Category Archives: #Vancouver Dining

The Naturals Ride again! @ Frankies Jazz June 7! 🩴🌴🦋🦒🌈🌟

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Well helloo! Springtime friends and Naturals fans…You are warmly invited to come hear us http://www.frankiesjazz.ca in a refreshing new way! that’s right! NEW and IMPROVED! (as they say – lol) You must be curious? I know I am…freshness is exciting, so is poetry. I’m having my first poem published this fall in Persimmon, an online magazine, so happy to say, and an honor for sure. In fact, we’ll be performing the poem/lyric/song ‘Love is a Traveller’ on Saturday June the 7th, LIVE and IN PERSON. Tingle-time!

 

The Naturalz


I encourage you to beat the rush and book your reservations SOON for Saturday night June 7 at FRANKIES ~ our favourite downtown Vancouver jazz club. Here’s Bill Runge ~ one of the best saxophone players in Canada and a true legend in Vancouver. The ubiquitous Andre Lachance will be joining us on bass, Magick Kristian Alexandrov on piano, and master drummer Randall Stoll. What a bouquet of wonderment, yes? YES! superlatives fall short of the experience…

into the mystic
“Nature Sky” by Miriam Espacio/ CC0 1.0





Bill Runge, Saxophonist, Arranger, Orchestrator, man of the hour.










Andre Lachance ~ consummate bassist.





The Magick Kristian Alexandrov himself.





Randall Stoll’s Zen and the Art of Drumming.





 





“Music can be made anywhere, is invisible, and does not smell.” W.H Auden





Composing is like making love to the future. Lukas Foss – NY Post





I think the main thing a musician would like to do is give a picture to the listener of the many wonderful things he knows of and senses in the universe. John Coltrane





I’m not online,
     I’m not offline,
            I’m between the lines…





HB 🦩





Looking forward to seeing your shining faces June 7th!





“zen“/ CC0 1.0

			

	
	



			
				


	

		
‘Two Eagles’ takes flight January 8 @ Frankie’s Jazz Club

				

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Yes, it’ll be the first public performance of Two Eagles ~1000 hours later…or is it ten thousand hours later…Bill has meticulously finished the band arrangement of ‘Two Eagles.’ Can’t wait to hear it played by Bill’s stellar band  The Bill Runge Quintet. Miles Black on piano, Bernie Arai on drums, André Lachance on bass and Nick Apivor on the magical vibes. It was a full circle type of experience with this tune. It began on a cold clear February day when I spied two magnificent eagles in the large evergreen just off my building. They were there for hours…just hanging out. I went to the piano and found a figure I liked, and a couple of potential places to go and Two Eagles was born (I kept running back and forth from the piano to the window to the window to see if they were still there.) Last week, Bill was completing the full band arrangement and looked out his window to see two glorious eagles soaring around his building. “We’re not changing the name!” said Bill. 





Listen to an excerpt of “Two Eagles”!





Can’t help but get a little excited about stepping out onto the new terrain of a new year. The forever hope of things being better. Things will be better, it always feels that way, even this year. So here we are sending some good vibes your way ))))) 





Your buddies, 





Holly and Bill











			

	
	



			
				


	

		
Bill Runge’s hot new Quintet steps out!

				

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I wanna tell the world how wonderful it is to have such a creative and accomplished partner! These musical flowerings are nourishing for all of us. Like my swirly leafed begonia plant…it’s been in bloom for weeks now! But plant music is tremendously quiet <PPPPP>


Bill’s new Quintet is exciting! dynamic! filled with verve! His writing is peerless and he’s chosen his musical companions well.  Come and find out tonight!


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Featuring a bucket list of favourite tunes from Weather Report, Steps Ahead, Don Grolnick plus some of Bill’s best original pieces from his recordings. Bernie Arai – drums, Nick Apivor – vibes/perc, Miles Hill – bass & Kristian Alexandrov – piano. Reservations recommended.


Aaaand at Frankie’s too this Saturday:


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Are you the type of person that scrolls all the way to the bottom? Well here’s your reward! A sneak preview of this hot new band!



			

	
	



			
				


	

		
1st Year Anniversary Café Ça Va & Thanksgiving Bash!

				

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I’ve always loved Thanksgiving, giving thanks feels great, doesn’t it? It’s kinda like “Christmas Lite,” without all the trappings and expectations of X-mas. Except for the turkey feast which is always fine. So do come and feel breezy with us @ the Café Ça Va next Friday October 9 – 1860 Marine Drive. West Van. 604-925-2503. Music 8-11 pm, and the best French onion soup and red wine I’ve ever had. It’s a really pretty place, and so is the piano player, Dmitri ‘Gritty’  Gritsaenko. 309736_10150288258562066_139878418_nHe’s the one on the far right. I seem to prefer pianists from the Eastern Block, just one of those things. ‘Gritty’ and I will be making the scene, “a deux”, which is not to say “adieu,” although we will be giving thanks!


See you there, my friends. The music is free! Please spread the word?


Happy Thanksgiving!