UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO 12TET - Trillium Falls
Terry Promane: director, composer, arranger; Emily Denison: trumpet, flugelhorn; Brad Eaton: trumpet, flugelhorn; Anthony Argatoff: alto sax; Harrison Argatoff: tenor sax
Kieran Murphy: tenor sax; Modibo Keita: trombone; Zach Smith: trombone; Dan Pitt: guitar; Jacob Thompson: piano (1, 2, 4-8); Noam Lemish: piano (3);Alex Lakusta: bass;
Mike Rajna: drums; Jacqueline Teh: vocals.
There is obviously a great deal happening at the University of Toronto. Recently we had the Kenny Wheeler’s ‘Sweet Ruby Suite’ on CD from the jazz department. It is obviously to be welcomed that academia supports jazz music. The touring big bands are long gone. Who can finance and run a touring big band or even a medium sized one like this one? The big bands of the past were nurseries. They allowed individuals to develop. The technical proficiency of this band is obvious but where are the individual tones? There is often a complaint that music departments school out the individuality. How would Ben Webster, Tricky Sam Nanton, George Adams and Earl Bostic have survived in academia? There is a danger that groups like this become twelve characters in search of an identity.
The group seems happiest at medium tempos but they can build a head of steam as they do on ‘Witchcraft’ which features an excellent drum solo by Mike Rajna. Bassist Alex Lukasta has a good feature on ‘Isfahan’. He also plays well on ‘Star Crossed Lovers’. It is good to hear the group tackle items from the repertoire.
Most of the band solo. Their improvisations are routine and sometimes intriguing. However, it is the writing that creates interest. Terry Promane wrote and arranged the title song and ‘The Icemaker's Mistress’ and arranged ‘Witchcraft’. Some of Promane’s writing owes a debt to Bill Holman: a good path to follow. Piano player Noam Lemish plays on his own piece, "Song for Lia’. Vocalist Jacqueline Teh is added to some of the compositions to supply varied textures. The recording enables the lines and textures to be appreciated.
The University should be congratulated for its jazz work. Hopefully, these players will use the experience that they had at the University to continue to develop, access their own voices and to go out to create their own music.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
Terry Promane: director, composer, arranger; Emily Denison: trumpet, flugelhorn; Brad Eaton: trumpet, flugelhorn; Anthony Argatoff: alto sax; Harrison Argatoff: tenor sax
Kieran Murphy: tenor sax; Modibo Keita: trombone; Zach Smith: trombone; Dan Pitt: guitar; Jacob Thompson: piano (1, 2, 4-8); Noam Lemish: piano (3);Alex Lakusta: bass;
Mike Rajna: drums; Jacqueline Teh: vocals.
There is obviously a great deal happening at the University of Toronto. Recently we had the Kenny Wheeler’s ‘Sweet Ruby Suite’ on CD from the jazz department. It is obviously to be welcomed that academia supports jazz music. The touring big bands are long gone. Who can finance and run a touring big band or even a medium sized one like this one? The big bands of the past were nurseries. They allowed individuals to develop. The technical proficiency of this band is obvious but where are the individual tones? There is often a complaint that music departments school out the individuality. How would Ben Webster, Tricky Sam Nanton, George Adams and Earl Bostic have survived in academia? There is a danger that groups like this become twelve characters in search of an identity.
The group seems happiest at medium tempos but they can build a head of steam as they do on ‘Witchcraft’ which features an excellent drum solo by Mike Rajna. Bassist Alex Lukasta has a good feature on ‘Isfahan’. He also plays well on ‘Star Crossed Lovers’. It is good to hear the group tackle items from the repertoire.
Most of the band solo. Their improvisations are routine and sometimes intriguing. However, it is the writing that creates interest. Terry Promane wrote and arranged the title song and ‘The Icemaker's Mistress’ and arranged ‘Witchcraft’. Some of Promane’s writing owes a debt to Bill Holman: a good path to follow. Piano player Noam Lemish plays on his own piece, "Song for Lia’. Vocalist Jacqueline Teh is added to some of the compositions to supply varied textures. The recording enables the lines and textures to be appreciated.
The University should be congratulated for its jazz work. Hopefully, these players will use the experience that they had at the University to continue to develop, access their own voices and to go out to create their own music.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
