The Silent Wish - Bill McBirnie with Bernie Senensky

by Bill McBirnie - Extreme Flute

THE SILENT WISH

Bill McBirnie with Bernie Senensky

Available now at CDBaby: store.cdbaby.com/all/extremeflute

Here are a few responses to the duo work of Bill McBirnie and Bernie Senensky:

SIR JAMES GALWAY—"I want to tell you how much I enjoyed your latest, and greatest, CD. I’ve listened to it several times and it’s a really terrific record. You are my favourite jazz flutist…This album is a real knock-out!…"

DOWNBEAT—“Toronto’s deep pool of local talent was on display at dozens of events…Opening for Eliane Elias, flutist Bill McBirnie proved a passionate and eloquent improviser with sure-footed support from pianist Bernie Senensky. Their set included...a show-stopping finale penned by Senensky...inspired by Hermeto Pascoal and Charlie Parker.” (Allen Morrison)

JAZZTIMES—"Best Opening Act [at the TD Jazz Festival] – Eliane Elias delivered a solid, opening-weekend show at the Old Mill Inn, focusing squarely on selections from her recent Chet Baker tribute, I Thought About You. But it was the dynamic opening duo of pianist and composer, Bernie Senensky, and flutist, Bill McBirnie, that...truly set the expansive dining room aflame and, ironically, provided far more satisfying dips into the Brazilian songbook.” (Christopher Loudon)

PERSONNEL & CREDITS:

Bill McBirnie – flute (alto flute on track 10)
Bernie Senensky – piano

Produced – by Bill McBirnie
Co-produced – by Pacy Shulman
Engineering, mixing & mastering – by Pacy Shulman of Hilo Studio
Picture of Bill's hands – by Bill Beard (courtesy of Jazz.FM91)
Picture of the rain-drenched branches – Image 306339 (courtesy of Wall Haven)
Layout, design & manufacturing – by Staci Patten of Accurate Audio & Design

Recorded June 4th and 5th, 2018 at Hilo Studio, Toronto, Ontario

Bill is a Designated Haynes Artist and, on this recording, he plays a vintage silver Wm. S. Haynes flute (equipped with Jim Schmidt's gold flute pads, a David Welans headjoint and a Robert Bigio titanium crown and stopper). On track 10, Bill plays a vintage Armstrong alto flute.

DEDICATION:

My wife, Sveta, comes out to many of my gigs and, when she does, I often make it an occasion to say to the audience, “The band does not take any requests, except from my wife!” Of course, I say this in mock dismay, and after many years of having to put up with this, I like to think that Sveta has come to see this remark as mildly amusing.

...However, I could be wrong...

And if I am, then I want you to know that The Silent Wish was inspired by Sveta and is whole-heartedly dedicated to her, because she has been, and continues to be, my most steadfast and dedicated support...in everything I do...

This project came about because Sveta had been asking me for years to record an album consisting exclusively of tunes she likes, because she says, “What I like, others will like too, Billy.” So at last I am honoring her “request”, and while some of her picks may appear obvious (such as “Black Orpheus” or “Blue Bossa”), many are not (such as “Saber Cair”, “Cabana Boy” and “Away From Home”). In any event, Sveta's Russian spirit radiates throughout, because every song she has chosen is in a minor key, and this feature of the repertoire weaves a thread and imparts a theme that I think will resonate with anyone and everyone (...and there is no doubting Sveta's good common sense and astute judgement...in this as well as many other things...)

Finally, the title of the album, The Silent Wish, is a fragment from the lyrics to the closing track, “What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?” This fragment has a certain charm and mystique about it that I would like to think is relevant to all of us. But most of all, to Sveta whom I trust will always be near enough to hear...the silent wish I make...

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

For the past 15 years, I have been playing with one of this country's most formidable musicians, Bernie Senensky. This started about 15 years ago when Bernie recruited me to play flute for his Moe Koffman Tribute Band which Bernie put together after his own 20-year tenure in Moe's band.

When I first moved to Toronto in the '70s to attend university, I would go to the jazz clubs (including George's Spaghetti House) where I would often get to hear Moe and Bernie (though as little more than “an adoring fan” because I had stopped practicing the flute while pursuing another discipline altogether at that time).

In my mid 20s, I started to practice the flute again and decided that, instead of being “script bound” by classical music, I would improvise instead. After some years of what was largely self-study, it came as a complete surprise when Bernie asked me to serve, not just one but two of the musicians (Bernie and Moe, both of whom I had long admired) by joining the Moe Koffman Tribute Band.

I have subsequently worked with Bernie in a broad range of circumstances. Indeed, this is the third album where I have recruited Bernie to perform with me in, what is here, a very direct and immediate duo format.


On the last four of my recordings, Pacy Shulman of Hilo Studio has always done a fantastic job of engineering, mixing and mastering. Yet again, you get to listen to everything with crystal clarity.


I would like to convey my gratitude to Canada's premier jazz station, Jazz.FM91, for its longstanding support of my work (as well as that of other Canadian indie musicians) which, in my particular case, began in 1998 with the release of my very first Extreme Flute project (Desvio) and has been ongoing ever since.


TRACK LISTING:

1 - Reflection (Ray Bryant) – Latin/swing 3:43

2 - Black Orpheus/Morning Of The Carnival (Luis Bonfa) – slow bossa nova 5:37

3 - Saber Cair/Knowing How To Fall (Louis Simão & David French) – Maculelê 3:31

4 - Cabana Boy (Michele Mele) – relaxed bossa nova 6:44

5 - My Heart Belongs To Daddy (Cole Porter) – up swing 4:08

6 - First Song (for Ruth) (Charlie Haden) – ballad 4:30

7 - Recado Bossa Nova (Djalma Ferreira) – up bossa nova 5:28

8 - Dança da Solidão (Paulinho da Viola) – relaxed samba 3:49

9 - No Moon At All (David Mann) – medium swing 4:20

10 - Away From Home (Bill McBirnie & Bruce Jones) – rhapsody 5:07

11 - Blue Bossa (Kenny Dorham) – medium bossa nova 4:49

12 - What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
(Michel Legrand, Alan & Marilyn Bergman) – ballad 5:49


EXTREME FLUTE RELEASES AVAILABLE AT CDBABY & iTUNES:

  • – Grain of Sand (with Bruce Jones) – EF07
  • – Find Your Place (with Bernie Senensky & Anthony Michelli) – EF06
  • – Mercy (with Robi Botos, Pat Collins and John Sumner) – EF05
  • – Paco Paco (with Bernie Senensky, Neil Swainson and John Sumner) – EF04
  • – Nature Boy (with Mark Eisenman, Steve Wallace and John Sumner) – EF03
  • – Scratch It! (Extreme Flute) – EF02
  • – Desvio (with Bruce Jones) – EF01

WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?

What are you doing the rest of your life?

North and south and east and west of your life

I have only one request of your life

That you spend it all with me

All the seasons and the times of your days

All the nickels and the dimes of your days

Let the reasons and the rhymes of your days

All begin and end with me

I want to see your face in every kind of light

In fields of dawn and forests of the night

And when you stand before the candles on a cake

Oh, let me be the one to hear

The silent wish you make

Those tomorrows waiting deep in your eyes

In a world of love you keep in your eyes

I'll awaken what's asleep in your eyes

It may take a kiss or two

Through all of my life

Summer, winter, spring and fall of my life

All I ever will recall of my life

Is all of my life with you


ONE SHEET:

The Silent Wish

Bill McBirnie with Bernie Senensky

(EF08)

Bill McBirnie's latest Extreme Flute release, The Silent Wish, puts the spotlight on the acclaimed flutist alongside his longstanding and formidable accompanist, pianist Bernie Senensky.

Both musicians are featured in an intimate duo setting that exhibits the uncommon level of musicianship and simpatico they have developed over a 15-year period of collaboration (most notably, in The Moe Koffman Tribute Band which Bernie formed after playing in Moe's quintet for over 20 years).

Bill and Bernie have already recorded together in a quartet format (Paco Paco with Neil Swainson on bass and John Sumner on drums) and in an organ trio format (Find Your Place with Anthony Michelli on drums). Both of these previous recordings garnered uniformly excellent reviews and were in the regular spin cycles of both Jazz.FM91 in Canada and “Jazz with Bob Parlocha” in the USA.

Now, in an unadorned one-on-one format, Bill and Bernie execute a diverse range of material, integrated by a ubiquitous and alluring “minor theme” which was inspired by Bill's wife, Sveta, and to whom The Silent Wish is dedicated.

Both musicians deliver a sparkling, heart-warming and spontaneous performance (with pristine acoustic clarity, courtesy of engineer, Pacy Shulman). The result is yet another album with “drop-the-needle-anywhere” presence and charm.


Bill McBirnie/Extreme Flute
Phone: (416) 652-541
e-mail: extremeflute@look.ca
Website: extremeflute.com

read more

THE SILENT WISH

Bill McBirnie with Bernie Senensky

Available now at CDBaby: store.cdbaby.com/all/extremeflute

Here are a few responses to the duo work of Bill McBirnie and Bernie Senensky:

SIR JAMES GALWAY—"I want to tell you how much I enjoyed your latest, and greatest, CD. I’ve listened to it several times and it’s a really terrific record. You are my favourite jazz flutist…This album is a real knock-out!…"

DOWNBEAT—“Toronto’s deep pool of local talent was on display at dozens of events…Opening for Eliane Elias, flutist Bill McBirnie proved a passionate and eloquent improviser with sure-footed support from pianist Bernie Senensky. Their set included...a show-stopping finale penned by Senensky...inspired by Hermeto Pascoal and Charlie Parker.” (Allen Morrison)

JAZZTIMES—"Best Opening Act [at the TD Jazz Festival] – Eliane Elias delivered a solid, opening-weekend show at the Old Mill Inn, focusing squarely on selections from her recent Chet Baker tribute, I Thought About You. But it was the dynamic opening duo of pianist and composer, Bernie Senensky, and flutist, Bill McBirnie, that...truly set the expansive dining room aflame and, ironically, provided far more satisfying dips into the Brazilian songbook.” (Christopher Loudon)

PERSONNEL & CREDITS:

Bill McBirnie – flute (alto flute on track 10)
Bernie Senensky – piano

Produced – by Bill McBirnie
Co-produced – by Pacy Shulman
Engineering, mixing & mastering – by Pacy Shulman of Hilo Studio
Picture of Bill's hands – by Bill Beard (courtesy of Jazz.FM91)
Picture of the rain-drenched branches – Image 306339 (courtesy of Wall Haven)
Layout, design & manufacturing – by Staci Patten of Accurate Audio & Design

Recorded June 4th and 5th, 2018 at Hilo Studio, Toronto, Ontario

Bill is a Designated Haynes Artist and, on this recording, he plays a vintage silver Wm. S. Haynes flute (equipped with Jim Schmidt's gold flute pads, a David Welans headjoint and a Robert Bigio titanium crown and stopper). On track 10, Bill plays a vintage Armstrong alto flute.

DEDICATION:

My wife, Sveta, comes out to many of my gigs and, when she does, I often make it an occasion to say to the audience, “The band does not take any requests, except from my wife!” Of course, I say this in mock dismay, and after many years of having to put up with this, I like to think that Sveta has come to see this remark as mildly amusing.

...However, I could be wrong...

And if I am, then I want you to know that The Silent Wish was inspired by Sveta and is whole-heartedly dedicated to her, because she has been, and continues to be, my most steadfast and dedicated support...in everything I do...

This project came about because Sveta had been asking me for years to record an album consisting exclusively of tunes she likes, because she says, “What I like, others will like too, Billy.” So at last I am honoring her “request”, and while some of her picks may appear obvious (such as “Black Orpheus” or “Blue Bossa”), many are not (such as “Saber Cair”, “Cabana Boy” and “Away From Home”). In any event, Sveta's Russian spirit radiates throughout, because every song she has chosen is in a minor key, and this feature of the repertoire weaves a thread and imparts a theme that I think will resonate with anyone and everyone (...and there is no doubting Sveta's good common sense and astute judgement...in this as well as many other things...)

Finally, the title of the album, The Silent Wish, is a fragment from the lyrics to the closing track, “What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?” This fragment has a certain charm and mystique about it that I would like to think is relevant to all of us. But most of all, to Sveta whom I trust will always be near enough to hear...the silent wish I make...

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

For the past 15 years, I have been playing with one of this country's most formidable musicians, Bernie Senensky. This started about 15 years ago when Bernie recruited me to play flute for his Moe Koffman Tribute Band which Bernie put together after his own 20-year tenure in Moe's band.

When I first moved to Toronto in the '70s to attend university, I would go to the jazz clubs (including George's Spaghetti House) where I would often get to hear Moe and Bernie (though as little more than “an adoring fan” because I had stopped practicing the flute while pursuing another discipline altogether at that time).

In my mid 20s, I started to practice the flute again and decided that, instead of being “script bound” by classical music, I would improvise instead. After some years of what was largely self-study, it came as a complete surprise when Bernie asked me to serve, not just one but two of the musicians (Bernie and Moe, both of whom I had long admired) by joining the Moe Koffman Tribute Band.

I have subsequently worked with Bernie in a broad range of circumstances. Indeed, this is the third album where I have recruited Bernie to perform with me in, what is here, a very direct and immediate duo format.


On the last four of my recordings, Pacy Shulman of Hilo Studio has always done a fantastic job of engineering, mixing and mastering. Yet again, you get to listen to everything with crystal clarity.


I would like to convey my gratitude to Canada's premier jazz station, Jazz.FM91, for its longstanding support of my work (as well as that of other Canadian indie musicians) which, in my particular case, began in 1998 with the release of my very first Extreme Flute project (Desvio) and has been ongoing ever since.


TRACK LISTING:

1 - Reflection (Ray Bryant) – Latin/swing 3:43

2 - Black Orpheus/Morning Of The Carnival (Luis Bonfa) – slow bossa nova 5:37

3 - Saber Cair/Knowing How To Fall (Louis Simão & David French) – Maculelê 3:31

4 - Cabana Boy (Michele Mele) – relaxed bossa nova 6:44

5 - My Heart Belongs To Daddy (Cole Porter) – up swing 4:08

6 - First Song (for Ruth) (Charlie Haden) – ballad 4:30

7 - Recado Bossa Nova (Djalma Ferreira) – up bossa nova 5:28

8 - Dança da Solidão (Paulinho da Viola) – relaxed samba 3:49

9 - No Moon At All (David Mann) – medium swing 4:20

10 - Away From Home (Bill McBirnie & Bruce Jones) – rhapsody 5:07

11 - Blue Bossa (Kenny Dorham) – medium bossa nova 4:49

12 - What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
(Michel Legrand, Alan & Marilyn Bergman) – ballad 5:49


EXTREME FLUTE RELEASES AVAILABLE AT CDBABY & iTUNES:

  • – Grain of Sand (with Bruce Jones) – EF07
  • – Find Your Place (with Bernie Senensky & Anthony Michelli) – EF06
  • – Mercy (with Robi Botos, Pat Collins and John Sumner) – EF05
  • – Paco Paco (with Bernie Senensky, Neil Swainson and John Sumner) – EF04
  • – Nature Boy (with Mark Eisenman, Steve Wallace and John Sumner) – EF03
  • – Scratch It! (Extreme Flute) – EF02
  • – Desvio (with Bruce Jones) – EF01

WHAT ARE YOU DOING THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?

What are you doing the rest of your life?

North and south and east and west of your life

I have only one request of your life

That you spend it all with me

All the seasons and the times of your days

All the nickels and the dimes of your days

Let the reasons and the rhymes of your days

All begin and end with me

I want to see your face in every kind of light

In fields of dawn and forests of the night

And when you stand before the candles on a cake

Oh, let me be the one to hear

The silent wish you make

Those tomorrows waiting deep in your eyes

In a world of love you keep in your eyes

I'll awaken what's asleep in your eyes

It may take a kiss or two

Through all of my life

Summer, winter, spring and fall of my life

All I ever will recall of my life

Is all of my life with you


ONE SHEET:

The Silent Wish

Bill McBirnie with Bernie Senensky

(EF08)

Bill McBirnie's latest Extreme Flute release, The Silent Wish, puts the spotlight on the acclaimed flutist alongside his longstanding and formidable accompanist, pianist Bernie Senensky.

Both musicians are featured in an intimate duo setting that exhibits the uncommon level of musicianship and simpatico they have developed over a 15-year period of collaboration (most notably, in The Moe Koffman Tribute Band which Bernie formed after playing in Moe's quintet for over 20 years).

Bill and Bernie have already recorded together in a quartet format (Paco Paco with Neil Swainson on bass and John Sumner on drums) and in an organ trio format (Find Your Place with Anthony Michelli on drums). Both of these previous recordings garnered uniformly excellent reviews and were in the regular spin cycles of both Jazz.FM91 in Canada and “Jazz with Bob Parlocha” in the USA.

Now, in an unadorned one-on-one format, Bill and Bernie execute a diverse range of material, integrated by a ubiquitous and alluring “minor theme” which was inspired by Bill's wife, Sveta, and to whom The Silent Wish is dedicated.

Both musicians deliver a sparkling, heart-warming and spontaneous performance (with pristine acoustic clarity, courtesy of engineer, Pacy Shulman). The result is yet another album with “drop-the-needle-anywhere” presence and charm.


Bill McBirnie/Extreme Flute
Phone: (416) 652-541
e-mail: extremeflute@look.ca
Website: extremeflute.com