Feb 21st, 2021
Jazz trio TuneTown premiere lead single Billyish from new album Entering Utopia
Toronto jazz trio TuneTown are getting ready to release their sophomore album Entering Utopia — but in the meantime, we’re excited to bring you the exclusive premiere of the band’s video for lead single Billyish.
Comprising three of Canada’s top jazz improvisers — saxophonist Kelly Jefferson, bassist Artie Roth and drummer Ernesto Cervini — the chordless trio emerged with their debut recording There From Here in 2019.
Entering Utopia expands on the creative journey and energy of TuneTown’s debut album, adding more of their energized original compositions to their repertoire along with unique stamps on existing standards.
Cervini’s original composition Billyish is dedicated to drummer Bill Stewart. Inspired by Stewart’s seven-and-a-half-bar blues, the trio delivers a rhythmically cheeky and unpredictable tune with stop-start dynamics, hairpin turns, “missing” beats and plenty of first-rate improvisation.
You can watch the video for Billyish below. [YouTube]
Much like their debut album, Entering Utopia album plays out like a story, intended to be listened to from top to bottom. It features 10 inspired originals along with unique arrangements of Cheryl, written by Charlie Parker, and Blue Gardenia, made famous by Nat “King” Cole. This engaging and fiercely melodic album combines three distinct musical voices on material that ranges from intense to sublime.
Entering Utopia will be released Friday, March 19, via the brand new Canadian record label Three Pines Records.
Pre-save the album here, or find it on Bandcamp.
Adam Feibel