Bill McBirnie
Bill McBirnie is a jazz and Latin flute specialist based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He has studied with renowned American flutist, Samuel Baron, distinguished Canadian flutist and composer, Robert Aitken, as well as Cuban charanga legend, Richard Egues. Bill has also been solicited by no less than Sir James Galway to serve as his resident Jazz Flute Specialist at Sir James' official web site.
Bill is well known for his outstanding technique. However, he is also recognized as an exceptional improviser (notably in the bebop, swing and Latin idioms) as demonstrated by his recordings as a sideman with Junior Mance, Irakere, Memo Acevedo and Emile-Claire Barlow. Needless to say, Bill has performed and recorded extensively with Toronto's finest musicians and is a longstanding charter member of Bernie Senensky's Moe Koffman Tribute Band.
Here are a few illustrative comments regarding Bill's work:
- "Dear Maestro McBirnie, This just blew me away. Great, great playing...Innovative...I have never heard anyone play like this...Great technique and music making. The scales are so even it sounds like he wrote the Taffanel scale book...Bill, when you read this, I have to take my hat off to you. This is great playing by any standard." SIR JAMES GALWAY (Galway-Flute-Chat)
- “In both duo and quartet formats, McBirnie dazzles...In every instance, his technique is flawless, dynamic and often simply jaw-dropping...McBirnie has been called Canada’s standout jazz flautist. I maintain he is one of the top two or three in the world." MARK E. GALLO (JazzReview.com)
- "A distinguished flutist with a devotion that shows up in the airy sweetness of his sound at ballad tempos and in the remarkable control he can bring to rapid-fire, skittering runs on up tempo, Coltrane-inspired material." STUART BROOMER (Editor, Coda magazine)
- "McBirnie has always handled bop exceptionally well. You can hear his years at the conservatory in his sound, a pure, transparent tone at rest, brightening with exertion, yet he swings like someone who grew up with a large collection of Blue Note and Prestige LPs down in the basement. He's entirely idiomatic, but also effortlessly inventive." MARK MILLER (The Globe and Mail)
- "...All beautifully recorded, unclassifiable, and virtually timeless..." MICHAEL STEINMAN (Cadence Magazine)
Bill has produced two Extreme Flute projects as well as four straight-ahead acoustic jazz recordings under his own name including (1) Nature Boy (featuring The Mark Eisenman Trio), (2) Paco Paco (with Bernie Senensky, Neil Swainson and John Sumner), (3) Mercy (featuring Robi Botos), (4) Find Your Place (an organ trio featuring Bernie Senensky and Anthony Michelli) and (5) The Silent Wish (with Bernie Senensky). All of these albums have attained Top 40 spots at Jazz.FM91 (and previously Bob Parlocha's syndicated jazz program) as well as steady air-play in their respective spin cycles.
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Album Review
- Paco Paco by Jerry D'Souza
Take Five With...
Album Review
- Mercy by Hrayr Attarian
- Mercy by Raul d'Gama Rose
- Mercy by Jerry D'Souza
- Mercy by Paul J. Youngman
- Find Your Place by Dan McClenaghan
- Find Your Place by Edward Blanco
- The Silent Wish by Don Phipps
- Forever by Chris M. Slawecki
October 12, 2021
Extreme Flute Releases 'Forever' by Bill McBirnie & Bruce Jones
September 27, 2021
The Technique And Theory Of Improvisation By Bill McBirnie
November 04, 2018
Flautist Bill McBirnie releases The Silent Wish with Bernie Senensky
March 16, 2015
New Brazilian Flute Release Bill Mc Birnie & Bruce Jones Release "Grain...
October 16, 2013
Flutist, Bill McBirnie, Releases A New Album - Find Your Place
October 09, 2010
Online Lessons with Jazz & Latin Flute Specialist, Bill McBirnie
August 05, 2010
Jazz Flutist, Bill McBirnie, Wins At The TIMAs
March 29, 2010
The Bill McBirnie Quartet at the Old Mill (Toronto) on April 8th
January 02, 2010
Bill McBirnie - Mercy (Featuring Robi Botos) - Tracking Info and...
October 22, 2009
DOWNBEAT—"…Toronto’s deep pool of local talent was on display at dozens of events…Opening for Eliane Elias, flutist Bill McBirnie proved a passionate and eloquent improviser with sure-footed support from pianist Bernie Senensky. Their set included...a show-stopping finale penned by Senensky...inspired by Hermeto Pascoal and Charlie Parker.” (Allen Morrison)
Primary Instrument
Flute
Location
Toronto
Willing to teach
Beginner to advanced
Credentials/Background
Typically, the people who come to me for lessons are (1) classical players trying to cross over into jazz and (2) doublers wanting to improve their flute technique for jazz purposes. Other instrumentalists come to me for coaching as well on how I approach improvising. My students genuinely appreciate what I have to offer because it is...singular...often, peculiar to the flute...and, more importantly, it is not in any books!...
Clinic/Workshop Information
Photos
Album Discography
Bird of Beauty
From: SparkbirdBy Bill McBirnie
My Heart Belongs To Daddy
From: The Silent WishBy Bill McBirnie
Yes Or No
From: Find Your PlaceBy Bill McBirnie
Willow Weep For Me
From: Mercy (featuring Robi Botos)By Bill McBirnie