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| The Dave Robbins Big Band's 'Happy Faces' is out March 21, 2025 (Reel To Real) Reel to Real is honored to announce the upcoming release of Happy Faces, a disc of previously unheard archival recordings by The Dave Robbins Big Band. Dating from Jazz Workshop broadcasts by Vancouver's Cave Supper Club (CBC) from 1963 to 1965, these joyous, swinging 12 tracks feature tenor saxophonist Fraser MacPherson, pianist Chris Gage, alto saxophonist Dave Quaren, trumpeter Donnie Clark, and many other exemplary musicians — shining a light for all jazz fans onto the thriving Vancouver scene. The one and only Dave Robbins — trombonist, bandleader, arranger, composer, educator — was a foundational presence therein. No matter which hat he wore, he made invaluable contributions to the fabric of the music, from his work with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, to his locally popular big band, and beyond. And the swing, command, dexterity, and pervasive joy on display on Happy Faces show this not to be a great Vancouver band, but a great band, period. "Without knowing the personnel, you could immediately guess that it was a band including an all-star cast of West Coast musicians in Los Angeles, " Cory Weeds, Cellar Music Group founder/owner explains in the liner notes, citing heavy hitters like Richie Kamuca, Bob Cooper, Conte Candoli. "One thing is certain: the band is made up of West Coast all stars. But they are Vancouver, B.C., Canada all-stars, many of whom are unknown to the rest of the world." If you're unfamiliar with this musical microcosm, let Robbins be your guide. After an announcer's rousing intro ("From the West Coast, it's Jazz Workshop!") Happy Faces kicks off with its ebullient title track, composed by Sonny Stitt and arranged by Quincy Jones. From there, Happy Faces rolls on with a who's who of burning local soloists against superb compositions by Dick Grove ("Have Vine Will Swing, " "Canto de Oriole"), Paul Ruhland ("Playa del Ray, " "Reflections"), Ray Sikora ("March Winds Blow"), Bobby Hales ("Africa Lights"), and more. As session trumpeter Donnie Clark explains in the booklet, Robbins created the group of musicians known as the Jazz Workshop — many of whom are part of the Happy Faces band — to premiere avant-garde composers from New York and L.A. "The CBC would buy these charts from these guys and then we'd play in the orchestra, " he says, noting colleagues in the band like French hornist Doug Kent, altoist Dave Quarin, and Hales himself on trumpet. "But it was like a jazz orchestra. Bassist Paul Ruland was a very important part of that because he was sort of the staff composer and arranger. A beautiful, beautiful writer. He wrote a lot of stuff for that show." Time and again, when it comes to this often-hallowed material, Robbins' band steps up to the plate and connects. Elsewhere, find absorbing takes on Al McMillan's "Minority" and aptly titled "West Coasting, " and an expressive, muscular take on Kenny Dorham's "Asiatic Raes" (a.k.a. "Lotus Blossom"). Front to back, Happy Faces acts as a love letter to Cellar founder Weeds' beloved Vancouver, and all the tremendous sound it could whip up. And Robbins — naturally enterprising and buoyant — did a lot to put it on the jazz map. Years after the conclusion of the Jazz Workshop program, Robbins taught at Vancouver Community College and led other big bands. When young musicians craved modernity, he didn't turn them away; he embraced and advocated for them. One such young lion, Hugh Fraser, and his fellow musicians would go on to form the Vancouver Ensemble of Jazz Improvisation (VEJI), which made more impact than any other Canadian big band on the large ensemble artform. By that distinction alone, Robbins deserves a place in the jazz history books. "Every time he did anything, it was an event, " session bassist Don Thompson says in the liner notes, with a hint of awe. "His brain couldn't think little. He could only think big." Happy Faces will be released on LP, CD, and digitally on March 21, 2025 Track Listing Intro Happy Faces Playa del Ray Minority Have Vine Will Swing Westcoasting Asiatic Raes Reflections Canto de Oriole March Wind Blows Spring Is Here Sixes & Sevens Africa Lights Outro ABOUT REEL TO REAL: Reel to Real is the archival recording imprint of Cellar Music Group. Co-founded by Cory Weeds and Zev Feldman in 2018, Reel to Real strives to uncover historically important, archival jazz works and make them broadly available in a variety of formats. Last July, Reel to Real's release of Roy Brook's Understanding was widely considered one of the top historical releases of the year with accolades from The New York Times, The New Yorker, JazzTimes, All Music Guide and others. write your comments about the article :: © 2025 Jazz News :: home page |