!earshot Top 200 of 2021

Life Comes Full Circle for Campbell Ryga

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CR: The Sax Summit is the creation of a young man named Phil Dwyer. Phil is now back living in his hometown of Qualicum, BC. He was doing quite well in Toronto and was quite heavily into the studio scene and I think Phil wanted to create something that was dear to his heart and encompassed a lot of people that had been fairly monumental to him in his formative years. Phil had actually been a student of mine at the beginning of his postsecondary education phase. He got myself and PJ Perry together and We created what I consider to be a beautiful record called. - Campbell Ryga another young tenor sax titan named Seamus Blake, who is originally from here, but lives in New York, and a very well known guy named Perry White on baritone sax, Mike Murley on tenor sax, a guy named Yannick Rieu from Montreal, also on tenor—so it was seven saxophones, three rhythm section—bass, drums and piano, and that was the beginning; the initial concept of the Sax Summit which we did in Toronto at the Glenn Gould Theatre. Now Phil’s back living out west and he decided to create the western Canada version of it. The original members are Phil, myself and PJ Perry on the altos and all the tenor and rhythm players are from here. It’s also a very nice group.

JD: An interesting CD was put out.

CR: Ya, that was the live performance at the Glenn Gould with the eastern line-up. That was a lot of fun.

JD: You mentioned your little boy, so congratulations are in order on his addition to your family.

CR: Thanks. Well we do have an addition to the family. His name is Pavel. He’s 23 months old and he’s well over 30 tough, little pounds and he’s a great little man. Life has changed so much for the better since he’s come into our lives. We’re so thrilled. A day when I’m not with him is a difficult day. He’s really interesting. He’s been involved in music all his life, you know. Even before he was born, Paulina would come to the jazz clubs that I’d be playing at and I don’t think anything of having him out at a venue where I’m playing, because I know he’s going to behave and sit and listen. Actually I’ll even take him to the odd big band rehearsal and he’ll just sit beside man and sort of keep to himself and every once in a while he’ll pull the music off the music stand of the baritone sax player—but you know, that’s par for the course—
JD: (laughing)Well, it’s just a baritone sax player--

CR: And if he hadn’t done it I probably would have (laughing).

JD: I agree that’s about par for the course. Now, if it was a trombone, he’d probably have chucked it somewhere.

CR: Well that’s a whole ‘nother thing.

JD: Speaking of trombones, how is your buddy Hugh Fraser doing?

CR: He’s doing very well. Ya, he’s doing great. The band camp I do in Ontario is one that Hugh took over from the great Phil Nimmons. So, Hugh and I have had a 25 year music relationship and we’ll probably have 25 more, God willing. He’s doing very well. You know he’s the head of the Jazz Studies Department at UVic now. He took over the job from Ian McDougall and that’s keeping him in Victoria, more than he’s been in the past, but he’s still very busy and he’s still got all the irons in the fire. He’s actually been working with the original VEJI group (the Vancouver Ensemble of Jazz Improvisation), the 13 piece big band. We’ve been playing a lot over the past few years and he’s trying to get us over to Cuba this Christmas for the Havana International Jazz Festival. But the Hugh Fraser Quintet, the five piece, has played in Havana on six different occasions, now. We’ve always had great fun there, so the concept of the 13 piece group in Havana is going to be something to behold. We’ll have a good time.

JD: I bet you will. It would be nice for the people of Cuba to hear all you guys together.

CR: It’ll be nice for us because I’ll tell you, it’s unbelievable, as the musicians there are of the highest calibre. I’ve heard some unbelievably great musicians, there. They are well schooled and start at a very early age and they very much take it seriously. Music is an extremely important part of their culture. So, I really do appreciate any time I can spend in Cuba. I’ve made many great friends there. Language is a little bit of a problem, but it seems to me that when we get the collective horns up and get to playing, we transcend all that and have a great time.

JD: Along with you guys, there’s also Jane Bunnett and her group. A lot of Canadians seem to be getting involved with culture in Cuba. It’s really nice to hear and vice-versa, too—with the Cubans coming back.

CR: It’s interesting, because in the past number of years at the Havana International Jazz Festival, there have been a lot of American groups, too. I’ve always found that to be very interesting and big name groups like Roy Hargrove and many others. But, you know it’s a large cultural event and the Cubans just welcome anybody that comes to there country, that’s for sure and they always treat us very well and there’s lots of playing. There’s no rhyme or reason for the time of day. We’ve played sets at the Havana Festival starting at 4:00 AM, so it’s pretty intense down there. There’s no letting up. There’s music 24 hours a day.

JD: It sounds pretty cool and a whole lot of fun. Well I should probably let you go and get back to your painting.

CR: My pleasure, Jim.

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