The flute may be the least respected instrument in mainstream American jazz. Over the years a lot of sax players have added it to their panoply of skills and many big band arrangements use it for "color" but it rarely stands on its own as a soloist. Of the more than 13 thousand musicians in AllAboutJazz musician directory, fewer than 40 play the flute. Then of course, there was the whole Ron Burgundy incident.
Fortunately, there's room for all in the Church of Swing. So you can add Bill McBirnie's name to the select column that includes Herbie Mann, Hubert Laws, and Yusef Lateef to name a few.
In addition to working as a sideman in the tastefully teeming cultural stew that is Toronto, McBirnie is a member of two latin jazz ensembles. (Not surprising considering that, unlike it's northern cousin, Latin jazz adores the flute.)
McBirnie has put out two CDs under his own label Extreme Flute (which, yes, does seem to be over selling things a bit): Nature Boy (2003) and Paco Paco (2005). He brings precise technique and solid swing to a collection of tunes by Coltrane, Monk and Nat Adderley among others, as well as a dreamy version of Bernier Simon's Poinciana. Samples of McBirnie's work in MP3 form are available here.
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And while we're on under-appreciated jazz instruments, how about the steel pan? (I hear they're a lot easier to pack than a steel drum.)
Check out Anthony Guppy's Over Drunk Blues, recorded live in Japan.
For whatever it's worth (and this may affect the numbers of jazz flutists in years to come) Tony Snow plays jazz flute.
ReplyDeleteThe unkindest cut of all...
ReplyDeleteFred is kidding... I hope.
ReplyDeleteNice find.
When in Rome.....
ReplyDeleteIf in any doubt, then you might listen to this: https://soundcloud.com/extremeflute/08-yes-or-no
ReplyDelete