WJO CD DETAILS
TWISTING WAYS comprises two original songs with texts by Lee Tsang and music by David Braid (The Hand) and Philippe Côté (Hope Shadow).
The Hand is sung from the perspective of a central character (expressed in the form of a nightingale) who is guided by the Hand, a mysterious force. Hope Shadow is a companion piece to The Hand; it takes the opposite subject position and is sung from the mysterious force’s omniscient perspective. Together these texts express aspects of imagery relating to the human spirit as it deals with its transgressions. They express the world in terms of a necessary interdependent balance, much like the yin-yang concept, which here combines with allusions to Christianity. |
Twisting Ways - WJO
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Facebook comment:
May 10, 2021
Great music, poetry, playing and signing, I'm really enjoying this album!
May 10, 2021
Great music, poetry, playing and signing, I'm really enjoying this album!
Reviews:
June 2021
One of the more noteworthy aspects of Twisting Ways is the exceptional dynamic range shown by the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra in the recording's performances. During the music's most intimate parts, the WJO plays with the sensitivity of a piano trio and achieves a most delicate balance between its sections; at the same time, the ensemble is capable of generating a huge, robust sound when the material requires it. The three compositions performed on the album also flatter the group in amplifying the splendour of its sound. - Ron Schepper, Textura
June 7, 2021
Just FYI…Glenn Miller is dead, but big bands live. The Canadian tundra swings with rich harmonies and a clever mix of poetry and pulses delivered by the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra. A number of the cleverly arranged charts include vocals. Sarah Slean, takes you on a journey on “The Hand” from the Gil Evans-inspired “Twisting Ways” suite, which includes rich piano work by David Braid during “Opening Glimmers”. Mike Murlyey gives a Coltranesque tenor sax solo as he teams with vocalist Karly Epp on the impressionistic “Lydian Sky” and she also contributes to Stefan Bauer’s vibe work on the post bopping “Fleur Variations 3”. The poems themselves give reflections of today’s spiritual environment, giving challenges and hope for the future. Not a bad combination all around. - George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
May 26, 2021
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. - Tom Haugen, Take Effect
May 20, 2021
In what was often called “chamber jazz,” the WJO is in wonderful form for this complex session. “Twisting ways” also describes the compositional style here. This is serious music without any imposed definitional boundary. Sectional playing is crisp and tight... I recommend checking out the album for full personnel and information. The Twisting Ways suite uses poetry that follows the impact of a “mysterious force” that explores “imagery related to the human spirit and its transgressions.” This might sound dark, but in fact it simply communicates the complexity, the twisting ways, of the human spirit... The WJO has shown with its latest releases (Suite 150, etc.) that it belongs in the top echelon of Canadian large ensembles. As the current mantra goes — buy local. ★★★★1/2 out of five - Keith Black, Winnipeg Free Press
May 7, 2021
It is a magnificent, modern crossover between the intimate chamber jazz, the roaring big band jazz, the entertaining musical and the more complex score music and another example of how high the level of quality is among Canadian musicians who release the work to UG - with several strong solos, including in particular a strong singing performance by Sarah Slean. - Ivan Rod (Original review in Danish)
June 2021
One of the more noteworthy aspects of Twisting Ways is the exceptional dynamic range shown by the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra in the recording's performances. During the music's most intimate parts, the WJO plays with the sensitivity of a piano trio and achieves a most delicate balance between its sections; at the same time, the ensemble is capable of generating a huge, robust sound when the material requires it. The three compositions performed on the album also flatter the group in amplifying the splendour of its sound. - Ron Schepper, Textura
June 7, 2021
Just FYI…Glenn Miller is dead, but big bands live. The Canadian tundra swings with rich harmonies and a clever mix of poetry and pulses delivered by the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra. A number of the cleverly arranged charts include vocals. Sarah Slean, takes you on a journey on “The Hand” from the Gil Evans-inspired “Twisting Ways” suite, which includes rich piano work by David Braid during “Opening Glimmers”. Mike Murlyey gives a Coltranesque tenor sax solo as he teams with vocalist Karly Epp on the impressionistic “Lydian Sky” and she also contributes to Stefan Bauer’s vibe work on the post bopping “Fleur Variations 3”. The poems themselves give reflections of today’s spiritual environment, giving challenges and hope for the future. Not a bad combination all around. - George W Harris, Jazz Weekly
May 26, 2021
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. - Tom Haugen, Take Effect
May 20, 2021
In what was often called “chamber jazz,” the WJO is in wonderful form for this complex session. “Twisting ways” also describes the compositional style here. This is serious music without any imposed definitional boundary. Sectional playing is crisp and tight... I recommend checking out the album for full personnel and information. The Twisting Ways suite uses poetry that follows the impact of a “mysterious force” that explores “imagery related to the human spirit and its transgressions.” This might sound dark, but in fact it simply communicates the complexity, the twisting ways, of the human spirit... The WJO has shown with its latest releases (Suite 150, etc.) that it belongs in the top echelon of Canadian large ensembles. As the current mantra goes — buy local. ★★★★1/2 out of five - Keith Black, Winnipeg Free Press
May 7, 2021
It is a magnificent, modern crossover between the intimate chamber jazz, the roaring big band jazz, the entertaining musical and the more complex score music and another example of how high the level of quality is among Canadian musicians who release the work to UG - with several strong solos, including in particular a strong singing performance by Sarah Slean. - Ivan Rod (Original review in Danish)
April 23rd, 2021
Take a whole bunch of Juno award winners, toss them in a crucible and let them simmer. What do you get? Surprisingly, you get a bunch of art jazz that shows they can follow their own muses with nothing to prove. Certainly not something you'd expect going in, it probably won't be what you expect going out either. A lush setting for eggheads to drift into the music, this is expertly done for refined tastes. - Chris Spector, Midwest Record
April 16th, 2021
Also on May 7, the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, Richard Gillis director, releases its fourth album. "Twisting Ways" (self-released) combines compositions by David Braid (piano) and Phillip Côté with the four-part title track featuring lyrics by Dr. Lee Tsang. The composers share writing credits on the title track while each contribute one more piece (Braid's "Lydian Sky" also features lyrics by Dr. Tsang while Côté's "Fleur Variation" shines a spotlight on vibraphonist Stephan Bauer). This is powerful music, well-executed, and brimming with invention. - Richard Kamins, Step Tempest
September 20th , 2021
This Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra recording has been an exciting assignment to review, as it features a core of local musicians alongside guests from Montreal, Toronto, New York, and the work of Liverpool UK conductor, baritone and poet, Lee Tsang. For years I have known the work of Phillippe Côté, David Braid, Mike Murley and Stephan Bauer, the four guests from this side of the Atlantic. It is also always a pleasure to write about Winnipeg, which I described in a December review for The WholeNote as having “a long thriving music scene, unfairly receiving less attention than other large Canadian cities’ communities”. This still holds true of the aforementioned midwestern metropolis, but ideally large projects like Twisting Ways and its myriad out-of-town guests will help bring this vibrant arts community more of the notoriety it deserves. Despite having spent ample time visiting friends, family and fellow jazz musicians in Winnipeg, I was aware of surprisingly few names on this project’s personnel list. This is rather refreshing, given the consummate professionalism heard here. Vocalists Sarah Slean and Karly Epp breathe beautiful life into the often-challenging melodies they are presented with and the WJO’s excellent rhythm section makes even the most intricate of grooves sound accessible. The four tracks that make up the Twisting Ways suite are some of my favourites on the album, but Lydian Sky and Fleur Variation 3, are far from disappointing as well. - Sam Dickinson
Take a whole bunch of Juno award winners, toss them in a crucible and let them simmer. What do you get? Surprisingly, you get a bunch of art jazz that shows they can follow their own muses with nothing to prove. Certainly not something you'd expect going in, it probably won't be what you expect going out either. A lush setting for eggheads to drift into the music, this is expertly done for refined tastes. - Chris Spector, Midwest Record
April 16th, 2021
Also on May 7, the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, Richard Gillis director, releases its fourth album. "Twisting Ways" (self-released) combines compositions by David Braid (piano) and Phillip Côté with the four-part title track featuring lyrics by Dr. Lee Tsang. The composers share writing credits on the title track while each contribute one more piece (Braid's "Lydian Sky" also features lyrics by Dr. Tsang while Côté's "Fleur Variation" shines a spotlight on vibraphonist Stephan Bauer). This is powerful music, well-executed, and brimming with invention. - Richard Kamins, Step Tempest
September 20th , 2021
This Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra recording has been an exciting assignment to review, as it features a core of local musicians alongside guests from Montreal, Toronto, New York, and the work of Liverpool UK conductor, baritone and poet, Lee Tsang. For years I have known the work of Phillippe Côté, David Braid, Mike Murley and Stephan Bauer, the four guests from this side of the Atlantic. It is also always a pleasure to write about Winnipeg, which I described in a December review for The WholeNote as having “a long thriving music scene, unfairly receiving less attention than other large Canadian cities’ communities”. This still holds true of the aforementioned midwestern metropolis, but ideally large projects like Twisting Ways and its myriad out-of-town guests will help bring this vibrant arts community more of the notoriety it deserves. Despite having spent ample time visiting friends, family and fellow jazz musicians in Winnipeg, I was aware of surprisingly few names on this project’s personnel list. This is rather refreshing, given the consummate professionalism heard here. Vocalists Sarah Slean and Karly Epp breathe beautiful life into the often-challenging melodies they are presented with and the WJO’s excellent rhythm section makes even the most intricate of grooves sound accessible. The four tracks that make up the Twisting Ways suite are some of my favourites on the album, but Lydian Sky and Fleur Variation 3, are far from disappointing as well. - Sam Dickinson
