Concert Review
Edmonton International Jazz Festival (www.edmontonjazz.com)
Bill Richards Trio
June 26, 2008 6:00
Central Park Lounge 

Wrote By: Xanthe Couture (Edmonton Correspondent - Canada) 

The choice of a lounge venue for the Bill Richards Trio fit their contemporary jazz style perfectly. The Central Park Lounge, in the Sutton Place Hotel, was crowded with people looking to scam a table with a good view to take in the performers. 

Once seated, you could complement your jazz experience with a chocolate buffet or a hors d'oeuvres buffet. It was pretty difficult to not enjoy listening to the soothing piano, bass and drums when you had plate of chocolate cakes and fondue to keep you company.

Bill Richards is well known to the Edmonton Jazz scene and is the head of the Piano and Theory Music Program at Grant MacEwan College. So performing for the local crowd was nothing new. 

The sprawled out setting of the lounge that spanned two floors and was smack dab in the middle of the lobby, made it hard for the band to talk with the audience. So, the crowd watched, ate and talked quietly in the posh setting of live jazz in a luxurious downtown hotel.

The crowd ranged from people who were staying in the Sutton Place, and were in the right place at the right time, jazz enthusiasts and those who were out to enjoy the casual mix of dining and jazz after work. 

The mixture of laid back jazz and chocolate was a great combination of creature comforts and one to keep your eyes open for when scooping out live music.