John Shand Posts

February 11, 2014 / Concert Reviews - Archive

VJs, February 5 Occasionally a prophet-like musician arrives to demolish preconceptions of a particular instrument’s limits. Franz Liszt did so with the piano, John Coltrane the saxophone, Jimi Hendrix the electric guitar and Renaud Garcia Fons the double bass. Canada’s Francois Houle is such a clarinettist. He has borrowed some…

February 8, 2014 / Concert Reviews - Archive

Concert Hall, February 4 About nine years ago – well into her phenomenally successful career – Diana Krall began to come out of her shell. Now the need for that shell is almost gone. Having gradually grown chattier and more at ease with the frightening reality of an audience over…

February 2, 2014 / Album Reviews - Archive

No End (ECM)  So you think you have a pretty fair idea of what a new Keith Jarrett album will sound like. Perhaps you assume the only relevant question is whether it is a solo piano or a trio one. What if I told you it is solo, but it…