Two great gigs to review, (well I guess three). The first was Robi Botos and Hilario Duran at the Four Seasons Center, part of the after work free concert series. I had seen Robi the week before up at Chalkers Pub performing in front of an audience of about nine. Robi is doing a regular gig there on Tuesdays and I gotta say that it's not a bad setting. The pub is not small and has a load of pool tables but the space is laid out in an L shape with the noisier play far away from the performance space. The result is a nice focus on the music. Botos worked his way through an evening of standards moving a tad predictably between fast and slow numbers, but, always gave it heart and a boat load of soul. I confess to being drawn deeper into the music when it rocks out but then again, you can't appreciate it without the grace between the energy. I'm a huge fan of his. Still. It was funny. After his first set, as the last note still resonated from the grand, two massive plates of food appeared and Robi flopped himself down beside me to chow down. Despite the modest artists cover charge, I could not help but think that Robi was playing for his dinner. I asked him about the bill which said that he was going to playing with a trio and he said "'things are slow, it's cold outside, can't afford to pay the guys to come out to a gig like this" (paraphrased). BTW I now know why Robi is such a big boy; he wolfs like it's going to be his last meal!

The gig at the FSC was a marked contrast. Hilario Duran and Botos duelled and sparred on a pair of Steinways (Duran on an Orchestra Grand and Botos on a Small Concert Grand) on the second floor landing, hammering out a series of standards and a few traditional tunes from their homelands that left the crowd astounded; The week before when we were at Chalkers someone had asked about the upcoming gig and had asked if they had rehearsed together and Robi's response was "we have exchanged e-mails!"

The pairing was stellar. Botos and Duran danced around the lead feeling each other out and riffing off each other, but playing as if they had know each other for years despite the fact that it was the first time they had played together. Although they at times approached the music with wanton abandon, the music was always crafted and precise. On occasions Botos played the lowest register with his right in the guts of the grand dampening the strings and walking out a base line as if he were standing at an upright double, Duran improvising on a melody, allowing the moment to fuel his imagination as well as our own. Sweet mellifluousness tone floated into the gallery were I stood awaiting every fresh note.

The performance started at 5:30 and I arrived at 5:16 and was the penultimate one to be allowed entry as the hall was filled to capacity. I found John Good who was parked on the upper level. Cautionary note; if you ever go to a performance in the atrium, if you are on the upper level, try to keep your ear within a direct line of "sight" with the instruments below. I was standing about two paces back from the glass railing (or guard as Stuart will be sure to correct me). At first I found it a rather discombobulating experience to be able to see the pair playing but not being able to hear them directly, the sound (some of it) bouncing off of the acoustical ceiling that usually does such a stellar job of muting the din of the glass lined atrium.

The last gig i saw was Rachel Therrien and her Quintet on Thursday night. It was an awesome evening. It was my first time at the Trane Studio and it’s a pretty good space. The focus at the Trane is without a doubt on the music. The Trane has no taps, a modest selection of wines, beers, other libations and a limited dinner menu that is really quite nice. I had salmon with a mango salsa that was one of eight items on the entire menu, but then, when you do something reasonably well, why mess it up with too much diversity.

Therrien at the Trane
with all apologies for quality and editing

Rachel Therrien is a young up and coming composer and horn player from Montreal. The quintet played a sort of post-hard-bop-bop; rhythmic, soulful, at times hard hitting and even bombastic but almost always tight and full of ideas. The quintet played an entire evening of original compositions, both from the September 2011 release “On Track” as well as previously unreleased newer compositions. Therrien draws not only from the tradition of bop but as well from the Cuba where she studied for nine months and from the heart of African rhythm on some compositions. Listen closely and you can hear the energies of the likes of Tony Allen thrashing away on the skins. Nary a moment went by through the two sets when i found my mind wandering from the music, it was that good. Therrien has been recording for several years but only put her own quintet together about a year ago, the two night stand being their first visit to Toronto. Charles Trudel (keys), Simon Page (base), Alain Bourgeois (drums) all add a youthful insight and energy to the compositions that are steeped in a classic tradition of bop, but are somehow fresh and relevant. Perhaps my only reservation might have been towards Sebastien Fortin (sax), who for me, left me wanting. Oh well, four outta five ain’t bad! Rachel is moving to New York next year ...there’s a woman who’s taking her music seriously!