Twisting Ways
Self-Released, 2021
9/10
A city-based, non-profit outfit who formed in 1977, the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra have hosted some of the world’s best jazz talent over the years. Currently featuring the esteemed pianist and composer David Braid and the saxophonist, composer and improviser Philippe Côté, among many others, Twisting Ways continues their tradition of timeless jazz sounds.
The title track starts the listen with 4 chapters, where Sarah Slean’s enchanting, flawless pipes guide the soulful brass, frisky drumming from Eric Platz and skilled bass from Karl Kohut, as the setting alternates between big band busyness to calmer moments of power and melody.
The middle track, “Lydian Sky”, has Karly Epp handling vocals as much beauty enters alongside Shane Hicks’ flugelhorn, Mike Murley’s tenor sax and Keith Dyrda’s strategic trombone on the reflective, emotive landscape.
“Fleur Variation 3” exits the listen, and again has Epp’s radiant singing and scatting alongside Stefan Bauer’s vibraphone acrobatics and the many brass players who work together synergistically and methodically with much attention to detail.
The listen that’s rich with texture, poetic in its nature, and even takes nods to classical music, the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra touch on the human experience with plenty of stirring solos and dynamic, absorbing musicianship between they many players present across this superb record.
Travels well with: CODE Quartet- Genealogy- TuneTown- Entering Utopia