Volume 26 Issue 5 - February 2021

JAZZ AND IMPROVISED
The Nimmons Tribute Volume One – To The
Nth
Kevin Turcotte; Tara Davidson; Mike
Murley; William Carn et al
Independent n/a (nimmonstribute.ca)
! Forgive the tired
expression, but Phil
Nimmons needs
no introduction.
As far as contributors
to the Canadian
music landscape
go, it would be hard
to find many as
seismic as Nimmons. I am sadly too young
to have appreciated him first hand, but his
legacy at 97 is such that I can still get a sense
of his transcendence both through his music
and through his countless talented former
students who constantly sing his praises.
Case in point is this new tribute album that
combines the best of both aforementioned
worlds. Featuring an astonishing roster,
spearheaded by Nimmons’ grandson and
accomplished pianist Sean Nimmons, this
album is a fitting tribute full of heart and
brilliance.
Sean’s arranging and production are a
highlight, as this record’s pristine sound
allows for a modern, yet faithful, interpretation
of his grandfather’s music. Another
bright spot is the sample of Nimmons’
work selected for these recordings. Some of
his finest compositions are featured spanning
across multiple decades, which goes a
long way to showcase the sheer scope of his
prolific output. The Sean Nimmons-composed
track Rista’s Vista is the one outlier here, and
serves as the album’s centrepiece. Dedicated
to his grandfather, it’s a love letter to a man
who continues to inspire.
Yoshi Maclear Wall
Very Well & Good
Richard Whiteman
Cornerstone Records CRST CD 153
(cornerstonerecordsinc.com)
! Multiinstrumentalist
Richard Whiteman
is one of the most
in-demand and
respected jazz pianists
and educators
in Toronto. In 2004,
he began studying
the double bass and quickly became an adept
and experienced performer on this instrument.
In 2012 he formed his “bass” quartet
featuring guitarist Reg Schwager, pianist
Amanda Tosoff and drummer Morgan Childs
– the group that forms the backbone for this
new recording. The quartet is augmented on
several tracks by Canadian tenor saxophone
giants, Pat LaBarbera and Mike Murley.
The set kicks off with the catchy
Whiteman-penned title track, based on the
chord progression of the standard, Fine and
Dandy. The lyrical Not So Early pays tribute
to the late jazz pianist Bill Evans, a musical
reply of sorts to his famous composition,
Very Early. This song features thoughtful and
inventive solos from Whiteman, Tosoff and
Schwager.
Pat and Mike pays tribute to LaBarbera and
Murley, who both get a chance to ably stretch
out in solos and trading on this minor blues.
They are clearly enjoying playing with each
other! Selohssa is a change of pace, an eveneighth,
32-bar form that features a strong and
personal statement from Schwager.
Tosoff deserves special mention for turning
in one sparkling solo after another. Childs
also stands out for his propulsive swing,
musical sensitivity and crisp cymbal work. All
told, one of the finest acoustic jazz recordings
of the past year.
Barry Livingston
The Latest Tech
Dan Fortin
Elastic Recordings
(danfortinthewebsite.com)
! It seems to
make sense that
in the middle of a
pandemic year, a
solo upright bass
album would be the
perfect choice to
record. Eliminating
the band is a
simple way to maintain physical distancing
while exploring the many nuances of your
instrument.
Dan Fortin has played with many groups
and recorded multiple albums as sideman
and leader and he currently teaches bass in
the University of Toronto’s jazz program. The
Latest Tech pares away the other traditional
jazz instruments and we can listen to the
full, fat sound of acoustic bass. On the title
song, a series of repeated ostinato patterns
cycle through different tonal centres and
slight alterations of rhythmic emphasis create
an intriguing journey. Beautiful Psychic
Dream has a loping and sustained minorsounding
melodic line which seems to hang
and shimmer as it moves onward. Mega
Wish opens with a faster series of repeated
melodic fragments which become more
dispersed and exploratory before picking up
speed and ending with a final repetition of
the opening phrase.
The Latest Tech is a clean and meditative
album produced during a time when we
can all use some music that is calming and
thought-provoking.
Ted Parkinson
All the Little Things You Do
Rebecca Hennessy
Independent RH003
(rebeccahennessy.com)
! Toronto-based
trumpet player,
singer and songwriter,
Rebecca
Hennessy, has
released her second
full-length album
and it’s an interesting
and eclectic mix of styles. Although
Hennessy generally gets categorized as a
jazz musician, All the Little Things You Do
has shades of art song, country blues, New
Orleans horn band and jazz-rock, all playing
together nicely. A mandolin orchestra even
makes an appearance on a couple of tracks.
All of the songs were either written by
Hennessy or co-written by her with bandmates
Michael Herring and Dave Clark (and
others). Although her background is as a
trumpet player, voice is her main instrument
on this album and she has an endearingly
unembellished singing style that suits
the straightforward lyrics of the majority of
the songs.
Hennessy has gathered a renowned
and eclectic mix of players for the album,
including pianist Tania Gill, bassist Herring
and drummer Clark. Guitarist Kevin Breit
(who has played with Norah Jones and
Cassandra Wilson) has a strong presence
throughout the album with the inventive
soundscapes he creates. And when he’s
unleashed on a solo, it can be quite a wild
ride. Other notable guests include Alex
Samaras – a phenomenal singer who I keep
seeing pop up on other people’s albums
– and violinist and strings-arranger Drew
Jureka, whose work on Eclipse is especially
compelling. On the whole, All the Little
Things You Do is an artful and thoughtful
musical journey.
Cathy Riches
One Fine Morning
Denise Leslie
Independent (deniselesliesings.com)
! With the
release of her
new recording,
delightful contemporary
jazz vocalist,
Denise Leslie, has
created a sumptuous
journey
through some of
the most potent and skillfully composed jazz/
rock/pop hits of the 1970s. Leslie has also
included two of her own well-crafted tunes in
the collection. Her fine crew includes gifted
producer/arranger/guitarist Bob McAlpine;
first call jazz bassist/arranger Pat Collins; the
iconic Paul DeLong on drums; the Lighthouse
Horns (Simon Wallis on tenor sax; Chris
46 | February 2021 thewholenote.com