McConnell, Rob and the Boss Brass - The Big Band Hour (England, UK) (unreleased)

Tracks

		Track Name	Length
	1	Introduction and The First Half Hour: Just Friends - Runaway Hormones - A Time For Love (Johnny Mandel)	25:59
	2	The Second Half Hour: Confirmation - The Tribue to Art Fern - Street Of Dreams	23:37

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Information/Write-up

Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass – Canada’s Big Band Legacy

Rob McConnell was born in London, Ontario on February 14, 1935. Raised in Toronto, he discovered the trombone as a teenager and quickly developed an ear for both performance and arrangement. By the mid-1950s, McConnell was already working with some of Canada’s leading bandleaders, including Bobby Gimby and fellow Canadian expatriate Maynard Ferguson. At the same time, he studied composition and arranging with Gordon Delamont, whose teachings would shape McConnell’s meticulous approach to orchestration.

After a stint in New York with Ferguson in 1964, McConnell returned to Toronto and became one of the most sought-after studio musicians in the city. Surrounded by an extraordinary circle of players, he began to imagine a band of his own—something brassy, sophisticated, and unapologetically Canadian.

That vision became reality in 1968 with the birth of The Boss Brass, a sixteen-piece ensemble of Toronto’s finest studio musicians. The group’s sound was bold and unmistakable: four trumpets, four trombones, a pair of French horns, and a rhythm section, with no saxophones at first. In 1970 McConnell added a full woodwind section, and by 1976 the band had grown to twenty-two members. The result was a powerhouse outfit that set a new standard for big band music in Canada.

From the outset, The Boss Brass combined technical precision with McConnell’s sharp wit and elegant arrangements. Their repertoire stretched from reimagined standards to original works that revealed McConnell’s lyrical sense of melody and sly humour. Audiences and musicians alike marveled at the sound. Trumpeter Guido Basso recalled playing Los Angeles clubs in the 1970s where the likes of Nelson Riddle and other Hollywood greats lined up night after night just to hear the Canadians play.

Over the next four decades, McConnell and The Boss Brass became Canada’s premier jazz orchestra. They recorded more than a dozen albums, many for the prestigious Concord Jazz label, and toured festivals across Europe, Asia, and North America. Their collaborations included sessions with Mel Tormé, The Singers Unlimited, and Phil Woods, among others. The band’s balance of muscular swing and studio polish made them a formidable force on record and a thrilling presence on stage.

Recognition came steadily: three Juno Awards, seventeen Grammy nominations, and three Grammy wins, including Best Jazz Big Band and Best Arrangement. McConnell himself was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1997 and appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada the following year.

Though he briefly taught at the Dick Grove School of Music in California, McConnell remained rooted in Canada. His reputation as a perfectionist—sometimes exacting, often demanding—was matched by his deep commitment to the music and the musicians he led. Those who played under him recalled his cutting humour, his insistence on excellence, and the sense that he was always pushing for something just beyond the ordinary.

Beyond the Boss Brass, McConnell also led smaller ensembles and contributed as a trombonist and arranger to countless recordings, from Canadian jazz greats like Moe Koffman and Guido Basso to international stars. Even late in his career, his arrangements continued to be studied and performed, admired for their clarity, swing, and inventive use of colour.

Rob McConnell passed away on May 1, 2010, at the age of 75. His legacy endures not only in the recordings of The Boss Brass, but in the generations of musicians and listeners who came to see Canadian jazz as something world-class. As broadcaster Ross Porter once remarked, “Rob was one of our greatest gifts to music. His stature, talent, and importance in Canadian jazz should rank him with Oscar Peterson.”

For decades, The Boss Brass lived up to McConnell’s cheeky boast of being “the best damn band in the land.” History has proven he wasn’t wrong.
-Robert Williston

Unearthed by Brian Savin, these recordings have been unheard anywhere in the world since they first aired in the 80's to a local radio audience.

In the eighties, Brian Savin produced a radio series called The Big Band Hour. It featured the Johnny Patrick Big Band recreating the music of the major big bands (Stan Kenton, Harry James, Artie Shaw etc.). There were eight programmes in all and one of them was Rob McConnell. At the time that was quite a daring choice as hardly anyone (except jazz musicians and DJ's who used the Canadian Talent Library) had heard of him. However, Johnny Patrick knew him personally and I think this was one of the reasons why we chose his music for the series. Johnny Patrick was (and still is at the age of 89) a highly respected musician in the UK. The presenter of the series, Benny Green, was a saxophonist, writer and broadcaster. Amongst others he played with Ralph Sharon and Stan Kenton.

Recording the big band was quite a feat - mainly because sometimes we could hardly fit them all into the studio!
-Brian Savin
Savin Productions
+44 (0)121 240 1100
www.savinproductions.com

Born in London, Ontario, McConnell took up the valve trombone in high school and began his performing career in the early 50’s performing with saxophonist Don Thompson Edmonton, Bobby Gimby and fellow Canadian Maynard Ferguson. He also studied arranging and composition with Gordon Delamont. In 1968, Rob formed The Boss Brass, a big band that would become his primary performing and recording unit through the 1970’s into the early 2000’s.

A unique musical voice, cutting wit and meticulous leadership on the bandstand were just a few of McConnell’s trademarks. He was consummate professional, a perfectionist and difficult task master- an arranger of the highest order and one hell of a trombone player. For all of us that knew and worked with Rob, he made our lives richer in the process.

McConnell was an extraordinarily talented arranger, a lyrical trombonist and a bandleader with a reputation for perfection and artistic drive that made The Boss Brass the renowned band it became after it’s debut in the late 60’s. A unique musical voice, cutting wit and meticulous leadership on the bandstand were just a few of McConnell’s trademarks.

In 1988, Rob took a teaching position at the Dick Grove School of Music in California , but gave up his position and returned to Canada a year later. In 1997 , McConnell was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and in 1998 was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.

“A trombonist, bandleader, composer/arranger, songwriter, and the music educator, he wore many hats and all contributed to his great body of work and his unwavering devotion to the music he loved”, stated Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy, which puts on the Grammys.

His sense of storytelling and humour infused his dynamic career, which will be remembered and appreciated for generations to come! “Rob was one of our greatests gifts to music. His stature, talent and importance in Canadian jazz should rank him with Oscar Peterson”, said Ross Porter, President and CEO of Jazz. FM91.

Rob McConnell passed away on May 1, 2010 at the age of 75. Heartfelt condolences go out to the family, friends and all who have loved his music.

Rob MCconnell: All arrangements
Derick Healy: trumpet
Bert Hasard: trumpet
Paul Davis: trumpet
Dave Browning: trumpet
Bill Turner: trumpet

Chris Dean: trombones
Reg Reid: trombones
Jackie Armstrong: trombones
Andy Forbert: trombones
Roy Williams: trombones solo

George Watts: lead alto sax
Trevor Alton: alto sax
Gary Cox: tenor sax
Dougie Robinson: baritone sax

Rhythm Section:
Colin Campbell: piano
John Smith: guitar
John McCulloch: bass guitar
Alf Bigdon: drums

Jeff Bryant: french horns
Jamie Buck: french horns
Frank Ricotti: percussion (vibes, glockenspiel, congas, xylophone)

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