A web page devoted to the Toronto big band led by Rob McConnell. The Boss Brass was formed in 1968 as a 16-piece band composed of the city's leading studio musicians to record arrangements of pop songs of the day for the Canadian Talent Library. It took its name from its instrumentation at that time -- trumpets, trombones, French horns, and a rhythm section. Having built a challenging and largely original repertoire of jazz compositions and arrangements by McConnell and band members Ian McDougall and Rick Wilkins, by the mid-1970s the Boss Brass had become the leading big band in Canada, and one of the finest in the world. (The picture above is actually of Rob and his Tentet.)
VIDEO
BOSS BRASS ON CBC (JAZZ CANADA) 1980
LIVE AT HOWARD RUMSEY'S CONCERTS BY THE SEA, 1981
BOSS BRASS IN CALIFORNIA, FROM "THE JOURNAL", 1984
BOSS BRASS ON CBC (25TH ANNIVERSARY), 1994
AUDIO
JAZZ CANADIANA - LP Record, 1975 ** NEW! **
THE BOSS BRASS LIVE AT THE MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL - Sept. 18, 1981
THE BOSS BRASS LIVE AT DONTE'S - January, 1984
ROB McCONNELL JIVE FIVE LIVE AT GEORGE'S - 1991 ** NEW! **
THE BOSS BRASS LIVE ON THE CBC - Nov. 24, 1995
ROB McCONNELL TENTET LIVE IN TORONTO - March 8, 2004 ** NEW! **
NEWS
THE BOSS BRASS -- Reunited in Toronto, Dec. 2008 -- Globe and Mail article
Rob McConnell Obituary - from Canadian Press, May, 2010
Here is my very tiny Boss Brass FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).
If you want to write to me, then click here. --
Mike Quigley You can find Boss Brass CDs at amazon.com.
The Boss Brass 1969 (RCA CTLS-1105)Our Second Album 1969 (CTL 477-5118/RCA CTLS-1118)
The Sound of the Boss Brass 1970 (CBC LM-73)
Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass 1971 (CTL 477-5143): On A Cool Day Front Cover Back Cover
Reissued as Down to Brass Tacks (Pickwick PC-44013)Rob: Rob McConnell's Boss Brass 4 1972 (CTL 477-5159)
Reissued as Odds and Ends (Pickwick PC-44007)The Best Damn Band in the Land 1974 (CTL CTLS-5182/U Artists UALA-309G/Birchmount BM 872)
The Jazz Album 1976 (Attic LAT-1015)
Nobody Does It Better 1977-78 (CTL CTLS-5215/Phonodisc NV-5004)
Are Ya Dancin' Disco 1979 (CTL CTLS-5223/New Ventures NV-5008) Seriously.
Trombone Rob ???? (CTL S5249 LP) (Not confirmed if this is a Boss Brass LP.)
Some of the above albums were recorded for The Canadian Talent Library in the 1970's. They consist of 2-3 minute cuts suitable for MOR radio play. If anyone has any info about more of these albums, please send e-mail.
Big Band Jazz 1977 (Umbrella UMB-DD4)
The Boss Brass Again! (Umbrella UMB-GEN 1-12)
Big Band Jazz is a direct-to-disc recording. The second Umbrella production was supposed to be direct-to-disc but technical problems prevented this. Instead, it was just issued as an audiophile LP.
These two recordings have been available on low-budget CDs in Canada (there are no liner notes).
According to pianist Jimmy Dale, who played on these recordings: "The Umbrella Direct-To-Disc album [Big Band Jazz] was recorded twice on disc, as they wanted two 'mothers' in case of a failure. However, both worked, and there are two different versions of this album, all different takes, both direct to disc. Doug Riley subbed for me on one of the sessions, and you will hear the difference on 'Just Friends'. They also ran audiotape on these sessions, and I believe that that is the source for later releases of these songs." This would explain the difference in tracks between the Canadian Trend CD release of this LP and the US Pausa CD release of the same thing.
Present Perfect 1979 (MPS 0068.249)
Reissued on CD (MPS 823 543-2) and as "2 Originals" (see below).
Tribute (PAUSA 7106)
Reissued on CD as "2 Originals" (see below).
Singers Unlimited with Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass 1978 (MPS 0068.238) The Singers Unlimited are another of my "favorite things" in the world of music. This album is a true "meeting of the minds" between Gene Puerling and Rob McConnell. This was also issued on CD and reissued more recently as part of a 7-CD box set of the Singers Unlimited (a must have). Buy at Amazon.com
The Hi-Lo's - Back Again 1978 (MPS 0068.217 (?) / Memoir Records [UK] MOIR 106)
Atras da Porta (MCA Impulse MCAD-42123) 1985 Buy at Amazon.com
A very hard-to-find album which, as far as I can tell, was never released on CD in Canada (shame!). The opening arrangement of Easy to Love by Cole Porter is one of my favorite BB tracks. Incredible! Produced by Fernando Gelbard who did the Phil Woods album below, as well as a solo CD with Guido Basso. (LP release was on Innovation JC-0010.)
Big Band Jazz (Umbrella UMB CD-4) Buy at Amazon.com
Interestingly, this "reissue" of Big Band Jazz is not identical to the LP above. It consists of the same selections, but alternate takes. I suspect this was done in case the direct-to-disc version screwed up (as it did with "The Boss Brass Again").
The Boss Brass Again! (Umbrella UMB CD-12)
Boss Brass and Woods (MCA Impulse MCAD-5982) Buy at Amazon.com
Featuring guest Phil Woods on alto sax, this is an outstanding album from beginning to end. It was available in Canadian CD stores for about five minutes. (LP release was on Innovation JC-0011.)
Fernando Gelbard has sent along some photos from the recording sessions (all photos copyright ©1984 by Fernando Gelbard):
1. Jerry Toth, Moe Koffman, Rick Wilkins
2. Rob McConnell
3. The Boss Brass
4. Ed Bickert
5. Phil Sheridan, Fernando Gelbard and Rob McConnell
6. Terry Clarke
7. Fernando Gelbard and Phil Woods
8. Rob McConnell, Fernando Gelbard and Phil Woods
9. Guido Basso, John McLeod and Arnie Chicoski
10. Eugene Amaro and Jerry Toth
11. Rob McConnell
12. Rob McConnell
The Brass is Back (Concord Jazz CCD-4458) Buy at Amazon.com
Brassy and Sassy (Concord Jazz CCD-4508) Buy at Amazon.com
The Jazz Album (Attic ADCM 1015) Buy at Amazon.com
All In Good Time (Sea Breeze CD-SB-105, 1987) Booklet Front Cover - Booklet Back Cover - CD Back Cover
(LP release was on Innovation JC-0006.)
Live in Digital (Sea Breeze CD-SB-106) Buy at Amazon.com
Our 25th Year (Concord Jazz CCD-4559) Buy at Amazon.com
Overtime (Concord Jazz CCD-4618) Buy at Amazon.com
Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Concord Jazz CCD-4661) Buy at Amazon.com
Even Canadians Get the Blues (Concord Jazz CCD-4722) Buy at Amazon.com
Play The Jazz Classics (Concord Jazz CCD-4722) Buy at Amazon.com
Big Band Christmas (Concord Jazz CCD-4844-2) Buy at Amazon.com
A great CD containing several traditional favorites and a couple of unusual items which sounds good any time of the year.
Two Originals Buy at Amazon.com
A reissue of Tribute and Present Perfect, which unfortunately omits two of the selections from the former. You can listen to them here: Peace/Blue Silver (by Blue Mitchell, based on Horace Silver's "Peace") and My Bells (Bill Evans).
Riffs I Have Known (Recall SMDCD267) Buy at Amazon.com
A 2-CD compilation of several Concord CDs issued in England by Snapper Music.
Rob McConnell Sextet -- Old Friends/New Music (Unisson DDA-1001, 1984) Front Cover - Back Cover (courtesy of LP Cover Archive)
This has not been released on CD. It was recorded in 1984 and features McConnell, Guido Basso, Rick Wilkins, Ed Bickert, Steve Wallace and Terry Clarke.
Concord Jazz Festival (Concord Jazz CCD-4451) Buy at Amazon.com
Jive 5 (Concord Jazz CCD-4437) Buy at Amazon.com
Three for the Road (Concord Jazz CCD-4765-2) Buy at Amazon.com
Three for the Road features McConnell with Ed Bickert (guitar) and Don Thompson on bass and piano.
Mutual Street (Jazz Alliance TJA-10003) Buy at Amazon.com McConnell joins Boss Brass guitarist Ed Bickert in several standards.
The Boss of the Boss Brass (Duke Street DSBBD 31044) Buy at Amazon.com McConnell as soloist backed by an orchestra of strings and winds which he arranged. The woodwinds include Moe Koffman, Eugene Amaro, Alex Dean and there are solos by Guido Basso, Don Thompson, Ed Bickert and Rick Wilkins. Among the cellists is Ofra Harnoy.
Trio Sketches (Concord Jazz CCD-4591) Buy at Amazon.com McConnell joined by Ed Bickert, guitar, and Neil Swainson on bass.
Mel Tormé With the Boss Brass (Concord Jazz CCD-4306) Buy at Amazon.com
Mel Tormé -- Velvet & Brass (Concord Jazz CCD-4667) Buy at Amazon.com
Of the former, Tormé says "Making this record was one of the two or three greatest musical experiences in my long and checkered career."
Tentet (Justin Time JUST 150-2, 2000) Booklet Front Cover - Booklet Back Cover - CD Back Cover
With this CD released in late 2000, McConnell abandoned the large-scale Boss Brass and devoted himself to a smaller ensemble for his last three albums. The members of this group are P.J. Perry, Alex Dean and Mike Murley (saxophones); Guido Basso and Steve McDade (trumpets), Terry Promane and Rob McConnell (trombones), Steve Wallace (bass), Dave Restivo (piano) and Terry Clarke (drums).
Thank You, Ted (Justin Time JUST 173-2, 2002) Booklet Front Cover - Booklet Back Cover - CD Back Cover
Music of the Twenties (Justin Time JUST 196-2, 2003) Booklet Front Cover - Booklet Back Cover - CD Back Cover
Rob McConnell and the SWR Big Band: "So Very Rob" (Boss Brass Revisited) (Hanssler LC 10622) Buy at Amazon.com
Rob McConnell & Big Band Brass: "Live with the Boss" (Black & Blue BB 665.2) Buy at Amazon.com
Recorded in 2001 at a French jazz festival with a local band.
Rob McConnell is on some CD which also features Manny Albam. Here are pictures of the front and back of this CD.
Rob is also on a CD entitled NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL: THE HAGUE YEARS (Netherlands Worldwide). This CD is part of a box set which is only available to radio stations.
Recorded 7/11/1992 at The North Sea Jazz Festival, The Hague The Netherlands.
- MOVE (Denzil Best, arr John Lewis)
- ALONE TOGETHER (Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz)
THE GERRY MULLIGAN TENTET: Art Farmer (flug); Michael Mossman (tpt); Rob McConnell (vtb); Bobby Routch (frh); Bill Barber (tba); Kenneth Solderholm (cl); Lee Konitz (as); Gerry Mulligan (bs); Ted Rosenthal (p); Dean Johnson (b); Ron Vincent (dr).
RELATED RELEASES
Fraser MacPherson Quintet featuring Ian McDougall -- In the Tradition (Concord Jazz CCD-4506) Buy at Amazon.com
The late tenor sax player Fraser MacPherson was one of the stalwarts of the Vancouver music scene.
Ian McDougall has his own web site -- http://www.ianmcdougall.com/
Pacific Salt (Gramophone Records G1002) - Rare Canadian jazz LP with Ian McDougall on trombone (1973) Front Cover Back Cover
Ian McDougall -- The Warmth of the Horn (Concord Jazz CCD-4652) Buy at Amazon.com
Ian McDougall -- Songs and Arias
This 2-CD set features McDougall playing jazz with Ron Johnston on one CD, and famous arias (many from operas) accompanied by Robert Holliston on the second.
Ian McDougall Sextet -- Dry with a Twist (Barbarian CDM02)
Contains "Ian Leaps Out" which is covered by Rob McConnell on his Tentet CD (see above).
The Brass Connection (Innovation Records JC-0003G)
Features Ian McDougall (arranged 3 of 8 cuts), Doug Hamilton, Jerry Johnson, Bob Livingston and John Capon on trombones. Rhythm section consists of Lorne Lofsky (guitar), Frank Falco (piano), Dave Young (bass), Terry Clarke (drums) and Don Thompson (vibes, bass and piano). Only released on LP as far as I can determine.
The Brass Connection -- A Five Star Edition (The Jazz Alliance TJA-10002) Buy at Amazon.com
Features Ian McDougall (arranged 4 of 8 cuts), Bill Watrous, Bob Livingston, Jerry Johnson, Doug "Doc" Hamilton and Ernie Pattison on trombones.
The Brass Connection -- Standards (The Jazz Alliance TJA-10014) Buy at Amazon.com
Features Ian McDougall, Bob Livingston, Jerry Johnson, Doug "Doc" Hamilton and John Capon on trombones.
Sammy Nestico -- Night Flight (Sea Breeze CD-SB-103) Buy at Amazon.com
Produced by veteran arranger Nestico, this CD features 8 cuts including several members of the BB (not McConnell), and 4 more with Hollywood studio musicians including Conte Candoli, Bill Watrous, Tommy Newsom, Louie Bellson, Pete Jolly and Bob Bain.
Oliver Jones -- From Lush to Lively (Justin Time JUST73-2) Buy at Amazon.com
An outstanding CD, featuring Montreal pianist Oliver Jones. The arrangements are by BB sax player Rick Wilkins. Numerous members of the BB are in the band behind Jones in the "lively" selections. The "lush" ones feature an ensemble of strings including the Moreney String Quartet.
Guido Basso (Innovation Records JCCD-0014) Buy at Amazon.com
In this CD produced by Fernando Gelbard, Basso is joined by Franjk Collett, piano; Andy Simpkins, bass; and Terry Clarke, drums. Recorded in 1986 in Hollywood.
