Canadian jazz flutist Bill McBirnie has released a new album which is organized as an organ trio. The unmistakable sound of the Hammond B3 organ is combined with flute and drums to present a variety of jazz tunes.
McBirnie, who is based in Toronto, has built a solid career as a jazz flutist. He has a string of awards to his credit, including the Jazz Flute Soloist, Masterclass, and Big Band competitions of the National Flute Association; he has also won a series of accolades in his native Canada. His calendar of gigs listed on his website shows that he’s performing at an impressive pace. In addition to contributing to the woodwinds column of the Canadian Musician magazine, he also serves as the resident jazz flute specialist at Sir James Galway’s official website. McBirnie has combined his classical training (which includes study with teachers such as Samuel Baron and Robert Aitken) with jazz performance. In a recent interview with Isaac Davis Junior (http://blogs.juniorscave.com/2014/04/03/bill-mcbirnie-of-the-bill-mcbirnie-trio-2/), he states that he has cultivated a “generic” style that he can adjust to fit any musical situation. This flexibility serves him well on this album, which features a variety of jazz styles.
This album includes tunes ranging from bossa nova to swing to bebop styles. McBirnie’s solid technical capabilities and imaginative improvisation both shine. The Hammond organ, expertly performed on this album by Bernie Senensky, provides an excellent complement to the flute sound. While it might not be the combination you would expect to hear on a flute album, the sounds work very well together. McBirnie has released five other albums over the past fifteen years which are all available at CDBaby and iTunes.
Learn more about Bill McBirnie at his website: www.extremeflute.com.
The Bill McBirnie Trio
Bill McBirnie, flute
Bernie Senensky – Hammond B3 organ
Anthony Michelli – drums
Find Your Place
So In Love
Yes Indeed!
Sister Sadie
Oh! Darling
Minority
Jeannine
Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You
Yes Or No
Soy Califa
Rhythm-A-Ning
Find Your Place
