Biography
SAXOPHONE – Somewhere in the eighty years between 1814 and 1894 Adolphe Sax invented the instrument MICHAEL STUART plays with innovative ease. The kind of ease that a caused Elvin Jones to take him on tour, that gave him a featured spot at the Bracknell Jazz Festival in England, several CBC radio performances and the spotlight with Banda Brava and the Dave McMurdo Jazz Orchestra. MICHAEL STUART’S first album, Determination, was nominated for a Juno Award.
VOICE – A musical sound, resonated through head and throat cavities made by the vocal cavities of COLINA PHILLIPS. Chosen as the singer for jingles, television, radio and film projects nationally and internationally, and background vocals on numerous record projects, COLINA PHILLIPS broadened her vocal experience by collaborating with two favourite instrumentalists on a collection of jazz standards and her original compositions.
PIANO – A large instrument whose sound is produced by hammers hitting strings operated by a manual keyboard eloquently played by JON GOLDSMITH. Credited with numerous Canadian and US film scores, television and record production and award winning jingle campaigns. JON GOLDSMITH is also the other composer of the original material for…
SVP – A unique jazz trio conceived and produced by KEEF WHITING.
Check out this stunning album, featuring Colina Phillips, Michael Stuart and Jon Goldsmith
SVPReviews
Distribution and radio airplay being what it is today, few listeners will know SVP. What a shame!
SVP is a stunning Toronto trio that specializes in ballad interpretations. Its ingredients include reeds player Michael Stuart (tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones, bass flute, clarinet), a spare player who makes every note count, vocalist Colina Phillips who infuses each song with a full richness, and keyboards player Jon Goldsmith, tasteful in all he does.
The material is divided evenly between originals and known works that include standards (My Funny Valentine) and more modern pop songs )Paul Simon’s I Do It For Your Love).
Some of the originals have the ring of future standards; Time Enough carries a vista-like harmonic structure and a delicate lyric about love and patience.
Phillips does a moving rendition of the traditional Cape Breton Lullaby.
This group is worthy of airplay. That’s not likely to happen, so you’re advised to seek it out.
-Marke Andrews
