Paul Read News

This evening the first ever “Project Jazz” sponsored and run by JazzFM91 will culminate with performances by the 5 finalists. An article in today’s Toronto Star by Geoff Chapman spells out the detail. Three of the five are students or are about to be students in the University of Toronto Jazz program: Mike McClennan (bassist and composer) who is going into the 2nd year of the Masters degree, Mike Ruby (saxophonist) entering 2nd year in our undergraduate jazz program and the third is vocalist Sienna Dahlen who will enter our graduate program in jazz in the fall. Click here to go to the article on line.TheStar.com – Five in jazz showdown

Transcribing is a part of the development for most jazz musicians. This being the 21st century (isn’t it?) there are plenty of tools that can help you in this endeavour. I recommend you take a look at one of the best sorftware packages called, “Transribe!” available at:

Seventh String Software – the home of Transcribe!

This site provides a bonus. A free index to a large array of the most popular fakebooks. It doesn’t give you the tune, but it can tell you WHERE to find the piece might be looking for. Be aware, Fakebooks are a mixed blessing. Some have poor changes or incorrect melodies and it is always essential to check them with a source recording. The more recently available LEGAL books, such as those published by the Sher music publishing company are quite reliable, but the practice of checking the notation against several recordings is ESSENTIAL.

Later

P

Watch for two articles just completed recently:

1) The IAJE: One Canadian’s Perspective. This one will appear in the next issue of the OMEA Recorder which is the periodical published by the Ontario Music Educators’ Association. In this one, I tried to set the record straight on some misconceptions held by some Canadians about the apparently rich, apparently political, apparently self agrandizing organization that is in fact trying to do as much as it can to promote the music and jazz education world wide. There is a little history and there are some personal reminscences. Hopefully of some interest to some.

2) Golf and the Art of Jazz Tenor Saxophone Practicing. This one is scheduled to appear in the next issue of Canadian Winds. Hope you will check it out too. In it I share some personal tips that have helped me improve my technique, my improvisation and my overall playing over the years.

Paul

Jazz Pianist Renee Rosnes has completed her one week stay with us at the University of Toronto. CONFIRMED: She is a take-your-breath-away soloist (knew it already), an exciting composer (knew it), a FIRST RATE educator (did NOT know this) and an absolutely generous spirit (sensed it, and had heard this ahead of time) and it was wonderful to know her a bit. Hopefully she will be back to Toronto soon. DO NOT PASS UP THE CHANCE TO HEAR HER.

Too tired to write much more although I am so tempted…

Later

Paul

One of the world’s leading jazz pianists and composers comes to visit the University of Toronto this week. Renee has been a favourite of mine for many years. Her bio is one way to find out about her, but why not come by and hear her play live with Terry Clarke and Neil Swainson this week and then hear her as featured soloist with the University of Toronto 10 O’clock Jazz Orchestra. The rehearsals have been just wonderful so I think this is a do not miss event!!. And I am conducting the jazz orchestra which means that for an hour or so I will get to participate in something pretty wonderful. Nice to think about good things!!

http://www.reneerosnes.com/

The extraordinary pianist and composer Renee Rosnes clearly enjoys the challenge and freedom of playing jazz in numerous formats. Her eight previous Blue Note recordings featured her, brilliantly, in smaller ensembles. Now, on her ninth Blue Note release, Renee Rosnes and the Danish Radio Big Band, Rosnes mines the experience gained during her impressive tenures with both the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band and The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. Renee Rosnes and the Danish Radio Big Band puts her in the spotlight with the revered Copenhagen ensemble, and reveals her capacity to shine within a jazz orchestra context.

Rosnes grew up in Vancouver and began formal piano studies at age three, followed by violin lessons two years later. Her evident talents and love for music led her to the University of Toronto, where she was a Classical Performance student, and to on-the-job training on the Vancouver club circuit before she came to NYC in 1986 on a grant from the Canada Council of the Arts. Rosnes was soon tapped for a series of high-profile gigs with jazz masters such as Johnson, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, James Moody and others. Since her Blue Note debut in 1989, guests on subsequent releases reveal a veritable pantheon of jazz greats, including Herbie Hancock, Shorter, Henderson, Branford Marsalis, Chris Potter, Nicholas Payton, Jack DeJohnette and Christian McBride. She has earned three Junos (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy Award) and two Jazz Report awards for Best Jazz Album for earlier Blue Note releases.

Hope you can make it out to one of the events. Here is a schedule Or you can get it from this link: http://www.paulread.ca/images/RosnesSchedule.pdf

Paul