Odds and Ends

Wow, the time is flying by. So much stuff going on. I'm less than eight weeks to my wedding and Alana and I just bought a condo in Burnaby. As if we didn't have enough going on!

So much great music has been happening at the club and the crowds just keep on coming. I can honestly without question say that this has been the best 7 month stretch The Cellar has ever had. Its been so busy and always new people. We're getting a ton of hits on our website. Its just fabulous. Last night (April 6th) was packed and for Good Friday that is really saying something! Ian Hendrickson-Smith assembled a Vancouver verion of his "Blues In The Basement" band including Morgan Childs on drums, Sean Cronin on bass, Ross Taggart on piano, Raphael Geronimo on percussion, Chris Davis on trumpet and of course of Ian on tenor. What a great band. They gelled so well and Chris Davis sounded freaking amazing. This guy is a really happening trumpet player. I mean, he gets better and better and better every time I hear him and I just played with the guy two weeks ago. The whole band ripped it up and it was a great vibe!

I've been listening to a ton of great music lately. I visited Greenleaf Music which is trumpter Dave Douglas' record label. The quintet is always one that I have been excited about since the release of their "Infinite" record about 6 years ago but to be honest with you all of records after that have been great disappointments until now. Last year they did a week at The Jazz Standard in NYC, they recorded all 12 sets and made them exclusively available for download on their site. You can download all 12 sets for $70 or you can download specific sets for $7 or tunes for $.99. Its another example of how quickly the business of music distribution is changing. Check out the music as its really happening especially the fender rhodes of Uri Caine and saxophonist Donny McCasllin.

Speaking of digital distribution. Its so obviously the way its going and its just a matter of time before record stores are no longer and CDs are deemed obsolete but I think its jazz and more specifically independant music that is going to save the CD. I mean you can't come to The Cellar and see David Fathead Newman and ask him to sign a digital download of one of his tunes. Independent musicians that play smaller clubs are the only musicians that the public really has access to and its great to see fans lining up for autographs at The Cellar. The business is changing so rapidly and its interesting to have a label and be forced to think about these changes and how we're going to address them!

New Album: Eric Alexander Quartet- Ballads II featuring Mike Ledonne on piano, John Webber on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums. VENUS RECORDS. Its smoking!

A healthy beginning in
music education is good for any student.