Safe to say we have been pretty spoiled for free programming at this year’s Jazz Fest. While we at PAN M were still working out coverage, in fact, I was surprised to discover just how many of the artists I wanted to see this year were ticketless affairs, including the slick and dynamic duo Domi and JD Beck. And having missed this dynamic duo’s first visit to La Belle Province three years ago, I did not want to miss them this time around.
On The Rogers stage, on Thursday night at 10h30 PM, would appear empty save for the duo’s set up consisting of stacked keyboards and a drumset (with a metal chair suspended in place of a ride cymbal); these set ups would face each other in the middle of the stage. Suddenly an orchestral backing track began to play serving almost as walk-out music. Eventually the two would come on and it appeared as though the track would be a mainstay of the set as the two would play to the preprogrammed melodies and either solo overtop, accompany, accentuate, or play against them.
The duo would show of their chops for much of the show, (I’d be disappointed if they didn’t), with Beck playing triplet based partials in his left hand around the kit or start leaning into some 16th note drum and bass style invention while Domi would burst into solos with some, at times, very whimsical keyboard sounds including something akin to midi flute, toy piano, plucked strings, and others.
Half way through the show Beck explained these orchestral interludes and backing tracks as them playing the songs from their new album which has not been released as of writing this. He half jokingly stated that the interludes were to catch their breath and added simply “we’re trying shit.”
And so most of the show went on like this. I myself enjoyed their musicianship immensely but not the sound of Beck’s drums which included a paper thin snare drum which was overpowered by the midi trigger on his bass drum providing, as far as I could tell, sub bass notes. Another gripe of mine had to be the compositional variety of the songs; do not ask me to sing back any particular moment of any of them as they became indistinguishable in my head after an hour. In other words, at the risk of sounding like a non jazzer, it all kinda sounded the same. Although, the upcoming album is called Who Asked? so maybe it matters little to them.
It was only at the very end, the last two songs of the set in fact, that the duo did away with the backing tracks and started instead to play to, and for, each other. The chemistry between them here was much stronger when they didn’t have to consider an unmoveable, uncaring, third member of the band in the way of a prerecorded material. Here is when I got a glimpse of the vibe, energy, and musicianship that rocketed the duo’s careers back in 2022 and won them much deserved accolades.
Photo by Frédérique Ménard-Aubin
