You asked for it and you got it.
By popular request, multiple award-winning musician Marc Atkinson brings his all-star quartet to the Vernon Jazz Club for a special Friday evening performance.
With Atkinson on guitar and mandolin, the lineup also includes multi-instrumentalist Adrian Dolan, bassist Joey Smith, and Kelby McNayr on drums.
Following up his North Okanagan Community Concert performance at the Performing Arts Centre last fall, Atkinson’s quartet will perform an energetic mix of jazz, folk, roots, world, and even a little down home bluegrass.
“Many of our tunes will be user-friendly originals,” said Atkinson. “But we’ll also be playing standards by Chick Corea, Django Reinhardt, Duke Ellington, and even Chopin.”
Vorizo, one of Atkinson’s original tunes, takes its name from the postal code for Hornby Island, his home.
“This is one of my favourite tunes,” said Atkinson. “It exemplifies all that a guitar player would want in a single tune, like finger styles, very rich Latin-sounding harmonic chord progressions, and improvisation combined with unison lines.”
Another original, Morning Glory, has an unusual genesis.
“I had a favourite chord progression for improvising around and it is the same as in She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain. So I decided to compose a tune around that progression.”
Garnering incredible reviews wherever he performs, Atkinson’s playing and composing have been called innovative, dazzling, dynamic, and sophisticated.
Atkinson’s other groups have earned Juno and Canadian Folk Music Award nominations, Western Canadian Music Awards, and second place in the International Acoustic Music Awards.
Atkinson has toured extensively, appearing at the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow, the Montreal International Jazz Festival, the California World Fest, and even for the Queen of England.
Drawing upon a variety of influences creates Atkinson’s remarkable sound.
“I have explored jazz deeply over the years, great jazz musicians such as Miles Davis and Django Reinhardt,” he said. “But as I compose, all my other influences seep in, ranging from my classical background to folk and rock.”
Atkinson’s genre-bending is grounded in his view of musical styles.
“I find that folk and roots sound a lot like rock without electric guitars. I find that styles are often just another style done with a different attitude, a different take.”
Atkinson receives as many accolades for his original compositions as he does for his playing.
“I like to compose a whole album at one time,” he explained. “The pieces seem to be strengthened if they belong together, so I choose motifs that fit the mood of the recording.”
Dolan is a virtuoso musician on violin, viola, accordion, and piano. Playing with Atkinson in their band The Bills, Dolan has also toured with such names as Ridley Bent, The Arrogant Worms, and legendary Irish band The Chieftains.
Bassist Smith has worked with Atkinson for 12 years and also toured with the Glen Miller Orchestra. (He also just appeared with The Ford Seven Swing and Show Band to celebrate the Vernon Performing Arts Centre’s 10th anniversary.)
“He really understands my music more than anyone else,” said Atkinson.
Drummer McNayr brings an explosive and daring energy to the band’s sound. He appeared at the Vernon Jazz Club last season with the Dylan Cramer Quartet.
The Marc Atkinson Quartet takes the stage at the Vernon Jazz Club Friday at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. and tickets are $20 ($15 for Vernon Jazz Society members) at the Bean Scene and Bean to Cup coffee houses.
