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Barry Elmes Quintet: Night Flight
by Pierre Giroux
Barry Elmes is a drummer and composer who, over the years, has made notable contributions to the Canadian jazz scene. On the release Night Flight, he pays tribute to several iconic composers such as Charles Mingus, Cedar Walton, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans and Hank Mobley each of whom had made a deep musical impression on Elmes. He showcases this through his creative voice, using their compositions as the framework. Joining Elmes for this pianoless release are ...
read moreMike Murley and Mark Eisenman: Recent History
by Pierre Giroux
Mike Murley and Mark Eisenman are well-recognized jazz musicians known for their considerable talent and contributions to the jazz genre. Their collaborative album Recent History is a testament to this music, showcasing their ability to create a cohesive and engaging musical conversation. Added to this satisfying outing is the internationally acclaimed rhythm section of bassist Neil Swainson and drummer Terry Clarke to complete the quartet. The make-up of this mainstream session is four Murley/Eisenman duo tracks ...
read moreGuido Basso: One More For The Road
by Pierre Giroux
Guido Basso, known for his mastery of the flugelhorn and trumpet, died in February of 2023. From his earliest days in Montreal playing with the Maury Kaye band, to working in the US with top performers such Vic Damone and Pearl Bailey, Basso gained a reputation as a consummate musician who was capable of working in a variety of settings. Deciding not to remain in the U.S., Basso returned to Canada and settled in Toronto. Here, he established himself as ...
read moreThe Rob McConnell Sextet: Old Friends / New Music
by Pierre Giroux
Rob McConnell was a valve trombonist, arranger, composer and leader of the big band called the Boss Brass, which set a new standard for jazz writing through the use of complex passages and close section harmony, and in 1983 won a Grammy. In this digital-only release by Cornerstone Records, McConnell leads a sextet comprised of Guido Basso on trumpet/flugelhorn, Rick Wilkins on tenor sax, Ed Bickert on guitar, Steve Wallace on bass and Terry Clarke on drums in a session ...
read moreRichard Whiteman: Very Well & Good
by Edward Blanco
One of the finest jazz musicians on the Canadian jazz scene, Toronto-based pianist / bassist Richard Whiteman lays down what he considers, perhaps, his best recording to date on the audacious Very Well & Good. A long established pianist for decades, Whiteman picked up the double bass in 2004 and has not put it down since. On this sparkling album the pianist performs on the double bass, leaving the keys to Amanda Tosoff, and presents nine of his best compositions ...
read moreJohn Abercrombie and Don Thompson: Yesterdays
by Don Phipps
The late John Abercrombie's outstanding and extensive recorded legacy includes two duet albums with fellow guitarist Ralph Towner, Sargasso Sea (ECM 2008) and Five Years Later (ECM, 2014), four Gateway trio albums (with bassist Dave Holland and drummer Jack DeJohnette), and three Baseline Trio albums (with bassist Hein Van de Geyn and drummer Joe LaBarbera). Like those albums, Yesterdays finds him at his guitar-picking best, collaborating on this one with bassist Don Thompson. Recorded live in 1992 at ...
read moreMike Murley: Taking Flight
by Don Phipps
Mike Murley's Taking Flight is a candlelight romance of well-chosen covers and two original compositions. At times, Murley's sax sound is slightly reminiscent of Ben Webster while, when he plays ballads, one can hear echoes of John Coltrane. In short, his sound is sweet and warm. Combining this sound with the elegant contributions of his bandmates gives the album a sophisticated appeal, like sipping a cosmopolitan in black tie at a glass bar. Eschewing a drummer, Murley's ensemble ...
read moreDavid Liebman / Mike Murley: Day and Night
by Budd Kopman
Day and Night is a smoking live set featuring saxophonists Dave Liebman and Mike Murley, supported by bassist Jim Vivian and drummer Ian Froman, with pianist Jeff Johnston guesting on the fiery closer, John Coltrane's “India." Recorded for CBC Radio [Canadian Broadcasting Corporation] during the 2003 Atlantic Jazz Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia, it was released to celebrate the group's reunion at the Rex Jazz Bar in Toronto, where they first met the same year.The high level of ...
read moreMark Eisenman: Apparition
by Budd Kopman
Mark Eisenman is new to me, and I was surprised by this record. Eisenman, though born in New York City, has been based in Toronto since 1972, and has clearly positioned himself, quite proudly, on the conservative side of the jazz spectrum. What this means, especially with respect to Apparition, is that Eisenman's heart belongs to the golden age of jazz which was dominated by the Blue Note sound: the hard bop era. It also means, as ...
read moreMurley / Braid Quartet: Mnemosyne's March
by Budd Kopman
The Canadian scene is like any other in that players find each other--and when things click, they end up in each other's bands. This terrific quartet is led by veteran saxophonist Mike Murley and pianist David Braid, a brash youngster who is making a big and deserved splash. Jim Vivian, another veteran (whose playing was notable on Steve Amirault's Breath on Effendi), plays bass, and Ian Froman, who is very active in New York City, plays drums. ...
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