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| JUNO AWARD WINNING DRUMMER, COMPOSER & BANDLEADER ERNESTO CERVINI RELEASES “JOY”, A NEW ALBUM INSPIRED BY THE ACCLAIMED DETECTIVE SERIES BY LOUISE PENNY Lineup features Ernesto Cervini (drums), Felicity Williams, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Amy Cervini, Alex Samaras (vocals), Virginia MacDonald (clarinet), Tara Davidson (alto sax), Kelly Jefferson (tenor, soprano saxophones), William Carn (trombone), Adrean Farrugia (piano), Dan Fortin (acoustic bass), Rich Brown (electric bass) and others! Available October 7th, 2022 from TPR Records on CD and digital platforms Joy is the latest record from Juno-winning drummer and composer Ernesto Cervini. Inspired by Louise Penny's Gamache series of books (NYTimes Best-Sellers) and the qualities of goodness, decency, courage, and love that permeate them, Cervini was moved to compose music that captures the characters, landscapes and relationships created by Penny. From the opening track "Three Pines" that sets up this voyage, to a musical portrait of a duck and her cranky, poet laureate owner in "Ruth's Rosa, " from the mercurial "Beauvoir" to the beautiful love story of "Sandalwood and Rosewater." "About 5 years ago, I was introduced to the world of Louise Penny and Three Pines (the fictional town in the stories) by my sister, Amy Cervini. I started reading the books, and I completely fell in love. I was captured by the storytelling, and the incredible characters. Although they are detective novels, the books are filled with kindness and joy, and I was inspired to write music that reflects the themes and characters in the books." The album showcases Canada's finest musicians and is the first of Cervini's albums to feature vocalists; "The Beautiful Mystery" and "The Moth" feature Alex Samaras (Queer Songbook Orchestra), while the ethereal "Three Pines" features the voices of Felicity Williams (Bahamas, Bernice), Emilie-Claire Barlow (2 time Juno Award winner, 6 time nominee) and Amy Cervini (Duchess) who also co-produced the album. Featuring Ernesto's Turboprop, Tune Town, Tetrahedron groups as well as other sonic surprises, this album is a musical journey through the soul and heart of Three Pines and the characters who inhabit it, guided by an adoring fan. Cervini's music and personality beam with unbridled joy and this album is a true reflection of that. Haunting improvised vocal lines layered over guitar pads and sounds open the album, on the cinematic track, "Three Pines". As the full band enters one can imagine the village of Three Pines unfold before you as the wordless vocals weave in and out and wrap you in a hug. An energetic electric guitar solo from Don Scott (Peripheral Vision, Idioteque) continues the journey through the town and we say goodbye with the vocals again, breathy and soothing, closing out the track. "Surprised by Joy" is a riveting contemporary jazz song featuring Cervini's beloved group, Turboprop. A churning drum solo opens the track and from the first strains of the rhythm section it is clear that this song is going to be a barn-burner, building up to an explosive entrance by the horn section and opening up into angular and swinging solos by pianist Adrean Farrugia and tenor saxophonist Kelly Jefferson. Powerful and blistering horn lines are the signature of the unbridled joy that is present in so much of Cervini's music and that is certainly the case on this track. These tracks are followed by a wide range of tunes and character sketches, featuring 2 more of Cervini's groups; TuneTown, - a traditional chordless saxophone trio featuring Kelly Jefferson on tenor sax and Artie Roth on acoustic bass and Tetrahedron - an innovative chordless saxophone trio featuring Luis Deniz on alto sax and Rich Brown and electric bass. The album also features some new combinations and brand new collaborators for Cervini, including rising-star clarinetist Virginia MacDonald and avant-garde trumpeter, Jim Lewis. The album finishes with the laid-back and hard-swinging track "I'm FINE", featuring Turboprop. This track is inspired by the mercurial but ultimately kind and loving character Ruth Zardo, from the best-seller Gamache series of books by Louise Penny. As cool as a glass of lemonade on a hot summer's day, the three-horn melody is followed by a soulful and bluesy saxophone solo and then a melodic acoustic bass solo before that infectious melody returns to end out the song. Joy will be released worldwide on Friday, October 7 th, 2022 on TPR. More on Ernesto Cervini: JUNO Award winner Ernesto Cervini is a sought-after drummer, composer and bandleader and an influential presence on Canada's modern jazz scene and beyond. He has documented his vision with the Ernesto Cervini Quartet (featuring Joel Frahm), the innovative sextet Turboprop, numerous co- led trio projects including MEM3, Myriad3 and TuneTown, and also the quartet Tetrahedron, featuring acclaimed guitarist Nir Felder, electric bassist Rich Brown and alto saxophonist Luis Deniz. Cervini's album Abundance won the 2020 JUNO Award for Jazz Album of the Year: Group. In addition to his performing career, he founded Orange Grove Publicity in 2014 and has quickly become one of the most sought-after jazz publicists in Canada. He is also co-founder of TPR. Cervini is on faculty at the University of Toronto The documentary "Finding Joy" will be released on Tuesday, January 24th at this link. https://youtu.be/VzlCoXdl7Y4 "In June of 2022, my sister and co-producer Amy Cervini and I travelled to Knowlton, QC (the town that inspired Three Pines) to discuss the music, the making of the album, our connection as siblings and musicians, and to explore the town that inspired the incredible detective series by Louise Penny." (Ernesto Cervini) write your comments about the article :: © 2023 Jazz News :: home page |