Live jazz music is heard infrequently in Kamloops. Yet, on two recent nights two fine jazz groups graced the stage at Riverside Park.

On July 11 Toronto’s iconic band, the Shuffle Demons, put on quite the show. Besides their incredible musicianship, they dress in wild costumes and often play while marching through the crowd. They opened the evening and closed it with this fun audience interaction. While the Demons were on tour to promote their new album ‘Are You Really Real?’ they also dug into their extensive catalogue of tunes that go back to the days of their appearances on Much Music. The band consisted of three saxophones, a bass player and the original drummer Stitch Winston.

The Demons are lead by sax player Rich Underhill. A long time Toronto resident, he is originally from Salmon Arm. He and Winston provided their own version of spoken word and song, mixed together. Some of their new tracks were concerned with AI and computer interaction with humans. The title of their most recent album ‘Are You Really Real?’ expresses this. “Cheese on Bread,” a tune about the diet of a musician was a favourite. Winston also gave a class in drumming during the song “He’s the Drummer.” From the past they played their version of “Hockey Night in Canada,” … Canada’s alternative national anthem. They ended the night with their last trip through the audience playing their hit “Spadina Bus,” a tune, where many knew at least some of the words. Another favourite of mine was a West African tale called Wandering Heart.

The new, younger players, fit in well and seemed to really enjoy themselves. A sprinkling of rain didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the Demon’s fans.

Two nights later, the Sean Bray Quartet from the Shuswap, Salmon Arm and Kamloops took the stage.

The leader, Bray is a fine guitarist. He enlisted, a world class saxophone player, Campbell Ryga, who now lives in Kamloops.

Jake McIntyre-Paul played bass and Dan Marcelino played drums. They did a great job of providing the rhythm for the other two.

Essentially each musician got to play a solo each song and there was plenty of room for improvisation. It was very nice to see fine jazz musicians being so creative. The Sean Bray Quartet borrowed from the catalogues of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Horace Silver and others. Some of my favourites were Silver’s “Song For My Father,” Coltrane’s “Equinox,” and Toots Thielmans’ “Bluesette.” Other stand-outs were the beautiful standard “Stars Fell on Alabama,” and “Awful Mean Blues.”

Fairly large crowds attended both of these jazz shows. It was wonderful to hear ” all that jazz” as part of the Music in the Park series.