Front Row, Center by Lynn, Friday, August 27, 2010

THANKS for the photos, Barb Susan!

Front Row, Center by Lynn
Friday, August 26, 2010
USA debut: Canadian Smooth Jazz Guitarist of the Year, 2010, Rob Tardik, Canadian Smooth Jazz Wind Instrumentalist of the Year, 2010, Carson Freeman and Keyboardist, Davor Jordanovski
Special Guests: Drummer Tony Moore & Bassist, G Michael Merrifield
Spaghettini, Seal Beach, CA

Guitar: Rob Tardik
Keyboard: Davor Jordanovski
Saxophone: Carson Freeman
Bass: G Michael Merrifield
Drums: Tony Moore

Fasten your seatbelts for one of the best nights of music I’ve ever experienced in my jazzy life! What a day and night it was! First up, my Canadian artists and friends allowed me to sit in on their hotel practice. My fly-on-the-wall preview confirmed my suspicion. This would prove to be an experience I’d never forget. After a little over three hours of running through their hit parade, we broke to freshen up and rushed to Spaghettini for sound check.
Next up, my favorite time, sound check!
Excitement, anticipation and buzz filled the air. Guitarist Rob Tardik’s vibe, Tony’s perfect drumbeat, Carson’s crisp horn vibe, Davor’s key clicks and G’s thumping bass backdrop carried me straight to the zone.
Rob Tardik~
“That two-bar counter?”
Carson Freeman~
“I’ll play that melody right away! He’s ready for us, ‘cause he’s already done the monitors.”
Rob~
“Little more, little more, check one, two. Already.”
Carson Freeman~
“Let’s go mic-by-mic.”
The chemistry began. Carson started blowing while Rob hit the strings. Davor attacked the keys with the passion of Beethoven. G Michael’s bass bump resonated with Tony’s pulsating drumsticks. Hold on, a quick dinner break for the guys.

Gig time! Lights, action and Carson Freeman~
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Spaghettini! We hear about Spaghettini all the time. We’re all here from Toronto, Canada. First, I want to introduce the Canadian Smooth Jazz Guitarist of the Year, 2010, Mr. Rob Tardik!”
Their opener was breathtaking! Guitarist, Rob Tardik hit it with everything he had, then slipped into the smooth and mellow. Carson cut in on sax and the first wow moment hit us head on. Tardik’s finger work is simply amazing. He tossed the tune back to Freeman for a sexy, saxy solo laced with expert trillin’. The dynamic duo ripped it up. Keyboardist Davor Jordanovski reinvented the keyboard with his zany fingertips. My ‘Three Muskateers’ nailed it! Center stage, Rob teamed up with Carson., and the round robin began. A jazzy volleyball game tossed the love ball around the stage like a hot potato. The synchronicity of bassist G Michael’s thump and Tony’s stellar drumbeat smoothed the vibe to finale.
Rob~
“Thank you! One, two, three, four.”
The next song needed no introduction. Rob invited Van Morrison to join their USA debut with Moondance. What a guest list and what a party! The sexy, sassy sax of Carson Freeman was off-the-hook! He handed off to Rob who twisted it into a frenzy. Freeman added a little throaty and slipped it to keyboardist, Davor Jordanovski. He laid it out! What a piano man! Carson and Tardik finished it off center stage ending the perfect tribute to legendary Van Morrison. I’d really like a rain check on one more Moondance, will you guys if you’ll indulge me? Pretty please?!
Tardik~
“A little Van Morrison. I want to say thanks to Cary, Q and the whole staff at Spaghettini for treating us so well. I wanna play live music for you. We’ll be out later to meet everyone. Q, Tony requests a little more sax and keys in his monitor.”
Rob took the next number to the moon within moments. Davor sparked
a keyboard inferno before Carson came unglued on sax.
Freeman~
“That’s how we do it in Canada!”
Rob~
“Yes, that’s how we do it in Canada! That was a track called, Flip Flop.”
Rob introduced the band.
Tardik~
“Here’s a tune called Virtue.”
I soaked this song up like a sponge. Each note took me back to the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards. I sat in awe of a band I never dreamed I’d see again, at least not here in California and certainly not at my favorite hang. Each note suspended in midair as I savored the unbridled excitement of Rob and Carson accepting their 2010 honors. My heart skipped a beat when a sparkling memory of David Sanborn standing backstage in anticipation of his George Benson Lifetime Achievement Award flashed by.
Rob~
“The next tune is off my latest CD and its called Bounce.”
Ahhh, deep chemistry filled the space. Carson fired up a head shakin’ solo before Rob added the twang to his strings. The band bounced it up! Carson’s finale blow was mindboggling.
Rob~
“Thank you! Thank you, everyone! You guys havin’ fun so far? We’re gonna slow it down a little bit if you wanna dance grab a girl from across the corner. Girls, grab a boy from across the corner. It’s all good! This one’s called Summer Nights!”
A mellow chill enveloped the room sway. Center stage, Carson Freeman pulled every eye in the place his way when he blew the lid off the place. A tiny pocket of expertly timed pin-drop silence passed before Davor rolled out a one-handed shuffle on the keys. He added a sexy hip swivel while sharing the tune with the Dynamic Duo of Carson and Tardik. It was a triple wow moment with a triple wow band! Freeman broke into a frothy frenzy of trillin’ delight. Tardik leaned in with a string or two as Carson blasted the final blow.
Rob~
“We were shoveling snow last week!” Rob talked about the season changes in Toronto while mentioning he’d just returned from Reno. “Is there any room to dance here? We’re gonna burn it up a little here!”
Salsa music set Rob’s fingers on a magic carpet ride. Carson was bunny hopping while blowing it out of the water once again. His trillin’ mania continued. Davor spread his rockin’ vibe across the keys like sweet creamery butter. Rob foot stomped center stage while G’s consistent bass thumped the corner pocket and Moore-style drumming behind the plex screen took this one home to mama. Freeman and Tardik dueled center stage with a crowd gone wild!
Rob~
“I’m gonna feature Davor Jordanovski with a tune he wrote called On the Fly.”
Keyboardist Davor’s magic touch and million-dollar smile parlayed chair dancing opportunities around the room. His can’t-sit-still track coaxed Carson to kick it up several notches before Rob rolled it over.
Tardik~
“That’s Davor Jordanovski! I grew up listening to this gentleman. Anybody ever heard of Lee Ritenour? We’re gonna feature a favorite, Night Rhythms. A bass-laced opener with G Michael Merrifield’s soul deep thump led a path to Rob’s phenomenal vibe. Davor threw every inch of himself into this one. Carson walloped his spirited sax once again!
Tardik~
“One, two, one, two.”
Tony Moore’s drum solo turned the venue inside out. The crowd roared, clapped and begged him until he was spent.
Rob~
“Tony Moore! This is my band; Carson, Davor, Tony Moore and G Michael Merrifield!”
Carson Freeman’s Never Without You lifted my resting second-set pen and left his undeniable musical footprint on the stage of Spaghettini. Thanks to my treasured Canadian friends I’m truly honored to know. How can I ever thank you guys for turning it out?! There’s no one I’d rather have had introduce my family, friends and coworkers to Spaghettini. My son, his wife and I won’t soon forget the twenty-sixth birthday celebration you gifted. Your unforgettable vibe and presence will remain here until you return to revive it! And yes, that was a hint and open-ended invite…
© August 2010 Lynn M. Olson ALL RIGHTS RESERVED