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ALEX PANGMAN, JAZZ VOCALIST - UPDATED June 28th

Alex Pangman’s sweet n' sassy vocal style is ideally suited to the hot jazz and traditional swing songs of the 1920s and 30s. “Canada’s Sweetheart of Swing” has for more than a decade been making the music of the past captivatingly present, and released Have A Little Fun in 2013 on Justin Time Records.

UPDATE: You asked for a summer update, and here's one especially for you.

We had an amazing time at Massey Hall as the support act for Willie Nelson!

It went by so quickly (faster than my wedding day really) and it was such a pleasure to meet and work with Willie's crew. Playing on that stage was amazing – what a brilliant room for sound.

There was some controversy in the news before the show as to if Nelson should be opening a “jazz” festival. After hearing his improvised solos on songs like Grapelli's Nuages there is no doubt that he plays jazz. In fact, I think he is a genre-spanner. To be the support act as a swing band made perfect sense, as the historical convergence of jazz and country is well known to western swing fans. Thematically the songs are similar too – themes of love, loss, dancing. These defy genre or age and had a very warm reception from the cowboy-hatted crowd.

One thing I found kind of interesting is that when you stand on the stage there you can really see your audience on the floor. The way the lights are you can actually SEE them, which helped it to seem intimate (as much as 2500 people can be intimate). That being said, I tried to sing also to the balconies, and Glenn threw one of his sticks up there ;)

Alex

1. What are we interrupting (i.e. what music-related activity are we taking you away from to write this)?

Right now (Monday, May 20), sitting in the backyard under the lilacs thinking about which Christmas songs I could record. Yep.

2. What, if anything, are you most looking forward to as an audience member between now and September 7?

Hearing Willie Nelson at Massey Hall on June 20: the man is a living legend. The genius of his songwriting over the decades…just, wow.

3. How about as a music maker/player?

Opening for Willie Nelson at Massey Hall. I've only ever paid to be in the audience at Massey Hall...now I'm being paid to be on the other side of the footlights. Super surreal. Everyone in the band is super stoked! We'll be playing songs from our new album, Have a Little Fun.

4. What are you already preparing for musically beyond the summer? And (how) do your summer plans tie in with these longer term plans?

Ah, well, that ties in with question one. We are trying to work on another Christmas project for my label, but it's in the early stages yet. I'm sourcing a possible French Christmas carol, booking the session, recording and mastering the single so I have already started the early planning stages.

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