A Juno award-winning jazz musician entertained a houseful of fans Feb. 17 in North Battleford.
David Braid made 42 music lovers happy with his solo concert. In fact, some were more than happy.
"I was flabbergasted, it was so great!" is what Garnet Speer, one of North Battleford's finest musicians said.
"David did a wonderful job of performing for a small audience. He involved everybody with stories. It was very personal. And, of course, his tribute to Oscar Peterson was absolutely outstanding."
Professional pianist Jaya Hoy was the host of the event. There were also several music students there, she said, and they were "greatly inspired."
Recently awarded Jazz Pianist of the Year in Canada, Braid is also a recipient of SOCAN Composer of the Year, recognizing his output of over 80 works including compositions for solo piano, jazz ensembles, chamber ensembles and symphony orchestras. He has released nine recordings, garnering six Juno nominations and two Juno awards. He is also a multi-National Jazz Award Winner and a recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts' JazzID Award.
Of the North Battleford concert, Dean Bauche said, "The David Braid concert was quite remarkable. I was most impressed with how accessible David made contemporary jazz piano to people like me who might be considered a neophyte. I can see why he has an international audience, he has a very honest, unpretentious way about him and at the same time he is clearly a master."
Braid has performed across Western Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, Australia, Brazil, the United States and Canada.
He was performing solo at Hoy's home, but was back with his sextet Feb. 23 for a performance at the Grand Theatres in Kingston, Ont.
The house concert phenomenon has found a comfortable home in North Battleford. This concert by David Braid is one of many house concerts to have been held in the city in the last few years. Performers have included Andrew and Zachari Smith, father/son duo tap folk guitarists and vocalists, and Stephen Fearing, Canadian singer/songwriter/guitarists and a founding member of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings.
