shannon butcher sings

The jazz musicians’ jazz musicians

This week I was asked by the Toronto Star's Ashante Infantry to recommend my favourite pick for the festival mainstage shows. 

I was torn between two lovers - The Roots and Bettye LaVette.  They both are performing on June 29th. In the end I bought tickets for Ms. LaVette.  Not only to check out her legendary styles but my good friend Ben Riley is opening the show with his band Planet Earth.  Will I see you there?

Here's the article that appeared in yesterday's paper:

Who better than musicians to rate the hottest acts at the 24th edition of the TD Toronto Jazz Festival? We asked 10 local artists — all of them participating in the festival — which one headliner would they buy tickets for.

BRANDI DISTERHEFT

Good thing this young bassist’s opening act slot for Herbie Hancock guarantees her a spot at the famed pianist’s Saturday show at Nathan Phillips Square. “Herbie has always paid homage to the tradition of jazz while capturing the attention of the younger audience and incorporating new sounds of today’s music. He has had an impact on my musical journey since I was a little girl.”

DAVE YOUNG

Bassist Young would most like to see The Harry Connick Jr. Orchestra at the Canon Theatre Sunday. “I like his energy and presentation of a song. He comes across as more genuine than a lot of singers these days. Maybe his acting ability helps in delivering the song. And he is one of the few guys who keeps a larger group working.” Young’s quartet opens for Stanley Clarke at NPS June 28.

TERRY CLARKE

Drummer Clarke will be performing in Saskatchewan and unable to checkout The Roots at NPS Tuesday, including Questlove, his “latest favorite drummer. All the players in that band, as evidenced nightly on Jimmy Fallon’s show, are excellent, dedicated players who are growing and stretching their own boundaries. . . While they are not stone-cold beboppers, their music still swings ferociously and with integrity.” Clarke will be back in town to swing with his trio at Trane Studio July 2.

SHANNON BUTCHER

Singer Butcher has bought tickets for Bettye LaVette’s Phoenix show Tuesday. “Her voice is outstanding, but I’m really drawn to her ability to truly ‘interpret’ the music. I find listening to her sing the music of Elton John, The Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, etc. (on newly released Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook), I understand their lyrics as I never have before. She’s able to light up every word with honest emotion and raw power.” Butcher turns in a free 12:30 p.m. quartet show at the Shops at Don Mills on June 30.

BARRY ROMBERG

He’s got a 16-month-old at home and his own gig helming Random Access Unplugged at the Music Gallery on Monday, but drummer Romberg hopes to squeeze in trumpeter Dave Douglas & Keystone at Enwave Theatre June 29. “Douglas is one of the great composers in modern jazz. His quintet with the Rhodes and his Keystone band, which is a bit more funky, fuse the elements of great writing with great improvisation . . . and there’s always a real group dynamic. He’s my inspiration for my own spearheading of different projects.”

SUNDAR VISWANATHAN

The saxist/vocalist is miffed to be out of town when Keith Jarrett’s piano trio plays the Four Seasons Centre next Wednesday. “He has the ability to draw the listener into his experience. Also, this is one of the longest-working trios in jazz; imagine the level of creative communication possible when you’ve been playing together with the same guys for almost 30 years.” Viswanathan performs a free 5 p.m. show with Jaffa Road this Sunday at NPS.

BILL MCBIRNIE

You’d think this flautist would be jockeying to hear some of the horn greats playing the fest, but he’s also keen on Jarrett. “Any concert by Keith Jarrett is guaranteed to be a source of genuine beauty and real inspiration, to any listener, whether a musician or not!” said McBirnie, who will miss the show, which coincides with one of his eight jazz fest gigs — this one at Hot House Café with Brenda Carol & ClaireVoyance.

JACKIE RICHARDSON

The vocalist’s pick is singer Mavis Staples’ NPS show June 30. “She is the most soulful, most spiritual of my personal favorite artists,” said Richardson, who performs with the Russ Little Quintet at Old Mill Inn on Monday. “Nobody can hum and moan like Mavis Staples. She is the real deal.”

JIM GALLOWAY

The saxman and former TDJ artistic director, who performs a free noon show at NPS this Sunday, plans to catch trumpeter Roy Hargrove’s big band at Koerner Hall July 1. “He’s truly a jazz player — fiery and full of musical surprises. And he has tremendous knowledge of the roots of the music: he’s as contemporary as can be, but can pick an obscure ballad and knock you out with it. He’s also a great singer.”

ELIANA CUEVAS

“I don’t know enough about her music, but when I listen to Angelique Kidjo I hear strength and passion; I’d like to hear more,” said vocalist Cuevas, who heads to the Montreal Jazz Festival after her Lula Lounge septet show this Sunday and hopes to be back in town for Kidjo’s July 1 NPS concert.

The TD Toronto Jazz Festival runs June 25-July 4. Visit www.torontojazz.com for tickets and information.


 

 

Cross Training - Lesson #5

It's not the length, but the intensity of the journey that counts.

Running in the National Post

In the hectic days surrounding my CD launch I was able to sneak in a run with National Post reporter Ben Kaplan on what turned out to be the hottest day in the history of May.  We hit the Queens Quay Waterfront path to chat about my two passions: music and running.  (Running during an interview - talk about a cardio challenge!)

Ben Kaplan, National Post · Thursday, Jun. 10, 2010

In black tights and an aqua running shirt, Shannon Butcher strikes an unusual portrait of a jazz chanteuse. The 33-year-old may sing like Edith Piaf or Billie Holiday, but trotting around the waterfront and through the Toronto Music Garden, the singer-composer says her biggest vices are brunch in Bloor West Village and organic food.

“My aunt was a police officer and she’s super fit,” Butcher says on a jog after rehearsal, days before the release of Little Hearts, her second solo jazz album. “In a way, running is like being a performer -- you have to set goals and be comfortable doing what you can, but the most important part is taking that first step.”

Jogging across Bathurst Street on this cloudless morning, as she’s done three times a week for the past six years, the High Park resident says the city’s running paths have been incubators for many of her best musical ideas.

“The times when you feel like you don’t want to go running are exactly the times when you ought to get out there,” she explains, mentioning that she ticks off kilometres to the beat of Madonna, Radiohead and jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown on her iPod. “Sometimes lyrics or arrangements come to me when I’m running and there’s this spark of imagination -- what’s that saying? Free your body, free your mind.”

Butcher has laced up her Saucony sneakers in the last six Sporting Life 10K races and also calls herself a “Lululemon girl.” Bobbing along the path behind Ontario Place, she says it’s just as natural to find a jazz singer at the Running Room as it is to find one at a nightclub, and that it’s perfectly normal for a musician to listen to both Irving Berlin and Duran Duran.

“Good music is my only genre,” says Butcher, whose first record made a jazz hit of No Doubt’s Just a Girl. Her new album features sax and piano arrangements of Smile by Lilly Allen and Bryan Adams’ Run To You. “Some people don’t like Coldplay -- I happen to like them a lot -- but if you see them in concert, they’re always playing new arrangements of their songs. A good song can be done any number of ways.”

Butcher’s spending her summer at jazz festivals across the city, including a homecoming show during next month’s Beaches Jazz Festival at the Rex, where she had a year-long residency last year. Of course, all the late nights, tours and performances are probably going to interfere with her running, but Butcher says it’s when things get craziest that she turns to running the most.

“When you’re running you set your own schedule,” she says. “Less so when there’s a record to promote.”

--Little Hearts is in stores now. For tour dates, see shannonbutcher.com.   

[email protected]


Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/This jazz singer loves Madonna Radiohead Bryan Adams Coldplay/3138123/story.html#ixzz0rAUEuxUX
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Going on GO!

June 5th, just days after the CD launch, I woke up bright and early to appear on CBC's GO!  This was GO's final live show and they decided to go out with style, dedicating the hour the craft of the jazz singer.  Well, the craft of the Crooner to be exact.  I think we can all agree there is a distinction.  Frank was definitely a crooner extraordinaire but I wouldn't place Jon Hendricks in the category.  Yet, they both deserve a place in the jazz singer hall of fame.

The pashmina-voiced Matt Dusk was brought on board that morning to choose Canada's Next Top Crooner.  Although I wouldn't normally call myself a crooner, I was honoured to be asked to be part of the show.  I was the representing the estrogen faction as I joined Ori Dagan and Raoul Bhaneja in the friendly competition.  We all had wonderful fun singing for the live audience with the kick ass house band and answering crazy quizzes. (Who knew The Godfather was so integral to the world of jazz?)

If you missed the show click on over to CBC.ca/GO where you can hear the whole program!

 

Or if you are like Harry and like to read the last page of the novel first, watch the clip below to see who won the title of Canada's Next Top Crooner!

 

Hearts at Hugh's

Thank you to all of you amazing lovely hearts who came out to the CD launch party on Wednesday. What an amazing night!

I was having so much fun on stage with the band that it felt like each set was only 10 minutes long.  I was seriously wishing Louisa Labarbera had provided with me a bejeweled watch along with my gorgeous necklace, earrings and bracelet as the minutes seemed to pass like milliseconds. 

There was such a beautiful energy in the room that night.  How wonderful to have so many friendly faces alongside new listeners.  I hope everyone enjoyed the night as much as I did.

Thanks also to those of you who sent emails telling me you tried to get tickets to the show after we hit the sold out status.  It is so thoughtful of you to send along your good wishes.

What's next?  Festival season is just around the corner - want to meet me at the Rex on June 27th to kick off the Toronto Jazz Fest?  I'll be there with the quartet from 7:00-9:00!  Or come by during your lunch hour for a free concert up at the Shops at Don Mills stage on June 30th at 12:30!