Swing into summer

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This article was published 19/06/2024 (644 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The return of the Winnipeg International Jazz Festival signals the start of the summer season, with its usual eclectic mix of performances.

The event opened at five different venues last Friday, including a collaborative show at the Pyramid Cabaret featuring the Dirty Catfish Brass Band (DCBB) and the Lytics. It was a vibrant start to the festival with the iconic Winnipeg groups combining their talents, presenting a mix of reimagined classics and new compositions to an enthusiastic audience.

The Pyramid was alive with energy and rhythm as the brass sounds of DCBB intertwined seamlessly with the hip-hop beats and verses of the Lytics.

“Hilariously enough, the band was started by our keyboard player after he went to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in the summer of 2011,” says Kyle Wedlake, the tenor saxophonist from DCBB.

“He fell in love with the big brass band sound down there, and when he came back, he called his buddies and got us all together.”

The performance was a testament to the synergy between the two groups. The brass section of DCBB provided a rich, powerful foundation, while the MCs from the Lytics brought a dynamic layer of lyrical prowess.

“We’ve reimagined their music to have the brass band back them up while they MC, instead of having a traditional DJ,” Wedlake says of the 75-minute set. “They also jumped on some of our original music with a few verses. It was a première of a new project.”

The idea for this performance began in the studio, with DCBB and Gully from the Lytics trading horns and verses on tracks for their albums.

“There’s so much energy, and getting to know the guys from the Lytics more during rehearsals has been a lot of fun. It’s just been an amazing experience,” Wedlake says.

The festival continues to showcase a broad spectrum of talent, including a performance at the Royal Albert Arms by touring artist Audrey Ochoa.

Ochoa, one of Edmonton’s most creative trombone players, is set to take the stage tonight at 9:30 p.m. Her background in jazz, rock, pop, Latin, punk and ska, combined with her distinctive compositions, promises an engaging show.

“I’m really excited to come back to Winnipeg. We’ve been playing between Edmonton and Calgary for the last month, but this is the first out-of-province performance,” says Ochoa, noting she can’t remember a time when she didn’t have music as part of her life’s soundtrack.

“Music was always part of life at home. My dad was a trumpet player, my mom an accordion player, and they were gigging musicians, so it’s just been a part of me.”

Ochoa has performed with Hilario Duran (who plays the Albert himself on Saturday at 9:30 p.m.), Tommy Banks, and international stars such as Lew Tebackin, Marcus Miller, Chris Potter, the UNT One O’Clock Lab Band and the Dave Matthews Band.

Her debut album, Trombone and Other Delights, topped the Canadian jazz charts for three weeks.

Ochoa’s advice to younger artists is straightforward.

“You should not be seeking permission from anybody to do this. Music is an essential part of living, an essential part of the human experience, and you should just do it,” says the musician, who won a Western Canada Music Award in 2020.

Another highlight of the festival includes a performance by Eliana Cuevas and Jeremy Ledbetter, who are set to play on Friday at the Albert.

The couple has been performing together for the past 15 years, with Cuevas leading the vocals and Ledbetter on the piano.

“Eliana is my wife, as well as my partner in crime on the musical side of things. We’re always drawing ideas back and forth,” Ledbetter says.

Ledbetter’s musical journey started at a young age.

“My parents took me to see the movie Fantasia when I was three. That was it for me. I was hooked immediately,” he says.

His classical training laid a solid foundation, but his passion for jazz and world music shaped his career.

“I spent about 10 years chasing whatever music kind of hooked me and drew me in around the world,” he says, recounting his years living in places such as Trinidad, Cuba and Venezuela to immerse himself in local music traditions.

Ledbetter and Cuevas’ set promises a blend of jazz and traditional Venezuelan music, with the duo’s new project showcasing their deep musical chemistry.

“We make it like we’re all in a big living room together, just sharing music. People are going to come as strangers and leave as old friends,” he says.

As the festival heads into its final days, attendees can look forward to performances by various artists, including the Preservation Hall Jazz Orchestra at the Burton Cummings Theatre tonight, and Veronica Swift at the West End Cultural Centre on Saturday.

There will also be free shows at the Old Market Square stage, including Son of Dave tonight, Brazilian Beats on Friday and Moneka Arabic Jazz on Saturday.

The festival, which began on June 14, runs to Saturday.

Tickets and information are available online at jazzwinnipeg.com.

thandi.vera@freepress.mb.ca

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