A brief and belated note from Vancouver International Jazz Festival June 22 - July 1

GoGo Penguin @ Performance Works June 22.

Chris Illingworth (piano); Nick Blacka (bass);  Bob Turner (drums)

(Review by Kay.)

GoGo Penguin kicked up a perfect storm on the opening night of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. The Mancunian Trio have established a strong following in Vancouver (this their third visit) and tickets sold out early with both the venue and surrounding garden area packed to capacity. Billed with a very complex description in the Vancouver programme, for me Phil Barnes definition of ‘a beautiful blend of elements of jazz and improvised music with clear nods to modern classical, electronica and old school house music’ comes close to the mark. Including tracks from their latest CD, A Humdrum Star (reviewed by Phil Barnes) interspersed with tracks from previous albums, Illingworth, Blacka and Turner’s performance held their audience spellbound throughout.  With tracks affording glimpses of each of their compelling talent, the seamless, intense connection between this outstanding trio brought a unique quality to their performance and the concert ended with a well- deserved standing ovation.  

GoGo Penguin’s creative energy, rebellious spirit and commitment to producing a sound on the criteria that ‘it works’ brought to mind Young Fathers, a Scottish band of the same ilk. The Canadian ‘awesome’ a fitting description, or translated by those of us north of the border ‘pure dead brilliant’!

A man of few, if any, words on stage, it was good to hear Chris Illingworth encouraging a girl from the audience to follow her dream and pursue a career in music. Thanks to sound engineer Joe Reisen for facilitating the photos.

GoGo Penguin perform at the Riverside, Newcastle, on   November 7.

Setlist: Prayer, Raven, Kamaloka, A Hundred Moons, Home, Return to Text, Bardo, One Percent, Hopopono, Reactor, In Amber, Strid, Weird Cat, Murmuration, Transient State, Window.

Kay C.

Footnote: I hope all's well with you, Lance,. I wasn't sure whether this review would be too out of date (also feel I couldn't quite get it right) but after much dithering decided to send it and let you decide. Feel free to edit and I really don't mind at all if you feel it's too late to post. In truth I'd probably be relieved! Though I've been attending the Jazz Bar and Whighams in Edinburgh for many years, my passion for jazz is recently developed and I'm lacking in both technical and historical knowledge. I know what I like because of how it makes me feel and discovering, and being surprised by bands like GoGo Penguin is a real joy.  I managed to catch four (and a bit) performances in Vancouver ranging from the funky Ghost Note to a young woman with a great voice who did a wonderful cover of Joni Mitchell's A Case of You. I was sorry to miss Topeka Reid but her performance clashed with GoGo Penguin. I loved the variety. The festival was really well supported with hundreds attending the outdoor performances in great spaces.
Apologies for the quality of the photo, I had to take a quick snap as I was reminded while taking it there were to be no photographs but thankfully was able to say I'd got permission from Joe Reisen the band's sound engineer.