In what will feature a trio of experienced jazz musicians playing in a unique ensemble, Little Italy’s GigSpace Performance Studio will be hosting the 2015 Trombone Summit on Oct. 24.
Jazz trombonists Mark Ferguson and Peter Turner will take the stage alongside guitarist Tim Bedner to perform in front of GigSpace’s 46-person capacity audience.
The rare event will provide music-loving locals with a chance to hear the trombone in an almost solo-type performance, something that doesn’t happen very often.
“It was around 15 years ago that we started doing this and we’ve probably done it no more than five times in that span, so it’s relatively rare in that sense,” says Turner, who has played the trombone professionally since the 1980s. “The other way in which it’s rare is that it’s unusual to have any kind of jazz ensemble that features two trombones.”
Compared to other jazz instruments, the trombone is limited in its tempo because of its slide. However, this is not the case for the upcoming performance.
“When played well it’s a very beautiful instrument,” says Bedner, who, in addition to playing guitar, is a GigSpace founding director. “There are moments when it can remind you of a human voice from a purity standpoint. It’s a unique experience to hear how rich and melodic the trombones can be.”
The three musicians explain how the audience’s unique experience of the summit will not only come from the music, but from the close, intimate environment that it’s played in.
“Gigspace is my favourite venue to play,” says Ferguson, a trombonist, pianist, and composer who has played with some of the world’s greatest performers such as Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennett. “The audience always enjoys the show because they can see how much fun we’re having on stage.”
With only a few metres separating the musicians from the audience, Turner is adamant about the performer-listener connection.
“Being able to see the whites of (the listener’s) eyes creates a very intimate experience,” he says.
“It feels like the audience is a part of the performance and the performers are a part of the audience.”