This weekend’s three-night stand at the The Rex brings accomplished jazz drummer Mark McLean full circle, back to where he wrote and workshopped the material for his first solo album almost exactly one year ago.
McLean, who grew up in Don Mills and studied music at the Royal Conservatory and University of Toronto, has been based in New York City since 2003. But he comes “home” every Christmas to visit his family and to lead a regular Holiday Soul Party at the Rex.
Last year the drummer/pianist set up a mini studio in his parent’s basement where he wrote the majority of his new CD, Playground, which he then honed with the band that would later come in and lay down the tracks.
Knowing he had a 2010 Toronto Jazz Festival gig booked for July 1, McLean called in his crew — Kelly Jefferson (saxs), Kevin Breit (guitars), David Braid (keys), Marc rogers (bass), Pat Kilbride (acoustic bass) and Robi Botos (piano) – for two quick sessions, one May 28, the other June 4. The mastering and artwork deadline was June 14 and the pressed discs arrived two days ahead of the big show. Phew!
” I wanted to treat it like a Bluenote Record date where you only had two days and just cut it,” says the affable McLean. “You have to be prepared to accept whatever happens on that particular day and not over-think it.”
As fellow Toronto musician Andrew Craig observes in Playground’s liner notes, “You need not question this CD’s cohesiveness and balanace; it’s all there.”
McLean has been jamming with Craig for 20 years; they backed Molly Johnson together and steered an acid jazz/funk outfit called Colour of Soul. “I still work with Andrew,” says McLean. “I did the Gospel Christmas Project with him — we have a really nice friendship and musical connection.”
The past decade has seen McLean connecting with an ever-more prominent roster of music stars including Diana Krall, Joe Sample, Quincy Jones, Andrea Bocelli and hometown stars Serena Ryder and Jane Bunnett. The drummer has been spending more and more time in Toronto in recent years playing with Michael Kaeshammer and Sophie Milman (pictured below). McLean calls Playground a “Toronto album” and says he’s been wanting to work with these particular players forever.
I ask McLean, perhaps unfairly, to single out his favourite track on the new disc and he obligingly refers to the lead-off cut, “Everything is Beautiful.” “It’s one of the first tunes that was written expressly for this band,” says the composer. “It’s got a modern edge to it but at the same time there’s jazz harmony. I feel like that’s sort of the definition of this record.”
Hear it live tomorrow and Saturday (December 17 & 18) at the Rex (194 Queen Street West); Sunday’s show is McLean’s holiday party featuring a different band and special guests including his brother, singer Lester McLean. Patrons are encouraged to bring perishable food items for the Yonge Street Mission.
Playground may be the drummer’s first album under his own name “but I’m still just the guy playing the drums,” he says modestly. “When the tenor solo is done he’ll let us know, so my role is the same. I just have to remember to speak to the audience between songs.”
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You are a remarkable talent, an exceptional drummer and a wonderful young man. May God continue to bless you and yours.