The horns were screaming, the bass was grooving, and Macy Gray’s dresses were sparkling when the David Murray Big Band played Ottawa’s Jazz Festival.
Murray took little time to get his band going, and after only a sentence of introduction the band broke into an original called “Stressology.”
The song was pure organized chaos, meant to mimic the streets of New York.
It featured extended solo sections, including a climbing, blaring solo by Robbie Best on trumpet.
Every section of the band got at least one solo, but baritone saxophonist Alex Harding stole the show with a phenomenal solo wherein the entire band dropped out and allowed him to go wild before building back into a climax.
After “Stressology” was done, singer Macy Gray came out clad in a purple sparkling dress and matching boa, looking every bit the 1930s jazz matron.
With Gray at the helm, the band blared while Gray displayed stunning swagger and attitude, singing “I’m a crazy bitch, but you love it don’t you” in the song “Relating to a Psychopath.”
The band pushed into “Army of the Faithful (Make a Joyful Noise)” with a swelling rotary organ growing behind them. The song climaxed as Murray himself broke out a tenor saxophone and played a colourful solo that danced out of his sax as his fingers tickled the keys.
The solos continued as a rhythm-heavy song saw a rabid solo on the rotary organ, as well as a bass solo and a guitar solo by Murray’s son Mingus.
Gray left the stage, only to come back in a green dress—just as sparkling as her last. As darkness fell over the sky, the band calmed the attitude down. Bringing out flutes and shrinking the band, they began to play a stunning jazz rendition of Arcade Fire’s “Wake Up.”
The song closed with the entire audience singing “Whoaaa” in harmony as darkness fell over the city.
Next, the band was stripped down even more, and Gray sang a heart-wrenching version of “I Try” with a voice of raspy satin. Only the drums played behind her.
Keeping with the calm feel, the band evolved into a trio, with Murray, Jaribu Shahid on upright bass, and Gray singing once more.
Just as it seemed the night was going to end on a heartbroken lull, the big band came back out, and Gray left to return in a blazing red sparkle dress. The band brought the energy back up, and left the stage on an energetic note, only to be pulled back on by the crowd’s cheering.
For the encore, they tore out a wicked 12-bar blues, trading solos and once again featuring Gray tearing out vocals, drawing the crowd into the singing as well.
After a massive call and response with the crowd, the band built to their final climax and left the stage amidst thunderous applause.
