The Buck 65 stops here

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This article was published 24/06/2010 (5896 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BUCK 65’s got the rhymes, the beats and the flow, but when it comes to mel­ody, it’s a no go.

For the past 20 years the Canadian hip-hop veteran has released a string of albums that have earned him acclaim and admiration from music fans and critics alike. His signature gravelly voiced raps and quick delivery have become a part of the country’s musical fabric, and his engaging personality and quick wit even earned him a job as a radio host on CBC Radio 2.

But despite his numerous talents, the artist born Rich Terfry admits he’s never had a knack for melodies, so on his new EP series he’s brought in guest collaborators to shake things up.

"I freely admit I have some serious limitations on (tunefulness). I wholeheartedly asked for a lot of help in that category," he says. "I went out and sought people who have a knack for melodies or great voices. It pretty much comes down to that. I dabbled this time trying to write some melodies myself, but I really wouldn’t want to involve myself singing too much on these records."

There are times on his new EP — 20 Odd Years Volume One: Avant — that Terfry does actually sing, but most of the heavily lifting, melody-wise, comes courtesy of guest vocalists and co-writers like Jenn Grant, Nick Thorburn (Islands) and Neil Osborne (54-40).

He’ll also stick to rapping at the Pyramid Cabaret on Saturday when he plays with the Lytics as part of the jazz festival. The show features Terfry acting as MC and DJ and Toronto songwriter/pianist Valery Gore handling the singing duties. Tickets are $18 at 989-4656.

Terfry plans to release four more EPs in 2010 to mark his 20th year as a rapper.

"I’ve had this tendency to get a little obsessive with ideas, especially when it pertains to numbers, so for 20 years (I thought), ‘Let’s make it about that number and multiples of 20. I’ve got a lot of material — let’s do 20 songs,’" he says. "That would be way too heavy for an album… one way we can get away with putting 20 new songs out is to break it up. If this entire year marks 20 then we can spread it out instead of one intense week where the album is out."

The plan is to release an album a month from June to October with more guests, including Gord Downie, Colin Linden, Gentlemen Reg and Meaghan Smith. The first EP includes a DVD of a one-hour film, Buck 65: The Lost Tapes, featuring live performances, videos, skits and interviews.

"I hope to be playing new cards as long as I’m playing music; I never want to be pegged, (like) ‘I’ve got this guy figured out, I know what to expect,’" Terfry says. "I consciously dodged that a little bit, even with the Leonard Cohen song (Who by Fire) on this one. If there’s anyone I could cover, it would be Cohen. He’s a great songwriter, but no one could accuse him of being the greatest singer who ever lived.

"If I had to sing for my supper I would have died a long time ago."

 

55Some of the 60 artists playing at the year’s Winnipeg International Jazz Festival were on executive producer Paul Nolin’s wants list, while others were wishes that turned into reality as a result of luck.

Saxophone legend Sonny Rollins, who played Wednesday, was a definite want. Then there are acts like the Roots, the acclaimed hip-hop act/Late Night with Jimmy Fallon house band who started as a wish that came true thanks to good timing.

"Part of the process is working with other jazz festivals from across the country to get together, route a tour and throw an offer at an agent. We did that with the Roots and they happened to be on a week’s hiatus from the Fallon show and wanted to get out and work. Even the agent said we were lucky when he confirmed it," Nolin says with a laugh.

The 2010 edition of the jazz festival is again filled with a broad spectrum of musical talent and genres, from the core jazz that drives the festival (Roy Hargrove, Terence Blanchard, Ranee Lee) to blues, soul, hip-hop, pop, indie-rock, klezmer, roots, funk and R&B. The fest features acts as diverse as Martha Wainwright (singing Edith Piaf), Deerhoof, Great Lake Swimmers, Kid Koala, the Budos Band, Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’ Malcolm, Buck 65, Little Miss Higgins and Sue Foley, to name just a few.

"It’s a music festival," Nolin says. "Jazz is the primary focus for me and my core ambition is to build the audience for jazz, but you’ve got to be an effective community event and engage as many people as possible by making sure your horizons are broad.

"A lot of what appeals to me is jazz by younger performers who aren’t necessarily leaning on tradition; their tastes are informed by other music out there, such as hip-hop or blues or rock. It destigmatizes what jazz is about and makes it relevant to new generations."

The festival officially gets underway Friday with eight gigs at seven venues, along with two free shows in Old Market Square. There will be free shows from Friday to Sunday from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on the opening weekend, a scaled-down version of the festival’s famous free wrap-up weekend, which runs July 2-4, with a closing-night set by funk group Moses Mayes, a jazz fest tradition.

Other free events include a noon-hour concert series at Old Market Square and the Jazz Labs instructional workshops daily at the Rachel Browne Theatre.

The popular club series takes place from Friday to next Thursday at seven different venues and is the best bet for people who want to take in as much music as they can. A week-long club pass is available for $80 or people can purchase one-day wristbands for $25 ($30 at the door). Tickets for the theatre series of concerts range from $20 to $58. All tickets are available at the Winnipeg Jazz Festival office (100 Arthur St.) or 989-4656.

People who are interested in checking out some music but don’t know where to start can even call the office and one of the staff members will help point them in the right direction, Nolin says.

"I can’t reinforce enough that a festival is about discovery and getting out there and trying things you haven’t heard before. In an urban market downtown you’re asking more from music fans than a festival in a field, but we really do believe there’s something out there for everyone to get out, have some fun and find some new music."

 

 

 

rob.williams@freepress.mb.ca