"He remains an unquestionable master of the genre; at a mere 31 years of age, Hendrickson-Smith, who doubles on flute, is the possessor of a world-weary tone that many players his senior would kill for."–Peter Aaron, All About Jazz
Part of the perks of running a jazz club is first crack at jamming with one of a number of visiting, stellar acts. Cellar Jazz Club’s Cory Weeds is a smart man.
He’s been running Cellar’s on 3611 West Broadway, Vancouver for over 10 years, steadily earning a solid reputation as one of the top jazz venues this side of Canada, quite possibly the world. A stickler for quality—and with a soft spot for straight-ahead—the saxophonist has brought on world-class musicians, as well as celebrated home-grown talent, to his hot nightspot. A few of the names may sound familiar, as well they should: David Fathead Newman, Kenny Garrett, Les McCann, Scott Hamilton, Joey Defrancesco and George Coleman, to name but a few.
This coming Friday and Saturday nights, Weeds will join in on the jams — playing tenor sax — with featured New York City artist on alto sax, Ian Hendrickson-Smith, with New York organist Adam Scone, guitarist Dave Sikula, and drummer Jesse Cahill. A veteran of lead and side recordings that have made it on every jazz critic’s top-rated list, the New Orleans-born Hendrickson-Smith can flip a switch from bluesy numbers to hard-rocking jazz—all with the hypnotic feel of a master and the collective symbiosis of the other musicians in the band.
He’s played with a musical rainbow of names, from Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Michael Bublé and Al Green, to Bob Dylan, Robbie Williams, Boyz 2 Men, and Cory Weeks’ Night Crawlers (a sensation at the inaugural Jazz on the Mountain at Whistler festival, Labor Day Weekend last year).
For more info: The Ian Hendrickson-Smith Quintet pumps out the jams January 6 and 7, 8 p.m., at Cellar’s Jazz Club on 3611 W. Broadway, Vancouver, Canada, $15. Call (604) 738-1959.
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