JAZZVOX CONCERT – JOHN PROULX AND KRISTIN KORB AT CAMANO ISLAND – 3/10/12

John Proulx photo by Ziggy Spiz

Our trip up to Camano Island (with my sister Sally and brother-in-law Mort) was so scenic with the snow-capped Cascades looming to our right, and when we took our seats in the living room of JazzVox co-hosts Andy and Patti Carr, we had a birds-eye view of the glistening Sound through their picture window.  It was the perfect setting for one of music fanatic Nich Anderson’s marvelous JazzVox vocal jazz house concerts, and his featured artists, John Proulx and Kristin Korb, were in rare form that afternoon.

 John is a lauded LA-based vocalist/composer/pianist, and Kristin does double duty as a first-rate bassist and singer who now resides in Denmark.  They worked together in LA for many years and consider each other musical soul mates who speak the same “language”.  This is totally evidenced in the synergy they create, anticipating each other’s ideas and complementing one another so beautifully with a rich palette of moods and emotions.  Their songs ranged from John’s infectious original composition honoring his wife “Push Hands Ana” to Kristin’s soulful rendition in Portuguese of “You made me love you”.  Other crowd pleasing favorites were old chestnuts as “There will never be another you” and “Them there eyes” as well as eclectic jazz arrangements of “Sing” and “Don’t fence me in”.  John’s exquisite rendition of the beautiful ballad “I can’t make you love me” was especially heartfelt as was the ever enchanting “Will you still be mine?”

John Proulx and Kristin Korb together made those songs magically come alive for an enthralled audience through their dazzling vocal arrangements as well as his swinging hot piano and her amazing, groove-driven bass.  It was a stellar program of sheer artistic genius and enlightened musical poetry, and a shining example of the very best JazzVox has to offer!  Another wonderful feature of this series is of course the succulent buffet lovingly prepared by Patti Carr and Desiree Dyck for each concert, which today included two heavenly pasta creations and a yummy garden salad.  After the show, having worked up quite an appetite, we were treated to a succulent array of chocolate desserts, wines and rich dark roast coffee that was indeed icing on the cake.  I always come away from such extraordinary JazzVox concerts feeling very fulfilled, in more ways than one, and enjoy letting folks know what a treasure they are.  If you wish to be a part of this incredible experience, please visit Nich Anderson’s website at jazzvox.com for all the latest concert information and to make reservations.  You’ll be so glad you did!