It has been something that Arts Humboldt has wanted to arrange for a while now.
And on March 2 they will get their wish with Humboldt saxophonist Gerard Weber coming to town with the Gerard Weber group.
Brian Grest with Arts Humboldt says that this is a finally kind of show with previous dates not meshing to set something up with Weber.
The Gerard Weber group includes Weber on saxophone, Paul Suchan on keyboards, Adam Streisel on trumpet, Nevin Buehler on bass, and Brett Graham on drums.
Especially with so many styles of music to deal with, Weber says that it is interesting getting together with everyone to rehearse and find a sound.
鈥淥ne of my favourite parts about this particular聽 group is that everybody brings such different influences to the group.鈥�
While it was a lot of fun to figure it out, says Weber, Pat Metheny was a jazz guitarist that they could unify around to be able to find a sound that suited all of them.
鈥淗e has a large repertoire of pieces that he鈥檚 written over his career. I thought one day it would be great to play some of his tunes.鈥�
From funk to classical to metal to jazz, putting all that together makes for an interesting approach to this music, says Weber.
Metheny lends itself well to approaching it with an open interpretation which works with everyone鈥檚 different styles, says Weber.
鈥淲ith his music, you can kind of approach it however you want which is why I brought together so many different influences so that we鈥檇 have a unique, fresh approach to it.鈥�
While the band is getting their feet wet with Metheny, Weber is hoping to bring more to the group with original compositions in the works by himself and some of his other bandmates.
Graham has already written two original compositions which the band will be happy to share with the Humboldt crowd.
Arts Humboldt with the help of Weber & Gasper Law Office is sponsoring the event with funk-soul jazz ensemble from 脡cole Canadienne-Fran莽aise, Pavillon Gustave-Dubois, opening the show.
Arts Humboldt tries to bring in both local and touring artists, says Grest, with many different sounds coming to town.
When Devin Cuddy came to town in 2016, Grest says they made the Community Gathering Place feel like a blues club. Now with Weber coming to town, Grest is hoping to make the Gathering place into a jazz club.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to knock ourselves out trying to be something we鈥檙e not but if we get a decent sized crowd, then the venue has that ambience.鈥�
