Gabi Hartmann
On Friday the 13th, Gabi Hartmann took the National Arts Centre's Fourth Stage to present her eclectic, ear-candied brand of jazz.
With her, a trio at the top of their game: Florian Robin (piano), Jérôme Arrighi (bass), and Arthur Alard (drums).
For me, Hartmann's music is like a mango sorbet. It's like the tropical and the continental coming together to make something that's sweet, smooth, and everyone can enjoy.
Much of her work is inspired by rhythms from Brazil, the Caribbean, and West Africa. A lot of gospel, too. The arrangements are sophisticated, but always accessible. Always voice- and melody-first. And her singing is so silky, even when it occasionally ventures into acrobatics.
The whole show was great, but I had two favourite moments. One was Robin's piano solo in "Fall Down," which was full of pointed emotion. He was amazing throughout, as were Arrighi and Alard, but that solo was something else. The other moment was when Hartmann had the audience sing the main lick of "Drink the Ocean" as a wordless refrain, over and over.
I recommend Hartmann's music without reservations, both the recordings and seeing it live with the jazz trio, which are quite different experiences.
Lastly, a word about the venue. The Fourth Stage is a small venue at the NAC. It has all the trappings of a jazz club: atmospheric lighting, unassigned table seating, bar and drinks. The large street-facing windows also add to the ambiance as the bustle of the city bleeds into the venue.
On a snowy night like last night, it was a cool vibe.