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Live Reviews
Ottawa International Jazz Festival - Day Eleven, July 3, 2005
John Kelman
With the realization that there will always be more music coming at him than he can keep up with, John wonders why anyone would think that jazz is dead or dying.Ballard has emerged over the past decade as one of the most versatile drummers on the scene, playing with everyone from Chick Corea and Maria Schneider to Ben Allison and Kurt Rosenwinkel. His elastic approach, ability to blend power with nuanced subtlety, and distinctive approach to straight eighths were all on display as he navigated the up-tempo funk of Redman's "Sweet Nasty" and the post-bop energy of "The Gambit."
Yahel, looking like he belongs in an alternative rock band more than a jazz trio, nevertheless demonstrated the kind of improvisational skills that belie his apparently young age. He used what looked like an incredibly complex array of keyboards and processors that Redman called "The Rig," and Yahel's effortless mastery of all this technology resulted in a sound that was at once nostalgically retro and completely contemporary. Some of his best work, however, was on the Hammond organ that was set up across the stage from the Rig, and was used by both himself and Redman who sat down at times to accompany Yahel's own imaginative soloing.
Joshua Redman also used a lot of technology to create a sound that, when coupled with Yahel's broadly-textured rig, was larger than one would expect from a mere trio. Like Yahel, Redman is clearly intimate with his sound processing equipment, managing to trigger all kinds of effects—from metallic guitar emulation to dissonant harmonizing and delays to widen his own palette. He put all the real-time processing to good use—notably on a harmonically, rhythmically and texturally open version of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman" that was even more liberated than the version on Momentum. But at the end of the day it was about integrating all this technology with sound expression and unfettered imagination. Redman's voice has become significantly stronger in the past few years, and his confident ability to solo with unerring attention to conceptual development made for a performance that rivalled Terence Blanchard's show as best main stage event.
Advance word is that the 25th Anniversary of the TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz Festival was a resounding success, in terms of both artistry and attendance. With its steadfast devotion to putting on a jazz festival that's nothing but a jazz festival, it's turning Ottawa, Canada into a destination that any jazz fan should consider. And, equally remarkable, it's managed to keep its prices down so that attendance is surprisingly affordable. After all, where else can you see nearly 80 shows for under $200 CDN?
Visit Matthias Lupri, David Sanchez, Joshua Redman, and the Ottawa International Jazz Festival on the web.
