November 5th - Mike Field

Georgia Straight Jazz Society (GSJS) presents award-winning, Toronto-based artist, trumpeter and composer Mike Field as he energizes and beguiles the stage at The Avalanche Bar this Thursday night at 7:30 pm. Jazz aficionados in Courtenay, as one of the venues on his Canadian and international tour - including B.C., the U.S., New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Korea and The Netherlands - will be treated to material from his recently released album Attic Jump. The Album has already been nominated for a Toronto Independent Music Award (TIMA). For more information visit Mike Field. Check out a video teaser for Attic Jump at Mike Field - videos treat yourself to a 20 minute set of videos and listen to some of the amazing music you will experience this week!

The quintet comprises Mike Field trumpet, John Nicholson tenor sax, Leo Bae piano, Stephen Edwards bass, and Miles Wong drums.

Touring is the life and love of jazz trumpeter and occasional guitar player Field, who has become a welcome treasure at Australian and New Zealand jazz festivals and venues; as well he's been winning new fans in Germany and Italy over the past year.

After a short stay in his home base of Toronto, he's on the road again. In his short summer break, Mike found time to release an official video for the gorgeous, beautiful, melancholic jazz ballad 'The Last of the Summer Days,' from his highly acclaimed album Rush Mode (which won five Aurora Awards, Independent Music Video Awards, and was a nominee for two Independent Music Awards) and another wonderful bluesy video teaser from his third, new album.

Attic Jump is a real departure from his earlier works 'Ashes' and 'Rush Mode' and moves in a very bold and thrilling new direction, with high-energy groove and danceable swing. The title track jump-starts your listening engine for the ride you're about to take. With the introduction of some hot guitar licks via Craig Stull into Field's work, the songs are filled with New Orleans bounce, Brian Setzer-styled rockabilly and Santana-like guitar solos, plus Count Basie-type, high, tinkling trills on the piano by Mark Camilleri, as in the jumpin' jive tune 'One Time in Tibet'. As well, Field interjects and seamlessly weaves even more jazz strands into the mix, where Django Reinhardt gypsy guitar meets Dixieland clarinet meets bebop brass (including William Carn on trombone) on songs like 'The Last Trip Home.'

Field's writing is influenced by his travelling experiences, as in the aforementioned titles, as well as with 'Train Station Frustration' where Field's love for rhumba grooves shines through, with layers of Santana-styled guitar, Charlie Palmieri staccato piano and awesome wailing trumpet throughout, and 'High Altitude,' a sunny pop Andrews Sisters-type of melody from the '40s.

More travelling encounters have spawned songs such as 'Dance of the Biometrics,' inspired by customs officials constantly asking for more biometric data every time you cross borders (fingerprints, retinal scans, voice recognition, portraits, etc.). This tune evokes a silent movie soundtrack for a Charlie Chaplin or Keystone Cops chase sequence which culminates in a choppy Jewish-wedding romp.

Dinner at The Avalanche is available before and during the show. Be there early if you intend to find seating for a group of friends - there are no reserved tables. Admission is $10 for members, $12 for non-members. For more information about forthcoming events and GSJS browse the website or view us on FaceBook.