Jazz Mass - Backstory

Andy Williams and Lew Braden are Montreal DJs that have been running events under the Jazz Amnesty Sound System name (J.A.S.S.) – where they spin jazz.

They are now hosting a ‘J.A.S.S Mass’ where they will play jazz records and have invited musicians – ‘the jazz illuminati of Montreal’ to play along – as the spirit strikes them. It’s spiritual but non-denominational – an attempt to bring together a congregation or community that love jazz and love improvising.

Acting as ‘conductors’ they’re spinning will provide the musical arc , MCed by Bob Olivier (‘Pastor Bob’) – for people to come together – no one knows what will happen – but we’ve been asked to film it.

The original mandate was to shoot a demo of the event – something Lew and Andy could use to show other venues how a show like this unfolds. That remains my priority – but we’d like to take things further.

CLICK HERE FOR SOME JAZZ PHOTOS AS STYLE REFERENCES

We’d like to capture the musical event but also bear witness to the larger context. The reality of the event on the day will dictate what direction the story takes but here’s some questions we’ve been thinking of.

QUESTIONS:
What is spiritual? What is transcendence?

What is “good” jazz? Why do people play jazz? What is it about improvisation that attracts people? Novelty seeking versus predictable – are all jazz heads liberals?

Questions about art – Lew and Andy came to DJing through a love of music – but rather than become musicians they’ve become curators, historians, champions of such a breadth of music that it boggles the mind…
Lew has said there’s two walls when it comes to DJing jazz – one wall is the jazz musicians that don’t always see DJs as “creators” and the other wall being DJs who don’t understand how you can spin jazz.

So the big question of the event is: Can these divisions be overcome? Can DJs and musicians play together, and what will that collaboration create?

How do the musicians see art? What drives them to play? In the face of all the challenges of ‘making a living’ can art become a compulsion? An addiction?

And identity – living through the Quebec Charter of Values – what does community mean? What does it take to “get along”?

Improvisational musicians must learn to instinctively play well together – the greatest virtuoso in the world sounds like crap if they don’t share the stage.

The mix that Lew and Andy are starting from covers a wide range of spiritual traditions – a diversity that many people cherish, but many people also fear.

In a time of great tensions – what is the culture we want to create? Must there always be a “us” and a “them” – or can that division be overcome? Can music help to show the way?