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Trio a tremendous treat

Instrumental combo finds an eager and appreciative audience Sunday in Castlegar
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Clinton Swanson on saxophone Sunday at Castlegar United Church. Colin Spence

First of all, apologies for the misleading photo caption with the promo for the Clinton Swanson Trio in last week's Castlegar News. The guy in the middle was indeed the saxophonist/bandleader. For the the other two the names were mixed up.The trio produced a 90-minute state of nirvana for the decent all-ages turnout in the beautifully sound-dampened sanctuary at Castlegar United Church.

This was part of the TD Concert Series sponsored by the Kootenay Art Gallery.The sound quality, with just one amplified instrument, was perfect.The trio brought all a music lover could ask for – three master musicians with the sensitivity and taste to complement their outstanding abilities. Served up was a combination of great covers and original tunes.Starting with the low end, Colin Spence was the man in control of the Hammond B3 organ... talk about responsibility! Spence plays a more road-friendly version of the famous instrument, something a little easier to pack around than the 400-pound model with the standard cabinet. Even so, especially when taking the sizable and separate Leslie speaker into account, this is definitely no outfit for triflers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once set up, the Hammond, with an expert like Spence at the controls, is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Spence looked after the bass notes with his left foot while furnishing a foundation which ranged from a whisper to a roar.On the other end of the cozy stage Tony Ferraro was the ideal example of how beautifully straightforward a great drummer can be. During a break between tunes, Swanson explained that for any group which has a drummer, that player needs to be the best musician in the band, because, "if they screw up, it's really, really bad." Ferraro was a pleasure to watch and listen to – dynamic throughout, flashy in a couple of choice moments, and thoroughly supportive.

Totally at home between these accomplished veterans, Clinton Swanson alternated between tenor and alto sax. Starting out with a George Benson tune called "Plum," he demonstrated how gorgeous the tone can be that comes from a fine instrument in the right hands.

The three men were each confident and relaxed and the front man further put everyone at ease with his low-key, friendly patter between tunes. He provided a bit of information on his horns, the smaller alto, for example, is a 1938 Selmer model.He told the audience a Selmer brand sax from the sixties can easily fetch 10-12 thousand dollars.

The sound quality and balance of the three instruments was spot on. The originals were fascinating and the crowd was also delighted by some standards including "Mack the Knife," and "Bridge Over Troubled Water" which closed the 90-minute afternoon show.

This reviewer quickly demonstrated his relative rookie-status in the region by assuming these guys must be from somewhere else, probably on a tour... they did mention they'd played the night before in Rossland. But, if you weren't aware, these guys are local, with Swanson, Spence and Ferraro hailing from Nelson, Krestova and Warfield, respectively. It was an honest mistake as an observer could, quite reasonably, think of Spokane, Vancouver or Calgary as the home base of group of this calibre.

Following the show Swanson delivered the news that may be an inspiration to other players – that he's earning a living doing what he loves, without leaving home to do it. He has spent close to 20 years in the Lower Mainland learning his craft, but life on the road holds no allure for him."I don't have a day job, this is all I do. So I have to have a lot of things going on."

As well as teaching, Swanson can work in any number of configurations depending on the situation, all the way up to a nine-piece, two-drummer powerhouse called "Hornography.""It's a small area," he said before packing up. "If people are going to come out and hear me play, I'll give them something different so they can have a variety.""Below the Belt" and "Bessie and the Back Eddies" are two other entities Swanson is involved with, proof positive there's a hefty helping of versatility to go with that talent and energy.