Village Squire, 1980-10, Page 22PROFILE
Paul Aston and Candy Forest play sophisticated jazz in a relaxed atmosphere.
BY SUSANNE JONES
An extra dimension has been added to
the Stratford entertainment scene this
year. Paul Aston and Candy Forest,
currently appearing at the Victorian Inn's
"Stage One", are providing the after -
theatre crowd with a first rate selection of
jazz, show tunes, classical, and popular
pieces. Their show is aptly named "But
Beautiful", and the atmosphere they
create combines a relaxed informality
with carefully chosen, sophisticated
material.
Candy Forest, who plays piano and
sings, is from Ohio originally, but was
attracted to the energy and cosmopolitan
flavour of Toronto. Before turning to
music as a full time career, Candy was
involved in producing a children's show,
"Kid City" for CITY T.V., and later
trained as a piano tuner at George Brown
College; Candy had previously toured
mid -western America as a guitarist and
singer, and her involvement with piano
tuning deepened her commitment to a
full-time performing career. When she
met Paul Aston in Toronto, Candy's
classical and folk background expanded
to include an interest in jazz.
Although Paul is originally from
Toronto, he'd travelled extensively
throughout Britain and Europe before he
met Candy. While abroad, he gained
experience playing electric bass in a
variety of clubs and on tour with a show
band. After four years he returned to
Canada to study acoustic bass, which he
felt was more appropriate to the music he
wished to play. Paul studied with
Nancicarole Monohan of the Toronto
PG. 20 VILLAGE SQUIRE/OCTOBER 1980
Symphony and also enrolled at the Royal
Conservatory, where he learned the flute,
and studied theory and composition.
A QUARTET
Candy sometimes refers to Paul and
herself as "a quartet in disguise". and
indeed, their versatility warrants the
remark. Paul plays acoustic bass, bowed
bass, and flute, and Candy is an
accomplished vocalist as well as pianist.
There is also great variety in their
selection of material, which ranges from
Gershwin and Cole Porter to Steven
Sondheim, Lennon and McCartney and
Burt Bacharach. Classical numbers and
jazz are also included as well as
favourites from films and theatre.
Many of Aston and Forest's selections
are requests gathered from audiences
during intermission. Unlike most
musicians, who disappear backstage
between sets, Candy and Paul circulate
among their audience, talking about their
music or just saying hello. Candy
maintains contact with guests by mail and
keeps a record of their favourite tunes.
Every effort is made to comply with
requests, but both musicians feel that the
songs they do must provide a certain level
of sophistication and challenge musically.
They find the after -theatre audiences
attentive and eager to be entertained. but
they are equally pleased with the
reception they are given by people from
Stratford and the surrounding areas. One
of their most treasured compliments
comes from a regular local customer who
told them, "I come here because this is
true blue entertainment".
But
beautiful
Aston and Forest now
playing in Stratford
Another measure of their success can
be found in the positive response to new
arrangements of songs that have always
been synonymous with another per-
former. One of their greatest triumphs
was the popularity of their particular
version of Judy Garland's "Somewhere
over the Rainbow"
The couple's involvement with The
Wizard of Oz has been a pleasant one.
When choreographer Mauryne wIlan
decided to do a ballet version of the
children's story, she commissioned
Candy to write the score, and Candy,
Paul, and sawplayer/ percussionist
Robert Minden performed the music in
costume for a 13 performance run of
"The Wizard" in Vancouver last
December.
One of Candy's childhood fantasies
was fulfilled when the musicians took
their bow with the cast before the
beginning of the second act --like Dorothy
in the movie, she too was surrounded by
all the characters from the land of Oz.
Candy also composes songs relating to
particular subjects. most recently "The
Blue House" for a friend's birthday, and
"The Jazz Man", written especially for
entertainers who appreciate the jazz
performer. Although she herself has not
experienced any discrimination as a
woman musician, Candy speaks
sympathetically of older women in jazz
such as Mary Lou Williams, now coming
out of long retirements and being
rediscovered.
Paul's compositions are primarily