many others. A BC native as are so many other top Canadian players
- think Phil Dwyer, Diana Krall, Renee Rosnes, Thompson - Pat is a first-call
bassist and teacher, but previously unknown as a leader or composer. His partners on “In The Moment” are the cream of the
crop: Mike Murley on tenor and soprano saxes; Reg Schwager, guitar; and drummer
Barry Elmes, who co-produced the release. Having heard Collins in many situations over the last
couple of decades, I appreciate his wonderful instrumental technique and warm,
full sound. He plays cleanly and clearly with musical intelligence to the
front, and he seems to know “all the tunes” for the gig. I wish he had found room for compositions other than
his own, however. It’s hard for soloists to overcome unfamiliarity with the
material, and they play tentatively. There’s a generic quality to the material, and as a
result it seems no one has anything to bite into, nothing to leap from. As a
result, what could have been an exciting debut becomes a display of
craftsmanship. Ted O’Reilly
Drums of Avila Vito Rezza and 5 after 4 Alma Records ACD14302
When Norman Granz first invited Oscar Peterson to
participate in Jazz at the Philharmonic in the late 1940s, he opened a door for
Canadian and American talent to work together in concert, recording and touring
situations. Now, almost sixty years later drummer Vito Rezza, with
the help of bassist/producer Peter Cardinali, has assembled an impressive
lineup of American and International players for the album “Drums of Avila”. The difference between these two examples is that
Peterson’s star was on the rise and Rezza’s hired guns are all long-standing
jazz legends. Americans Michael Brecker, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Joey
DeFrancesco, Belgian harmonica player Toots Thielemans, and Cameroon bassist
Richard Bona are all part of Rezza’s extravaganza. Local veterans include Guido
Basso, John Johnson and Rick Lazar, among others. In keeping with the roster’s international theme, the
album’s compositions are equally varied, with neo-Weather Report jazz to
Brazilian, West African, R&B, and Latin styles all part of the mix. Aspiring drummers will love the album’s second track, Manhattan
Bounce, which has Rezza and Vinnie Colaiuta doing a left channel, right
channel dual drum solo. The disc’s liner notes make mention of the Canadian
Government’s Sound Recording Development Program, which, no doubt, assisted a
great deal in bringing together Rezza with the jazz royalty that appear on
“Drums of Avila”. Eli Eisenberg Concert Note: Michael Brecker joins Herbie Hancock and Roy Hargrove
at Massey Hall on March 4. Students from the studio of Rick Lazar are featured
at a Latin Jazz Night co-presented by Jazz.FM91 Sound of Toronto and the Humber
Music Jazz Series on March 16.
New Danzon Hilario Duran Trio Alma Records ACD14622 The Cusp Roberto Occhipinti Alma Records ACD12502
Alma Records has released
two jazz discs with a Latin twist that are sure to get our frozen Canadian hips
swiveling. Expatriate Cuban piano player, Hilario Duran, with his
trio, gives us New Danzon, which has been nominated for a 2005 Juno
award in the Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year category. The Danzon genre was
born in Europe, mamboed its way through Haiti and ended up in Cuba. By
incorporating jazz harmonies and extensive soloing, Duran has updated the
style, but its roots are still firmly planted in Afro-Caribbean soil. Duran is perhaps best known for his work with the
great Cuban-American trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, with whom he honed his
composing and arranging skills throughout the 80’s. In the 90’s, Duran
collaborated with Toronto saxophone and flute player Jane Bunnett in the group
Spirits of Havana. For this disc, Toronto bassist and composer Roberto
Occhipinti, also known for his work with Spirits of Havana, does bass and
producer duty with Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez on drums. Duran has composed
two of the nine tracks, and Charlie Parker’s bop classic Segment and the
standard All of Me also turn up, all treated to Cuban styling and
torrential soloing from Duran. Duran guests, along with a who’s who of Toronto players,
on Roberto Occhipinti’s The Cusp. In sharp contrast to Duran’s trio
work, which relies heavily on the piano work, Occhipinti doesn’t skimp on the
woodwinds and horns, making The Cusp a rich listening experience. Phil
Dwyer and John Johnson on saxes, Les Allt on Cubanesque flute parts and Kevin
Turcotte on flugel and trumpet, Alistair Kay on trombone and James MacDonald on
French horn, are all used effectively in both solo and ensemble work. The centrepiece of the disc is a three-part suite that
Occhipinti was inspired to write after a trip to Mali. The suite engages with
its West African and Cuban influences and moves from 7/4 time to a moderate 4/4
for the lovely title track and ends with an exuberant mix of Afro-Caribbean
sounds featuring Hugh Marsh on violin and Pedro Martinez on congas. Although
the majority of the tunes are written by Occhipinti, he’s picked some very
interesting compositions to cover: Jimi Hendrix’s Voodoo Chile, with a
treatment reminiscent of Gil Evans, Wayne Shorter’s beautiful Ana Maria
and Puccini’s Tosca (six-minutes worth) round out “The Cusp”. Cathy Riches Concert Note: Hilaro
Duran’s student ensemble is featured at a Latin Jazz Night co-presented by
Jazz.FM91 Sound of Toronto and the Humber Music Jazz Series on March 16.
