Pulling out all the stops for the season’s last gig this Saturday, the Vernon Jazz Club presents an evening with Karin Plato, one of Canada’s finest jazz vocalists.
Known for her rich alto voice and elegantly smooth vocal stylings, Plato’s current trio, Song Amusement Park, performs a fun, eclectic repertoire of swing, bebop, blues, bossa nova, and ballads.
The trio includes celebrated pianist Michael Creber and rising star clarinettist James Danderfer.
The trio mingles entertaining tunes like Save the Bones for Henry Jones and Johnny One Note with well-loved standards such as Sonny Rollins’ Doxy and Gershwin’s It Ain’t Necessarily So.
A talented composer, Plato also performs some of her original tunes like Big Black Crow and I’d Rather Be Somewhere Hot from her latest CD, Out of Town. Recorded with Montreal pianist John Roney, the double CD has received raved reviews.
Juno-nominated Plato studied classical music throughout her childhood on the Saskatchewan prairies before being drawn into the jazz idiom.
“It was a slow process but a complete one,” said Plato. “I love the notion of simply painting a song, whereby the very simple recipe of a melody, lyric, and chord changes will take on a particular existence as the musicians explore and interpret it.”
Plato describes her musical style as, “quite straight ahead and mainstream in the world of jazz.”
“No ‘skronks or squeaks’ coming from my voice –– at least not intentionally,” she laughed.
Plato is pleased to return to her Vernon audience.
“I love singing in Vernon,” said Plato.
“I especially look forward to presenting some of this enjoyable repertoire. Some of the songs make me laugh and I think the combination of laughter and music is wonderful,” she added.
Future plans include a new recording with more folk-based music since Plato has become fascinated with arranging some of the old traditional folk song tunes. She has also been learning to play the ukulele.
“I’ll be bringing it along and playing something in it for the Song Amusement Park show since it is a rather amusing little instrument,” said Plato.
Not only a gifted singer and composer, Plato is also committed to music education.
“I continue to teach a roster of piano, singing, and theory students in an attempt to share my passion for music of various kinds.”
Keyboardist, composer, and producer Creber has worked with many artists including k.d. lang, The Irish Rovers, Shirley Bassey, Jim Byrnes, and many others.
Creber is the music director for various live concert music productions in Vancouver and is also very busy producing CDs for other artists.
Danderfer is originally from Vancouver and has been traveling, studying, and performing around the world since the age of 16. He has recorded and performed with Kenny Werner, Don Thompson, and Brad Turner, among others, and has recorded two albums of original music.
Danderfer is currently involved in a contemporary swing trio with Miles Black and Joe Poole, as well as an electro jazz project with Chris Gestrin.
Karin Plato and Song Amusement Park take the stage at the Vernon Jazz Club, 3000-31st St., Saturday at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $20 ($15 for VJS members) available at the Bean Scene and Bean to Cup coffee houses.
