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To Be Grand…
A Walter Mitty-esque daydreamy jazz romp that celebrates the imagination run wild
The tune is rich with tongue-in-cheek references to everyone from Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof, the iconic Vegas Oceans-11-cool ‘60s Rat Pack to entitled American princesses. It can be summed up as a sharp-witted, fun jazz track that celebrates the human being’s capacity for imagination while poking fun at the absurdity of a status and celebrity-obsessed culture. Written during the pandemic - it was my way of escaping the drudgery and stress felt during that time. I (wisely!) brought in Bob McAlpine once again to collaborate with on the project, who had produced my album project of 2020 One Fine Morning. He took his time arranging and with help from a Mississauga Arts Council (MAC) grant we got down to recording at Metalworks Studios with an outstanding batch of musicians. There is a video release on the way too describing the making of the tune curated by the wonderfully talented Carlos Coronado.
I do hope you enjoy To Be Grand as much as I did writing and recording it - it really was a fun and fulfilling experience!
Musicians:
Bob McAlpine - Guitar
Pat Collins - Bass
Richard Evans - Piano
Steve Heathcote - drums/percussion
John Johnson - Alto sax
Andy Ballantyne - tenor Sax
Dave Dunlop - trumpet
Camille Comeau - sound engineer, Metalworks Studios
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Upcoming Shows
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As promised, here is my Valentine to budding romances of today and that of our parents back in their day...Enjoy REMINISCING!
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More background on REMINISCING...The SONG & the VIDEO
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INTO THE MYSTIC...Behind the Scenes
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"...you can hear this wonderful partnership between Denise Leslie and guitarist/producer Bob Mc Alpine..the whole album ONE FINE MORNING is just great - if you haven't listened to the whole thing yet definitely seek it out...it just makes you FEEL good". - Raina Hersh, host of The Interval, at Jazz FM91.1
“I have worked extensively with Denise. She's a real natural talent and expressive vocalist. I look forward to hearing her project ONE FINE MORNING with the hard work she's put into it and the stellar team that she has assembled. ” - Bruce Cassidy - Musician, composer, arranger, educator
“Denise Leslie's jazz is unique, musical and captivating. Her scat SOARS. It's a pleasure to work with a musician who cares so deeply about the music and the performance. ” - Brian Farrell - former Artistic Director, Revv52, Calgary, AB.
“Denise Leslie is one of those rare singers who makes every song her own. Her choice of unique material and unmistakable musicality make her one of Canada's upcoming vocalists to watch. It's been a deep pleasure to support her work as a singer and her career in this industry. ” - Micah Barnes, Vocal & Career Strategy Coach
"In the world of jazz singers, it is a rare lady that is able to sound fresh and personal yet still keep a sense of the jazz tradition. Canadian vocalist Denise Leslie straddles the world of balancing art and songbook with an impressive debut that gives a sense of street pulse savvy along with a finger snapping accessibility." - George W. Harris - Jazz Weekly