Yorkton will have an opportunity to enjoy an eclectic night of jazz. A Series of Tubes and the All That Jazz Big Band are putting on a show at the Army and Navy Club on Sunday, January 27.
A Series of Tubes is an instrumental electronic jazz trio consisting of Ian Sinclair on electric keyboards, Mark Godfrey on electric bass and Mackenzie Longpre on drums.
Band leader Sinclair says that the band's goal is to have fun with blending jazz with more contemporary popular music, like hip hop, R&B, electronic and indie rock. Sinclair says that it's not a sound that requires a great deal of knowledge of the different genres to enjoy, but that it's all about bringing everyone a good time.
"I think this is true of jazz in general, what we're doing is having serious fun. We're having fun in a serious way. I don't think it has to be either or, and that's kind of what jazz is to me," Sinclair says.
He says that combining different genres and music with jazz is a natural fit, because it's something that has been done in the genre since its early beginnings. Bringing in sounds of current popular music is similar to how older jazz ensembles would work with the pop standards people are familiar with.
There is also a bit of an '80s reference in the music, as some of the sounds used are reminiscent of synthesizers and games of the era. Sinclair says that there is a bit of an '80s revival going on in popular music at the moment, and it's something his group has included as well, though he emphasizes that it's not something they do exclusively.
"It's special to me this group for that reason, it has that current sound to it."
Sinclair has studied and performed all around North America, and is currently completing a Doctor of Musical Arts (Performance) at the University of Toronto, but it's Yorkton where he was born and raised, and started on the path towards his current career.
"I think that there is such staunch support for music in the community is certainly what allowed me to consider it as a possibility, the career I ended up with. More importantly, I saw it having a really positive effect on the people I knew, both socially and in having first hand experience with something they wouldn't have any other way. It's really great that there's still a legacy of that in the city, both in the schools and in the resurgence of the adult program," Sinclair says.
The All That Jazz Big Band, lead by Larry Pearen, is opening at the performance, and Pearen was also Sinclair's first band leader.
"Pearen was really important to me just for being really positive, supportive and enthusiastic, which is really his legacy with everybody. Certainly that's what made him great as a band leader, but also what makes him great as a parent, as a member of the community and just as a human being. I owe him a great deal, he continues to serve as a local inspiration and model for a lot of people," Sinclair says.
Sinclair says that the different teachers, leaders and people in the city are a major reason why he was able to make music his career and find success doing so.
The show is Sunday, January 27 at 7:30 p.m at the Army and Navy Club.
Tickets are available at the Army and Navy, Freedom Sound, Fuzztone Music and Saddles and Steel.
