Guitarist's CD inspired by Greek goddess

Enlarge Image

Keith Price’s second album, Gaia/Goya, was partially inspired by poet Gary Snyder. (SUPPLIED PHOTO )

Related Items

1. Articles

   • Horace Silver's music pours out in golden performances

When guitarist Keith Price goes on the road to make music he, well, makes music.

While travelling on his own and with Ron Paley's band accompanying the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in the United States, he worked on a long-form suite that composes half of his sophomore recording Gaia/Goya, which is being released on Saturday at Aqua Books.

Four of the 10 tracks on the album are indie music, but the 27-year-old guitarist wanted a longer form, more dramatic suite as well. "I used the Pink Floyd disc Animals as an outline," he said.

Gaia is the name of an ancient Greek goddess who cares for the planet, and of a theory that everything is part of one system, Mother Earth, he explains. While on the road, he read a book of poetry by Gary Snyder that included environmental essays and the suite was born. Part 1 is named Theme for Gary Snyder.

The indie material includes a cover of Kurt Cobain's Lithium and while it is the first time Price has recorded the Nirvana hit, "it was the first thing I played in sixth grade. It was easy to play power chords," he says.

The playing has advanced since then, of course, and Lithium and the whole recording sound very good in the hands of Price, bassist Julian Bradford, drummer Curtis Nowosad, pianist Will Bonness and alto saxophonist Neil Watson playing in trio and quintet formats.

CDs won't be ready for the release show, Price said, but people can get a digital copy or pre-order a CD.

The band will perform Saturday, Sept. 24, 8 p.m. at Aqua Books, 274 Garry St.; $10 admission.

-- -- --

It seems like yesterday that the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra formed and played largely to friends and family at the West End Cultural Centre.

Well, the big band has grown up: it long ago changed its venue to the Muriel Richardson Auditorium in the Winnipeg Art Gallery and it starts its 15th season next month, a season that includes a planned tour of the province and a return to the recording studio.

The band will have the blues for the season-opening concerts on Sunday, Oct. 2, when Winnipeg guitarists Brent Parkin and Tim Butler join the WJO in Pickin' Winnipeg Blue at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets ($29.50 adults/$15 students) available by calling 632-5299, at McNally Robinson Booksellers and www.winnipegjazzorchestra.com

Other WJO guest musicians this season include: Vanguard Jazz Orchestra members Dick Oatts, the big band's artistic director and lead alto saxophonist, and drummer John Riley on March 18; Montreal saxophonist Christine Jensen in February; and Senator Tommy Banks, a jazz pianist when he's not sitting in the Red Chamber, in November.

-- -- --

Canadian jazz quartet Peripheral Vision stops at Mardi Jazz in the Centre culturel franco-manitobain Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 8:30 p.m., as part of a western Canadian tour.

The band -- guitarist Don Scott, bassist Michael Herring, tenor saxophonist Trevor Hogg and drummer Nick Fraser -- will also hold workshops at Glenlawn Collegiate and John Henderson Junior High in Winnipeg and perform at Brandon University on the 28th.

The band is touring to promote its new recording, Spectacle: LIVE!, recorded at Vancouver jazz club The Cellar. It's a good disc and you can hear the live recording played live for a $5 cover and the price of a drink.

chris.smith@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 19, 2011 D3