Article in the London Free Press
Not many Canadian jazz singers play London, England, and the London Music Club back-to-back.
Tonight, Toronto's Shannon Butcher, alongside the ex-Nylon who calls her "his partner-in-crime," looks to be one of them.
Just back from a Tourism Toronto showcase for the city's music scene in the other London, Butcher is to join former Nylons star Micah Barnes as part of their Up Jumped Spring tour.
Plans called for Butcher to fly in from Britain today and drive to the London club tonight. A stretch? Sure, but then Butcher had been at a Dundas Square gig in Toronto earlier this week just before jetting to England and back.
Butcher doesn't mind
stretching the envelope. She covers Tears for Fears, Blondie and No
Doubt on her iTunes hit album, Words We Both Could Say. "I love the
idea of reaching that person who maybe doesn't think of jazz as the
music that they listen to," she tells a Hamilton weekly.
"When they hear a song that they know, like Mad World (by Tears for Fears), I hope the lyrics will take on a new meaning because the style gives it a new inflection."
When Butcher left the jazz vocal trio Swing Rosie in 2007 she sought advice from Barnes. Following the release of her debut CD and his coaching gig on CBC-TV's How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria, the two vocalists began planning to tour together. Their topflight touring band includes Barnes's brother, composer/drummer Daniel Barnes, along with pianist Michael Shand (Matt Dusk, DK Ibomeka) and bassist Ross MacIntyre (Emilie-Claire Barlow, Jesse Cooke).
Micah Barnes is busy, too. His sets mix his own songs with pop and jazz standards. He is the musical director of a new production of The Ecstasy of Rita Joe. The George Ryga classic of Canadian drama is back at Ottawa's National Arts Centre this month, as a celebration of its opening in 1969 with a production of the play.
"Most newly minted jazz divas have to really work at being original," Barnes tells Ottawa's xtra.ca. "But Shannon is such an excellent musician that she has this unerring taste for what songs work for her and what makes a great show."
IF YOU GO
What: Club show by Canadian jazz singer Shannon Butcher and ex-Nylon Micah Barnes.
When: Tonight, 7 p.m.
Where: London Music Club, 470 Colborne St.
Details: $12 (plus applicable charges). Call 519-640-6996 or visit londonmusicclub.com
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