Candlelight Jazz: Charlie Brown Christmas at Paradise Theatre

 Candlelight Jazz: Charlie Brown Christmas
at Paradise Theatre

It's a pretty easy sell isn't it? Vince Guaraldi, Christmas joy, melancholy, nostalgia, improv and intimate candlelight in a beautiful and historical art deco hall. But, it's also not something I'm running out of my way to recommend to everyone with an ear.  Mid-tier seats at 40ish dollars for just under an hour of music with good musicians and the super friendly ushers and staff is fine. Also a testament to how much we underpay for live jazz (I saw legendary Canadian guitar player Lorne Lofsky in a small intimate setting for a tenner stuffed into a pitcher!) I'm pretty skeptical about how much of a cut the musicians are actually getting out of this deal.  How much are we paying for Fevers’ “Candlelight Concert” brand? Do they add much value? Is it a win for musicians? It definitely seems to bring out a different crowd than say Hirut, the Rex, or the city's other go-to jazz venues.  It's a nice outing for families and I saw a lot more young couples. Poignant questions in tough economic times and when listening to the themes of a movie about the commercialization of Christmas.

Venue: 

Paradise theatre first opened in 1937, a great example of old school, Toronto Art Deco design. Closing down briefly, it was apparently meant to be a pharmacy, but thankfully it was renovated and reopened in 2019.

With the renovations came the restoration of the steel box office and entrance doors, as well as adding a bar and adjacent restaurant space.  It really is a delight and a real victory for Toronto in preserving their community and artistic spaces.  

Performance: 

The candles are nice if a bit gimmicky, but I'm here for the music. There's no program, but the website lists Piano – Thompson Egbo-Egbo, Bass – Randall Hall, Drums – Jeff Halischuk, though I am regrettably unsure if the drums are correct as there was apparently a last minute sub.

Thompson Egbo Egbo is a gifted young pianist who grew up in Regent Park and seems to want to give back to the community at every opportunity through his foundation.

The Thompson T. Egbo-Egbo Arts Foundation, and Evolving Through the Arts program, targets elementary school students recognizing that a positive change and a sense of self-worth should be instilled in children early and they be afforded opportunities that all children should receive. The foundation aims to fill a void in the education of music and arts not found in many communities, and partners with talented Canadian musicians and artists to provide a well-rounded and focused curriculum, dedicated to creating a resource for underprivileged Canadian youth to advance in music and the arts, empowers them through a safe environment to learn and express themselves artistically, and provides a platform for children to build their confidence, leadership and teamwork skills 

https://egbomusic.com/media/#:~:text=BIOGRAPHY,with%20him%20to%20this%20day.

There is a bit of a conflict where improv and nostalgia intersect.  Do you want to essentially put on the record note for note, or do you want to see competent musicians play with those old classics? I'm certainly in the latter camp. Our host/pianist for the evening is no Vince Guaraldi, nor should he be. He plays very soulfully with the occasional touch of gospel, making the songs his own while treating the material with some reverence. I liked his playing a lot. He interacts well with his band, especially the phenomenal drummer who's dynamics and energy was perfect despite being a last minute replacement. The bass player in this trio also fits in very well and has such great energy and groove, but to be honest I would have much preferred the sound of an upright for this material. It's a cozy, nostalgic hug of a set, so it kind of needs that warmth. However, to its advantage on 'My Little Drum,' the electric bass with a phaser does an awesome job imitating the choir drum rolls. To this end, the lack of a real piano also hurts the performance a touch too. Our pianist noted his own surprise at the lack of “real” keys.  Also, not that I miss it all that much for these tunes specifically, but the advertisements boosted a horn player that never materialized. Again I'm curious how much work the parent company puts into these shows; they do them all over the globe after all. 

'Oh Tannenbaum' was a definite highlight for me and a nice showcase of our pianists feel and groove. 'Christmas Time is Here' falls a little into that tough intersection of familiarity meets live organic music.  My brain really wants the 7#11 voiced how it's been locked in my brain for years. I might even have the chord wrong! But, that beautiful dark melancholy moment isn't quite perfect for me. But again, you don't want everything to go your way; that's boring. 'Linus and Lucy' I have some similar bias for. Not the perfect evening, but it was a pleasure hearing some excellent musicians interpret these familiar tunes.

Drink recommendation 1: Eggnog and Talisker when my wife isn't looking

Paradise usually has a decent selection of Ontario craft beer and wine that you couldn't really go wrong with. But, if I was in my own kitchen this is what screams Charlie Brown to me! Yes, it is a waste of good scotch, but the holidays are for overindulgence! It doesn't have to be Talisker, I just like whisky in there and most of the subtlety will be lost. So use some Jameson or some rye for a little spice, but you'll miss that smoke and salt of the sea Talisker is famous for! Just don't let anyone see you do it.

Book Recommendation: Losing Joe's Place

Yes, this is absolutely a summer book.  No, that doesn't matter much.  If we are talking nostalgia and warm hugs, Gordan Korman has plenty of that in spades. Being set in Toronto, coming of age emotions matching Charlie's disillusion and the alligator wrestling modern day Renaissance weirdo that is Rootbeer Racinette - it's perfect. Go ahead, indulge and maybe buy some chocolate cake mix for when the “memories” kick in.

Drink Recommendation 2: Bickford Beatrice's English Amber

If you are out and about after a show at Paradise theatre, you would be remiss if you didn't take the short walk over to Bickford Brewing Co on Harbord.  It will also prevent you from walking across the street spending your pay cheque on at Long and Mcquade (or quite the opposite). Good grief Beatrice's English Amber is a well balanced beer, and why not go with a bitter to match Charlie's disillusionment with the state of the holiday season. The guys over at Bickford have some seriously great beer, check them out.

Food recommendation: Slightly Spicy Rosemary Cashews

Charlie Brown can feel like a warm hug for me, I need something with a little warmth and plenty of butter.  Herbal notes from rosemary balance the sweetness of brown sugar which in turn temper a bit of cayenne. Just toss the cashews with melted butter, brown sugar, cayenne (to taste) and rosemary before toasting in the oven.

In Summary:

Bringing jazz to the masses as it were is a win in my books. I just hope the artists are well compensated.  It made for a cozy, mellow date with plenty of warmth but I'm still left slightly underwhelmed. Next time, I might just check the local listings for these fine musicians playing a regular gig.