with Jean Martin Trio |
Sunday July 2 doors at 8:00 ~ show at 8:30 |
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Andrew Downing's Attention Span Be sure to catch one of Toronto's more respected and truly innovative bassists Andrew Downing as he leads his band Attention Span through their paces. Check it out as these talented musicians dig their way through (dare we call it jazz...?) New York inspired cityscape wanderings with black and white crime show themes filtering up through the steam and grime. Andrew is joined onstage by a heavy local cast of players. A set by the Jean Martin Trio will open the evening moving through their arrangements of highly rhythmic and groove based material. ARTIST BIO Andrew Downing's Attention Span is embarking upon a whole new chapter of musical mischief! Dubbed "21st century voyageurs" by Geoff Chapman of the Toronto Star, this unique band of instrumental immutables will take you on a journey through happiness, sadness, intrigue, comedy, melancholy, silliness, loneliness, and everything in between. A story unfolds from the beginning of each performance to the end, and it will be sure to bring the listener along for the ride. What kind of music does the band play? File under "jazz" for lack of abetter category, but don't expect references to Bill Evans or CannonballAdderly. The music all comes from the pen of Andrew Downing, and has been described by Joe Matyas of the London Free Press as "dramatic and sentimental movie music," and Tom Joseph of Ottawa's Quartet magazine calls the band's music 'storytelling music." Influences can be found in every piece of music Andrew ever heard, and every movie he ever watched. The set goes from a triumphant fanfare to a lilting country tune, to a spy epic, to a contemplative bolero. The simple melodies and infectious grooves will leave the listener narratively satisfied and musically mystified. The band is comprised of four individuals each well-versed in their formof instrumental story-telling. Kevin Turcotte is well-known as one of thecountry's finest trumpeters, having been selected the trumpeter of the year by Jazz Report magazine nine years in a row. As well as being a teacher at the University of Toronto, Kevin can be found sharing stages and recordings with the likes of Time Warp, Bill Grove, Hemispheres, the Jean Martin Trio, and The Barry Elmes Group. Anthony Michelli's battery of percussion and drums provides every exclaimation mark and umlaut while keeping the band in high gear. Anthony's drums and cymbals have graced musical situations such as Son, Ingrid Jensen, Rez Abassi, and the Carn/Allemano Quintet. On the guitar is Justin Haynes. His broad range of sounds and passionate playing has made him one of the most sought after guitar players around, keeping company with Andy Stochansky, The Unbeatables, Tena Palmer, the Jean Martin Trio, and he writes and plays with Rebecca Campbell. Last but not least, Andrew Downing fronts this band, playing the doublebass, the bass clarinet, and the violin. His inventive electronic manipulations of the doublebass are becoming one of his trademarks on the music scene in Toronto. He plays with a broad range of musicians, such as jazz greats Moe Koffman and Lorne Lofsky, jazz star Mark Jordan, folk singer Rebecca Campbell, minimalist band Mosaic, bluegrassers Emory Lester of Virginia and Dan Whiteley of Heartbreak Hill, pianist extraoidinaire Marilyn Lerner, country singer Jenny Whiteley, The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band, and guitarist Michael Occhipinti. Andrew has also recorded and worked with the likes of Ingrid Jensen, Bob Moses, Craig Handey, Carol Welsman, Cate Friesen, Lenka Lichtenburg, The Sidemen, and opera sensation Patricia O'Callaghan. The band is in the midst of recording a follow-up album to their first success, campfiresongs on the Unity/Page label (NNNN- Matt Galloway, Now Magazine). The soon-to be released second record includes not only the quartet, but guests Kenny Kirkwood on saxophones, Vancouver violin great Jesse Zubot, and a Toronto-based string trio consisting of John Marshman, Kathleen Kajioka, and Terry Tam. |
