Toronto and back again

I had a great trip to Toronto last week, and while it was not as planned, it just goes to show that the world is full of really outstanding musicians with high skill sets.

The Emmet Ray is a cool vibe, as a whiskey lover, it is double fun for me to get a chance to have a nice taste and play music I wrote with great players. Sam Little and Rob Diack are wonderful players who I have enjoyed playing with the last few trips into the city and Dan McCarthy, whom I am a huge fan of was supposed to play that night, however, was too ill to perform. It left me in a mindset of either playing trio or trying to remember who I knew in town. Luckily for me, my old UNT friend Ian Sinclair is in the city and was available. What a treat it was to get to reconnect with Ian on the bandstand no less. We hung out a lot in Denton, but we didn't gig very much, but I do recall a few jam sessions and a few hangs where the axes came out. A wonderful pianist and composer.

Speaking of UNT. My Alma Mater recently held it's 75-year anniversary. The birthplace of jazz studies, UNT has been offering degrees in Jazz since 1947, a remarkable accomplishment. I did not go down for the festivities because of work commitments and whatnot, but the reports from the events were that it was a celebration of Jazz and those who help to teach it. I'm proud to be an alumnus and glad to hear it was a lot of great fun.

We are reaching the mid-term period of the semester, and right around the corner in the Antigonish Jazz Festival, it's very first and I am so excited that our little town is doing such an exciting event. I am looking forward to checking out the concerts as well as performing with Meghan and Paul.

 

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