Bill McBirnie: Forever

Canada's Bill McBirnie is known around the world for his flute prowess in Latin, pop, jazz and classical music settings. For example, he was personally recruited by Sir James Galway to serve as Resident Jazz Flute Specialist on Galway's official website. McBirnie published The Technique and Theory of Improvisation: A practical guide for flutists, doublers and other instrumentalists in 2019. He has recorded as sideman with artists in styles ranging from Irakere to Junior Mance. McBirnie is also the only triple- crown winner of all three National Flute Association jazz categories: Solo, masterclass, and big band.

Multi-instrumentalist Bruce Jones grew up near São Paulo (Brazil) but his musical travels led him to eventually settle in Canada, where he discovered McBirnie as a kindred musical spirit and teamed to form Extreme Flute. Their self-produced 2015 release Grain of Sand received a Best Instrumental nomination from the Toronto Independent Music Awards; the duo expands (deepens) their sound on Forever by adding bassist Robin Latimer.

In the opening axé/samba "Criole Blessing" ("Saravá Criola"), McBirnie's flute sound floats but remains full and robust, equal parts power and grace. Jones and McBirnie play their percussion and flute rhythms off of each other, dancing from creole composition into jazz improvisation then back again into the tune.

"This Passion" ("Está Paixão"), a bossa-samba, opens with the atmospheric percussion and whispered melody of Sade's smoldering cool "Smooth Operator." McBirnie plays so pure and strong that some parts genuinely sound like he's singing a soulful vocal samba or even R&B tune. His attack is consistently precise and yet often loosens up to relaxed swing. This is great jazz: the intricacies of European form and structure blended with the release and emotion of American blues and gospel.

Jones' hip rhythm guitar and Latimer's rubbery funk bass line swing the hip-hop/bossa "It's The Time" ("Saber Se Amar") deep into quiet storm jazz, a refreshing oasis of chill from which McBirnie deeply drinks.

Forever ends with the bossa-samba "Full Moon Blue Wolf" ("Lua Cheia Lobo Azul"), a meditation featuring acoustic guitar and lyrics sung by either Jones' voice or McBirnie's flute (sometimes both), and McBirnie's solo lighting up the instrumental bridge with sunny and charming runs.

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