For angsty teenagers (and I know this from personal experience), relatably disillusioned literary characters can provide a feeling of connection as the reader works through their own age-appropriate sense of despondent ennui. J.D. Salinger’s Holden Caulfield was (and perhaps still is) the standard bearer in this regard. But it was, even more so, the work of Jack Kerouac (think October in the Railroad Earth, backed by pianist Steve Allen) that for many proved to be an even more intoxicating elixir, introducing readers and listeners to not only hitchhiking and counterculture, but to jazz and poetry.
Redwood: A December 2024 visit to East End Toronto’s Redwood Theatre – itself a venue in revival – brought back some of those feelings of connection in the form of an evening of deeply satisfying and ambitious work from several accomplished Toronto poets, paired with music by the Ottawa-born, New York-based pianist D.D. Jackson.
The historic Redwood Theatre, sitting at Greenwood and Gerrard, is now, for those who have not yet discovered or rediscovered it, home to a multidisciplinary centre designed to support an exciting artistic ecosystem of music, dance, circus, comedy, theatre and film, with performances in both the larger theatre, where Jackson’s concert took place, and in some of the smaller lounge spaces (such as Pat Labarbera’s appearance in the Redwood’s Tetra Listening Room at the end of January). Additionally, Tim Notter’s Orbit Room, which played host to so many great concerts for 25 years on College Street, now has a new home for its unique brand of Hammond-organ forward programming.
All in all, ambitious programming and good acoustics bode well for an excellent musical future for the venue.
The poetry project: D.D. Jackson’s Poetry Project is a case in point – a joint tenancy of prose and sound between the pianist and George Elliott Clarke (Canada’s former Parliamentary Poet Laureate, who that evening curated the poems, wrangled the poets, read his own work and emceed). The evening offered a welcome celebration of both mediums. Divided into two portions, the first segment featured readings from poets Ayesha Chatterjee, Bruce Meyer, Giovanna Riccio, C.P. Zemokhol and Clarke himself, broken up by stylistically broad interpretive piano features. The music, sometimes instrumental, sometimes featuring the pianist’s own singing, and sometimes utilizing the considerable talent of the evening’s vocalists, such as Sammy Jackson and Yoon Sun Choi, was an exemplary testament to how creative minds can fuse together disparate mediums for beautifully impressive results.
The standouts were many, of course, but Bruce Meyer’s impassioned reading of a thoughtful requiem and Choi’s inspired interpretation of Zemokhol’s I Call were particularly modern, engaging and impactful. Through it all, the first set was notable, for this listener, for how skillfully Jackson played with the idea of influence.
Sometimes the influence was direct; as when, for example, Jackson accompanied a lyrical reading of a poem in a supportive manner designed principally to platform the poet and amplify the poem’s message. At other times, the influence seemed more playful, as Jackson seemed to foreground an interpretive style of accompaniment replete with rich chording and extemporized melodic lines that acted as another poetic voice – a kind of playful counterpart. Finally, there was what I might describe as an “influence adjacent” portion, when Jackson seemed to use the considerable creativity contained within the poems as a springboard for his own improvisatory statements. It was in these moments, when he appeared to afford himself the widest berth creatively, that the music took off in the most interesting of directions.
The evening’s second set, equally engaging, featured a fleshed-out aggregation of Roberto Occhipinti on bass, Mark Hundevad doing double duty on drums and vibraphone, and guitarist Tom Fleming. This larger group supported the aforementioned singers, along with the great vocalist Michael Dunston, through Jackson’s complete Poetry Project, released by the pianist earlier in 2024. Impressive solos by all, tight ensemble work and a dynamic performance of Daylight Shooting in Little Italy by the dependably wonderful Dunston were second set highlights. In addition to the great music, a special acknowledgement is deserved for the wonderful Bösendorfer piano that Jackson played so marvellously throughout, contributing much to the evening’s proceedings.
In addition to the enjoyable music and camaraderie of Toronto’s artistic community on display that December night, the evening was notable as a celebration of a great new listening room with a fine stage (and an even finer piano) now hosting creative shows such as this in Toronto’s east end. A welcome addition indeed!
Editor’s Note: See the review of Jackson’s Poetry Project in the vocal section of DISCoveries and check it out in the Listening Room.
Upcoming at Redwood
Feb 4, 7pm: The Redwood Theatre Singers’s Workshop. A recurring singers’ workshop with Latoya Hall-Downer.
Feb 8, 7pm: Culchaworks presents Global Marley – a concert of Bob Marley’s hits, performed by artists from across the globe who call Canada home, in an array of styles and genres other than Reggae.
Feb 14, 7pm: Lovers’ Valentine Ball. Featuring The Ross Wooldridge Orchestra. Open to all lovers looking for an extravagant evening dancing, fancy dress, and good times.
Feb 22, 7pm: Triangle D’Or Cabaret’s A Kiss of Paris. Mystery, elegance and a dash of mischief. Your trip to Paris without the ticket.
Mar 1, 7pm: An evening of blues by longtime Toronto favourite Jack de Keyzer and his band
Mar 6, 6:30pm: The Toronto Blues Society’s 10th Anniversary Healey’s Hideaway Celebration. A screening of a 2014 documentary about the Jeff Healey Club (Toronto 2001-2008), and live music by The Celebration Band
March 8, 15 & 22, 2pm: Opera 202. Opera singers will delight you with famous arias and a bit of context about their place in the repertoire. Expect music of Mozart, Puccini, and Verdi and more.
Apr 4: Frolick Theatre’s Live Karaoke, featuring the band By Request.
Apr 11, 7pm: Ten Telecaster Tales. Rik Emmett, lead singer/songwriter/guitarist with Triumph, performs his latest project.
Depending on which Redwood space a show is in, seating may be limited, and some shows will sell out quickly. Be sure to check availability, and consider booking ahead - theredwoodthweatre.com.
Andrew Scott is a Toronto-based jazz guitarist (occasional pianist/singer) and professor at Humber College, who contributes regularly to The WholeNote Discoveries record reviews.
