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 | Wray DownesFor You...ELabel: Justin Time | Jazz | September 1, 1996Format UPC Order # Unit Price |
TracksNo Title Duration Excerpts 01 Falling In Love With Love 00:06:32 02 Compassion 00:05:29 03 Teach Me Tonight 00:04:22 05 Brotherhood Of Man 00:04:19 06 Spindrift 00:05:22 07 Fascinating Rhythm 00:03:19 08 Si Tu Partais (If You Go) 00:07:50 11 For You ... E 00:04:38 Liner NotesYou know, theres a lot to be said for experience. A lot. Sure, the young kids around today can certainly impress with great technique and enthusiastic energy, but the evidence, in your hand is the Bordeaux to the kid 's Beaujolais. This is vintage Wray Downes, and it has been a long time maturing.Under-recognized. Wray is one of the giants of jazz in Canada, with a career thats nearly fifty tears along. It's hard to believe that this is only the second release under his own name, but Downes would be the first to agree that his own personality and attitude have something to do with that. The music itself is the important part of "the biz, and his life off the stand is kept separate. Now in his mid-sixties (born January 14, 1931), he can look back on a musical life that has taken him to London and Paris for scholarship studies, and early jazz playing. But Wray Downes greatest development as an artist came in the late 50s and early 60s from regular work with Toronto stalwarts Peter Appleyard and Don Thompson, as well as the after hours scene, which allowed the room for polishing his style. Further shaping was aided by studying at Oscar Peterson's advanced school of contemporary music. Peterson also helped Wray get the position as house pianist at the Town Tavern, where he backed masters such as Lester Young, Milt Jackson, Coleman Hawkins, Clark Terry and many others. Along the way, there has been a few recordings, as early as 1952 with Bill Coleman at a Paris concert. The twenty-one year old called himself Randy Downes so the family back home wouldn't learn of the distraction from his Conservatoire studies. Wray's best representation on disc to this point is on three Sackville releases from the late '70s, two with the potent rhythm section of Dave Young .and Pete Magadini that accompanied tenor men Don Menza .and Buddy Tate, and "Au Privave"; a date with Dave Young and guest Ed Bickert. There were also record appearances earlier with Peter Appleyard, Moe Koffman and Don Thompson. More recently, Wray played duos with altoist Dave Turner on a CD, and this trio contributed two tracks to an Oscar Peterson tribute called From The Heart." Consider that tribute a warmup for this CD, as once again Dave Young (and you should check out his terrific Justin Time piano/bass recordings) and Archie Alleyne (Wray's trio-mate at the Town) get together again. These men make a classic trio in the central tradition of jazz: blues-rich and ever-swinging. They know the material of the golden age of popular song, and will incorporate flavors and spices from outside those traditions, but wont let those externals dominate. They realize you would have something different if you didnt keep the pulse, that special Jazz feeling. They bring to music life experience, too. Thats something veterans have in their back pockets, and the impressive youngsters will just have to wait for. Wray Downes has been sharing his knowledge for the last several years at Montreals Concordia and McGill universities, and teaching privately as well. On this release Wray performs a comfortable selection representing originals, standards and favourite jazz tunes. His own compositions are personal reflections: Jaidyn is for his grandson (and gives great space for Alleyne), while For You ... E was penned for a "tower of strength in his personal life. RB's Line is for old friend Ray Brown, so naturally Dave Youngs bass is up front and impressive. The other choices are also drawn from Wrays own career: Si Tu Partais (If You Go) was learned because he loved what Shirley Horn did with it; Milt Jackson's Compassion is one Wray played with Bags (and Archie Alleyne) years ago. Spindrift, Tom Scott's composition, was found by Wray and Dave Young years ago, and they still enjoy giving it a read, while Dave is the composer of What A Time We Had. Fascinating Rhythm is a song Wray loves, having played it hundreds of times over the years with Peter Appleyard. Two of the tunes represent Wray's major influence, Oscar Peterson. They share a conception: elegant and funky, powerful and harmonically rich with technique to burn. Petersons a more luxurious player, with Wray sounding edgier. Teach Me Tonight and Brotherhood Of Man also share thoughts of Sarah Vaughan and Clark Terry. That leaves us with Falling In Love With Love, the discs opener, a composition that Wray has been using for several years to loosen up and get comfortable. The trio does just that, and launches us info a session Wray should have uncorked long ago. This wine is ready, and just a sip or two will show that 1931 was a great year. - Ted OReilly (has hosted The Jazz Scene on CJRT-FM Toronto since 1965) |
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