There’s music for the soul, music for the eyes, and this show hopes to be both.
“Call and Response” by Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, which combines a live New Orleans-based jazz band and dancers from the Calgary-based studio, runs as part of the High Performance Rodeo through to Jan. 26.
The band is playing music clocking in around 100 years old.
There are three horns, a stand-up bass, guitar, and a washboard player.
Use of a washboard is a pretty rare percussion specialty around here, but is traditional for original jazz. But, it’s the stand-up bass that proved trickiest to travel.
Kim Cooper is the artistic director at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, and also the creator and choreographer of the show.
She told 660 NewsRadio there was some last minute consternation before opening night, loosening up the gut strings for the bass.
“For her special way of playing this traditional form, we had to order these special gut strings for her to play… something happened, they were new so she was really concerned… but they’ve loosened up,” Cooper said.
Upright bass — or double bass — player, Julie Shexnayder plays in the style of Pops Foster and Chester Zardis, a slap rhythm style of playing.
Tickets are moving fast for the performance, find a seat for the show here.