Volume 30 Issue 4 | December 2024 & January 2025

Lee and Schmidt have a

Lee and Schmidt have a way of being lyricallytight compositionally while at the sametime being flexible and open to new ideas.Their generous co-leadership has resultedin them structuring compositions whichleave lots of room for improvisation. Theresult is exactly what the album describes itto be; a group of friends getting together tofloat through the album like conversationsat a house party, no two being alike. Manyof the tracks were made remotely betweenstudios in Vancouver, Melbourne, Montrealand home recordings, retaining the album’sgenuine feeling of collaboration and conversation,as well as allowing for multi-trackingand effects.It Will Come Back features the vocals andelectronics of Sunny Kim with exquisitebacking from the band. Lisen Rylander Löve’svocals on Dr. Dawn is a breathless standoutand flows freely with experimental andlayered cello. The melodic and dreamy for RonMiles (featuring bassoonist Sara Schoenbeck)is gorgeous. Wayne Horwitz’s Wurlitzer onthe seamless funk-out of Gloop stealthilycreeps up inside the tune to a gloried end, andDylan van der Schyff’s knockout drummingin Sungods is a whole trip on its own.The final track Coda, featuring only Leeand Schmidt, feels like the exhausted end of ahouse party, when everyone has gone home,and two good friends finally have a sit-downon the sofa and feel warm and satisfied forhaving hosted a great gathering.Cheryl OckrantUtopia OntarioAndrew Downing; Maggie Keogh; JustinOrok; Kevin Turcotte; Ian McGimpsetIndependent AD00107(andrewdowning.com)! The latest releasefrom eminentbassist, multiinstrumentalistand composerAndrew Downingis a love letter toa rural, smalltownin Ontario,perhaps ironically named Utopia. All eightcompositions are from the amazing brainof Downing, with lyrics by Downing andvocalist Maggie Keogh who contributes lyricson three tracks. Like much of Downing’swork, the music itself defies category… amash-up of jazz, folk and art song. Downinghas said that his diverse group of influencesinclude Bill Frisell and Joni Mitchell, with ablast of Debussy, Billy Strayhorn and CarlaBley, and he has manifested here a singularmusical palate involving Ian McGimpsey onpedal steel guitar, Justin Orok acoustic guitaras well as his long-time coterie member ontrumpet, Kevin Turcotte.The programme kicks off with Tiger Lilly –a folk-inspired, mystical reverie that conjuresup the deep peace of a woodsy sunset, as wellas the earthy power of the feminine mystique,elegantly negotiating the seasons. The tastefulexecution of slide guitar by McGimpsey isinspired. Turcotte also shines here on mutedtrumpet, while Keough’s diaphanous, purevocal instrument is both delightful andabundantly refreshing in this era of overwrought,vibrato-clad divas. Of particular,subtle beauty is Girl – an almost unbearablyromantic ballad replete with a cleverly poeticlyric – a treat for both musical sensibility andthe emotional self. Turcotte enhances theelegant melody while Downing’s bass is theanchor to which all attaches.Downing’s facile arco technique is on fulldisplay in the melancholy, nostalgic Sideroad,and again, Keogh’s honest and pure vocaleffortlessly evokes deep, profound emotionsconnected to what is precious to all humans –while Downing’s unique artistic perspective,vision and masterful musical skill saturateevery moment of the experience.Lesley Mitchell-ClarkeSoft Winds and RosesDiana Panton; Reg Schwager; DonThompsonIndependent (dianapanton.com/releasesnew.html)! With Soft Windsand Roses, vocalistDiana Pantonoffers listeners analbum that willappease nostalgicmusic fans, withoutsounding out ofplace in the eclecticsonic world of the 2020s. This is a commendablefeat, and perhaps the key to Panton’sability to appeal to such a wide range of audiences.Her music has gained more commercialtraction than many comparable Canadianmusical acts, without failing to appeal tojazz purists.Some of the well-rounded nature of SoftWinds and Roses is a result of Panton’s excellentcasting choices. Veteran musicians RegSchwager and Don Thompson round out atrio “and then some.” Schwager contributesbeautiful accompaniment on acoustic andelectric guitars, and Thompson is responsiblefor the arrangements and piano work.The “then some” comes in the form of theaforementioned arranger adding vibraphoneand bass to a handful of tracks. Thompson isa master of several instruments and has anuncanny ability to showcase ample musicalityon all of them.On my first listen I thought that moreliberties could have been taken when arrangingsome of the better-known pop songscovered by Panton. I changed my tune onthis, so to speak, after delving further intothe recording. The vocal melodies and songforms are treated beautifully by Panton, andthey still leave room for improvisation fromSchwager and Thompson.I’m confident that this album does notrequire my hype to reach a broad audience,but I’m happy to give it a positive review, as itindeed contains something for everyone.Sam DickinsonTryptiqueFern Lindzon; Colleen Allen; George KollerZsan Records ZSAN7458 (fernlindzon.com/tryptique)! What a compellingmixed metaphorit is that drawsyou into the seductivemystique of thethree parts of thepainting that adornsthe package (bigger,and better explicatedif folded out) of this disc. Of course,that magnetic pull only serves to intensifythe effect of that metaphor on its transposedmetamorphosis into the music of thealbum Tryptique. Indeed, the pianist FernLindzon, saxophonist (and flutist) ColleenAllen and contrabassist George Koller employthe sublime melodic, harmonic and rhythmicsubterfuge in their arrangements of jazz standards(Satin Doll) and several originals. Inturn, this music finds reflection in eachsection of Mythology, the beckoning paintingby artist Rose Lindzon, and the unique characterof the group’s collaboration brings it tofruition.I could spiral into a frenzy trying to definethis music and trace its influences. Is it jazzso evasively polyrhythmic that a clear, regularbeat rarely emerges? (Cue Kerl Berger’sZeynebim or Moe Koffman’s A Flower forAmadeus). Do these oh-so-seductive arrangementsof standards and originals perfectlydefine the creativity of the players?The sensible thing to do would be to get outof the way and let each song do the “singing.”It bears mention that this is a perfectencounter of musicians whose individual andcollective work redefines the very processof improvisation around composition. Theresult: overall performances that are crisplyarticulate, rich in hue and gesture.Raul da GamaReverenceCarn Davidson 9Independent CD9-004 (taradavidson.ca/cd9)! The CarnDavidson 9 is anensemble comprisingnine of the “finestplayers of theirgeneration.” Thosefive words would bequite a meaninglessepithet to describethis nonet were it not for the fact that virtuosityand individuality are almost always64 | February & March 2025 thewholenote.com

completely eschewed except in the case oftotal immersion in the music at hand. This isbut one reason why Reverence is such a flawlessmusical productionThe utter brilliance of the album is that itfeatures beautifully crafted arrangements ofbeguiling variety and sensuousness. And thisis evident in every lovingly caressed phraseof music composed in a myriad of musicalidioms beloved of the husband and wifeduo: trombonist William Carn and alto saxophonistTara Davidson.Listen to the manner in which the judiciouslychosen – and featured – soloistsseductively bend and stretch notes, andpropel phrases in glorious, airy arcs onGroove and If Not Now, Then When?, andhow Davidson sculpts the long inventionsof Carn’ Saudé, or how Carn and trumpeterKevin Turcotte do likewise on Wonderment.From such brilliant playing, solo orin ensemble, clearly there’s not a singlesemiquaver that hasn’t been fastidiouslyconsidered. Featuring the longtime rhythmsection of drummer Ernesto Cervini andbassist Andrew Downing, every musician iscompletely attuned to the artistry of Carn andDavidson. What better way to honour reveredmusical icons.Raul da GamaDiscoveryLuke SellickSellick Sounds (lukesellick.com/discography)! I review albumsfrom Canada, theUS and beyond.Luke Sellick’s latestalbum Discoveryis a hybrid of sorts,with its New YorkCity based bassistand leader hailingfrom Winnipeg originally. Great music transcendsgeography, but New York is a city thathas attracted the best and brightest improvisingmusicians for nearly a century. Sellickand his band sound right at home there.Discovery has an uplifting and energetictone to it, without eschewing any of theplayful edginess one would expect from agroup of young musicians in 2024. I was notfamiliar with most of the artists on this albumprior to listening, and I postponed my usualinternet sleuthing until I’d heard Discovery inits entirety. This was a fresh way to listen, andI was not disappointed!If I were to make an initial criticism, itwould be centered on the production aspectsof Discovery. Although the individual soundson this recording are clear, and everyone ispresent in the mix as a whole, at times subtleadditions like the organ on Fun and vocalson Discovery felt a little out of place in thesonic landscape. These were no doubt musicaladditions, but they toe the line betweenembracing “studio magic” and obscuring thelive-sounding nature of the music. This is anitpicky and subjective observation, but I’mincluding it because my other comments areall positive.Bassists as bandleaders often have an internalizedsense of “programming,” whether in alive or recorded setting. Sellick demonstratesthis brilliantly, with the album’s opening andclosing tracks being perfect “bookends” to themusic they surround.Sam DickinsonDan Fortin – CannonDan Fortin; various artistsElastic Recordings(danfortin.bandcamp.com)! The voluptuoussound of DanFortin’s bass echoeswith dark, sustainedmurmuration onCannon, a fascinatingprogrammeconceived andexecuted in a seriesof duets. Each track features Fortin and aprocession of intrepid experimentalists, restlessin nature, who allow themselves to be ledinto the unknown seemingly by following thevibrations of a single note.There is a kind of propulsive energy in eachof the works and this gives poignant meaningto the title of the recording – Cannon – wherenotes and phrases appear (metaphorically andliterally) to be slingshot out of the principalinstrument (which is Fortin’s bass) ratherthan played in the customary sense thatmusic might be played. Thus Fortin succeedsin drawing his duet-partners into the ellipticalgravitational force of his music.Moreover, using pedals plugged into hiselectric instrument, as well as through whatseem like an array of effects mixed in fromsynthesizers, Fortin creates a kind of seductive,otherworldly atmosphere beckoning theother instruments. Each of these – saxophone,guitar, piano, trumpet and drums – thenbecomes fused into the impressive wall ofsound created by Fortin to become a shiftingpanoply of sound. Surrealist and intergalacticpictures emerge.Instruments seem drawn to the bass’powerful centrifugal force. Uh Hundred isa good example. Other works evoke thunderousnatural power, such as the ripplingmusical groove tumbling down the EasternSide of The Ural Mountains. What a forcefulmusical ride…!Raul da GamaLuminationJoel Frahm TrioAnzic Records ANZ-0091 (joelfrahm.bandcamp.com/album/lumination)! When I reviewedthe Joel FrahmTrio’s debut album,The Bright Side, forThe WholeNote’sSep/Oct 2021 issue,I closed with thehope that we’dhear more fromthis tenor sax master in the cordless trioformat. Lumination is the exciting followup, featuring Frahm, once again, with longtimemusical friends, collaborators and fellowTurboprop members, bassist Dan Loomis anddrummer Ernesto Cervini.Here again we are treated to ten originaltracks: six by Frahm and two each by Cerviniand Loomis, “illuminating” their talents notonly as dynamic, virtuosic players, but also asgifted composers. Peppered throughout withgood humour, the fun begins with Cervini’sThe Nurse Is In, a swinging tribute to hisbeloved Toronto Raptors’ former head coach,jazz lover Nick Nurse, where, alongside thetight-knit, rhythmic interplay and improvisational“lay-ups,” you can catch Frahm’squick quote of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.There’s some good-natured teasing in Frahm’sDisco Nern, a jaunty tribute to Cervini, witha cheeky quote this time from Istanbul (NotConstantinople).Frahm’s signature warmth and mellifluousplaying are heard on his poignant MoonfaceLament, written, apparently, during a sleeplessnight on tour. The mood changes withLoomis’ driving and kinetic False Spring,followed by Frahm’s cool contrafact, Kern YouDig It?, based on All The Things You Are by,you guessed it, Jerome Kern, and featuringCervini’s deft brush work.The Joel Frahm Trio is a classy, cohesive,collective of consummate musicians.Lumination is an ideal vehicle for their exceptionaltalents.Sharna SearleYou Are the Right LengthExit PointsIndependent EP-501 (exitpoints.square.site/product/vinyl-lp-you-are-the-right-length/45?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false)! Now a staple ofthe Toronto improvisedmusic scene,Michael Palumbo’smonthly Exit Pointsseries at Arraymusicstrikes a perfectbalance of genrebendingcollaborationbetweenmusicians across disciplines and capturingthewholenote.com February & March 2025 | 65