Ptriodactyl is gearing up for its third tour of 2018, spreading the sounds of jazz across the Shuswap.
The jazz trio, consisting of Salmon Arm’s Jake McIntyre-Paul on bass, as well as Jessica Heaven and Gavia Lertzman-Lepofsky of Vancouver on vocals and violin respectively, produces soulful vocal melodies that are carried along by quiet, understated instrumentals. Though their sound could be described as minimalist, it is obvious that each piece is meant to contribute to the whole.
Related: Ptriodactyl evolves from love of jazz
Ptriodactyl completed its first Shuswap tour in April, followed by a Vancouver Island tour. These first forays on tour were learning experiences for the group, and they hope to put those lessons into practice on this next tour.
“Because we live so far apart, each tour is really a time for us to develop our music and kind of get more comfortable with each other and get our interaction better and figure out our sound,” McIntyre-Paul says.I think one of the things we have been learning a lot about lately is the balance between pre rehearsed arranged things and leaving room for spontaneity.”
On this note, Mcintyre-Paul says they have been trying out an interesting exercise in improvisation at their recent shows.
“The very first song of every set is completely improvised on the spot; we don’t talk about the key, we don’t talk about anything, we just start playing. We find it is one of our new rituals for setting the space and kind of getting ourselves in the right mindset.”
Ptriodactyl’s upcoming tour across the Shuswap will see them playing July 7 at the Shuswap Opry in Blind Bay, July 8 at Music by the River in Mara, July 12 at the Shuswap Pie Company in Salmon Arm, July 13 at Lorenzo’s Cafe in Enderby, July 17 at the Lakeside Manor in Salmon Arm and July 19 in the Downtown Live series in Salmon Arm.
In addition to the tour, Ptriodactyl is getting ready to record their first release. Mcintyre-Paul will also be making the move to Vancouver in September, leaving the hometown he has lived in since he was three years old to be closer to his bandmates and to attend Capilano University’s jazz program.
“I think I’m going to miss the pace, I’m going to miss all the people, probably the biggest thing will be the community of jazz musicians I play with around here,” he says. “I started playing with some of these people when I was 14 and could barely play swing tunes, I kind of feel like a product of the scene here in a way.”
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