Ewen Farncombe and I were thinking of the best way to cap off our year together…2022 brought us a JUNO Awards nomination, a string of special shows, and even an original Thanksgiving tune of ours which was broadcast across Canada this holiday season. Well, here’s a full length album of 11 originals we just recorded too. You don’t have to wait to hear it. You don’t have to pre-save it. IT’S OUT NOW. (All streaming platforms & Bandcamp)
https://alexbird007.bandcamp.com
“Songwriter” is inspired by the beautiful recordings of Tony Bennett & Bill Evans, but mostly it’s just a heartfelt exploration of sound between two friends. Every song comes to life with Ewen and I at the piano. Just the two of us. Felt fitting to sit back down and write something to reflect where we’ve been over the last little while, where we’re at now, and where we’re headed.
The friendship and musical partnership I’ve been able to build with Ewen can’t be put into words here. But it’s all there in the music. I’m incredibly blessed to get to work with Ewen Farncombe. He’s one of those once in a lifetime talents. I’m glad he showed up in my lifetime.
We sincerely hope you enjoy this duo album. Let us know how you feel about it.
Stay tuned for more info on when “Songwriter” is dropping on vinyl & when you can join us for a release party.
Also! A major thank you to Canada Council for the Arts | Conseil des arts du Canada! They have supported us once again by fully funding this album. Wild. Dreams becoming reality.
Another thank you goes to everyone who helped on the production side of things to make this happen. Jeremy Darby & Julian Decorte run a very special place in Canterbury Music Company, and they’ve been a big part of our sound. Amazing side note; Jeremy went out and bought an original RCA 44-BX (with it’s original Starbird boom stand) specifically for our album. And he paired it up with the Telefunken ELA M 251 I’ve been singing on since Whisky Kisses. I’m one lucky duck.
Thank you to the one and only Aref Mahabadi for always making us look so good, and thank you to Zoran Jovicic for designing our albums for modern times, with the utmost class and style. Those two gents are truly a part of the team.
Thank you to Mariana Hutten for hopping aboard to add her mastering touch on everything. She’s an insane talent. Easily one of the best around!
Wouldn’t be an album without my darling Lola. You make me sing. You inspire me endlessly. Thank you to Lola for being my inspiration and soundboard. I love you.
And finally, thank you to you the listener for all your constant support. We hope this collection of songs bring you much enjoyment for years to come.
Onwards we go…
“Songwriter”
Words by Alex Bird
Music by Alex Bird & Ewen Farncombe
Vocals - Alex Bird
Piano - Ewen Farncombe
Independent
Produced by Alex Bird & Ewen Farncombe
Recorded at Canterbury Music Company
Engineered by Jeremy Darby & Julian Decorte
Mixed by Jeremy Darby
Mastered by Mariana Hutten
Album Titles by Zoran Jovicic
Album Photography by Aref Mahabadi
Copyright SOCAN Music2022
Publicity: Eric Alper
1. This Song is Ours
2. I’ve Seen the Sun
3. The Soul I Left Behind
4. Nighttime Grooves
5. Symphony of Love
6. Raindrops (Falling Down)
7. If You’re Not Laughin’ (You’re Cryin’)
8. What’s Inside
9. I’ll Go Where You Lead
10. Tiny Warbler
11. Songwriter
I sat down at one of my favourite venues in the city, Reid's Distillery, to talk to Shannon Martin for an episode of Our Toronto! Airing on CBC Toronto today. Thank you so much to Shannon & CBC for giving us a spotlight on all that’s cooking up this holiday season, and beyond!
P.S. We’re at Reid’s October 18th. Get your tickets quick! www.reidsdistillery.com
Appreciate all the love and support. Gosh. Wild to see our Thanksgiving original resonating all around the country. All thanks to a beautiful ad from Canadian Turkey
Supremely thrilled to be a guest on Richard Crouse’s show this week! Airs tomorrow on Newstalk 1010 at 8pm (Toronto). Full listing in link below.
I’ve loved Richard’s work for a long time, so extra special to have this happen. Tune in to hear all about “The Sweetest Moments” and what we’re up to!
https://richardcrouse.ca/newstalk-1010-alex-bird-mark-critch-author-john-irving/?fbclid=IwAR3qQxz7_3wCr3v8vGwRVEg-lsgDZtuZmzWn7fEt3bS1KMRbL2a6Bb212vw
It happens every Fall…
It’s official! Canada now has it’s own Thanksgiving tune. My musical brother Ewen Farncombe and I have written a song for you this holiday season; a song that’s full of love and warmth. I’m so darn proud of this one. Major thanks to everyone who helped bring this to life.
What a bonus that our song will also be a part of an upcoming national campaign right here in Canada too! Stay tuned for more on that.
Ewen, myself and our Jazz Mavericks wish you a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving 2022!
“The Sweetest Moments”
(Now available on all digital platforms)
Lyrics by Alex Bird
Music by Alex Bird & Ewen Farncombe
String Arrangement by Ewen Farncombe
Alex Bird - Vocals
Ewen Farncombe - Piano
Jacob Gorzhaltsan - Sax
Ben Dwyer - Bass
Mateo Mancuso - Drums
Hunab Felix Flores - Violin
Mo M Mitchell - Violin
Andrew Chung - Viola
Jill Sauertieg - Cello
Recorded at Canterbury Music Company
Engineered by Julian Decorte
Assistant Engineered by Morgan Dunbar
Mixed by Julian Decorte
Mastered by Peter Letros
Copyright SOCAN Music 2022
Special thanks to Jeremy Darby
Video by Gearshift Productions
https://jazz.fm/alex-bird-thanksgiving-song-the-sweetest-moments/
One of the songs we hear a lot about off our 2022 JUNO Awards nominated album “You Are the Light and the Way” is this one right here. Felt fitting to bring you a music video to match its cinematic appeal.
Thanks for all the continued love and support. And thank you to The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent On Recordings (FACTOR) for making this happen! #FACTORfunded
Shot by the best Aref Mahabadi 🎥 🔥
“Where the Blackbird Sings”
Lyrics by Alex Bird
Music by Alex Bird & Ewen Farncombe
String arrangement by Ewen Farncombe
Alex Bird - Vocals
Ewen Farncombe - Piano
Jacob Gorzhaltsan - Clarinet
Leighton McKinley Harrell - Bass
Eric West - Drums
Mo M Mitchell - Violin
William Lamoureux - Violin
Andrew Chung - Viola
Jill Sauertieg - Cello
Recorded at Canterbury Music Company
Engineered by Jeremy Darby
Assistant Engineered by Julian Decorte
Mixed by Jeremy Darby
Mastered by Peter Letros
Copyright SOCAN Music 2021
Big news! October 1st! Come join me for my very 1st performance at a jazz festival.
Supremely thrilled to be a part of this year’s Kensington Market Jazz Festival! Thank you so much to the team for including us.
Please go check out all the incredible artists coming to this year’s festival!
Going to be a sweet show!
Ewen Farncombe - Piano
Jacob Gorzhaltsan - Sax
Norbert Botos - Drums
Jack Johnston - Bass
Onwards!
Alex Bird & The Jazz Mavericks | 2022 Kensington Market Jazz Festival
#KMJF
So this is happening…
We’re gonna be on the bill with…The Jacksons! Crazy.
Strangers in the Night is a yearly charity gala that is now coming to Toronto this September at the Rebel. Thrilled to have been asked to be a part of this incredible night of music.
In 2015 I found myself at Upstairs Jazz for the very first time. I sat at the bar, ordered a smoked old fashioned, and listened to some jazz. I noticed that pressed into the bar were vinyl records...I was sitting in front of Sinatra’s “No One Cares”. I daydreamed the whole time about being up on that stage.
October 7th will see my Montreal debut at Upstairs Jazz. I’m lucky to be able to share it with my musical partner Ewen Farncombe. We’ll be heading up to meet Leighton McKinley Harrell on bass! Gonna be special.
Onwards…
https://www.upstairsjazz.com/fr/calendar/
“You Are the Light and the Way presents an interesting challenge for a writer. Twelve new songs by Canadian vocalist Alex Bird (lyrics and music) and keyboardist Ewen Farncombe (music and arrangements) consistently sound like new "songbook classics"—in several places, as if Harry Connick Jr. magically composed music with Johnny Mercer. Bird, Farncombe and the Jazz Mavericks swing each tune with a refreshingly direct and honest spirit. The challenge? Writers often want to make great music sound more complicated than excellent tunes swung with power and grace.
But sometimes it really is that simple. You Are the Light and the Way is an absolute joy. Bird's voice is a strong and supple lead instrument, sometimes resounding echoes of Canada's pop vocal legend Paul Anka, and the Maverick's accompaniment moves as its mirror image, reflective and cool.
Bird's voice strolls all alone into the first verse of the opening "You Are the Light and the Way," cold and sharp as an icepick. The Mavericks slip in and pull the second verse down into a funky blue groove made up of gospel, pop, R&B, and jazz filtered through the musical colors of New Orleans, while drummer Eric West lays greasy jukejoint fatback behind the beat. "My Cutie Pie" more sharply focuses on that Crescent City sound, with West's big fat bass and drum sounds rocking its easy beat and Alexander Brown’s trumpet meowing and prowling like a wet tomcat crawling in from the rain.
You Are the Light and the Way turns the spotlight not only on Bird's commanding voice but also on the Jazz Mavericks. "Tell Me It's You," which sort of glides out from under the closing curtain of the preceding "I Held You In My Arms," somehow digs deep into a throaty, romantic saxophone sound but luxuriously floats like a drifting cloud upon the rhythm section's languid tempo. "Back to You" stretches the Mavericks out the most: In the first verse, West splashes cymbals and drums to rattle dissonant and eerie saxophone moans, then the second verse drops dead into the pocket of a blues stride so cool that it burns icy hot. Brown smolders through Miles Davis' acoustic muted ballad sound in "Sittin' By My Lonesome," a beautifully hurting sound so sweet it sings like a ballad and so sad it aches like a blues.
"Old Soul" rumbles from its opening swinging big-band sound into a finger-snapping stroll which Bird's vocal seems to relish with all the finger-snapping cool of Bobby Darin or even a young Frank Sinatra.
Sometimes, it really is just that simple.”
