Local jazz vocalist Brenda Lewis will celebrate her hometown (of 25 years) CD release concert for her third jazz album Far and Near at the Diana Downtown on Nov. 21 at 7:30pm.
She will be joined by Toronto jazz guitar wiz and longtime music partner Margaret Stowe and her local music partners Gayle Ackroyd on vocal harmonies and John Zadro on piano/keyboard.
Admission is $10 and can paid in cash at the door.
Advance dinner reservations are available by phoning 519-836-3460.
Lewis’ third jazz CD Far and Near is a collection of jazz songs spanning “where we may travel”; both far away geographically – and near to the heart.
It is a celebration of the familiar, containing some less-often-performed jazz standards such as Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans and A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square; balanced by the humourous Cow Cow Boogie and Brazilian samba Crickets Sing For Anamaria.
These are offset by more contemporary soul and roots-based songwriting with interpretations of pieces originally performed by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson (To Be Free), Jesse Winchester (I Wave Bye Bye) and Sarah McLachlan (World on Fire).
Also of note is a swing piece He Surprises Me by Ackroyd, an award-winning Canadian songwriter.
Along with Stowe’s guitar stylings, the album contains a number of guest appearances by Guelph’s own Jeff Bird (Cowboy Junkies) adding a nod to jazz harmonica great Toots Thielman, as well as bass and mandolin – making this a jazz album with a distinct sound.
