Joani Taylor - In A Sentimental Mood (CELLAR LIVE 2018)

Vocallist Joani Taylor returns with a wonderfully melancholy set of songs.

After a series of serious life setbacks, Joani Taylor really didn't think nor was in the frame of mind to think about singing any of the beloved standard songs that were rooted deeply in her long music career. The prodding of Canadian legend, alto saxophonist PJ Perry paid off and the resulting album is a as honest a statement from a vocalist as you'll ever hear.

Features an all-star Canadian band including PJ Perry, Neil Swainson and Miles Black.

A beautiful collection of some Great American Songbook songs.

Some of the most honest, heartfelt jazz singing on record in many years.

Joani Taylor - Voice

PJ Perry - Alto & Tenor Saxophones

Miles Black - Piano

Neil Swainson - Bass

Executive Producer: Cory Weeds 

Produced by Cory Weeds 

Recorded at Warehouse Studios, Vancouver, BC, November 15, 2017 

Engineered, mixed, and mastered by Sheldon Zharko 

Photography by Ashley Gesner 

Design and layout by Perry Chua

1. This Can't Be Love 06:27

2. In A Sentimental Mood 04:57

3. Embraceable You 04:19

4. Alfie 05:24

5. Undecided 03:46

6. Sentimental Journey 03:14

7. Lover Man 07:01

8. Love Walked In 05:23

9. A Ghost Of A Chance / I Can't Get Started 03:57

10. More Than You Know 06:43

11. Be My Love 06:41

12. I Just Had To Hear Your Voice 05:19

Cory Weeds Little Big Band - Explosion (CELLAR LIVE July 6, 2018)

Vancouver jazz impresario Cory Weeds fronts a world class 11 piece "Little Big Band", in an ambitious recording at Bryan Adams' "Warehouse" studio in Vancouver's Gas Town neighbourhood.  

Weeds and his guests speak to the important collaboration between the visiting artists - Gary Smulyan, Joe Magnarelli, Steve Davis and PJ Perry - and the Vancouver players who host them.  

Weeds' prolific activity, in particular pairing top tier New York musicians with local Vancouver players, has helped build Vancouver into a vibrant jazz city, with a deep well of skill.  Although Weeds' live club The Jazz Cellar shuttered years ago, the associated label Cellar Live continues on with a vibrant and regular slate of recordings, and Weeds' work with the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society (managing Frankie's Jazz Club) keeps him at the nexus of all action.  

In this film, we hear some sincere testimony on what Weeds does best - producing a swinging, exciting project that enriches the scene around him.  The symbiosis between artist and producer survives in Weeds' world, with an appreciative nod in both directions.

01 Minor Mishap

02 Soon

03 East Of The Village

04 Park Avenue Petite

05 My Girl Is Just Enough Woman For Me

06 Canadian Sunset

07 KD's Motion

08 Please Send Me Someone To Love

09 Ready And Able

Cory Weeds tenor saxophone

GARY SMULYAN baritone saxophone

STEVE KALDESTAD tenor saxophone

PJ PERRY alto saxophone

JOE MAGNARELLI trumpet

CHRIS DAVIS trumpet

STEVE DAVIS trombon

ROD MURRAY trombone

CHRIS GESTRIN piano

PAUL RUSHKA bass

JESSE CAHLL drums

PJ Perry Quartet - Alto Gusto (CELLAR LIVE 2017)

This is an album for the bebop fans. Not the blisteringly fast, artsy-fartsy bebop, though – I’m thinking about the lovey Parker ballads and all the times Miles forgot he was done with bebop after the 50s. Actually, the last track on here is a Parker tune. And the PJ Perry Quartet is extremely good at what they do: important in a style that can be undone undone by its own complexity. The rhythm section is one of the tightest I’ve heard, and Perry himself knows when to turn it up or down with his own sax playing, his riffs feeling like anything from sweet cooing to what I imagine a heart flutter sounds like. Maybe this is what it sounds like to be in love… or maybe I’m just feeling romantic from listening to this.

Ease It

Close Your Eyes

After the Morning

We’ll Be Together Again

Stablemates

Two Bass Hit

Quasimodo

 P.J. Perry: alto saxophone

Jon Mayer: piano

Steve Wallace: bass

Quincy Davis: drums