Justin Time /

No
Title
Duration
Excerpts
01
The Way You Look Tonight
00:05:34
02
Why Think About Tomorrow
00:05:41
03
Len's Den
00:04:31
ogg      mp3      
04
We Will Love Again
00:04:45
05
Swinging On A Star
00:05:55
06
Jazz Gavotte
00:05:26
07
The Very Thought Of You
00:05:32
08
Tetra Tetra
00:05:59
ogg      mp3      
09
Our Love Is Here To Stay
00:04:42
10
Should I Love Again
00:04:43
ogg      mp3      
11
Blues For Helene
00:06:56

Liner Notes

Oliver Jones and I had often dreamt of producing a big band recording, one with strings featured prominently. We'd produced twelve sessions with Oliver as leader, in various formats (trios, duos. solos, quartets), but we had never attempted a project so ambitious.

Things changed in early June 1995 when we learned that Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass would soon be performing at Montreal's Place-Des-Arts. Seizing the opportunity, we contacted long-time band member; Rick Wilkins, (also a superb arranger and conductor) to ask if he would be interested in arranging eleven compositions shortlisted for our project with Oliver. He agreed, and the results (performed by some of the Boss Brass) were simply astonishing!

The music is top-notch: four of the tunes were written by Oscar Peterson, with three by Oliver and the rest standards (including such gems as `Swinging On A Star'. Oliver is in fine form. His gracefulness and maturity are qualities I especially treasure, and these attributes are imbued in each, note, each chord and every phrase, all beautifully supported by some of this country's best jazz musicians.

The role of arranger is crucial. One can have good material, but the arrangements give this material an identity. Rick Wilkins has more than accomplished this goal, making his work speak directly to the listener - the ultimate goal of any good arranger.

Oliver claims he's working his way towards semi-retirement, yet his increasing popularity worldwide is making it more and more difficult to realize this objective. If reactions to this recording are what we imagine, I think retirement will be an impossibility!

Bravo Oliver!

- Jim West, October 1995