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'Energetic tunes' Thursday with DMN&FRNZ

After a resoundingly successful show last spring at the jazz club DMN&FRNZ are back this Thursday at the Avalanche Bar
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THE JAZZ MUSIC of DMN&FRNZ will fill the Avalanche Bar this Thursday.

The quality of jazz music in this town keeps getting better and better.

After last week's scintillating performance by the Mike Irving Quintet, this week's show promises to be equally brilliant. After a resoundingly successful show last spring at the jazz club DMN&FRNZ are back this Thursday at the Avalanche Bar on Eighth Street at 7:30 p.m. with some new tunes and some new FRNZ.

DMN comprises Don MacKay on five-string bass, Michael Eddy on piano, and Neil Clark on drums. These well-known Comox Valley musicians have been rehearsing an exciting program, which recognizes the incredible talent of composers such as Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans and Horace Silver among others.

Their renditions of standards and not-so-standards will be enhanced by the addition of FRNZ Rachel Fuller on alto sax, clarinet and electronic wind instrument; Paul Nuez on trombone and Jay Havelaar on trumpet.

As Don commented in a recent interview, "The FRNZ bring an energetic infusion of talent to the group and are excited about the upcoming performance at the Jazz Club."

A few of the more energetic tunes you will enjoy include: McCoy Tyner's Señor Carlos, Chick Corea's Captain Marvel, Armando's Rhumba and Spain, which will feature Jay Havelaar's wonderful solo introduction.

Fuller will be sure to enchant you with her version of Herbie Hancock's Tell Me A Bedtime Story and Joe Zawinul's A Remark You Made, performed on the mesmerizing EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument).

She will also join the Comox Valley's favourite trombonist Paul Nuez and rising star trumpeter Jay Havelaar in delivering a blistering rendition of Freddie Hubbard's The Intrepid Fox as well as a couple of burning bebop tunes.

On piano, Eddy maintains a solid sensitive approach to accompaniment as well as performing some incredibly fiery solos.  He is also sure to melt your hearts with his soulful rendition of Bill Evan's Some Other Time and he will get your feet tapping to a bit of just plain old fun Caribbean music.

Keeping it all together on bass and drums, MacKay and Clark are totally in the groove with dynamics and tempos locked right in.  Neil's drum solos are a fiesta of raw energy and classic rhythms while Don's solo contributions challenge the bounds of traditional bass playing.

Originally conceived to be a bit unique DMN&FRNZ promise an evening that is bound to be beyond the ordinary.

If you have been considering finding out why Thursday Night Jazz has become so popular, but haven't yet ventured into the Avalanche Bar, you should know that you will receive a warm welcome from regular jazz fans, and you'll experience the best club/lounge atmosphere in the Valley. We have a reputation for being an attentive audience, where people go primarily to listen to live high quality jazz music with their friends, and other jazz aficionados.

For more information, visit www.georgiastraightjazz.com or like GSJS on Facebook.

— Georgia Straight Jazz Society