Jeff Torbert

Artist Information

Biography

After a life of intensive musical training in classical and jazz idioms, Jeff Torbert emerged with pop sensibilities intact, taking his band through a Björk-like exploration of live sextet music in the full-length "Urban Poultry & Other Hopes". Torbert's music tells a story with a thoroughly optimistic vision, his band rallying behind the tunes with tight grooves, spirited solos, and joyful interplay.

Following the release of multiple award nominee "This Weather Honest", Torbert has been busy performing regionally, organizing Musicians For Farmers benefit events, attending the Banff Centre, and growing garlic. "Urban Poultry & Other Hopes" was released on October 22nd as part of the Halifax Pop Explosion followed by a showcase at Nova Scotia Music Week and a 3-day tour of New Brunswick. Two different videographers produced live videos to support the release - one by Newfoundland's Heavy Weather (This Day Is A Metaphor) and the other by Toronto's Southern Souls (Esbjörn). [both videos available at http://www.jefftorbert.ca/media]

Press/booking contact:
E: info@jefftorbert.ca P: 902.240.7605

“The record is characterized by relaxing grooves, instrumental pop ballads, spectacular improvisations, and some beautifully added vocals… “Urban Poultry & Other Hopes” is a fantastic sophomore release… thanks to musicians like Jeff Torbert, jazz is being seen in a whole new light.” - The Canadian Jazz Review

"The spirit is light, the tone is clear, and the playing is spot on."
- Stephen Cooke, CD Pick of the Week for 'This Weather Honest', The Chronicle-Herald

“[Jeff Torbert's] TFC soars in an egoless matrix... It is modern, it is deconstructionist, and it does pay more than passing respects to the melodic style of Pat Metheny, as well as much homage to the blues and jazz-funk. All three play really well and are integrated into an egoless matrix which introduces [the listener] to a new style of jazz: Jazz Bliss.” — Stephen Pedersen, concert review, The Chronicle-Herald

Live video performance of 'Esbjörn' by Toronto's Southern Souls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85gpoH_dm6M

Instrumentation

Jeff Torbert - Vocals, guitars, Piano, Melodica
Adam Fine - Electric and Upright Bass
Lloyd Quinton - Drums
David Christensen - Alto Saxophone, bass clarinet
Matt Myer - keyboards, and trumpet, Electric Organ
Kenny Talkowski - Alto and Soprano Sax

Discography

Urban Poultry & Other Hopes - independent - 2011
This Weather Honest - independent - 2009
Rhizomatics (as TFC) - independent - 2007

Official Website

http://www.jefftorbert.ca

Links

• Twitter
• Facebook

Audio

• This Day Is A Metaphor
  Listen  
• Last Bastion Of No Hope
  Listen  
• Esbjörn
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Esbjörn

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Album Review - Urban Poultry & Other Hopes [+ Show ]
  

  During the 1920s, 30s, and 40's, jazz (notably swing) was the music of young people. However, during...During the 1920s, 30s, and 40's, jazz (notably swing) was the music of young people. However, during the 1950s, rock and roll began to steel away America's youth, and by the 1960s, jazz was associated with its current connotation: "the music my parents and grandparents listen to". Though, there have been many musicians who have attempted to bring jazz back to a younger audience. Most notable of these musicians was Esbjörn Svensson, whom with his trio, composed music that helped restore jazz back to its original glory. However, it was with great sadness that Svensson tragically passed away back in 2008. Fortunately, there have been musicians who have been picking up where he left off, and one of these musicians is currently making a name for himself on the Canadian jazz scene. Nova Scotia native, Jeff Torbert, has received much acclaim for combining his intensive classical and jazz training with easy going compositions. Following his release of multiple award nominee "This Weather Honest", Torbert has done it again with "Urban Poultry & Other Hopes". The album features his sextet, whom include Torbert on the guitars, piano, and vocals; David Christenson on the bass clarinet and alto saxophone; Adam fine on the bass; Lloyd Quinton on the drums; Matt Myer on the trumpet and organ; and Kenny Talkowski on the alto and soprano saxophones. The record is characterized by relaxing grooves, instrumental pop ballads, spectacular improvisations, and a some beautifully added vocals here and there. Some songs to note on the album are "Last Bastion of No Hope", "Public Affection Number One", and "Indra's Net (Afterward)". In addition, "Urban Poultry & Other Hopes" is a fantastic sophomore release. It is definitely an unfortunate thing that jazz these days has the connotation that it has. However, thanks to musicians like Jeff Torbert, jazz is being seen in a whole knew light. So perhaps, jazz will soon have a new connotation in the future. That is, "the music everyone listens to".

• Concert Review - Stephen Pedersen [+ Show ]
  

  TFC soars in an egoless matrix Loops, repeated rhythms and drones created the musical texture in ...TFC soars in an egoless matrix
  
  Loops, repeated rhythms and drones created the musical texture in the Neptune Studio Theatre concert by jazz trio tfc on Tuesday.
  Jeff Torbert on guitar, Adam Fine on bass and Doug Cameron on drums emphasize the equality of their musical roles by spelling their band name with the initials of their last names in lower case.
  Each musician is an equal contributor to a musical design in which space is generously opened up so that anything can happen.
  Anything doesn't happen, of course. But something does.
  All three players initiate, support, or co-develop a kind of tetherless music, using the conventions of melody and rhythm and sometimes harmony, but not being anchored to them so much as to repetitive rhythmic drones on a single note.
  These serve to open up the musical space since any combination of notes can be made to work with them, and they also serve to keep the energy ticking like an engine on idle, while inspiration poises itself to strike.
  They played 13 pieces on the Studio Theatre stage, standing among an array of some two-dozen lamps in a variety of shapes and sizes and colours.
  The titles of these tunes give little musical information. They ranged from descriptive - meadows, reachin', mountain valley, surfaces; to the philosophical - living two reasons, something else and nothing else; the the whimsical - urban poultry, ignoring the moral magpie, morewarmmoat; and ended with - i wish everyone else would go away for a little while.
  And so we did, since there was no more music.
  Stylistically, tfc resists classification.
  But it is modern, it is deconstructionist, and it does pay more than passing respects to the melodic style of Pat Metheny, as well as much homage to the blues and jazz-funk. Guest alto saxophonist David Christensen fitted himself seamlessly into a few tunes.
  All three play really well and are integrated into an egoless matrix, which, to judge the from the frequent exchanges of broad smiles between Torbert and Fine, introduces a new style of jazz: Jazz Bliss.
  Throughout the concert, five cameras, under the direction of filmmaker Jeff Wheaton, two in the house, one on the balcony behind and above the players, and two on trolleys and tracks running along the edges of the stage wings, gathered footage for a future Wheaton film.

• Album Review - TFC Rhizomatics [+ Show ]
  

  Repeated listenings to Rhizomatics, TFC seem to compound the surprisingly evocative and expansive mu...Repeated listenings to Rhizomatics, TFC seem to compound the surprisingly evocative and expansive musical experience offered in the disk's eight tracks. The accomplished musicianship is obvious from the out-set. But what ups the ante here lies in the group's winningly creative intelligence. Each track presents its own stand-alone motif, improvisations and resolve. However, upon my third hearing, the tracks began to mesh into a cohesive whole. The theme? I've taken it to be a questioning of existence: origins, purpose and directions.
  
  Rhizomatics opens and closes with two chorded, almost plainsong compositions with the final cut, Before You Do, concluding with a moving, prayer-like question followed by deepening, profound silence. Hushed, even mystical, both works reflect the 'holy minimalism' music of composers such as Estonia's Arvo Part, the late Armenian/Scottish/American Alan Hovhaness of Mysterious Mountain fame, and Brit John Tavener. Listen for Cameron's pulsing rhythm in the opener, Sending And Receiving, which echoes radio telescope sonic surveys of the heavens in search of transmissions from other planets.
  
  On this outing, TFC deftly and with nimble sophistication shows its influences, as exclaimed in 'Rhizomatics' - the CD's clever title. 'Rhizo' stems from the Greek word 'rhiza' meaning root. I thought I detected hints of these seminal stylists: Pat Metheny, Wes Montgomery, John Scofield, Jaco Pastorius, Marc Ribot and Bill Frisell (channeled through Pink Floyd) along with the aforementioned "serious music" composers. Plus, that traditional jazz underpinner: the blues. Never soporific, Rhizomatic's contemplative opening and closing tones bookend many upbeat, at times joyful, compositions which reward the listener with constantly provocative musical revelations, making Rhizomatics well worth adding to the jazz aficionado's collection. What's lacking? Only informative liner notes and sophisticated graphic design. - Graham Pilsworth, Jazz East Rising Magazine, Spring 2007

Setlist

From "Urban Poultry & Other Hopes"
-Urban Poultry
-A Portrait Of...
-Last Bastion Of No Hope
-This Day Is A Metaphor
-Public Affection Number One
-Afterdeath Windows
-Living Two Reasons
-Via Campesina

From "This Weather Honest"
-This Weather Honest
-Esbjörn
-Skipping Stones
-Are You Going Where I'm Going?
-Tired Affair
-Ignoring The Moral Magpie
-Nothing But The Wind
-Mountain Valley

From "TFC - Rhizomatics"
-We Can Share The Wine
-Reachin'
-Before You Do
-Meadows
-Wind Is Free
-Acting On The Assumption

Basic Requirements

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