music shop called Bud’s Records where the owner entertained them with his wit and wonderful sense of humor. Apparently it was pouring rain as they entered his shop and he issued a friendly greeting stating that he was quite certain that listening to some John Coltrane in the shop would surely make things alright again as they entered soaked to skin and possibly a wee bit gloomy. Apparently that was the case and they remained there for some time purchasing CD’s and listening to recordings that he played for everyone while they were browsing in his shop. It must have been quite the place and Bud must be a very interesting and heart warming character because since yesterday they have mentioned his name several times, smiling as they speak his name. I hope to get there on some future trip to Seattle. I’m glad to report that although I had to miss the opportunity to meet Bud, my tonsil pain seemed to diminish through the course of the day. My priority is to try to remain in strong and healthy voice during these trips and sometimes the lack of proper sleep in hotel beds and the long drives in heated dry air is not so good for a voice. I did a long workout in a fitness centre and by evening my throat and voice seemed almost 100% again. The voice is such a fragile instrument or at least mine is. I have to take great care not to let it become fatigued or strained otherwise I suffer the consequences with a scratchy unhealthy sound.

Just a short while ago I struck by a thought as my quintet has been discussing which route will safely take us through Oregon to hopefully avoid some of the winter mountain conditions that seem to be existing here as they did last week in BC. In the same way that music making within an ensemble involves certain give and take, an open-minded approach, listening to each others’ ideas, so it goes with our trip planning. Although I am the group leader I am definitely willing to “go with the flow” for the most part so it is interesting to hear my fellow musicians discuss particular concerns and strategies and then come up with a satisfying solution that makes everyone happy. I had several maps printed out; different routes to select from but after that I like to have everyone make a decision together based on the available information. These are such easy going wonderful men that I am traveling with so eventually a consensus is always reached and now the longer yet ultimately safer route has been selected as our route and I for one am relieved about that. Singing with this quintet and with the quartet as well I have experienced the same type of thing: a wonderful balance of give and take. On trips such as these I think it would be very challenging to travel with someone that might not be even tempered and these men are all just that: mild mannered, easy going, logical, courteous and then on top of all of that they are great musicians! What a lucky girl I am!

So now I will end my November words, later perhaps than I would like to have written them but sometimes the safer scenic approach is the way to take I have learned today with my group.

Karin