Album Notes

Michael Herring’s Vertigo, Coniferous Revenge, featuring David Binney
release date: March 7, 2006

Michael Herring’s Vertigo’s debut album, Coniferous Revenge, featuring David Binney (alto saxophone - New York), is the perfect blend of high energy solos and Herring’s artful and groovy modern jazz compositions. A collaboration born at downtown Toronto’s Rex Jazz and Blues Bar in front of a sold out crowd and refined in the studio, this album blends the excitement of new found synergy with focused performances.

Coniferous Revenge boasts eleven Herring-penned compositions, with Binney heavily featured throughout, as well as a final good-bye with Jesse Winchester’s My Songbird, arranged by Herring to capture the lyrcal beauty of Emmylou Harris. The compositions groove hard, and while they stay true to their jazz roots (listen to Nachoff on Clancy’s New Belt Free Home), you can hear the influences of reggae, electonica, 20th Century classical, folk and even grunge rock.

Drawing on the influence of New York's Downtown Jazz Scene, Michael Herring’s Vertigo mixes composed and improvised elements – both of which are driven by rhythmically sophisticated grooves. Herring’s work naturally possesses the voice of the younger New York Downtown scene – Herring tips his hat to Dave Holland, Scott Colley, Drew Gress, David Binney and Chris Potter – yet the compositions have much of the classic sixties sextet sound about them – respectively recalling Wayne Shorter and Booker Little at their height – an engaging and freshly innovative blend is the happy result. One other note of interest – the work is packaged in Steve Byram’s original art.

Michael Herring’s Vertigo features the strongest voices in the next generation of Canadian Jazz: William Carn (trombone), Jesse Baird (drums), Quinsin Nachoff (tenor and clarinets), Don Scott (guitar), anchored by Michael Herring (double bass).

“one of the most exciting and interesting [albums] to arrive this year… The ensemble passages are all rich in texture, catchy hooks relieve the aura of intellectual rigour, the boss's bass soars and swoops and the overall impact is tremendous” Geoff Chapman - Toronto Star

Michael Herring - Bio

Michael Herring is a double-bassist, composer and arranger based in Toronto. His focus is on jazz, although he performs in a variety of genres, including folk, reggae and performance art. He has a strong sound and musical personality, and thrives in open and improvised settings.

As well as leading his own sextet, Vertigo, he performs regularly with a number of bands including the JUNO nominated Jason Wilson and Tabarruk (reggae, with jazz influences), and in the collective Mr. Pointy (avant-garde meets groove-rock). He has shared the stage with such great musicians as David Binney, Bernie Senensky, David Braid, Kirk MacDonald, Stich Wynston, Nick "The Brownman" Ali, William Carn, Laila Biali, Norman Marshall-Villeneuve, Mike Murley, Percy Sledge, Ernest Ranglin, and Brinsely Forde (Aswad) Besides playing and touring in Canada, he has toured with his own band in Korea, and with various ensembles in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean. Michael's compositions and arrangements have been featured in the repertoires of many ensembles, including Jason Wilson & Tabarruk, The Nick Ali Trio, the Bokker Buckle Band, and the Don Scott Quartet.

Michael grew up in Victoria, B.C., then moved to Toronto, where he studied with Canadian Jazz greats David Young and Don Thompson at the University of Toronto’s Jazz Performance Program. He has been invited to attend the Banff International Jazz Workshop twice (2000, 2003) and lived in New York (2004). He has also studied with Drew Gress, Mark Helias, Dave Douglas, Kenny Werner, Joe Lovano, Joey Baron, Tony Malaby, Angelica Sanchez, Johannes Weidenmueller, James Genus, and Mark Turner, as well as with world-renowned bassists Rufus Reid and Ray Brown.

“[a] Toronto bassplayer with a penchant for contemporary grooves, colours and energy… cutting-edge but accessible sounds inspired by New York's downtown jazz innovators” Doug Fischer - The Ottawa Citizen