The Auditorio de la Ribera rocked to the “’The Art of Jazz” at the Scotiabank Northern Lights Music Festival on Thursday, February 19 and the audience thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
Firm festival favorites Richard Underhill on alto sax and drummer Daniel Barnes are joined for the first time this year by Canadian legend and Double Bass virtuoso Roberto Occhipinti and extraordinarily gifted young pianist Ewan Farncombe, named by the National Arts Centre as the “most outstanding Canadian jazz musician under 25 years of age.”
This impressive group of musicians soon had the place jumping with some of the best jazz Ajijic has heard since Underhill and Barnes’ appearances at last year’s festival.
Recently nominated for best supporting actress at the Canadian Screen Awards Festival, multi-talented singer Terra Hazelton joined them with her own special brand of singing, including “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You,” “Let’s Fall in Love” and “If I Had You.” She closed part one with a song she dedicated to “people who kiss in public” – “Keep it to yourself!”
After intermission the band played “Caravan” with extended solos from each of the musicians including some extended piano and drum solos. Hazelton returned with “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” and finished with “The Sugar in My Bowl.”
Next up was a surprising treat. Underhill announced that Occhipinti could be very persuasive and had managed to encourage some of the strings players at the festival to come and join them for a few numbers.
It was an amazing sight as so many well known musicians sat down to play together – in a jazz ensemble. Taking their places on stage were violinists Benjamin Bowman, Catherine Cosbey, Annalee Patipatanakoon, Amy Schroeder and Christopher Wilshere; viola players Luke Fleming and Carol Gimbel, Kim Mai Nguyen and cellists Roman Borys and Felix Umansky.
Even more amazing was the wonderful sound, which Underhill likened to, “Charlie Parker with strings!” It was beautifully melodic and did not last nearly long enough.
To close, Underhill introduced his new piece, “The Ajijic Suite,” which was fun, vibrant and full of Mexican influences. It was amusing to see the occasional grins appear on the faces of the string players, as they took part in what, for them, is such an unusual piece.
The standing ovation marked a truly memorable night with some really marvelous music.
Underhill, Hazelton and the band will be performing “Hot Jazz and Dinner” at La Nueva Posada on Friday, February 27, 6 p.m. Tickets are 600 pesos, including dinner, from Nueva Posada only.