The Nimmons Tribute: Volume 2 - Generational
The Nimmons Tribute

Certain names pop up instantly when talk turns to Canadian jazz and who among its artists put the country on the map—Oscar Peterson is first off the tongue, naturally, but others quick to follow include Moe Koffman, Guido Basso, Rob McConnell, Ed Bickert, Lenny Breau, and Phil Nimmons. All have passed on with the notable exception of the latter, who last month celebrated his 100th birthday, four years after retiring from his University of Toronto teaching gig at the ripe young age of ninety-six. Those are but two significant milestones in a career that exerted a transformative impact on jazz in this country and has done much to spread awareness of it beyond its borders. Throughout the years, this esteemed composer, clarinetist, and bandleader has been the recipient of countless honours, among them the Order of Canada, and was instrumental in establishing jazz programs at multiple Canadian universities. It's fair to say no one's more deserving of a tribute project than him.

The Nimmons Tribute, an octet led by his grandson and keyboardist Sean, features a number of Canadian greats, including tenor saxophonist Mike Murley and trumpeter/flugelhornist Kevin Turcotte. Also making their presence felt are saxophonist Alex Dean (baritone sax, bass clarinet), bassist Jon Maharaj, and drummer Ethan Ardelli. Joining them are married duo Tara Davidson (alto, soprano saxes) and William Carn (trombone), who front Carn Davidson 9 when not contributing to others' albums, and on one track singer Heather Bambrick. Sean not only spearheads the tribute, he arranged all of the material and contributed two compositions of his own to the release. That his don't sound out of place is a credit to the grandson's own writing ability.

Arriving almost three years after the ensemble's first album To The Nth, Volume 2 - Generational leaps from the gate with a ferocious take on “Arf,” remembered by Sean as a bona fide crowd-pleaser when done live. Hardly a surprise—the super-charged tune's delivered at a breakneck pace and blazes with soaring solos by Dean, Turcotte, and Ardelli. As captivating as it is, however, “Arf” is something of an outlier when the tempos are otherwise less furious, something demonstrated immediately thereafter when Davidson graces the lustrous ballad “Islands” (from the Juno-winning The Atlantic Suite) with a wonderful soprano solo. Sean's Rhodes chords and the band's hushed horns also help set a languorous mood to vividly capture the blissful splendour of Canada's Maritime provinces. With “Bella Shores,” Sean offers his own elegant tribute to nature and the spiritual replenishment it brings. Solos are shared by everyone but him in his “Generational,” a terrific band showcase that Carn, Murley, and Turcotte elevate with respective turns. The trumpeter and tenor saxist repeat the favour in the swinging solos the two give to the outdoorsy reverie “Under a Tree.” Hearing them go toe-to-toe is one of this release's major pleasures.

“Arf” isn't the only muscular, rhythm-driven cut on the release. With a little bit of South American flavour seeping in, the action-packed “Transformations” moves at an urgent 5/4 clip, and “Carey Dance” exudes the bluesy, high-energy thrust of classic Mingus. Smartly positioned at album's end and evoking the nightly ritual of a father seeing his child off to bed, “Night Night Smiley” registers powerfully when Bambrick adds a beautiful vocal to Nimmons' gorgeous ballad and Sean honours his grandfather with a terrific arrangement.

The performances are inspired, and one comes away from the album convinced that all involved were thrilled to honour the centenarian and celebrate his legacy. A genuine feeling of appreciation for Nimmons crystallizes as the album plays, as well as a heartfelt expression of gratitude by the musicians for the work he's done and the inspiration he's been. Murley and Turcotte show, as they've done so often, why they're considered the crème de la crème of Canadian jazz musicians, but the others distinguish themselves too; consider, by way of example, the joyous to-and-fro between an alto-wielding Davidson and the trumpeter on “Transformations.” Let's hope Sean's able to reconvene this crew for a third volume sometime soon.

July 2023