Album Notes

With his new release “The River” bassist and composer Rubim de Toledo distinguishes himself as a writer with a unique ability to create material that is modern and sophisticated, yet accessible. His bass playing demonstrates the maturity of his approach and validates his reputation as a key musician in the Western Canadian music industry.

A Canadian of Brazilian descent, Rubim combines the influences of his cultural heritage, his passion for Cuban music, and his dedication to the jazz tradition to create a refreshing sound and to bring a rhythmic and conceptual depth to his bass playing. This keeps him a highly in- demand sideman for projects in any style and has also allowed him to nurture a fertile career as a bandleader.

Released in 2009, The River features an Canadian musician all-star line-up and showcases Rubim’s original compositions in an acoustic, jazz quintet format. Initially, the music from The River was written as the soundtrack to Calgary’s prestigious dance company Decidedly Jazz Danceworks’ 2008 production, ‘Tinge and Tone’.

The River is garnering great critical and popular acclaim including a Western Canadian Music Award nomination for “Best Jazz Album” of 2009 and a number 1 slot on the CKUA radio music charts.