The Burton's Jazz Groups Winnipeg
Elegant and Classy Music for All Kinds of Events
West Park Manor is a personal care home just west of The Wellington (another PCH) We were just there last month but a happy scheduling has us here again this day. As stated previously and highlighted in our last post we like playing here because residents, visiting family members and staff are appreciative and respectful, while we play.
The Burton’s Jazz Groups
riverheightsmusic@gmail.com
204-487-3664
2025 Corydon Ave. #202
Winnipeg Manitoba
R3N 1P5
We have been playing monthly at Kevin’s on Bannatyne for well over a year. For a while there we were playing twice a month at either a Stella’s location (owned by the same group) or Kevin’s. It was nice run but the gigs at the Stall’s location have been nixed. I could tell them why it was successful but they never ask professional musicians that sort of question.
The Gig is 6:30-10pm. The place can get quite loud so playing at volume that is not intrusive while still actually being able to hear ourselves (and not mess up the tunes) is quite difficult. Despite being a ‘restaurant gig’ we have been toying with getting IEM so we can enjoy the music we have worked so hard to make.
The gear on this night was my Rondo Guitars Agile 7 String Texan as well as my Floor rig, 50 watt amp and Bose P.A. system.
It is a nice place to play, the staff like us, the crowd is perfect for our particular blend of 20’s-80’s music and the load in is straight forward.
It wasn’t so busy on this night, being the Thanksgiving weekend, so the crowd noise was quite manageable. Too good to be true, in come the ‘we haven’t seen each other in a long time let’s catch up’ table. Of course they are seated right by us. They were loud. “Knowing what lake their cottage was on and what investments they had made this year’ loud. To top it off, one them started to sing along. Didn’t remember the words so looked them up on his phone in time to sing out of key at the end.
A group that was enjoying our set (and of course seated at the back) pooled their cash and dropped a nice tip on the music stand. The loud group with the unauthorized karaoke? Not even a courtesy ‘you guys a great’. But sure ask me if I know an obscure song by an obscure artist and laugh when I’ve never heard of them.
In case you are wondering, this is not untypical. Though it would be nice if hosts/hostess had some intuition about the kind of guests tables are going to be or even ask them, “would you like to site near the music?”
The Burton’s Jazz Groups
riverheightsmusic@gmail.com
204-487-3664
2025 Corydon Ave. #202
Winnipeg Manitoba
R3N 1P5
We have been doing the odd Sunday afternoon gig at West Park Manor We are used to playing restaurants and lounges where we can’t play too loud because the people talking louder than us might complain, so it is so nice to play a concert style event where people sit, listen, and clap. It is residents, their families as well as staff.
We used our Bose L1S2 my Ibanez AFJ957 as well as my looping rig consisting of a Boss RC-600, OC-5 and an SY-300. All split between the Bose and my 50 watt Katana
The Burton’s Jazz Groups
riverheightsmusic@gmail.com
204-487-3664
2025 Corydon Ave. #202
Winnipeg Manitoba
R3N 1P5
February 11th We are at Kevin’s on Bannatyne 6:30-10pm
February 14th we are at IKEA Winnipeg in the restaurant from 5-7
February 23rd we are at Stella’s on Pembina 6:30-9:30
The Burton’s Jazz Groups
riverheightsmusic@gmail.com
204-487-3664
2025 Corydon Ave. #202
Winnipeg Manitoba
R3N 1P5
As we played set-up, played and tore down from this gig we have played for 20 years, we had no idea it would be our last. COVID19 wasn’t even a minor news item or consideration. As I write this today February 15th 2021 I can’t even remember what we played. I know we had our good friend and bass player Steve Hamilton was there. Other than that I have no idea.
The Prairie Ink is a restaurant inside McNally Robinson booksellers. So far they are surviving as both despite not being able to seat guest or to be open to the public during the Christmas Shopping season.
We have been supporting them as we can by getting take out and ordering music through them.
The Burton’s Jazz Groups
riverheightsmusic@gmail.com
204-487-3664
2025 Corydon Ave. #202
Winnipeg Manitoba
R3N 1P5
On December the 13th we did our monthly gig at the Prairie Ink Restaurant inside McNally Robinson Booksellers here in Winnipeg.
It has been a while since we did it as at trio. Last month Adelle was sick and the previous 2 months all our 3rd parties were busy.
Being a ‘let’s get together before the holidays’type of crowd, they were loud and not really interested in the music. (At least the first set) The rest of the night went well and the music lovers stayed behind.
The next night had us playing at our home away from home, Prairie Ink Restaurant! We have been playing here as long as we have been living here (19 years). We have been with them through a few location additions (Portage Place and Polo Park). They are, quite simply, a Winnipeg institution. I think there is only a handful of places in the city that have had live music continuously like this.
Having just done a night of mostly pop music, we stuck to our jazz repertoire this night.
Our second shot at bringing jazz to the John Osborne ANAVETS club. I is a funny gig. On one hand, a great big stage where we actually have room for our stuff, on the other hand, no one stays for the music. Another place that expects the band to bring friends. On top of which, their hall next door, had a dance booked and they played their canned music so loud you could here them louder than us. I actually got a migraine for the second time in my life!
Too bad. We are pros so we carried on. It also gives a chance to work with our looper, drum backing RC-50 and to insert all of our non jazz repertoire. We figure you never know when that will come in handy!
The end of Spring Break in Manitoba saw us once again playing in the Prairie Ink Restaurant inside McNally Robinson. What was notable was Robert’s use of his new Godin 7 String Classical Guitar.
It is a lovely sounding guitar with zero feedback issues. It is super versatile and sounds great on jazz tunes as well as popular songs.
Got an unusual (for us) booking at the Army, Navy & Air force veterans of Canada (ANAVETS) club here in Winnipeg. A friend of mine from Church is booking the club. Now typically the groups they have there are bigger and louder, but he is putting in a wide variety. Good on him.
We wove in some classic rock, soul, country, pop, etc. songs into our jazz mainstays for this January 18th gig. With the help of technology in the form of live looping, we are able to give a full band type of sound to all the material.
So with the music of Cole Porter, Gershwin, Sinatra, Ella, etc. we folded in the music of The Eagles, The Bee Gees, Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot, Cindy Lauper.
I will tell you it was one of the coldest nights in the middle of a terrible cold snap.
I used 3 guitars for this gig as the stage is large and I wanted to add variety to the sound.
Till Next Time
The Burton’s Jazz Groups
riverheightsmusic@gmail.com
204-487-3664
2025 Corydon Ave. #202
Winnipeg Manitoba
R3N 1P5
