When I sat down in some pretty good seats, thanks to my friend Mitch, I quickly realized it had been quite a few years since I took in a show organized for the annual Montreal Jazz Festival. With most of the shows in the Quartier Des Spectacles right next to our office, taking an event like this for granted has been so easy. After really enjoying seeing Stanley Clarke for the first time, I swore I would take advantage of this festival going forward.
Since I hadn’t really listened to Stanley Clarke since I was taking my bass playing a bit more seriously, I didn’t know what to expect or how good or not he would be now that he was in his seventies. He’s clearly in great physical shape, and his musicianship was top-notch and world-class. I was also impressed with how young and talented his band was. I learned that he intentionally plays with young musicians. I’m sure he keeps himself sharp, but I’m also sure his skills and wisdom are just as important to all of them. I was particularly impressed with his drummer, who had incredible strength and power behind his kit.
In addition to the band leader, Stanley Clarke (acoustic and electric bass), the N•4EVER band consists of Jeremiah Collier on drums, Emilio Modeste on saxophone, Beka Gochiashvili on piano and keyboards, Colin Cook on guitar.
Place des Arts, Théâtre Maisonneuve
260 Blvd. De Maisonneuve Ouest, Montréal, QC H2X 1Y9
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