JayDawg / Shredder

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Seems like this guy has the same idea for you.. except you guys do it every week.

from the Toronto Star

Jazz gets its groove on

New society aims to expand reach

First show in series on Sunday

Nov. 25, 2005. 01:00 AM

TABASSUM SIDDIQUI

ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER

Think of jazz and a certain stuffy image comes to mind. Local jazz enthusiast Graham Reid aims to change that.

Bored with stiff concerts and predictably programmed festivals, he decided to tap into less explored genres by creating the Nu Jazz Society, a group dedicated to expanding the range and reach of jazz locally while opening up the music to a younger audience. Pulling together other like-minded jazz fans who wanted to tap into more modern forms such as funk, R&B, house and "break jazz," or live jazz accompanied by a DJ, Reid formed the group this past summer and established the Jazz by Genre concert series. It launches Sunday at the Mod Club with a performance by American jazz-funk legend Roy Ayers.

"Jazz by Genre began out of a sense of what we have (in Toronto) in terms of a jazz experience here versus what we could have, given the spectrum of jazz out there and the spectrum of diversity we have here," says Reid, a 30-something media consultant.

The Jazz by Genre concerts, which will happen quarterly, will focus on a particular facet of jazz and marry it with emerging trends, such as turntablism and spoken word. Most of the shows will feature a break jazz component, Reid says, noting that aspect of the music is popular with younger audiences who may have been introduced to jazz through samples in hip-hop music or by hearing a DJ spin old jazz records.

"What we're suggesting, even to purists, is that this is a natural progression, given the technology we have today," Reid says.

Lest traditional jazz enthusiasts flinch at the dreaded F-word, "fusion," Reid wants to make clear that plenty of good old-fashioned jazz will be represented onstage.

Break jazz, where a DJ spins and mixes tracks as a live band plays, harkens back to the very origins of jazz, Reid says.

"Jazz is all about improvisation and in break jazz, the turntablist becomes just another player in the band: the songs he's mixing and cutting will be determined by the music that the band is playing and vice versa. It's a very free exchange of ideas."

Juno Award-winning keyboardist Eddie Bullen, who sits on the Nu Jazz Society's advisory board (along with author Austin Clarke and several music industry insiders), says even purists come around once they've checked out a show.

"Every time we play somewhere, the response is absolutely amazing. Not only the younger audiences dig it, but older folks as well," says Bullen, who plays in local down-tempo group Kush (also on the Jazz by Genre bill Sunday night).

"Bringing someone like Roy Ayers here, who's one of the innovators who takes something hip and marries it to jazz, is a great way to start."

It wasn't difficult to persuade Ayers, a noted vibraphonist with over 62 albums, to come on board, Reid says, noting that the Nu Jazz Society has garnered a strong response, with over 300 members signing up on its website.

Reid hopes the society will grow to a point where it can develop its own summer festival.

But for now, he's looking forward to the launch at the Mod Club, a venue better known for holding rock concerts.

"The club is ideally suited to what we're trying to do, which is a departure from the almost disconnected relationship between the audience and the performer, where the audience sits down and applauds politely," Reid says. "This is jazz that moves you — and allows you to move to it."

[Jay Funk Dawg]

Graham is a friend of mine, we're helping him this week by doing the BREAKJAZZ show / Fundraiser for the Roy Ayers show.

[The Chameleon]

Everyone is playing nice and on the same team. we're all in this breakbeat-jazz boat together.

It'll be fine as long as there is no muntiny or scervy.

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awesome. wasn't sure because there was no mention of the gypsy series that i could see, and you guys should get some credit for that.

will's got scurvy. watch out for that. it's not contagious though.

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[SmoothedShredder]

It's all about a bigger pie!!! This dude is kewl... Tucker reference intended

Thanks for the Gypsy props... things have been going great there recently!!

Scurvy is receeding... I found an orange under the cusions in my couch!