Bandleader and valve trombone player, Rob McConnell, has died of cancer in a Toronto hospital on Saturday May 1. Known primarily as the leader and arranger of the internationally renowned Boss Brass, McConnell's arrangements for his band and numerous television shows set a standard and defined the Canadian sound for big band music for decades.
"Rob was one of our greatest gifts to music," said Ross Porter, CEO and President of Jazz.FM91. "His stature, talent and importance in Canadian jazz should rank him with Oscar Peterson."
A unique musical voice, caustic wit and meticulous leadership on the bandstand were just a few of McConnell's trademarks, after launching the Boss Brass in the late 60s.
"His irreverence and comedic touch were endlessly entertaining," Porter went on. "He was a consummate professional, a perfectionist and difficult task master, an arranger of the highest order and one heck of a trombone player."
Awards and honours for McConnell and the band were numerous, with a phenomenal 17 Grammy nominations and three wins, one for best jazz big band in 1984. Canadian tributes include three Juno awards in 1978, 1981 and 1984, an induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Order of Canada in 1998.
McConnell and the Boss Brass collaborated with many jazz greats over the years including Mel Torme and The Singers Unlimited and the list of musicians who played in the band reads like a who's who of Canadian jazz luminaries: Moe Koffman, Ed Bickert, Don Thompson, and Guido Basso are just a few.
The band last played a sold-out concert run in Toronto in December 2008, reviewed here by the Globe and Mail, which was recorded by JazzFM.91 and will be rebroadcast on Monday, May 3.
You can view a clip of the Boss Brass playing Street of Dreams here.
Comments
My memory of Rob McConnell was a few years ago at the Rex, during the Downtown Toronto Jazz Festival. The place was jam packed, and with no air conditioning, felt like 150 degrees in the room. I felt almost sick and thought, how can all these folks be drinking beer on such a hot night? It’s so dehydrating! Mr McConnell, who had to be roughly 70 at the time was also sipping a big ass beer. And during a break between songs said, “I always thought I’d die on stage, and tonight I just might”.
I remember that night Lisa and many equally hot and steamy concerts in the tent in Nathan Philips Square at the jazz festival. Rob was never at a loss for a quip.
Personally a tragic loss to the jazz world. I had the fortunate experience with doing a concert with Rob and hanging out with him a number of years ago and I recall it was a most wonderful experience. He wrote the best charts, challenging and most musical, great stuff indeed. He leaves a legacy hard to match if ever at all.
I heard the Boss Band in LA and besides Rob himself, he had one hell of a bunch of really fine musicians. His lead trumpet was outstanding. My favorite tune that I heard was Just Friends, and I am lucky enough to have the original scratch sheets on the entire arrangment written while on the bus. What a fabulous chart!
That's a great keepsake omylip! I wonder if the lead trumpet you heard was Arnie Chycoski. He was a truly awesome lead player and a great guy too. Another one who is sorely missed.
I remember when I was studying music at Humber ‘79-‘82, Ron Collier arranged for the Boss Brass to rehearse in the lecture theater. It was an amazing day of listening and a very privileged and insightful look at how all of these great musicians including Rob, Moe, Guido, Ed, James, and the whole cast of great players worked together to make those amazing charts come to life within that wonderful world class sound that they had.
Rob McConnell was a giant of the big band arranging genre.What a Band! Far greater than most big band arrangers he was a great valve trombonist . What an awesome career! Sorely missed.
Fabio Corte Real (Brasil)
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