Happy Jazz Fest - Day 1

Day 0 - Jazz Fest Opening "Gala" (and I use that term lightly). It's best I not say anything on this subject. I just shake my head in dismay and hope they've learned their lesson.

Day 1 - Got home from work and DID NOT feel like going out. The plan was Esbjorn Svensson Trio (EST) then a couple of songs by Seu Jorge (pronounced Say-Oo Jorjay with soft j's) (the dude who played Bowie cover tunes in Portuguese in Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou) then off to O'Doul's to hang with friends and hopefully be joined by a dear dear dear friend once her film shoot wrapped.

What happened was...I ended up scarfing down some food and half a can of RedBull with blueberry juice & vodka. That helped a bit. I also gave myself a bit of a time break by deciding I could miss half of EST. So I dragged myself down to The Centre and caught the last 2.5 songs by EST - keep in mind these were approximately 15 minute songs. I was so glad I didn't bale altogether. They were just as amazing as when I saw them a few years ago. Part standard trio, part electronica trance - and they'd move in and out of that feel two or three times in a song. Incredibly lulling and invigorating at the same time.

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By then it was about 9:30 and I was feeling more awake (especially after that set) and had no problem staying for a bit of Seu Jorge. That, and the fact that I had got a text message from my friend saying she wouldn't be done til about midnight, so I had some time to kill because as much as I wanted sleep, she's MUCH more imporant.

OH. MY. GOD. It's rare that I've been to a concert so good. Not just in the performance but in what they did to the crowd. It's the first time I've ever seen an entire audience at the very conservative Centre on their feet dancing. At first there were just a few "loge parties", but then it just spread. Those boys had a way of stirring up the crowd. I can't really describe the music other than saying it was heavily tinged with Brazilian Carinval type percussion. As a lovely treat he "took it down a bit" and played (solo) his unbelievable renditions of the Bowie tunes Rebel Rebel and Ziggy Stardust (I think) as well as one I didn't recognize. He didn't let us rest for long though - the band rejoined and we were on our feet again. As they took their bows and can-canned off the stage arm in arm there was no way we were letting them go. They returned for two encores before The Centre raised their lights signalling for us that it was time to go. I think the band would have been happy to play all night. It was their first visit to Vancouver and I very much doubt that it will be their last.

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But the night was not yet over for me! I called my friend, who was not yet done work and sounding very tired, and told her I was just on my way to O'Doul's. Mike Allen was just taking the stage when I got there and my other friends where well into their evening and having a blast. I'm not sure who everyone was that jammed with Mike. I think Adam Thomas was on bass (save for a brief song where Rene Worst took over while Adam crooned for us - what a lovely surprise there) and the always fabulous and smiling Bruno Hubert was on piano. Not sure who was on drums but we got a few tunes from the wonderful and intense Morgan Childs. A trumpet player I don't know sat in for a couple and Bruno Vansina from the Belgian band Flat Earth Society sat in on alto sax for half the night, which was nice because I had been planning on seeing them in Gastown (saturday). As a bonus, part way into the evening my friend showed up - having decided that I too was more important than sleep (YAY!). I even got to tell Seu Jorge what a wonderful time I had at his show and that I was now a new fan for life. He clasped both my hands, bowed and thanked me graciously. *swoon*

So all in all - fabulous first day!



*Yes, all of the photos will be fuzzy. I can't possibly get clear ones with my camera and lack of photo creds so I've decided to go "abstract".