Tuesdays at La Rev
Peter Hill; Reg Schwager
Independent (peterhill.bandcamp.com/album/tuesdays-at-la-rev)
On Tuesdays at La Rev, pianist Peter Hill and guitarist Reg Schwager pay tribute to the late Indira Nanavati Cadena, who provided them with the opportunity to develop a musical partnership. As the owner-operator of La Rev, a Mexican restaurant and live music venue in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood, Cadena was kind and generous to artists. She booked a weekly residency for Hill – best-known as an accompanist to countless Toronto singers – allowing him to stretch out with fellow instrumentalists. In genius guitarist Reg Schwager he found a kindred music spirit: both are men of few words, who know hundreds – if not thousands – of tunes, and who share an unwavering dedication to the jazz tradition.
The eclectic program includes some very pleasant surprises. The first of these is a lilting, lyrical take on Mexican composer Manuel Ponce’s famous aria, Estrellita, likely a nod to Cadena who was born in Acapulco. Other highlights include a sentimental reading on Un Canadien Errant; a bright version of the oft-forgotten Alice Blue Gown where Hill’s jaunty piano playing truly shines; and a Latin take on Cole Porter’s I Love You, Samantha, which was far less interesting when Bing Crosby crooned it in the film High Society.
This sophisticated and spirited recording will surely warrant repeated listening. On tunes such as Poor Butterfly, Oh, Lady Be Good and The Blue Room, words can hardly do justice to the tantalizing taste of these two Toronto treasures.
