The Nimmons Tribute Volume 1 - To the Nth

The Nimmons Tribute
Volume 1 - To the Nth
Self-produced

Phil Nimmons, often referred to as the "Dean of Canadian jazz," is saluted in this project led by his grandson, pianist Sean Nimmons. Phil Nimmons is known for his work as a clarinetist, bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. He led such popular bands Nimmons' N' Nine and later Nimmons' N' Nine Plus Six. His grandson, Sean, crafted new arrangements of seven of his grandfather's compositions and written one new tune. Except for one selection, Sean Nimmons leads an octet consisting of Kevin Turcotte (trumpet, flugelhorn), Tara Davidson (alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet), Mike Murley (tenor saxophone), William Carn (trombone), Perry White (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet), Sean Nimmons (piano, Fender Rhodes), Jon Maharaj (bass), and Ethan Ardelli (drums). On one selection, "Liëse," Drew Jurecka (violin, viola) and Lydia Munchinsky (cello) are added.

While familiar with Phil Nimmons' name, I was not familiar with his music. I have sampled some of his recordings online after listening to this release ( A couple of his Sackville recordings are available from Delmark Records). Like his NimmonsN'Nine, this tribute band is a big little band. His grandson has constructed a band that captures the feel of such classic ensembles as Gerry Mulligan's concert band and the sixties Basie Band. One hears echoes of Sammy Nestico, Neil Hefti, Frank Foster, and others in the handsome arrangements starting with the opening "Nufsicisum." One is struck by the crisp, clean ensemble statement of the theme with outstanding solos from Turcotte and Murley. Bassist Maharaj has a brief solo acting as a bridge between trumpet and tenor sax.

"Night Crawler" is a Basie-like blues-based swinger with Sean Nimmons deft piano taking the lead. Perry White's baritone sax solo, with the other horns riffing in support, is one of the recording's highlights. Bassist Maharaj and drummer Ardelli also get the spotlight here. "Harbours" is a lovely composition with Davidson's clarinet weaving in and out of the muted brass. Sean Nimmons adds atmospheric Fender Rhodes as the ensemble adds heat as the performance evolves. "Holly" is a spellbinding ballad that is a showcase for Carn's wooly lyricism. Then there is the aptly titled "Swing Softly," with the tone of a classic Benny Golson tune.

Strings are added to the number, "Liëse," a performance that suggests a Billy Strayhorn influence. It is an outstanding close to this tribute to Nimmons. In addition to honoring Phil Nimmons' legacy, "Volume 1 - To the Nth" is superb straight-ahead jazz.

I received a download to review from a publicist. Here is Sean Nimmons talking about the tribute.

Chelsea McBride's Socialist Night School The Twilight Fall

Chelsea McBride's Socialist Night School
The Twilight Fall
 Browntasauras Records

24-year old award-winning composer, orchestrator and multi-instrumentalist Chelsea McBride leads the Toronto based big band, The Socialist Night School which is heard here on its first full length recording. This big band is a unique cross-generational collection of some of Toronto finest musicians, where award-winning veterans like William Carn, Colleen Allen & Brownman Ali find themselves standing next to some of Toronto's hottest jazz 20-somethings that provides a platform for McBride to tell her musical stories. Her approach is in a manner similar to that of Bob Brookmeyer, Maria Schneider and Darcy James Argue, but here she displays her own fascinating approach. About the music here, each tune has it's own narrative direction accompanying it, and outlining a life-cycle that starts you at birth, and then -- one tune at a time -- moves you forward through a life-time of experiences.

Musically, she provides a varying canvas of textures, and approaches employed here ranging from the opening ballad, "Ambleside," with a vocal from Alex Samaras about waking up on a beach. Besides her own punchy tenor sax, her scoring of the reeds accompanying the vocals along with drummer Geoff Bruce's subtle cymbal play that evokes waves crashing on the beach make a picturesque performance. In contrast to the pastoral "Ambleside," there is the nervous energy "Intransitory," with its rock-tinged rhythmic feel, Chris Bruder's staccato piano, searching alto sax and David Riddel's fuzz-toned electric guitar which builds in intensity.

Of the title track she asks the listener: "Close your eyes and picture your six-year old self in onesie pajamas falling through a purple sky with orange clouds.  Until you land in a carnival -- broken, tilted Ferris wheel on one side, dusty abandoned carousel, chipped paint, fading, on the other. …" The swirling musical colors along with biting guitar as the horns adding coloring and contrast until the horns explode before blistering trumpet as the tempo transitions into a march-like cadence before the musical storytelling of the bluesy "Smooth (or What I Should Have Said Instead)," with Samaras singing to a person one did not want to see but needs to make amends to, "If I had something to say, and something to prove, would you just be confused?" This is another number with the leader's distinctive tenor sax playing.

Other tracks take us further through the transit of our lives as McBride herself suggests in her own compositional narrative, with The Socialist Night School's performances of these imaginative compositions, wonderfully scored and played with considerable spirit, whether a trombone solo on "Arrival of Pegasus," or fiery tenor saxophone in the perky "Foot in Mouth," with some. "The Twilight Fail," is a multi-faceted musical journey that will delight listeners, and makes one hope to hear more from this Canadian composer and her big band.

I received a review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the May-June 2017 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 372). Here is a video that gives a teaser of the music on "The Twilight Fail."