When attending any concerts, it’s important to go in with an open mindset – especially for an improvised jazz show. It was a different setting for sure, two students among well-put together adults who were chatting and sipping wine while in high spirits for the late night show on Sunday, November 6 at the Western Front. Most of the audience including the musicians were dressed very casual creating a relaxing and comfortable vibe. Which was not at all how it was throughout the night.
Trading Places was one of the many shows during the Music on Main’s Modulus Festival. It featured four Vancouver musicians: Peggy Lee (cello), Stefan Smulovitz (electronics and violin), Kenton Loewen (drums) and Ben Brown (percussion) along with two guest musicians from Montréal, Yves Charuest on the saxophone and clarinetist/vocalist Elizabeth Lima - with a show that was different from any other jazz performances we’ve been to. It was more like a theatrical art performance with some interpretation of jazz through the usage of the saxophone and clarinet. But incorporating the drums, cello and electronics made it an odd genre of music that is hard to classify.
For the first half, each artist paired up one another and performed short, original works that was all improvised. The first act was a unique combination of the cello and electronics that sounded more like a wacky remix than a relaxing melody. There were stretches of time when the same notes were played over and over with Smulovitz interjecting with hypnotic tones with his laptops and violin. The duo was able to captivate the audience and showcase what the rest of the night was going to be like: peculiar and unpredictable.
It wasn’t until the the third act with Charuest on the saxophone and Loewen on drums that brought the jazz component into the concert. Still following the original concept of both improvising, they were able to harmonize on some of the phrases. The music was distinctive and loud enough for some of the audience to cover their ears, but sill hear the racket.
Everyone had a unique method to play their instruments especially Lima and her use of vocals. Instead of singing lines, she voiced sounds similar to Sims characters – high and low pitched moans and grunts. It was Lima’s intention to create an “emotional response to sound: the human experience and interconnection shared amongst musicians and with the audience,” and that is exactly what she got.
Lima and other musicians were able to provoke emotions that were quite unusual for a jazz concert. Some of the audience left during the intermission while most sat on the edge of their seats, leaning forward, stunned yet enthralled to hear the next act. It felt like watching an experiment of musicians who didn’t know how to play their instruments that was impossible to look away from. But it was obvious the musicians knew exactly how to play their devices; so well they felt like trying a new creative way to perform.
After the intermission, everyone got on stage to play a musical card game that was not clearly explained to the audience, but the musicians seemed to know what to do while we sat there and listened to something similar to a jam session. A couple of them were able to join in with the right notes and harmonize. However, it was difficult to listen to because it felt like a couple of them were fighting to take the lead and change the dynamic of the piece – possibly the function of the cards they were given.
Trading Places was an experience for those who are open to new things, but would not recommend for the faint of heart who wants to listen to jazz music with flow and harmony. Overall this show was unconventional and anything else, but jazz. There were strings getting plucked, whimpers and mumbles and cool drumming, but basically just people having a good time with an audience who might or might not have been aware of this concert’s true nature.
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