Adam White

Jazz music at the Diesel Playhouse? That’s an odd venue. I didn’t expect to see jazz there. When I first saw the advertisement in the Globe and Mail I thought it sounded interesting but I didn’t have high hopes. I was worried that Happy Fingers - A Tribute to the Piano would be $20 wasted. I was so pleasantly surprised by what I saw and heard that we went back for the 3rd show of the 4 part series.  You definitely don’t want to miss the 4th and final show on Sunday April 13 at 2:00 p.m..

Happy Fingers is hosted by Jamyz Bee from Jazz.FM91 and sponsored by Remenyi house of music who provided the pianos as well as Wild Horse Canyon who supplied the wines. It’s great to see a new generation of jazz lovers taking in such a wonderful line up of musicians. At the first show the under 30 crowd was non-existent but at the third show there were definitely a lot more young faces in the crowd.
The show begins with 4 or 5 performers doing 10 minute sets of their own music or their interpretations of other people’s songs. During the sets I found a few of the songs hard to follow. There didn’t see to be a rhythm I could tap my finger to. It must be my immature jazz palette. The interpretations of the songs can bring on really strong - Happy, Sad, Excited. Joe Sealy played a song that he had written for his mother. My fiance was so touched by the story he told and the song that tears started to stream down her cheeks. Robert Scott was another performer who told a few great stories before starting to play. It made me feel like I was getting to the know the artist a little bit better.
Diesel playhouse provides a great way to get up close and personal with the musicians.  During intermission patrons and musicians congregate in the hall, near the bar of course. By watching the musicians interact with the guests I got the sense that there was a “jazz crowd”. A group of people that know everyone in the jazz scene. I overheard stories of people who had travelled from the coasts of Canada to come see the show.  It was really great to see and hear. Have the musicians around made it feel like a intimate and private event. After the intermission improvisation starts. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Improv and piano? I thought improv was only for second city.
I’m not a jazz pro but I do know a thing or two about improv. The duets are an amazing display of improvisation applied to jazz piano. At the first Happy Fingers show John Sherwood and Thompson Egbo Egbo were the first to take the stage. What energy! What passion! They were definitely in tune with each other. They made strong eye contact through the whole set. A piece of wisdom I learned at the Second City about making successful improv scenes. They were definitely in the zone to the point that they switched pianos in the middle. The song never missed a beat. It was fun to watch their intensity and how they would watch each other all the while figuring out where to go next just by listening and watching. It was a great showing of giving and taking focus.

At The Second City you practice giving and taking focus through specifically designed exercises. Another improv key is to Yes And offers. This essentially means don’t block your partner. When they say “you have big tooth brush” you go with the tooth brush and don’t change it to “Well it’s actually a toothpick” I could see Yes And happening between the piano players. Even more interesting I could hear it when an offer was strong and someone applied the “Yes And” theory and then took the sound to a whole new level.  At the end of the show all the musicians went out to sign autographs and talk more with patrons. I had a chance to talk with John Sherwood about his duet. “Listening is key - you have to pay attention to what your partner is doing. If you stop listening they you both look bad”. That’s another lesson you learn in second city improv; you exist to make your partner look good. John also commented that “The scaffolding is already there - you know the chords - C minor, G, A -. All the work has been done for us before. We are just putting up new dry wall.”

Getting to talk to the musician after the show really showed their uniqueness. Everything about them is unique. The way they enter the stage, what they say before they start performing, how they bow after their set. Even the way they let you know song is done. Some put their hands down, some look to the crowd. The variety of movements, gestures and facial expressions made me wonder what they are thinking about when they are playing. Sometimes their faces looked as if they were in pain with every key they played.  Other times it looked like they were on top of the world.

I would highly recommend taking in the last show coming up on April 13. It is an awesome way to spend a cold winter sunday afternoon. My fiance and I left feeling relaxed, mellow and energized all at the same time. It’s a great first date spot or just something fun and different to do. The price is right at $20 a ticket.

“Official” Advertisement

April 13 2pm
Diesel Playhouse / 56 Blue Jays Way 416.971.5656
HAPPY FINGERS: A TRIBUTE TO THE PIANO ($20)
 
It’s the birthday of Happy Fingers host/creator Jaymz Bee, this piano tribute will also feature special guest vocalists such as Lyne Tremblay, Sonya Cote and Sophia Perlman. Six piano greats are featured: Adam Makowicz, Adrean Farrugia, David Restivo, Waylen Miki, Elizabeth Shepherd and Robert Scott will perform on a Steinway grand piano (courtesy of Remenyi House of Music).
Tickets are $20 at the door or in advance, but why risk it? GET YOUR TICKETS NOW: dieselplayhouse.com or toll free 1.877.971.5656 

 Links
www.egbo.ca
www.johnsherwood.ca
www.dieselplayhouse.com
www.jazz.fm
www.remenyi.com
www.wildhorsewinery.com
www.timelymanor.ca