Time Flies
<- Eyvind Kang - got my camera back!
I made it down to Ironworks for the last 2 sets of Friday night's performance. Time Flies is an annual series of concerts produced by Coastal Jazz and Blues wherein a number of notable improvisors from various locations around the world are brought together with some of Vancouver's finest. Over the course of three nights they are randomly selected to play in a number of small groupings. If there are any more rules than that, I'm not aware of them. For more, check out the CJBS website.
This format can have some unexpectedly surprising results but also runs the risk of becoming mundane if the musicians don't click. Risk is the key word. If the musicians play it safe, the results end up sounding safe. Going too far in the other direction risks wankery, so it's a delicate balance that is presented to an ever more discerning audience.
The major development for this year's event was the change of venue from the Western Front to Ironworks, certainly a great move in terms of atmosphere and intimacy. More than one person noted this was the coolest place in town, regrettably gaining that distinction due to the City's myopic closure of l'Espace. The performers and audience certainly seemed to react well to the new location.
<- Cor, Phil, Torsten
Afterwards, it was the general concensus that this has been the best Time Flies in recent years. The musicianship was uniformly outstanding. Local participants Peggy Lee and Torsten Muller certainly did not have to prove that they belonged with this group of highly-esteemed imports.
<- Eyvind Kang - got my camera back!
I made it down to Ironworks for the last 2 sets of Friday night's performance. Time Flies is an annual series of concerts produced by Coastal Jazz and Blues wherein a number of notable improvisors from various locations around the world are brought together with some of Vancouver's finest. Over the course of three nights they are randomly selected to play in a number of small groupings. If there are any more rules than that, I'm not aware of them. For more, check out the CJBS website.
This format can have some unexpectedly surprising results but also runs the risk of becoming mundane if the musicians don't click. Risk is the key word. If the musicians play it safe, the results end up sounding safe. Going too far in the other direction risks wankery, so it's a delicate balance that is presented to an ever more discerning audience.
The major development for this year's event was the change of venue from the Western Front to Ironworks, certainly a great move in terms of atmosphere and intimacy. More than one person noted this was the coolest place in town, regrettably gaining that distinction due to the City's myopic closure of l'Espace. The performers and audience certainly seemed to react well to the new location.
<- Cor, Phil, TorstenAfterwards, it was the general concensus that this has been the best Time Flies in recent years. The musicianship was uniformly outstanding. Local participants Peggy Lee and Torsten Muller certainly did not have to prove that they belonged with this group of highly-esteemed imports.
Cor, Peggy
->
->Peggy in particular, seemed to own the stage as she has done in every outing of hers that I've ever seen. (I recall watching the London Composers Orchestra watch her open-mouthed while she soloed a couple years back.) Torsten was endlessly creative. Everyone else was similarly firing on all cylinders. Best of all, they connected together very deeply. They seemed to feed off the vibe in the room and the appreciation coming from the audience.
Having met most of the performers at Wednesday's workshops, and there were a good number of workshop participants present last night, I felt like we were rooting for our friends up there onstage. Everyone delivered. I had been at the workshops run by Eyvind Kang, John Butcher and Cor Fuhler and each of them were excellent.
I hadn't met Phil Minton as he spent Wednesday running a Feral Choir workshop at the Carnegie Centre. He was totally amazing. There were times when there were sounds emanating from the stage and we couldn't figure out who it was, only to determine it was Phil by watching small movements of his mouth. Again, it was a great example of how the human voice is versatile beyond belief, and how it can draw the audience into an improvisation.
Eyvind, Phil, John, Hasse Poulsen, Peggy ->
Having met most of the performers at Wednesday's workshops, and there were a good number of workshop participants present last night, I felt like we were rooting for our friends up there onstage. Everyone delivered. I had been at the workshops run by Eyvind Kang, John Butcher and Cor Fuhler and each of them were excellent.
I hadn't met Phil Minton as he spent Wednesday running a Feral Choir workshop at the Carnegie Centre. He was totally amazing. There were times when there were sounds emanating from the stage and we couldn't figure out who it was, only to determine it was Phil by watching small movements of his mouth. Again, it was a great example of how the human voice is versatile beyond belief, and how it can draw the audience into an improvisation.
Eyvind, Phil, John, Hasse Poulsen, Peggy ->
I know I'm lapsing into superlatives and not really describing what they did, but that is certainly part of the ephemeral nature of an improvised performance. Individually they were great, collectively they were greater. I can say no more.
Tonight the Song Room! Probably afterwards, I'll scoot down to Ironworks again for the final Time Flies set.
And since I have recovered from my cold, I'm also feeling much better about the Wednesday night performances. Again VCMI has proven to be a valuable experience for me.
Tonight the Song Room! Probably afterwards, I'll scoot down to Ironworks again for the final Time Flies set.
And since I have recovered from my cold, I'm also feeling much better about the Wednesday night performances. Again VCMI has proven to be a valuable experience for me.
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