Ate

ELIJAH BAK

 

he venue was packed with a

mixture of the avid and the

curious as Miriam and her
backing duo took the “stage” at the
Southhill Candy Shop (26th and
Main). The stage is actually an area
to the left of the door which is level
with the ground as you enter the
Shop.

The trio consisted this night of
Marc Rogers on double bass and Jeff
Ham on guitar (Marc also plays on
Miriam's disc). The spare accompani-
ment of bass and guitar allowed for

_Miriam to exploit her Sheila Jordan
and Ella Fitzgerald influenced UBC
trained voice to its maximum effect.
The skeletal setting provided her
with ample opportunity to sing sev-
eral beautiful scatting solos while
Rogers and Ham layed down com-
plex intertwining lines behind her.

One would think that bass, gui-
tar and voice might be a spartan
mix in the jazz milieu but Ms.
Davidson employs the combo in
order to use her ample alto to sub-
stitute for the traditional jazz solo-
ing instruments (e.g. trumpet, sax, piano, etc.). The
timbre of the double bass was explored by Rogers,
from its tubthumping low end to its subdued but
bright upper notes, during several generous solo
spots, especially notable on their cover of ‘I Should
Care? Jeff Ham was an excellent stand-in for
Miriam’s usual guitarist, Jon Roper (he appears on
the CD), and he stretched out on his solos, playing
off and against the modal lines layed down by
Rogers on bass.

Miriam's compositional style reflects her avid
interest in the works of Sheila Jordan, with her
most obvious nod being to the legendary diva’s
choice of solo bass accompaniment over a larger
band. Ms. Davidson explores the harmonic richness
of the jazz oeuvre with her ‘Use-A Jazz Suite in
Three Movements. The suite consists of three sepa-
rate tunes: ‘Two Friends; ‘Physicality, and
‘Streetlight’ The lyrics playfully, sensitively and

May 1998 Page 22

AWavidson

a

 

Miriam Davidson Trio

CD Release Party @ the Southbill Candy Shop

Apr. 7, 1998

sometimes caustically examine three distinct moods
and aspects of human romantic and sexual foibles.

In ‘Two Friends’ Davidson sings of a relationship
that has gone from passion to a state where we see
each other now and then. The song deals with the
malaise of a comfortable yet bland affair and the
sarcasm heavy lyrics deliver this intent with smile
inducing potency.

‘Physicality’ is a straightforward lyric, in that it
deals with the baldly sexual relationship of two
individuals as the singer encourages her partner to
escape from what some others think is right. The
tune is a lively bounce that reflects the singer's
words of encouragement to her partner to abandon
societal sexual mores. But upon closer listening the
lyric reveals itself as a bitter sarcasm when the
singer tells her partner We have no use for one another /
In our mutual silence / So let’s continue in our mutual physi-
cality. Sex is all that’s left here for the lovers, so
instead of capitulating to the dissolution of their