“I’ve always thought that sailing and improvisation are quite similar. One needs to be present in the moment while anticipating the shift.”
-Geoff Young
I spent the better part of six of my teenage years training and competing on waters across Canada. Little did I know how much that would parallel the work ethic and dedication demanded from developing a personal sound as a musician. Windward Bound is the result of those worlds colliding as told by a 19-piece jazz orchestra and an ever-growing collection of woodwinds.
This journey begins from the comfort and safety of the shore where endless possibilities beckon. Each passing moment is a new dance of wind and waves eager to be discovered; a challenge presented by nature for those who dare join in. Heed the authority of the seas and one shall be rewarded with inimitable elegance, raw might in hand, and a meticulous tango that demands the utmost concentration. Those who overstep their welcome seldom go undisciplined as sailors may only ever follow, never lead. The lucky ones go for a swim, the less fortunate never come back. Even with modern innovations of science and technology, the force of water remains unpredictable, harsh and perilous. Still today, it is befitting to see the mystery, beauty and sovereignty of the ocean as mankind has done since the beginning of civilization… After all, humans are creatures of the land and in the end, that’s where we triumphantly return to after braving the deep. Until the next adventure calls again the same way it always has.
credits
released March 13, 2020
All tracks composed and arranged by Dennis Kwok.
Jillana Nickel - Producer
Chris Wiens - Assistant Producer
Shannon Poelman - Associate Producer
Mason Victoria - Conductor
Mike Ardagh - Advisor
Seungwoo Han, Amir Mehrabi, Oscar Kempe, Agneya Chitke - Assistant Engineer
Mingjia Chen - Artwork and Design
Recorded at the Gordon Wragg Recording Studio on 20 November 2018. Edited by Dennis Kwok. Mixed by Andrew Chung (track 6) and Brandon Wells (tracks 1-6). Mastered by Reuben Ghose at Mojito Mastering.
DKJO PERSONNEL
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Dennis Kwok (oboe/clarinet, flute/alto, tenor, piccolo/soprano, bari, alto flute/bs clarinet) - solo track 1,2,3,4
Reeds:
Naomi McCarroll-Butler (soprano, alto, flute, clarinet) - solo track 3
Sophia Smith (alto, flute, clarinet)
Brenden Varty (tenor, flute, clarinet)
Kyle Tarder-Stoll (tenor, flute, clarinet)
Jonathan Lau (bari, bass clarinet)
Trumpets:
Megan Jutting
Matt Smith
Paul Callander
Marie Goudy - solo track 6
Trombones:
Nick Marshall - solo track 4
Andrew Gormley
Charlotte Mcafee-Brunner
Inayat Kassam (bass trombone, tuba)
Voice:
Caity Gyorgy (track 1,2,4,5,6)
Rhythm:
Aidan Funston (guitar) - solo track 3
Augustine Yates (piano)
Jonathan Wielebnowski (bass)
Jacob Wutzke (drums) - solo track 2
The Dennis Kwok Jazz Orchestra (DKJO) is a Toronto-based contemporary big band committed to the creation,
performance, and
showcase of new works composed by the next generation of artists. The group is led by and
comprises of 19 of the finest performers, composers and arrangers under 35 in Southern Ontario. DKJO has been the recipient of the TD Jazz Special Projects Discovery Grant....more
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