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John Labelle

Born in Montreal, John Labelle has been a jazz fan for as long as he can remember. From an early age, he listened to the great big band vocalists, including Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Rosemary Clooney; and, of course, Frank Sinatra, who would later become one of his greatest influences.

To be close to the music he loved, Labelle landed a job at the famous Biddle's Jazz and Ribs nightclub, an institution in Montreal for the last twenty years. Working there, Labelle came into contact with some of Montreal's finest musicians whom he listened to and learned from. He quickly gained a reputation for knowing all the lyrics, and could often be heard singing along with the evening's performers. One night, at the age of nineteen he was invited to sing a few songs with the house band and the crowd loved it. Encouraged by the response, Labelle set about trying to make a name for himself on the Montreal jazz scene. He quickly became a regular at jam sessions, improved steadily, and while still in his teens, got his first professional gig; a three-month contract at a small hotel. More work would follow, and he began a long-term collaboration with pianist Steve Amirault, with whom he still works from time to time.

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Last Time I Was Here

One of Canada's top crooners, John Labelle's fourth CD, Last Time I Was Here, is filled with selections that his fans enjoy. "A lot of the songs on this recent recording," says the singer, "such as 'Mack The Knife,' 'Beyond The Sea' and 'Strangers In The Night,' are songs that people request of me all the time. For the new project I decided to perform numbers that most people are familiar with and want to hear. I wanted this to be primarily a record with nice songs and one that listeners will derive pleasure from."

John Labelle's goals for Last Time I Was Here were previously achieved in his three earlier recordings. As was true then, he was careful in picking out the best musicians to accompany his singing. "I really prefer sidemen who listen closely to what I am doing. With guitarist Greg Clayton and pianist John Sadawy, both of whom I have worked with for some time, we have a close interaction going on, almost a conversation. We answer and build on each other's phrases, inspiring each other. Greg is very strong rhythmically and he spends a lot time reharmonizing standards, making them sound fresh. John, who wrote the arrangements for the six trio numbers on which he appears, is a well established pianist in Montreal, does a lot of theatre work and works with many singers. Bassist Alec Walkington has played on all my recordings and in Montreal is probably the number one bassist if you want someone who swings. Dave Laing is on the trio sessions with John Sadawy and is a great straightahead drummer. Andrew White, a real Renaissance man, plays drums, vibes, percussion and piano on some tracks. I've known him for many years and he engineered my first record from nine years ago. In addition, I used trumpeter Aron Doyle on a few selections; he added a lot to the music."

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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Last Time I was Here

John Labelle Productions
2005

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