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Jazz
: Contemporary
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EXTREME FLUTE - Bill McBirnie
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| Bill McBirnie (EXTREME FLUTE) is recognized as one of Canada's best jazz and Latin flutists. He has recorded with a wide variety of prestigious artists and groups including the following:
-Junior Mance, "Here 'Tis" (Sackville);
-Memo Acevedo, "Building Bridges" (Jazz Alliance);
-Irakere, "!Afrocubanismo!" (Bembe Records); and
-Cache, "Blended" (EMI)
Bill has also studied with the great classical flutist and composer, Robert Aitken, as well as charanga legend, Richard Egues. To date, he has produced two Extreme Flute projects and an album with The Mark Eisenman Trio. He has also just released a new CD, "Paco Paco", with the formidable Bernie Senensky on piano. Bill has been chosen Flutist of the Year, Jazz Report Awards and, more recently, a winner in the National Flute Association's triennial Jazz Flute Masterclass Competition.
All of Bill's albums (his two Extreme Flute projects, "Desvio" and "Scratch It!", and his two acoustic jazz recordings, "Nature Boy" and "Paco Paco") are available through the distributor, Indie Pool. To order them by mail, phone or secure e-commerce (including international orders), please contact:
Indie Pool Canada, 118 Berkeley Street, Toronto, Ontario M5A 2W9
1-888-88-INDIE (toll-free)
http://www.indiepool.com/newsite/showcase/index.asp?id=15737 |
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Bill McBirnie - Extreme Flute
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MySpace
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Musician
MP3 URL
musicianmp3.com/artist/EXTREMEFLUTE
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* EXTREME FLUTE - Bill McBirnie interview by Musician MP3 content managment.
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How would you describe the band if you were a pressman or an
editor? |
EXTREME FLUTE is a trading name. I work primarily as a free-lance jazz and Latin flutist in Toronto, Ontario. As such, I am called upon to perform in a variety of settings. I am well-known as a flute specialist with a full sound and strong technique due to my extensive classical background. Although I am a fervent fan of John Coltrane and Miles Davis, stylistically, I am ultimately a "disciple" of Hubert Laws. I now perform and record in any situation where improvisation is required.
Here are just two comments about my work (one jazz and one classical):
"A distinguished flutist with a devotion that shows up in the airy sweetness of his sound at ballad tempos and in the remarkable control he can bring to rapid-fire, skittering runs on up tempo, Coltrane-inspired material." (Stuart Broomer, Editor, Coda magazine)
"Well, he just blew me away. Great, great playing...I have never heard anyone play like this. This is great technique and music making. The scales are so even it sounds like he wrote the Taffanel Scale book. Bill, when you read this, I have to take my hat off to you. This is great playing by any standard." (Sir James Galway)
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Why did you choose your name? |
EXTREME FLUTE was derived from the name of my first CD, "Desvio", which was a Brazilian-oriented project designed to feature my flute work in conjunction with the writing and arranging skills of my collaborator, Bruce Jones. Because the album is largely in a Brazilian flute-guitar-percussion format, we originally planned to call it, Flauta Extrema (in keeping with the lyrics to the title track which are in Portugese). However, we finally settled on the Anglicized version, EXTREME FLUTE.
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What type of music do you play? |
As a free-lance player, I really have to be ready for whatever comes along. I am usually called upon to play in jazz and Latin contexts. However, I have also recorded in situations as diverse as flamenco and rap. Indeed, my second Extreme Flute project, "Scratch It!", was specifically designed to cast me in a central role - on all of the flutes - in as broad a spectrum of idioms as possible; i.e., from hip-hop to the abstract.
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How long have you been together? |
I have been playing flute since childhood and, once I started, I have to admit that it sort of eclipsed everything else. Over time, I also moved away from the classical realm and more towards jazz and improvisation. I now tend to get a lot of referred work; i.e., where a flute specialist is required and especially where the gig calls for a both strong sound and a strong technique - as well as the ability to improvise.
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What have you released to date? |
(1) Extreme Flute, "Desvio"
(2) Extreme Flute, "Scratch It!"
(3) Bill McBirnie, "Nature Boy"
(4) Bill McBirnie, "Paco Paco"
(I have also appeared on numerous albums as a side-man.)
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When are you planning your next release? |
I am currently a member of a new Latin band called, Mamboso, (led by Daniel Stone, former percussionist with Nelly Furtado). This band has shown considerable promise in a very short period of time and I am hoping that it will record in the near future. I also perform now and again with a great salsa band, Cache, which is based here in Toronto. I recently made a couple of guest appearances on their first CD, "Blended" (EMI), and which has been moving up the Latin charts.
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What is your favorite song to perform and Why? |
...Any tune with Cache where I can "stretch" with the percussion section...
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Who are the best bands you preformed with? |
Certainly the Junior Mance (straight-ahead jazz) as well as the Memo Acevedo, Irakere and Cache (Latin) projects were the most flattering things to have been a part of as a sideman. More recently, I have also done some work with a very fine singer/song writer, Michele Mele. I am hoping that she does well because I look forward to doing more work with her. She is really good! Finally, both of my most recent recordings, "Nature Boy" and "Paco Paco", have been getting consistently good reviews internationally.
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Any last words? |
Don't hesitate to contact my distributor, Indie Pool (at indiepool.com), to order any of my full-length CDs. Finally, feel free to write to me with any queries or comments you might have (at billmcb@idirect.com). Thanks for having a listen!
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Email this Profile to a friend
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I hope you will find something that you like in one or all of the three projects I have completed to date. In any case, thanks for taking the time to listen to this instrument in a completely non-classical and improvised context.
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 Track: "Like Sonny"
From the "Paco Paco" CD
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This is a track from my most recent CD, "Paco Paco". It is a lesser played tune written by John Coltrane. (Please note that the file is 4,030 KB in size.)
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Track: "Away From Home"
From the "Desvio" CD
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| This is a track from my first Extreme Flute project, "Desvio". It is an improvised melody line - which simply became the tune. (Please note the file is 1,765 KB in size.) |
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Track: "Teaneck"
From the "Nature Boy" CD
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| This is a track from my CD, "Nature Boy", which is a straight-ahead acoustic jazz collection consisting of both duo and quartet cuts with the Mark Eisenman Trio. (Please note the file is 3,226 KB in size.) |
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Photo Credit: Jim Allen
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