Sultry sounds of great live music down by the cool river – that’s what local musicians David Atkinson and Karyn Kirkwood, of the band Indigo Riff, are hoping will draw people to the Sensational Jazz event on Aug. 6.
The event is a fundraiser for the annual autumn Sensational Elora festival.
Indigo Riff, featuring Kirkwood on vocals, with Atkinson on stand-up bass, along with Bob McFee on piano and Dean Macdonald on drums, has just released its debut CD, In Love With Love.
With a diverse sound all of their own, yet classically reminiscent of old standards from a bygone era, the album seems to be, as one of its song states, One Stop Shopping.
Indigo Riff’s sound comes from four years together, with a commitment to weekly rehearsals that involved having Macdonald, from Oshawa, and McFee, from London, driving up to the Guelph area to meet Kirkwood and Atkinson.
“They do the drive because they are infatuated with music. It’s a real passion for us,” explained Atkinson.
That passion results in a unique jazz sound that isn’t actually jazz at all, but a culmination of Latin beats, old school blues and jazz rhythms – or as the band would describe it, an “Indigo Riff” sound.
“I think after four years we’ve narrowed things down to our own sound, so now we’re creating songs that represent just the four us,” said Kirkwood.
“We’re not trying to sound like anybody and we feel a sense of accomplishment for not being like anybody else.”
The natural evolution of the band’s music was to take the next big step and record its debut album.
In Love With Love is the result of four days of recording and two and a half days of mixing in April 2011 at the prestigious Canterbury Music studio in Toronto, a dream come true for the band.
“We chose this studio because it has an amazing reputation, but also we wanted an acoustic grand piano to give us that airy, jazzy sound,” said Atkinson.
Added Kirkwood, “It was an ambitious project. We recorded 12 cuts, all original.”
Atkinson agreed. “We may have bitten off more than we could chew, but we’re glad we didn’t know that or maybe we wouldn’t have done it,” he said.
“It was a great exercise to manage it all ourselves. There is a certain sense of pride in that. But we had great support with Jeremy Darby, our record engineer and mixer.”
According to Kirkwood, the group worked well together.
“We were very collaborative in the music-making process,” she said. “And that helped us shape this album together. We think of it as smooth or urbane.”
All the songs on the album were written by Kirkwood or Atkinson, except Caffine, which was stirred up by McFee, and Brown Dog Blues, on which co-writer Steve Wilson shares the writing credit.
“I want people to think of the old gin-joints, martinis and long cigarettes,” Kirkwood said of the album’s sound.
Atkinson agreed, saying, “Think sophistication, sassiness, a little risqué. That’s the band’s persona.”
The hope is this album will open them up to new audiences and more opportunities to showcase their stage show – they often play small, intimate venues – and musicianship.
“It’s the way we play our music that makes us seem jazzy,” said Atkinson. “We don’t have a particular style.” He added the band’s name was taken from a book.
“A Riff is a musical motif, and we have a little motif in every one of our songs,” he said.
Indigo Riff’s performance at the Sensational Jazz fundraiser will also include fresh food prepared by Mill Street Bakery and Bistro, garden art and cool drinks. And it’s all for a cause the band is proud to support.
“Elora has always been very good to us,” said Kirkwood. “We had a long-standing gig at the Elora Mill. We’ve done events with the Elora Centre for the Arts, and have been on the bill for Sensational Elora before. It’s wonderful to be invited to play this event, in a spectacular garden venue.”
Tickets for the fundraiser are $30 in advance or $35 at the gate. The event takes place on Aug. 6 from 1 to 4pm at 29 Mill Street East in the gardens of a private residence along the Grand River.
For information or to purchase tickets for Sensational Jazz go to sensationalelora.com or call 519-846-5638.
In Love With Love is available for download at www.indigoriff.com and will be available for sale at the Sensational Jazz event.
