October has been busy with lots of live music concerts! These were my favourite three --
P. J. Perry Quintet
Edmonton's Sunday afternoon concert series Jazz & Reflections had a fine autumn lineup, including Canadian jazz icon P. J. Perry. I've been a fan of his for years and have several of his albums, so his concert was a real treat to attend! P. J. Perry is actually the person who created the Jazz & Reflections series 30 years ago. We are so lucky that he lives here in Edmonton!
[Photo credit: Ian Kucerak /Postmedia]
Vertex String Quartet
The highlight of Vertex's excellent fall concert was the premiere of Edmonton composer Conrad Sobieraj's String Quartet No. 3 "Mizeria." As stated in the program notes, "This piece is a reflection of adulthood, the isolation of independence, the weight of the past, and the morbid death and decay of the inner child." In other words, it is all about the turbulent and emotional journey of surviving our 20s, full of Sturm und Drang.
Connie Kaldor
I last saw this Canadian folksinging legend of the prairies in concert 30 years ago in Winnipeg. I was a big fan of her feminist singer-songwriter style. I'm pleased to learn that, at 72 years of age, she still has her powerhouse voice and soaring vocals! She's touring this fall with her new album Wide Open Spaces, on which this song "Hitched Together" is featured. It was a fun concert and a good time!
