Veteran jazz pianist, composer, arranger and orchestrator

TOM SZCZESNIAK 

releases his debut CD,

Waltz for Bill

(CD #SZC-27426-27)

 

Featuring:

Bass: Scott Alexander and Neil Swainson,  Drums: Bob McLaren and Stephan Szczesniak,  Saxophone: Michael Stuart and Vern Dorge,  Vocals: Michael Stuart, Doug Mallory and Cal Dodd,  Guitar: Rob Piltch and Bob Mann,  Flute: Les Allt, Clarinet: Colleen Cook,  French Horn: Neil Deland and an 18 piece string orchestra

  

“After composing, arranging and performing music for film, TV, and performing on other artist’s projects throughout my life, the time came to do my own project – something I have thought about for about the last fifteen years – to produce a compilation of songs that mirror what I love about music – freedom, craft, feel, technique and something which is very hard to define - call it musical camaraderie - I love musicians - listening to and playing with them – these are some of the finest musicians and singers you will ever hear – they all have their own unique voice and all perform with a sense of care and selflessness….and Chad Irschick (Co-Producer and Recording Engineer) makes it sound as if you were listening at Carnegie Hall…..I hope you enjoy ‘Waltz for Bill’”   – Tom Szczesniak 

TORONTO – DEC. 18, 2011 - Without a doubt, one of the most respected artists in the National and International music and jazz community is veteran pianist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and orchestrator, Tom Szczesniak.   With the release of his new recording, Waltz for Bill, Tom has stepped up to the creative forefront, and produced a much-anticipated piano-centric project that is thrilling on all levels – compositionally, instrumentally and inspirationally.  On the CD, Tom has joyfully collaborated with long-time musical friends and associates such as bassists Scott Alexander and Neil Swainson, drummers Bob McLaren and Stephan Szczesniak, Michael Stuart and Vern Dorge on tenor sax, Les Allt on flute, Colleen Cook on clarinet, Neil Deland on French horn, Rob Piltch and Bob Mann on guitar and Doug Mallory, Cal Dodd and Michael Stuart on vocals.  In addition, Tom has also utilized a full orchestra on five of the eleven tracks of this remarkable recording. 

Included in the eclectic Waltz for Bill is the gorgeous original title track, dedicated to (and inspired by) the late, incomparable jazz pianist and composer, Bill Evans; a masterful jazz trio take on a harmonically intriguing version of Cole Porter’s “What is This Thing Called Love”; a delicious Billy Eckstein-ish vocal version (featuring tenorist Michael Stuart) of Harry Warren’s rarely performed ballad, “I Wish I Knew” (replete with an equally delicious string section - tenor and piano solos); a lush romantic version of Oscar Hammerstein ll and Jerome Kern’s 1939 Broadway hit tune “All the Things You Are”, arranged as a flute/piano/string feature; iconic jazz trumpeter Miles Davis’ swinging bop anthem, “Solar”; Tom’s heart-felt composition “Lament for Doc” a moving, sonorous string-laden piece presented in medley with Sammy Fain’s World War l hit of longing and loss, “I’ll Be Seeing You” – featuring a vocal from Doug Mallory.  The medley is dedicated to the late, great Canadian band leader, soulful Hammond B3 player, composer, arranger and pianist Doug Riley (“Dr. Music”).  From Doug Riley’s ample catalogue of tunes comes the up-tempo, contemporary jazz burner “Dinosaurus”, featuring Tom on piano and Hammond B3 as well as guitar solos from Rob Piltch and Bob Mann;  from George and Ira Gershwin’s hit Broadway musical and film, “Girl Crazy” comes the stunning “Embraceable You”, featuring luminous saxophonist Vern Dorge on tenor and also a beautifully contemporized version of the evocative standard, “Someone to Watch Over Me” (from the Gershwin’s 1926 Gertrude Lawrence musical, “Oh, Kay!”), elegantly rendered by vocalist Cal Dodd.  Also included is a trio arrangement (featuring a stunning solo piano intro) of Johnny Mercer’s “Laura” (from the cinema noir-ish Oscar-winning 20th Century Fox film of the same name) and the closing track, a solo piano rendition of Tom’s lovely and melodic original piece, “Lindy’s Song” – dedicated to his beautiful wife, Linda.

About Tom Szczesniak...Tom first arrived in Toronto in 1973, following a stint with the U.S. Airforce Band in Washington, D.C.  Since that time, he has performed as a musician on the scores of over 100 feature films, numerous television shows (such as “Earth:  Final Conflict”, “Street Legal”, “The Road to Avonlea”, “Side Effects”, “SCTV”, “The Wolf Man Jack Show” and “The Jim Henson Hour”) and over a thousand commercials.  As a player, he has also been much in demand by some of the finest international performing artists, such as Gordon Lightfoot, Anne Murray, Esthero (arrangements – The Gold Album), Bryan Adams, Little Richard, KD Lang, Lenny Breau, Joe Williams, Marc Jordan, Marvin Hamlisch, Dan Hill, The Rankin Family, Dionne Warwick, Bruce Guthrow, Smokey Robinson, Bobby McFerren, Diahann Carole and Susan Aglukark as well as jazz greats “The Boss Brass”, Gil Evans, Thad Jones, The Cape Breton Symphony,  “Nimmons and Nine”, Bruce Cassidy’s “Hotfoot Band”, The Canadian Pops Orchestra as well as performances for former U.S. Presidents, Lyndon Johnson and Richard M. Nixon.  As a composer and arranger, Tom has used his writing skills to enhance a wide variety of cinematic, televised, commercial and theatrical productions, and has been an integral part of several highly-regarded music production houses, including Acrobat Music, Pursuit Communications and Larry Trudel Productions.  Music is an essential element of any visual art form, and Tom’s compositions have enhanced and illuminated feature films, as well as animated “live action” productions such as “Ruby Gloom”, “Franklin the Turtle” (syndicated feature and four full-length features), “Gerald McBoing Boing”, “Fraggle Rock”, “Sesame Street”, “Beetlejuice” (the ABC/FOX Animated series), “The Care Bears”, “The Adventures of Tintin”, “An American Tale”, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and the animated CBS Series “Ace Ventura”.  In 1993, Tom formed a company (along with the formidable, musical multi-threat, Ray Parker), “Parker Szczmith Music, Inc.”, and since that time has been composing, conducting, playing and arranging under the auspices of this successful and award-winning company. 

 

 

All music on Waltz for Bill was arranged, orchestrated and conducted by Tom Szczesniak

Waltz for Bill was Produced by Tom Szczesniak and Chad Irschick

Recorded at Inception Sound Studio – Toronto, Canada

Engineered by Chad Irschick, Assisted by David Hermiston and Mike Haas

Additional recording at CBC/Glenn Gould Studio – Toronto, Canada

Engineered by Gary Gray, Assisted by Rebecca Pellett and Dennis Patterson

Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering and DVD – Portland, Maine

Piano Technician, Keith Pettit

Photography by Mark Peckmezian – www.markpeckmezian.com

CD Design by Roly Platt of Platypus Design – www.platypusdesign.ca

 

Waltz for Bill is available through CD Baby (www.cdbaby.com), iTunes and other established

on-line music providers.

 

For further information, photo art, a review copy of

Waltz for Bill,

or to arrange a media opportunity with Tom Szczesniak,

please contact LMC Media

by phone at 416-486-6742, or by e-mail at lmcmedia@sympatico.ca

please log on to www.tomszcz.com  

 

 

 

Waltz For Bill