PREVIEW
Remi Noel CD Release
Remi Noel Septet
Saturday, Jan. 26 at 8 p.m.
Yardbird Suite
10203 – 86 Ave.
Tickets: $20 to $24. Visit www.tixonthesquare.ca
If you were to look into a crystal ball revealing the local jazz musicians that will sizzle in 2019, trombonist Remi Noel, 30, is an exciting prospect.
One of the brightest stars on the Edmonton scene, Noel plays with Kent Sangster’s Edmonton Jazz Orchestra, Don Berner Trio and the AC-Dixie Band Trio.
He’s just made an impressive debut album that showcases his skills as a musician, improviser and composer.
Canola Bloom Yellow skilfully blends his love of multiple jazz styles and their diverse energies with the rhythmic riches of Alberta’s prairie heartland.
After honing his craft for about a decade, Noel feels confident enough to release the inaugural 10-track at the Yardbird Suite on Saturday, Jan. 26, with the Remi Noel Septet.
“I wanted to create an album that showcases my sensibilities and where I come from. I happen to like jazz, classical, rock, Motown and the Beatles. Through the writing process, I realized it reflected my personality,” Noel said.
The album features diverse styles including straight ahead swing, an old school driving shuffle, Latin jazz and jazz fusion with an electric trombone.
All these styles are intertwined with Noel’s memories of growing up on a Bon Accord acreage and driving around seeing bright yellow fields of crops swaying in the breeze.
Noel picked up the trombone in the Lilian Schick Junior High music program. But by the time he reached Sturgeon Composite High, the young trombonist, passionate about hockey, wanted to drop music in favour of playing the ice sport on a Bon Accord A team.
But he praises then music teacher Darwin Krips for encouraging him to join the jazz band.
“I have to give him a ton of credit for continuing my passion and excitement,” said Noel. “This parallels organized sport. You have 18 to 20 people working together. You are like a team. You try to achieve a goal together.”
Back in 2013, Noel added to his musical growth spending six months in London, England. Working as a bartender at Prince of Wales Theatre, he had the opportunity to hear a veritable smorgasbord of musical pies.
In fact, one of the instrumentals on Canola Bloom Yellow is titled London Underground, a fusion of electric bass and keyboards, guitar, tenor sax and trombone that captures the Tube’s frantic energy.
“In the London Underground, trains come screaming into the station. If you stand close enough, it blows your hair back.”
Instead the title track started with melodic chord changes inspired by the Beatles.
“But in my head, I kept hearing a drum pattern that made me think of the Prairies. I gave it to Allan Gilliland and he arranged and put his flavour on it. He put five horns on it and did a fantastic job.”
Backing Noel on those rhythmic grooves is an Edmonton’s Who's Who of musicians: Jeremiah McDade (saxophone), Joel Gray (trumpet), Chris Andrew (piano), Brett Hansen (guitar), Josh McHan (bass) and Jamie Cooper (drums).
“I like to have fun and add humour and levity to my show. I’m not one who thinks jazz is a stone-faced institution. I like people to have fun with me.”
