By Vanessa Tam
Jazz as an artform is so much more than a bunch of talented musicians playing a piece of music together, it’s a demonstration of rhythmic energy, improvisation, and the mastering of an instrument. It’s what makes Jazz stand out from every other genre of music; the ability to highlight the masterful stylings of a single instrument, or many.
Here we’ve highlighted some performances at this year’s Vancouver International Jazz Festival that predominantly features a single instrument so the listener can dive into the world of their favourite sound or explore something that piques their interest and challenges what they already know.
Keys
Commonly thought of as the core of a Jazz ensemble, pianos, accordions and organs are able to provide both harmonic and rhythmic direction and are able to play chords and melodies simultaneously making it a staple of the genre.
Taras Luka
Ukrainian jazz and classical accordionist Taras Luka’s 2023 album Part of the Journey is a sharp and sparking fusion of contemporary jazz and pan-Latin styles for accordion and jazz sextet. In addition to leading his engaging and rhythmically-layered small combo, Luka has worked extensively as a composer, conductor, music director, and sound designer for theatre.
Date: Friday, June 28, 2024
Location: Ocean Artworks – 1531 Johnston St. Vancouver, BC
Time: 4:00PM
Tickets: Free to attend
Raagaverse
This enthrallingly eclectic collaborative Indo-Jazz fusion quartet interweaves rich Hindustani classical traditions, dense and dynamic Modern Jazz, and poetic lyrics that tell of love, grief, longing, home, and hope.
Date: Friday, June 28, 2024
Location: Performance Works – 1218 Cartwright St. Vancouver, BC
Time: 1:30PM
Tickets: Free to attend
Drums
An obvious backbone to any musical ensemble, in Jazz the drum kit not only maintains the rhythmic drive and energy of a piece but also uses a number of percussive sounds, textures and tones to steer the performance any given way.
Ulysses Owens Jr.
A drummer who The New York Times says “takes a back seat to no one,” Ulysses Owens Jr. “balances excitement gracefully and shines with innovation.” The three-time Grammy-winner has been the driving force behind great artists like Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, Kurt Elling, Gregory Porter, and Wynton Marsalis, but over the past five years, Ulysses’ career has shifted from “young lion” side-man to leader and mentor, guiding the next generation of talent via his many performance, production, and educational outreach projects.
Date: Friday, June 28, 2024
Location: Performance Works – 1218 Cartwright St. Vancouver, BC
Time: 7:30PM
Tickets: Available online for $37
We All Break
Like most great art forms, Jazz was developed by combining previously distinct, disparate elements into something new. We All Break follows in this tradition with their remarkable merging of traditional Haitian Vodou music and au courant composition and improvisation on the groundbreaking Path of Seven Colors.
Date: Saturday, June 29, 2024
Location: Performance Works – 1218 Cartwright St. Vancouver, BC
Time: 7:30PM
Tickets: Available online for $37
Guitar
Similar to how the piano operates in a Jazz ensemble, the guitar is able to fill both rhythmic and melodic roles. Being able to instantly switch between single notes and chords makes the instrument an interesting and dynamic addition to any performance.
Parlour Panther
Parlour Panther bursts with irresistible charm, expressive emotional chemistry, and exceptional vocal and guitar skills. Frankie and Reidar, a trans non-binary couple, have been creating music together for over 10 years.
Date: Saturday, June 22, 2024
Location: Downtown – Georgia Street Stage – 750 Hornby St. Vancouver, BC
Time: 2:15PM
Tickets: Free to attend
Pasquale Grasso
Pat Metheny called Pasquale Grasso “the best guitar player I’ve heard in maybe my entire life.” It was the kind of endorsement most rising guitarists can only dream of, but what’s more impressive is that this exceptional player doesn’t sound like Metheny in the slightest. Nor does he follow in the paths of Scofield or Frisell. Born in Italy and now based in New York City, Grasso’s astounding pianistic technique is informed not by modern jazz guitarists, but by bebop pioneers like Bud Powell, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie.
Date: Sunday, June 30, 2024
Location: Ocean Artworks – 1531 Johnston St. Vancouver, BC
Time: 8:30PM
Tickets: Available online for $20
Vocals
Arguably the most tried and true instrument going back to the very beginnings of Jazz, the human voice can not be overlooked as the most adaptable instrument of them all. With the ability to tell stories, sing lyrics and supply melodies, the possibilities are endless.
Aja Monet
The themes on surrealist blues poet Aja Monet’s 2024 debut album when the poems do what they do centre around Black resistance, love, and the inexhaustible quest for joy. The songs are insistent and unrelenting, with some reminiscent of jazz club virtuosity and melee while others serve as a healing balm, moving like a call to intercessory prayer.
Date: Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Location: Performance Works – 1218 Cartwright St. Vancouver, BC
Time: 7:30PM
Tickets: Available online for $37
Dálava
Led by vocalist/keyboardist Julia Úlehla and guitarist Aram Bajakian (Lou Reed, John Zorn), the “utterly captivating” (Vancouver Sun) Dálava takes Czech folk melodies transcribed over 100 years ago by Úlehla’s great-grandfather and places them in a compelling contemporary context. Cinematic and wide-ranging, the music of Dálava is beautifully rendered and hauntingly expressive.
Date: Saturday, June 29, 2024
Location: Revue Stage – 1601 Johnston St. Vancouver, BC
Time: 9:30PM
Tickets: Available online for $27
