RICHARD UNDERHILL: Tales from the Blue Lounge

Richard Underhill

Tales from the Blue Lounge

© 2002 Richard Underhill (774995777727)

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Juno winning solid mainstream jazz that swings hard on the strength of fine sax playing & excellent organ/guitar work. 10 memorable originals that reference jazz greats from Monk to Mingus to Ornette, brought to life by Canada's top jazz musicians.

notes

'tales from the blue lounge' is a solid, Juno winning mainstream jazz album that features fine sax, organ and guitar work.

This is the debut instrumental jazz release from Richard Underhill who was the founder of the infamous, audacious and unpredictable Shuffle Demons, and currently leads Blue Rodeo's Bushwhack Horns. The album won a 2003 Juno award, Canada' s version of the Grammys.

See Richard's amazing #1 Bravo! video 'the Old Guys' paste this into your browser and hit return (requires realplayer)
http://ondemand.chumtv.com:8080/ramgen/
video/shows/inhouse/bravo_video/old_guys_the.rm?usehostname

...'tales from the blue lounge' is a stellar effort and well deserving of the Juno kudo. The feeling harkens back to the mid-late 60s jazz in the style of Rollins or Cannonball Adderly. Underhill himself refers to this sound as "modern vintage," an apt description.

The compositions are a somewhat diverse collection of 10 tunes with nothing too outrageous or too mundane - just solid joyful tunes filled with rollicking solos and a delightful feel all around. Some parts are positively Demonesque while others harken back to a New Orleans style.
This is an lp to get lost in and be totally happy about it. Highly recommended! Echo Weekly - Kitchener. 

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... 'Thankfully, Toronto-based saxophonist Richard Underhill's solo project contains the same kind of impish humour and way with a hook he often displayed as co-founder of the bop-rap ensemble, Shuffle Demons. Together Underhill and fellow saxman Bob Brough swing and swagger through The Old Guys, get bluesy on Blues For Suze and lay down a deep groove on Chillin'  Strongly recommended. ' #### John Sharpe - SCENE - London.

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'..Underhill returns to his roots with great style and verve. He crafts 10 marvelous originals providing a striking framework for himself and saxophonist Bob Brough to blow on at will.' The Jazz Report, Winter 2003
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"Shuffle Demons fans take note, Richard Underhill, founder of the avant bop-pop group just won a Juno for this, his solo debut instrumental jazz album. Recorded like a '60s-era session, Tales From The Blue Lounge was recorded live off the floor onto two-inch tape with classic equipment - a fact that goes a long way to explaining its likeness to great jazz albums of days gone by. It's good to see that Underhill hasn't left all the quirkiness of his youth behind as he can still colour outside the lines on tracks like "Surfing" and "Pegasus." For the most part though, Tales From the Blue Lounge is a warm vintage-styled groove album - "Big" has the feel of Mingus Ah Um up until the Hammond organ comes in - with lots and lots of fabulous saxophone."  By Brent Hagerman - June 03, 2003



'tales from the blue lounge' features 10 original compositions that touch on important modern jazz elements and reference jazz greats from Monk to Mingus to Ornette Coleman to Mancini.

Varied in arrangement style and instrumentation, these memorable compositions are brought to life by some of Canada's top jazz musicians.

Musicians featured on the album:

Richard Underhill - alto & bari sax
Bob Brough - tenor sax
Dave Restivo - piano/organ
George Koller - bass
Ted Warren - drums

Also Featuring:

Jake Langley - guitar
Reg Schwager - guitar
Artie Roth - bass
Barry Elmes - drums
Chris Gale - bari sax
William Carn - trombone
Josh Brown - trombone
Alexis Baro - trumpet
William Sperandei - trumpet
Luis Orbegoso - percussion
Jose 'Papo' Gonzales - percussion


Richard's Quickie Bio:

Richard Underhill - alto sax, bari sax / composer/ arranger.

The founding member and leader of Toronto's Shuffle Demons, Richard's distinctive sax playing can be heard on the Demons underground hits Spadina Bus, Out of my House, Roach and Hockey Night in Canada. He took this ground breaking Bop Rap ensemble from the streets of Toronto across Canada and to Europe playing jazz and rock festivals from Halifax to Vancouver and from Italy to Estonia from 1986 - 1997.

From 1997 to present, he has performed and recorded with Toronto jazz stalwarts like Wayne Cass, Steve Coven, and Norman Marshall Villeneuve, and is currently the leader and arranger for Blue Rodeo's Bushwhack Horns. In demand as a session player and sideman, he has written horn and string arrangements for and performed with Hawksley Workman, Wide Mouth Mason, Dr. John, Taj Mahal, Maria Muldar, Molly Johnson, Amos Garrett, Bobby Wiseman, Lorraine Segato, Neil Sedaka, Julius Hemphil, Mike Murley and George Koller to name a few.

'tales from the blue lounge' is his first instrumental jazz album.

reviews

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  • Grits Please
    author: Mr. Gerald Denton. aka "8160942 Jiggy Denton"

    Well i suppose that life and music make for strange bed-fellows. To my mind the best way to spend a night alone is to put the lock on the chicken koop and let my yellow dog(lab)out to patrol the critters. Once that is taken care of i warm myself with generous portions of Jim Bean & some spot on jazz music. The crickets and the moonlight are my after dinner guests. I left the city living a whiles back for the down home splendor of country roads and faded overalls. With the feds clawing back much of my retire ment i need only my cd's and my double barrel shot gun to feel like a second class fellow. Thank goodness for CD Baby. America the beautifull please listen to this music and lets vote for the Dems next time? Lord have mercy!

  • Impressive Stuff & sweet licks!!
    author: Otto 'Jazz Hound' Goldstein from Saskatoon, Canada

    I must invite you and your nanny to purchase this masterpiece. 'Tales From the Blue Lounge' is often fresh servings of old school jazz standards and Underhill originals. Plus there are a plenty of leftovers without any redundancies. Summon the Chef and bring on the doggy bag Mister Underhill. This Canadian Jazz head delivers the tones...leaving your bones all fidgetty and refreshed! Think of the feverish rush you get from down hill skiing after a mondo bong hit! But...alas you are alert and in control. The Sherrif watches you with glee as your eyes twinkle and exand to these 'sweet Tenor chops!' Also, if you like the classic post Bop sound, then you will have reason to smile. If you, the listener, loves sax solos then Underhill never leaves you hungry. Richard's first jazz cd brings you mass doses of elegant rifts and seasoned melodies that even your weird ole uncle Rupert would approve! After the smokes clears and you find your wallet in the couch...you are overjoyed: to learn that your cribs is all secure and your cd collection,like your consciousness,has matured. Bon appetite amigos!!

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