This will be my first post not necessarily related to the Mac and access technology. I’ve been busy this summer checking out live music in toronto all over the city. Several exciting acts have played here this summer and I’d like to comment on them.
Last night’s concert featured legendary zouk band, Kassav. If you’re not familiar with Kassav or zouk music, imagine a style of music that combines French, Caribbean, Latin, jazz and pop influences and you have Kassav. Their songs are sung in French Caribbean creole which is akin to the English you’d hear spoken in Jamaica, so it is not French in the traditional sense.
The band itself is comprised of a large backline including several percussionists, a bassist, guitarist and two keys players. Add to that a horn section and then the front line vocalists and you’ve got quite an audio challenge on your hands when it comes time to mix on stage and in the studio. this is where the music becomes as delightful as eating your favourite dessert. the band’s recordings from the early days in the early 80s to today are an audio engineer’s dream come true. While the band plays very complex material ranging from big dance hits to slower ballads (zouk love), the audio recordings are rich, spacious and a treat to listen to. The editing and placement of instruments, as well as the stellar arranging, are almost surgical in nature as horns, strings, synth tracks, layered percussion, bass, guitars, vocals and effects coexist in a type of audio utopia where no one sound fights with another for your attention.
ONe of the first thoughts I had in my head after hearing the band was coming to Toronto was, “How are they going to pull off that type of audio fidelity and clarity on stage?” Last night, Kassav played at the Phoenix concert Theatre in downtown Toronto and whoever did their mix should be given a silver medal. the mix was incredible and band was beyond tight. The horn section seemed to be an extension of the percussionists and keyboardists as they lined up perfectly syncopated shots and riffs without effort. I watched and listened very closely for a miscue, a wrong note, a late entry… something that would indicate these musicians put their pants on one leg at a time. Sadly, no such moment came as the band was clearly well-rehearsed and comfortable with each other.
As for the audio, there were issues with one of the singers’ mics. This is the second concert I’ve been to where it sounds as if the mic is going into overload distortion when the singer sings a little louder. The overall mix was great and the sound system in the Phoenix handled everything as well as it did when I saw Sly and Robbie perform there a few years ago.
The performance was stellar with the band clearly knowing what their fans wanted and getting the audience involved at several points. I’d highly recommend attending a Kassav show, even if you don’t speak French creole.
If you are planning on mixing a large band for the stage, take lessons from Kassav.
I’ll return with more thoughts on the iPhone, as well as Apple’s new Logic Studio, just released. Stay tuned.
