A touch of class
[attach]1560[/attach]What does a smart-thinking jazz band do to survive the harsh reality of the Toronto music scene, which has a way of bringing even the most talented of musicians to their knees?
Diversify.
At least that’s the case for the Bloor West trio known as the Suzana Da Camara ensemble.
Made up of Suzana Da Camara (vocals), Mike Dell (piano) and Randall Savoy (bass), the group sound seems to defy easy classification.
“(People say) we’re too jazz to be pop, but we’re too pop to be jazz. It’s so weird,” Dell, 29 says in a noisy downtown Starbucks.
“All these music genres have really distinct stereotypes that go with them.”
“We want to break the mold,” Da Camara, 30 chimes in. “We want people to be entertained but it a different way … not having any expectations.”
While an onslaught of coffee junkies order their no foam, non-fat beverages, Da Camara, Dell and Savoy cram near the window of the coffee shop to talk about the importance of never staying still, of never getting too comfortable.
For one, the three don’t class themselves as straightforward jazz musicians. There are heavy influences of pop, cabaret and Latin in their music.
Da Camara sings in English, French and Portuguese.
All three work together to come up with the music and lyrics for their songs.
“We all have split personalities,” Dell says, as Da Camara and Savoy laugh. “The band is actually 15 people.”
The band is their job and with that sacrifices come along the way.
The trio, who have known each other since their teenage days, all agree they enjoy performing but sometimes they have to perform more as background music. Such is the case with their regular gig at The Local Company on the Danforth.
Every Sunday Suzana Da Camara perform while Company patrons chat, eat and drink.
“That one helps to pay the bills, if you know what I mean,” Dell says.
They’ve received a wealth of notoriety since emerging on the scene a few years ago, including two recent wins at the 2010 Music and Film in Motion Awards for Best Song and Best Album. They’re currently working on a multimedia cabaret show inspired by the songs from Proof and their first album, the self-titled Suzana Da Camara (2006).
Titled Les Moments de la Vie will feature live music, dance, video, costumes and an acting out of themes in the two albums of circling around a young woman dealing with love, love lost and carrying on after heartbreak.
Da Camara, Dell and Savoy hope to launch the show in September.
They are currently looking for a venue to host their cabaret show. One with a small stage boasting an intimate atmosphere would do just fine.
They plan on touring it if it’s successful.
“There are so many bands just doing the band thing. And that gets lost,” says Savoy, 29. “What do you remember from a concert?
‘The bar fight when the band was playing,’ you remember something else other than the music.
“This way it’s an experience.”
