Allison Au Quartet - Wander Wonder (January 11, 2019)

"...engaging, carefully crafted jazz.”

- Glen Hall, Exclaim! Magazine

"Canada has found a new jazz ambassador!

- Lance Liddle, Bebop Spoken Here

Featured on the list “10 Rising Female Instrumentalists You Should

Know”

- Rusty Aceves, SF Jazz

Wander Wonder opens with ‘The Valley,’ a lush sonic amuse-bouche that features keyboardist Todd Pentney front and center on the Prophet Rev2 while the other band mates attentively weave in and out of the background. The following track, ‘Future Self,’ begins with a hypnotic vamp that eventually blossoms into Au’s angular melodic statements on the saxophone. ‘The Rest Is Up To You’ is an amalgamation of influences; a sort of Wayne Shorter-esque composition that also draws much inspiration from Brazilian pop music of the ‘70s. ‘Looking Up’ showcases some of Au’s strongest penmanship as a composer as it highlights the ensemble’s ability to transition seamlessly between rich contrasting sections.

The pensive ballad, ‘Morning,’ establishes an atmosphere of repose and calm as the instruments are slowly, yet thoughtfully layered in. The album continues with ‘The Lie That Saves Us All’, a contemporary swing tune of changing meter and harmonic textures. ‘Red Herring’ emerges as an exploration of asymmetric melodies and equally jagged counter parts deftly executed by the rhythm section. ‘Grounds’ serves as an eloquent interlude to the robust exposition ‘Force Majeure’ that showcases Ragnelli’s apt drumming sensibility in a concluding solo. ‘A Trick of the Moonlight’ is a fitting finale; a introspective ballad that draws inspiration from a novel by British author Zadie Smith.   

Juno-award winning Jazz Saxophonist, Composer and Arranger, Allison Au refuses to be defined. Born to a Chinese father and Jewish mother, and raised in the multicultural metropolis of Toronto, Allison found music as a young child. Exposed to a wide array of musical styles, she was captivated by the unhinged freedom of Jazz. Jazz became Allison’s lab for self-expression, exploration, and musical experimentation. Her work weaves a mosaic of influences into a seamless and soulful sound, a concoction steeped in the tradition of Jazz but skillfully laced with elements of Classical, Pop, R&B/hip hop, Latin, and world music. 

Au’s music transports you to a place where instrumentals ring bold and emotions run free. Melodies cascade and collide, highlighting Au’s gift for layering voices and rhythms. Her writing showcases the color and character of each instrument, while providing ample room for her band mates to push her compositions to new heights.  

Au earned her first Juno nomination for her debut album, “The Sky Was Pale Blue, then Grey” in 2013, and in 2016 seized the Juno for "Best Jazz Album of The Year: Group" for “Forest Grove.” 

Formed in 2009, the Allison Au Quartet has toured extensively in Canada and the US. The group was awarded the TD Jazz Fellowship Scholarship (2011), The Alfred and Phyllis Balm Scholarship (2012), and The Margareta and Benno Nigg Scholarship (2013) for three consecutive artist residencies at the Banff Centre.

Most recently the Allison Au Quartet has won the 2017 Montreal Jazz Festival TD Grand Prix de Jazz, received the 2017 Halifax Jazz Festival Sting Ray Rising Star Award, and was named a 2017 Finalist for Toronto Arts Foundation Emerging Jazz Artist Award.

Allison Au will be releasing Wander Wonder on Friday, January 11th, 2019.

Allison Au Alto Saxophone

Todd Pentney Piano, Prophet Rev2

Jon Maharaj Bass, Electric Bass

Fabio Ragnelli Drums

Produced by Todd Pentney

Recorded August 6-7 2018 by David Hermiston at

Inception Sound Studios, Toronto

Mixed by David Hermiston

Maststered by João Carvalho

1. The Valley (2:09)

2. Future Self (6:19)

3. The Rest Is Up To You (6:26)

4. Looking Up (5:09)

5. Morning (5:42)

6. The Lie That Saves Us All (6:04)

7. Red Herring (5:07)

8. Grounds (3:02)

9. Force Majeure (8:00)

10. A Trick Of The Moonlight (5:24)

www.allisonau.com

Johnny Griffith Quintet - The Lion, Camel & Child (GB RECORDS December 7, 2018)

Wonderful new modern jazz album from Toronto saxophonist Johnny Griffith and his quintet, entitled The Lion, Camel & Child.  It's the second release from  Griffith’s all-star quintet - a band made up of of four of Toronto’s leading jazz lights, along with the legendary New York trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. 

For this release, Griffith drew inspiration from the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche - speci cally his book Three Metamorphoses. As Griffith explains, “Metamorphoses is concerned with what propels each new phase of human growth, so it seemed fitting to frame this as a suite – each track individual unto itself, yet when listened to as a whole representing the arc of the personal struggle to know more and be more.” 

Central to the album is the suite that illustrates these phases and the qualities that define them: The Lion, virtuous and rebelious; The Camel, courageous and dutiful; and The Child, playful and free of spirit.

Johnny Griffith is a multi-Juno Award nominated saxophonist, composer and producer who has played and recorded with numerous artists including Don Thompson, Hawksley Workman, Jeremy Pelt, Charlie Hunter, The Wailers, Alex Dean, Laila Biali, Al Henderson Quintet, Brandi Disterheft and Terra Hazelton to name a few, and is a member of the popular Canadian funk/hip hop group, the Pocket Dwellers. He has toured extensively across Canada, the United States, and Europe performing at all the major Canadian music festivals as well as several international venues including the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.  

The Johnny Griffith Quintet is the artist’s first solo venture and launched with “Dance with the Lady” in 2015. Featuring NYC’s Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, the album was the featured release on WBGO Jazz radio New Jersey. Johnny continues with the soon to be released “The Lion, Camel and Child”, again with Pelt, previewing at the TD Toronto Jazz Festival 2018.  

In 2015, Johnny created the non-profit independent jazz label G-B Records and has gone on to produce and engineer Nathan Hiltz’s “Songs Poetic”, Whitney Ross-Barris  “Bright Lunch Trio”, Graeme Stephen’s “Projector Trio”, Adrean Farrugia/Joel Frahm’s “Blued Dharma, and Chris Wallace’s “Many Names”.

Johnny is also an active film and television composer. He has composed the scores for the films Still to Go and The Recipe  - both films have appeared in Toronto Film Festival, the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival, Montreal World Film Festival and the Vancouver International Film Festival. He also is a freelance composer for the Bell/CTV media group.

Johnny Griffith  will be releasing The Lion, Camel & Child on Friday, December 7th, 2018 on GB Records.

Johnny Griffith Quintet - The Lion, Camel & Child (GBRECORDS 2018)

Johnny’s second quintet album is coming soon.

Featuring the same great musician’s as Johnny’s 2015 release Dance With The Lady. Jeremy Pelt – Trumpet, Adrean Farrugia – Piano, Jon Maharaj – Bass, Ethan Ardelli – Drums and Johnny on Tenor Saxophone.

The album is once again all of Johnny’s own original compositions with firm roots in the Hard Bop of the 60’s but with a modern twist.

1 The Lion

2 The Camel

3 Cadenza

4 The Child

5 Narcomedusae

6 Strawberry Qwik

7 Amarone

8 For A Derailed Painter

9 Deliciously Ambiguous

10 The Corridor

11 Last Say

Johnny Griffith • Tenor Sax

Jeremy Pelt • Trumpet

Adrean Farrugia • Piano

Jon Maharaj • Bass

Ethan Ardelli • Drums

Harley Card - The Greatest Invention (January 12th, 2018)

Card takes the listener on a captivating journey. Virtually flawless with an ensemble cast second to none! - Brent Black / CriticalJazz.com

The Greatest Invention is the third CD by Toronto guitarist and composer: Harley Card. A follow up to his 2013 release Hedgerow, and his 2008 debut Non-Fiction, it introduces eleven new compositions written for his long standing group The Harley Card Quintet. 

The music on The Greatest Invention covers a wide range stylistically, including longer through composed pieces, and shorter themes that bring the soloists into focus and pay tribute to the tradition of the great quintets in jazz.  The album draws inspiration from a range of musical influences, memorable places, and Harley’s deep interest in exploring the process of composition. The title track is inspired by the bicycle and the joy of cycling.  

The Greatest Invention is an album unified both by Harley’s voice as a writer and the Quintet’s sound and approach, developed over the last twelve years as a working band.

1. The Greatest Invention  4:49

2. Precipice  5:22

3. Shadows of Shea Pines  8:40

4. Ben’s Sanctuary  7:17

5. Canoe Lake  6:12

6. April Song  6:50

7. Enclosure  3:08

8. Grace  6:50

9. A Distant Bell  6:19

10. Highlights  6:55

11. Postcard  6:39

Harley Card - Guitar

David French - Saxophone

Matt Newton - Piano

Jon Maharaj - Bass

Ethan Ardelli - Drums

The Greatest Invention will be officially released worldwide on Friday, January 12th, 2018

www.harleycard.ca

Harley Card

Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Harley is an endorsed artist by childhood friend, Winnipeg’s world class luthier and Grammy award winning guitarist; Jordan McConnell. 

Harley spent jr. high and high school in Ottawa, studying visual arts instead of music, playing in punk rock bands in his spare time.

Harley started as a drummer, playing his dad’s 1960’s Ludwig drum kit, which he still owns and plays for fun. Harley made the switch to guitar at age 16 and enjoyed a steep learning curve while studying with the great Ottawa guitarist; Dave Milliken.

As a teenager in the 90‘s, Harley cut his teeth with a few formative experiences as a freelance guitarist in Ottawa’s Reggae scene, getting to perform with many great Jamaican ex-pats and Canadian Reggae artists. 

On ‘A Distant Bell’ from Harley’s new release; ‘The Greatest Invention’ bassist Jon Maharaj played the bass that was used on Billy Idol’s iconic 1983 album ‘Rebel Yell’. Jon got the bass from Idol’s bassist Steve Webster and is having a bass made based on it’s design.

As a former student of living legend, clarinetist and composer; Phil Nimmons, Harley composed the song ‘Canoe Lake’ from his new release; ‘The Greatest Invention’ as a tribute to Phil and his legacy. 

Harley has collaborated on five songs to date with Dave Clark of Rheostatics, Dinner is Ruined, and Woodshed Orchestra fame, two of which are featured on ‘The Greatest Invention’.

Harley, Matt Newton, and Ethan Ardelli met in 2003 when they were placed together in Kevin Turcotte’s ensemble, while attending The University of Toronto’s Jazz Performance Program. They have been close friends and collaborators ever since.