Anyone who spends any significant amount of time in the jazz scene in Montreal will understand the foundational role that the music faculty at the Université de Montréal plays in it. Over the last few decades, it has produced a now intergenerational community of musicians without whom the city’s music would not sound the same. As such, the school’s big band has inevitably become a place of development for countless musicians who continue to make names of themselves in the city and elsewhere in the world. With this Thursday marking the ensemble’s 45th anniversary, a Théâtre Outremont crowd was treated to a set of repertoire that was both surprising and classic, featuring the younger generation of students alongside several of their mentors in the faculty.
The night kicked off in style with an original arrangement of Thelonious Monk’s “Well You Needn’t” by lead trombonist Laurent Cauchy. His interpretation of the piece utilized plenty of odd time signatures and a bridge that shifted between half and double time feels, all of which reframed Monk’s melody in a new and interesting way. There is a clear stylistic connection in Cauchy’s writing to that of Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra alumni such as Jim McNeely and Bob Brookmeyer.
The rest of the set largely followed suit, featuring several (relatively) contemporary takes on standards by acclaimed arrangers such as Gil Evans and Bill Holman. A highlight of the show was Rob McConnell’s arrangement of Lester Young’s “Tickle Toe,” which featured faculty trombonist Jean-Nicolas Trottier alongside Maude Gauthier on the tenor saxophone, trading energetic solos both in sequence and simultaneously.
If there was one thing missing from last night’s performance, it was a lack of featured solos from the students in the band. Of course, It was a treat to listen to the faculty members that were brought onstage throughout, but the audience did not get the chance to get to know many of the ever-present musicians. In fact, the Don Sebesky arrangement of the classic “All the Things You Are” was the only piece that featured more than one student solo. This is not to say that this was to the detriment of the performance, but perhaps a missed opportunity.
All said, the UdeM Big Band did well to pay tribute to its 45 years, while showing at the same time that it will remain a fixture of Montreal’s jazz community for years to come.
Photo by Nina Gibelin Souchon
