Joe Ferracuti is uncomfortable labelling the music of his jazz band B’s Bees which is set to play in Haliburton on Tuesday May 29. The band's sound is modern and original he says.

“I feel like labels can be constricting because someone might have an idea ‘I do like this type of music’ or ‘I don’t like this type of music’” but when they go to see a band they find those assumptions weren’t correct at all.

(Listen to B's Bees here .)

The jazz pianist met the other musicians in B’s Bees when he was studying jazz performance at Concordia University where he went in 2010 following his graduation from Haliburton Highlands Secondary School.

“Since then I’ve been playing and working in Montreal and learning music and playing around town” he said in a phone interview from “somewhere near Baltimore” as he tours with the group.

He doesn’t like to label the jazz he plays but said when you listen to this genre of music it’s how it affects you as an audience member that matters.

“You’re listening first and foremost for the feeling you know. I think that’s always the most important thing in music is the way it makes you feel” Ferracuti said.

B’s Bees is touring to promote their most recent album Kanata which features three songs written by Ferracuti.

He explained that because jazz includes improvisation there are elements that change each time the song is performed which is one of the features of the genre fans especially enjoy.

“Generally in this type of music the idea is composition will have a mix of written parts and improvised parts” he said.

Local music lovers will likely remember Ferracuti from his time with the Red Hawk Jazz Combo under the tutelage of now-retired HHSS teacher Tom Regina. He also studied with piano teacher Lauren McInnes.

Kanata is the second album for the group this year. Their first was a tribute album called Dear Charlie to Charlie Haden. Released in January it reached number four on the iTunes Canada jazz charts.
B’s Bees will be performing at the Northern Lights Performing Arts Pavilion on Tuesday May 29 from 7:30 to 10 p.m. – the last stop on their Canada/U.S. tour.

Tickets can be purchased on their website for $15 or at the door for $20. (Special student rate is $5.) Go to www.bs-bees.com for more.