Saturday, July 13, 2024 at 7:30 pm - and -
Saturday, August 24, 2024 at 7:30 pm
$30 per ticket - SOLD OUT!
The 17th and 18th concerts in the York Place Musical Salon.
About the Event
Our first outdoor Salon concert will feature the duo of Larry Ayre on nylon-string Spanish guitar and Steve Wallace on double bass playing a program of classical guitar pieces by Bach, Baden-Powell, Barrios, Beethoven, Lauro, Merlin, Pernambuco, Reis, Sanz, Segreras, and Tarrega, and maybe some bossa nova music by Jobim, Bola Sete and others. As befits a concert featuring the guitar, the predominant flavour will be Spanish and South American, with the mood being both romantic and dramatic.
Apart from playing classical guitar, Larry Ayre is well-known as a powerful blues guitarist, singer, and harmonica player. The duo with Steve Wallace on bass first sprung from their mutual interest in playing blues and jazz at weekly sessions. Larry gradually introduced the classical guitar repertoire, which was mostly new to Steve, and he delighted in the fresh challenge just as Larry enjoyed playing this music with a partner for a change. It has become another side of their musical friendship, one which we hope you will enjoy in this lovely backyard setting under the stars. (If there is inclement weather, the performance will move indoors.)
About the Musicians
Larry Ayre is well known in the Comox Valley both as a teacher and a musician. Since moving to the Comox Valley in 1990 he has been busy teaching guitar, bass and harmonica students of all ages in his private studio. He also teaches various music courses for adults through the City of Courtenay Recreation program.
Larry received his formal training in music at York University in Toronto, where he attended the Jazz program in the 1970’s. His "post graduate" education was in 'The School of the Road.' He has travelled
the country extensively and played many gigs in Quebec, Ontario, all the western provinces and the Yukon.
In the 1990’s Larry became seriously interested in classical music, studying with members of the guitar faculty of the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Since then he’s played classical guitar at many wedding ceremonies, receptions and special events. Over the years he has developed a great appreciation for Brazilian and South American music. He plays many bossa nova tunes as well as traditional classical guitar pieces by composers such as J.S. Bach, Francisco Tarrega, Hector Villa-Lobos and Antonio Lauro. Larry is excited about his collaboration with Steve Wallace, bringing you the "Gems of Romantic Guitar."
Steve Wallace is one of Canada’s foremost jazz bassists. He was born in Toronto in 1956. Most of his career took place there and internationally, playing clubs, touring and recording with such American greats as Zoot Sims, Ray Bryant, Scott Hamilton, Rosemary Clooney, Woody Herman and many more, as well as with such Canadian giants as Fraser MacPherson, Rob McConnell, Oscar Peterson, Phil Nimmons, Ed Bickert, Mike Murley and many others. He moved to Courtenay in July 2021 where he now lives with his long-suffering wife Anna. These concerts mark Steve's seventh and eighth appearances in the York Place Musical Salon.
