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Bill McBirnie: Forever

By Chris M. Slawecki
April 3, 2022
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Canada's

Bill McBirnie

flute

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill McBirnie is known around the world for his flute prowess in Latin, pop, jazz and classical music settings. For example, he was personally recruited by Sir James Galway to serve as Resident Jazz Flute Specialist on Galway's official website. McBirnie published The Technique and Theory of Improvisation: A practical guide for flutists, doublers and other instrumentalists in 2019. He has recorded as sideman with artists in styles ranging from

Irakere

" data-original-title="" title="">Irakere to

Junior Mance

piano
1928 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Junior Mance. McBirnie is also the only triple- crown winner of all three National Flute Association jazz categories: Solo, masterclass, and big band.

Multi-instrumentalist

Bruce Jones

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Bruce Jones grew up near S?o Paulo (Brazil) but his musical travels led him to eventually settle in Canada, where he discovered McBirnie as a kindred musical spirit and teamed to form Extreme Flute. Their self-produced 2015 release Grain of Sand received a Best Instrumental nomination from the Toronto Independent Music Awards; the duo expands (deepens) their sound on Forever by adding bassist

Robin Latimer

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Robin Latimer.

In the opening ax��/samba "Criole Blessing" ("Sarav�� Criola"), McBirnie's flute sound floats but remains full and robust, equal parts power and grace. Jones and McBirnie play their percussion and flute rhythms off of each other, dancing from creole composition into jazz improvisation then back again into the tune.

"This Passion" ("Est�� Paix?o"), a bossa-samba, opens with the atmospheric percussion and whispered melody of

Sade

vocals
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Sade's smoldering cool "Smooth Operator." McBirnie plays so pure and strong that some parts genuinely sound like he's singing a soulful vocal samba or even R&B tune. His attack is consistently precise and yet often loosens up to relaxed swing. This is great jazz: the intricacies of European form and structure blended with the release and emotion of American blues and gospel.

Jones' hip rhythm guitar and Latimer's rubbery funk bass line swing the hip-hop/bossa "It's The Time" ("Saber Se Amar") deep into quiet storm jazz, a refreshing oasis of chill from which McBirnie deeply drinks.

Forever ends with the bossa-samba "Full Moon Blue Wolf" ("Lua Cheia Lobo Azul"), a meditation featuring acoustic guitar and lyrics sung by either Jones' voice or McBirnie's flute (sometimes both), and McBirnie's solo lighting up the instrumental bridge with sunny and charming runs.

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Track Listing

(1) Criole Blessing (Sarav�� Criola) - 4:36 - ax��/samba-reggae (2) Song For Svetlana (Um Choro Para Svetlana) - 3:10 - choro/samba (3) This Passion (Est�� Paix?o) - 4:38 - bossa/samba (4) It's The Time (Saber Se Amar) - 3:23 - hip hop/bossa (5) Forever (Eternamente) - 3:29 - bossa/tango (6) Dreams And Light (Canta Can??o) - 4:46 - ballad/bossa Bonus Vocal Track: (7) Full Moon Blue Wolf (Lua Cheia Lobo Azul) - 3:29 - bossa/samba

Personnel

Bill McBirnie

flute

Bruce Jones

guitar

Robin Latimer

bass

Additional Instrumentation

PERSONNEL & CREDITS: Bill McBirnie �C flute (all tracks except alto flute on track 2) Bruce Jones �C guitar, percussion & synths (all tracks plus vocal on track 7) Robin Latimer �C electric bass (all tracks except track 2) Compositions �C Bruce Jones (SOCAN) Produced by �C Bill McBirnie & Bruce Jones Recorded at �C Da Da Music Productions & Extreme Flute Studio, Toronto, Ontario Engineered by �C Bruce Jones Edited & Mixed by �C Bill McBirnie & Bruce Jones Mastered by �C Pacy Shulman at Hilo Studio, Toronto, Ontario Cover Image by �C Tim Moore (Collingwood Stream, 1993) Layout, Design & Manufacturing by �C Staci Patten, Accurate Audio, Toronto, Ontario Bill is a Designated Hayes Artist. On this recording, he plays several Wm. S. Haynes flutes and, in addition, an Armstrong alto flute. Other Extreme Flute albums available at BandCamp: - Desvio (with Bruce Jones) �C EF01 - Scratch It! (Extreme Flute) - EF02 - Grain of Sand (with Bruce Jones) �C EF07

Album information

Title: Forever | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Extreme Flute

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