In performance, their musical rapport shines through.
John Kofi Dapaah and Roxanne Goodman
Studio Sessions with John Kofi Dapaah
Ottawa Pianos
Saturday, September 22, 2018 – 7:30 p.m.
Pianist John Kofi Dapaah and vocalist Roxanne Goodman have much in common. They first met and played together a decade ago when both were students in Carleton University's music program. Each regularly crosses musical genre boundaries: Dapaah performs both classical music and jazz professionally, while Goodman sings soul/R&B, gospel, and jazz, and directs the 130-member Big Soul Project choir.
In performance, their musical rapport shines through.
On Saturday evening, Dapaah opened his new concert series, Studio Series, with a duo show with Goodman. They performed standards, pop and R&B tunes, hymns, and even a musical setting of a famous final letter – but with a jazz sensibility and swing.
Unlike many parts of the city that day, south Bank Street did have power, and listeners flocked to hear the duo. The 45-seat listening room in the Ottawa Pianos store was effectively full, with several local jazz/R&B vocalists in attendance. At the start, Dapaah invited the audience to “dance, clap, whatever makes you feel good!”, and while they stayed in their seats they certainly did applaud enthusiastically throughout.