More music this week

MICHELLE GREGOIRE

The Ottawa Citizen has called her “one of Canada’s most intriguing jazz composers.”

Ask Michelle Gregoire about how such an accolade makes her feel, she’s humble, but doesn’t say too much.

“I’m glad to hear someone thinks that,” the 44-year-old Winnipeg musician said over the telephone. “We’re part of a generation that was allowed to be whoever you wanted and never held you back. So what’s coming out is music that people are finding intriguing.”

The critique in question comes from the Citizen’s review of Gregoire’s sophomore album, Diversity, borrowing its name from the opening track of the disc.

“I was in Toronto hanging out with my band, and the tune came out at me when I was stopped and waiting for the light to change, and counting all the different languages and people around me,” she said. “That’s the day I wrote the tune and dedicated it to my experience out there. I started thinking of the idea that everybody has a voice, a necessary freedom that we always have to maintain and I really believe in that.”

It’s a theme that carries into jazz as a form of music itself, she added.

“Everybody has a voice that needs to be heard. Jazz is a very democratic thing. It’s celebrating that everyone (in the band) has their own voice, and everyone gets a solo to tell their own story,” she said.

Gregoire releases her new album Diversity on Thursday, Nov. 4 at the Park Theatre. Tickets are $10 at the door. Visit www.myspace.com/michellegregoire.

—Matt Preprost

THE JEZABELS

“A combination of nerves and excitement gets the adrenalin pumping and we start jumping around and making strange noises,” said Nik Kaloper, drummer for Sydney, Australia’s four-piece indie pop-rock band The Jezabels, describing their pre-show behaviour.

Strange noises are something this band from Down Under has been experimenting with on their latest EP, the final release of a trilogy started in 2009. Pump organs, Leslie speakers, a ‘70s Wurlitzer organ and bongo drums are just a few of the new sounds heard on Dark Storm.

“We definitely wanted to step up our game, both in song writing and instrumentation,” Kaloper wrote in an email last week.

The band, formed just over three years ago, decided to release their songs as they wrote them, which came out in the form of a trilogy.

“I’d like them to be regarded as a coherent evolution of thought, rather than three stepping stones, hopefully conveying something about us as people or as a band,” explained Kaloper.

The Jezabels are currently on their first international tour and are enjoying the opportunity to play in many different cities they’ve never before visited.

But the band is quickly learning that touring has its share of problems as well as perks, Kaloper admitted. 

“Flying is pretty bad. I’m 6’5” and they don’t cater to people with my legs in economy class. But it’s well worth it.”

The Jezabels will be performing with Two Hours Traffic on Saturday, Nov. 6 at The Royal Albert Arms. Visit www.myspace.com/jezabelsband.

—Catherine van Reenen

MARCEL DESILETS

Having played and written songs for the past 37 years, and been compared by critics to Bruce Cockburn, anticipation for Marcel Desilets’ upcoming CD release is twice as high this time.

Not only is Desilets keeping up with the pace he set of releasing an album every two years since 2004, this time, for his 2010 release, he’s dropping two albums.

There’s a Story to Tell is Desilets song-album, which he will be playing through at the Park Theatre, more or less as the songs appear on the album.

“I’m basically going to be playing from number one to number eleven,” Desilets said.

The other release is an all-instrumental album of short tracks, composed by Desilets.

“They’re all very short songs, under two minutes, so the album is called 2 Minute Warning”, Desilets said of the instrumental album.

“It was a project that arose because of all the ideas I got that didn’t go anywhere,” Desilets said. “The oldest ones on there would probably be about four or five years old… that’s when I started getting the idea.”

The music on both albums is roots-oriented, making use of acoustic guitars, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, assorted lap-slide guitars and more.

Lindsay Jane will be the opening act for the album release show, and some other local musicians will be accompanying Desilets on stage for his performance, including his son Jed (drummer) and Johnny Calderon (bassist), both from Winnipeg’s The Bokononists.

Desilets’s double release will be Saturday, Nov. 6 at the Park Theatre. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Visit www.myspace.com/marceldesilets.

—Samuel Swanson

Published in Volume 65, Number 10 of The Uniter (November 4, 2010)

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