C'est le Jazz Cool!

Hey, Hey, Hey! Who wants le jazz cool? 

Check out the Big Dig! Band jazz night 

at The Park Theatre (698 Osborne St, Winnipeg) on October 5. 

Once a month Winnipeg is treated to a unique big band experience. Organised by Steve Kirby (Artistic Director) and Derrick Gardner (Principal Conductor) - both professors at the University of Manitoba Desautels Faculty of Music and noted jazz artists -  the evening is divided into two parts. First a session where local composers and arrangers can workshop a piece as well as an open rehearsal for the Big Dig! Band. The second part of the evening features a performance by the Big Dig! Band featuring a mixture of jazz classics and newer works (often including pieces from local composers and arrangers). And the band itself features some of Winnipeg's top jazz artists. A very interesting evening for the jazz savant and novice alike. Definitely a Check Ça pick for jazz lovers!

Also want to give a special Check Ça shout-out to Derrick Gardner and Steve Kirby for the sweet grooves at the closing night of the Winnipeg International Writers' Festival this year. Messrs. Gardner and Kirby provided live music for the open mic session and definitely made the show! 

Trio D'Afrique @ McNally Robinson Oct 2, 8pm

.... and a heads up if you haven't already heard, Trio D'Afrique will be at the Prairie Ink Restaurant at Grant Park McNally Robinson on Friday, October 2, 2015 at 8:00 p.m.

Earlier this year Jay Stoller, a member of Trio D'Afrique, performed West African-style drumming live on our 2015 FunDrive show. You can hear Jay in person along with other talented musicians Ewinge Kiki on vocals and guitar, and Daniel Koulack on bass. Trio D'Afrique features beautiful acoustic music sampling from the variety of African music and some of their own compositions. Definitely worth a trip to experience them live!

Check Ça goes Chic!

POSTPONED TO OCT 9! 

CHIC GAMINE ON Check Ça OCTOBER 9

 

Chic Gamine on Check Ça

Check Ça is excited to have members of Winnipeg-Montreal band Chic Gamine live on the the show next Friday (Oct 9)! Tune in for a fun chat about the band newest album release of "Light a Match" (and folks, it is hot, hot, hot!) on October 23 and some of the exciting things they've been up to over the past while. We'll be spinning some of their tunes - old and new - but here's a little taste in case you can't wait:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nbkY6mr_XE


Hope you will tune in for some good times!

Catch their show on October 4 at West End Cultural Centre with Lindi Ortega.

            The West End Cultural Centre 
            and The Winnipeg Folk Festival present
       Lindi Ortega with Chic Gamine
       Sunday, October 4, 2015
          Doors 7:15pm // Show 8pm
          West End Cultural Centre, 586 Ellice Avenue, Winnipeg
          Tickets $25 in advance plus fees through Ticketmaster, and 
          at the Winnipeg Folk Festival Music Store.

And do keep checking the blog as we'll be adding some news and show updates for some of our Check Ça faves. Keep it funky!

Aboriginal Music Week August 18-22, 2015

Hiya Kids! 

Hope y'all are having a great summer: working outside, vacationin' & beachin' & travellin', kickin' it at the many music and arts festivals, or whatever.

This week is Aboriginal Music Week and there's lots to celebrate. Making special mention of Chuck Copenace at The Good Will August 21, 2015, 9:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. Chuck is part of the jam session, featuring lots of other excellent artists. Not to be missed!

Check Ça jazz spot for 2015 Winnipeg Jazz Festival

Hey CKUW-fam! Hope those of you in Winnipeg or visiting checked out some of this year's Winnipeg Jazz Festival for 2015. It was a fun line-up with lots of great shows. Congrats to Paul Nolin, Executive Director, staff, and the many, many volunteers who made the festival a fun and entertaining experience.  And cheers to the many artists for bringing solid entertainment!

Last Friday was a special programme, featuring jazz artists who have performed at the Winnipeg Jazz Festival and artists' picks - and some things we just couldn't pass up for a jazz spotlight special. Here's a peek at the show list:

 

Artist Name	Album Name	Song Title	Label
Booker T Jones	The Road to Memphis	Everything is Everything	Anti-
Funk Inc.	Funk Inc.	Kool is Back	Prestige Records
Grant Green	The Complete Quartets With Sonny Clark	Airegin	Blue Note
Greg Lowe w/Steve Kirby	Guitar And Bass Sessions	Modern Mayhem	(Self-Released)
George Benson	Summer Jazz	Sunny	Verve
George Benson Quartet	It's Uptown	Ain't That Peculiar	Columbia Jazz
John Patton	Accent on the Blues	Captain Nasty	Blue Note
Art Blakey	Blue N' Groovy	Ping Pong	Blue Note
Dr. Lonnie Smith	Boogaloo To Beck	Lower	Scuffin Records
Curtis Nowosad	The Skeptic & The Cynic	Welcome to the Machine	Know-A-Sad Records
Russell Malone	Love Looks Good  On You	Soul Leo	High Note Records
Curtis Nowosad	Dialectics	Gleaning & Dreaming	Cellar Live
Neil Watson	Move!	Quinn's Dance (Part 1)	Mile 50 Records
Crash	Crash	The Honourable M.P.	C.W. Productions
The Poets Of Rhythm	Anthology 1992-2003	50 Yards Of Soul	Daptone Records
Dirty Catfish Brass Band	Dirty Catfish Brass Band	Countershot	(Self-Released)
The Poets Of Rhythm	Anthology 1992-2003	More Mess on my Thing	Daptone Records
Sharon Jones & the Dap‑Kings	Give the People What They Want	Long Time, Wrong Time	Daptone Records
Booker T Jones	The Road to Memphis	Rent Party	Anti-
Curtis Nowosad	Dialectics	Dialectics	Cellar Live
Alice Russell	Nova Soul 3	A Fly in the Hand	Audiopharm
Ivana Santilli	Corduroy Boogie	Everlasting	Brown Recordings
The Quantic Soul Orchestra	Nova Soul 2	Hold It Down	Audiopharm
Herbie Hancock	75 Years of True Blue	Cantaloupe Island	Blue Note

Tune in this week for some choice funky cuts!

Jazzed out?

Looking for a little non-jazz this week? Local hip hop artist, "Daily" will be doing a series of performances in support of the Canadian Hearing Society- 5 Shows, 1 Day. The shows all take place on Saturday, June 20 at 5 different locations:

5 Shows, 1 Day
12:00-2:00 pm - Into the Music (245 McDermot Ave)
2:00-4:00 pm - Wild Planet (217 Osborne St)
4:00-6:00 pm - Joe Black's Coffee Bar (2037 Portage Ave) w/ DJ Stop
7:30-9:30 pm - Sam's Place (159 Henderson Hwy) w/DJ Cannibal Chad
10:00 pm - 1:00 am - Le Garage (166 Provencher Blvd) w/special guests

Curtis Nowosad on Check Ça

Thanks to Curtis Nowosad for stopping by Check Ça  on June 12. We look forward to his performance in the Winnipeg Jazz Festival

                Curtis Nowosad Quintet
                Friday, June 19, 10:00 pm
                Maw's Beer Hall 

Curtis is New-York based drummer,composer, arranger, known to Winnipeg audiences for his skillful jazz and other musical styles. Check out his website for more information about his projects, upcoming tour, and to connect with him:  www.curtisnowosad.com

Hope folks will check out some of the great shows for 2015 Winnipeg Jazz Festival .
 

Time for Jazz! - 2015 Winning

Lots of great 2015 Jazz Fest to check out!

We've had some awesome guests on the show this year, including some special artists who are in the Jazz Fest this year. They're in a few other shows as well as their group/solo acts:

Jocelyn Gould
Niall Bakkestad-Legare Septet - Old Market Square, Thursday June 11th, 8:15 pm
Mrs. Jones - Old Market Square, Sunday June 14th, 4 pm
Jupiter Storm - Old Market Square, Sunday June 14th, 5:30 pm
Fauxpasfunk - Old Market Square, Thursday June 18th, 12:00 Noon
Big Dig! Band - Old Market Square - Thursday June 18th, 8:45 pm
Jocelyn Gould Quintet - Free Press Cafe - Saturday, June 20th, 10:30 pm

Joanna Majoko
Mrs. Jones - Old Market Square, Sunday June 14th, 4;00 pm
Beatox - Old Market Square, Sunday June 14th, 7:00 pm
ALFA - Old Market Square, Sunday June 14th, 8:00 pm
Ron Paley - Maw's Pub Eatery & Beer Hall, Tuesday June 16th, 7:30 pm
Lucas Sader Project - Cinematheque, Saturday June 20th, 10:00 pm

Members of the Dirty Catfish Brass Band (I may have missed a few)
Winnipeg Jazz Collective - Old Market Square, Monday June 15, 12:00 (noon)
Sunny Roseland - Cube Lounge, Friday, June 19, 8:45 pm

Also, check out Amber Epp's solo show:
Amber Epp - Cinematheque, Saturday, June 20, 7:30 pm
Amber will also appear with several groups on Friday, June 12 for 'Latin Night' at the Old Market Square. And admission at Old Market Square is free!

Mariachi Ghost is part of Jazz Fest this year
The Mariachi Ghost - Old Market Square, Friday June 12, 10:45 pm

Also check out Check Ça faves Heavyweights Brass Band
Old Market Square, Wednesday, June 17, 12:00 (noon)
Maw's Beer Hall, Wednesday June 17, 10:00 p.m.

And this year will feature a late night jam sessions at Maw's Beer Hall June 17-20. Fun times ahead!

Jazz is the word!

Hope you enjoying our spotlight on the 2015 Winnipeg Jazz Festival.  Here's a breakdown of where you can hear our featured guests:

Dirty Catfish Brass Band: June 11 @ The Cube, 9:30 p.m.
Joanna Majoko:  June 11 @ The Cube, 7:00 p.m.
Jocelyn Gould: June 20 @ Winnipeg Free Press Cafe, 10:30 p.m. 
Curtis Nowosad: June 19 @ Maw's Beer Hall, 10:00 p.m.

Lots of great acts coming up! Check out the program for this year's Jazz Fest:
http://jazzwinnipeg.com/festival/artists/#!programmation=artists$

A sincere thank you to all our guests helping us to mark this year's Jazz Fest. To hear the interviews and features, download the show from ckuw.ca

Winnipeg Jazz Festival 2015

Jazz Fest Extravaganza!

Dirty Catfish Brass Band
brought the party to Check Ça last week. They stopped in to chat about upcoming Jazz Fest and Winnipeg Folk Fest shows for DCBB. If you missed it, download the podcast for May 29 on ckuw.ca

This week, we have a special feature with Joanna Majoko and Jocelyn Gould - two very talented and diverse musicians newer to the scene who have solo shows in the Winnipeg Jazz Festival this year. We'll also take a moment to celebrate some of the amazing female artists who have performed in the Jazz Fest over the years. Tune in!

Next week (June 12), we are very excited to have Curtis Nowosad for an interview. Mr. Nowosad is currently studying and performing in New York (US). Regular listeners will have heard his inventive and exciting recent 2nd album on the show. We'll chat about his adventures in NYC and his upcoming show in the Jazz Fest. Don't miss it!

A special Check Ça 'Thank you' to the Dirty Catfish Brass Band for their visit to the show on May 29. Curious what happens when brass meets pop music? Check out the DCBB's video of their Taylor Swift cover of 'Shake it Off': 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8v-ZNtfVYE