Don Thompson & Rob Piltch: Bells... Now and Then

Multi-instrumentalist Don Thompson and guitarist Rob Piltch are two Canadian musicians who, in 1981 and 1982, recorded an album entitled Bells for the Umbrella label. The material has been remastered and reissued as Bells...Now and Then, bookended by two new recordings of compositions by Thompson.

Don Thompson has been a highly-regarded part of the Toronto and Canadian jazz scene since the late 1960s, playing bass in an early iteration of Rob McConnell's Boss Brass, touring with Jim Hall in the mid-1970s, and was part of the George Shearing quartet in the early 1980s. He has recorded with the likes of Paul Desmond, Kenny Wheeler, John Abercrombie and Ed Bickert. Although Rob Piltch is less well recognized, he has worked with The Ted Moses Quintet, Blood, Sweat & Tears and The Art of Time Ensemble. .

The release opens with "Circles," Thompson's delicate composition on which Piltch's solo guitar sets the stage for the remainder of the track. The subsequent interplay between Thompson's piano and Piltch's guitar establishes a mood that is at once both contemplative and uplifting. Trumpeter Mike Malone's "Caribe" is next, a lively calypso offering.

The "Suite" section of this release took up the entire second side of the original vinyl album and offered a showcase for Thompson to demonstrate his impressive talents on bass, piano and vibes. "Kyoto" opens the story with Thompson's big-tone bass carrying the melody against Piltch's driving accompaniment; "Moon Dance" features Thompson's single-note piano styling with Piltch creating a supporting sonic soundscape; and on "Chant," Thompson plays the silky melody on vibes, as Piltch comps quietly with delicate chordal surges. The album is as enjoyable today as it was when it was first recorded.