Wednesday, March 19, 2008

JAZZ @ THE CORKTOWN - HAMILTON, ON - TONIGHT (MAR. 19)


Hi, Everyone.

Tonight is the Big Band’s 9th evening at the Corktown. We continue to delve further into the treasures of the Thad Jones library and add new music every week. It’s exciting music both to play and to hear. The listeners seem to be agreeing and we are thrilled with the response the band has been getting. Look for an article on the band in the next edition of SNAP Hamilton.

This week’s line-up is:

TRUMPETS:

Jason Logue, Steve McDade, Brian O’Kane, Ron Baker

TROMBONES:

Russ Little, Phil Gray, Carl Korody, Bob Hamper

WOODWINDS:

Darcy Hepner, Michael Stuart, Andy Ballantyne, Toby Stewart, Terry Basom

RHYTHM SECTION:

Adrean Farrugia (piano), Pat Collins (bass), Terry Clarke (drums)

Next month we will have a special treat with NYC trumpet player Nick Marchione joining the band both on April 2nd and 23rd.

You can view footage from his last visit here at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2L_JgneJVM


For more information about Jazz @ The Corktown, visit:

http://www.darcyhepner.com/jazzatthecorktown.htm


Please forward this on to anyone you think might be interested.


Thank you for supporting live music!


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From Whole Note Magazine - March 2008


JAZZ IN THE CLUBS


As a born-and-bred Toronto girl, with no driver’s license and a limited budget, and with such a wealth of great music within walking or streetcar distance from my front door (the pages of listings in this month’s issue will attest to that), venturing to concerts further afield often seems like a frivolous expense. And yet sometimes you’ll discover wonderful little (or not so little) hidden treasures. For several weeks now, I’ve found myself boarding a GO bus to Hamilton. From the bus station it’s about a five dollar cab ride to The Corktown (175 Young St, Hamilton) where a big band, under the leadership of saxophonist Darcy Hepner, has been featuring the music of Thad Jones since the New Year. The band includes many musicians familiar to Toronto jazz fans (including Pat Collins, Russ Little, Mike Malone, Adrean Farrugia, Steve McDade, Kevin Dempsey, and Jason Logue, to name only a few). While many musicians try to downsize their ensembles, Hepner drew his inspiration from the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.

“When you have 16 people [in the band] someone is always going to be having an amazing night”, he says.

And if turnout is any indication, people in Hamilton seem to agree. Fifty people at the very least showed up during February’s worst snowstorm, and after two months, the band has had its residency extended by The Corktown. They’ve had a special guest appearance by Nick Marchione (a current member of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and long-time friend and colleague of Hepner’s) and on March 15, they’ll be featuring guitarist Donovan Nixon.

Hepner also loves the “real New York vibe” the band has managed to capture.

“Sometimes”, he says, “we finish the night and I step out of the club into Hamilton and it’s weird.”

For the cost of the GO bus, it’s more than good enough for me. To Hamilton and Beyond!

http://thewholenote.com/wholenote/jazz_qps.html


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