OTTAWA CITIZEN GIVES
IMA FOUR STARS!
Read full review here.
JUNO NOMINATION FOR IMA
Yvette was thrilled to find out that Ima was nominated for a JUNO Award for Best Vocal Jazz Album 2009!!!
Click on the link below to find out more and visit the JUNO site or grab your own copy from
CD
Baby, or Itunes.
Juno
Awards Announcement
IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR!
The musical Tollar/Brown/Long family are all celebrating JUNO nominations in 2009
They include:
(Sister-in-law, and brother) Maryem and Ernie Tollar in the category of Best World Music Album for their beautiful new CD Cairo to Toronto.
Ernie Tollar for Best Contemporary Jazz Album with Michael Occhipinti's Sicilian Jazz Project (with special guest vocalist, Maryem Tollar).
Rich Brown (Yvette's hubby) was nominated, once again, in the Contemporary Jazz Album category with Barry Romberg's Random Access.
Allison Long (Yvette's sister) receives her first nomination for her background vocals on
Ima.
HIGH PRAISE FOR IMA
NOW magazine says Ima is "an elegant mix of modern jazz and world music... [a] sophisticated sophomore album", while Wholenote magazine calls Ima "one of the most genuine and moving discs from a local talent in 2008".
Read more in the REVIEWS section or pick up your own copy of the February edition of WholeNote magazine.
LISTEN TO YVETTE ON CANADA LIVE FEBRUARY 1ST, 2009 OR ON CBC'S CONCERTS ON DEMAND
CBC was on hand to record Yvette's CD release concert at the Glenn Gould Studio back in November. It will be aired for the first time on February 1st at 8 PM along with Yvette's interview by radio personality, Andrew Craig as part of CBC Radio's "Canada Live" Concert Series.
Visit the LISTEN section to access the link to CBC's Concerts on Demand where you can hear excerpts from the concert anytime you like. :)
Rinsethealgorithm’s debut album, Locutions, which features Yvette on the tracks Soothe The Machinery and Algorithmic, recognized on Best of Lists:
- Simon Harrison on his UK based show, Basic Soul (www.basic-soul.co.uk) added the new CD to his year-end top picks.
- Maurice Hogue’s One Man’s Jazz show (www.onemansjazz.ca) on CKUW 95.9 FM in Winnipeg voted rinse’s album among their shortlist.
-
Locutions also made writer Paul Youngman’s Top Ten of 2008 list. (www.vinilemania.net/best2008PJG.htm)
YVETTE LAUNCHES HER NEW CD IMA!
GLENN GOULD STUDIO
NOVEMBER 28, 2008
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS:
KEVIN BREIT AND RICH BROWN’S RINSETHEALGORITHM
Buy
Tickets
Join Yvette at CBC’s prestigious Glenn Gould Studio on November 28th for the official launch of her latest offering, Ima.
With an unwavering passion for the lyric and a velvety and ethereal tone Yvette Tollar has engaged and captivated international audiences. Here is a chance to hear this newly recorded collection of Canadian modern jazz tunes performed live - many of them as world premiers.
Yvette performs these intensely honest tunes with the help from some of Canada’s brightest stars on Canada’s jazz scene.
Kevin Breit (Sisters Euclid, Norah Jones, Cassandra Wilson) joins in as special guest. Contributing his unmistakable musicality and two of the albums stand out tracks, listeners can look forward to Kevin’s passionate guitar playing and gripping performance.
Long time collaborator, Robi Botos tickles the ivories on the Gould’s 9 foot Steinway while David Virelles joins in on additional keys and percussion. Jazz and world music chamaeleon, Ernie Tollar plays saxes, flutes and contributes two beautiful tunes. Celebrated electric bassist, Rich Brown, graces the stage with his heartfelt, virtuosic playing and adds his forward-looking outlook acting as musical director. Up and coming, young drummer Larnell Lewis brings his brilliant energy on stage while Allison Long, Yvette’s younger sister, adds her honeyed voice to the mix as back up vocalist.
Rich Brown’s super popular group, rinsethealgorithm opens the night with a set of their high-energy modern jazz.
Brown writes songs keeping in mind that jazz started out as progressive dance music. With his musical ear relentlessly to the ground, Rich’s group not only lives on the cutting edge of modern jazz but helps to define it.
Hear Rich along side his partners in crime, Lusi Deniz (saxophone), Robi Botos and David Virelles (keys), and Larnell Lewis (drums).
For both Yvette and Rich, this Glenn Gould show is an exciting opportunity to bring their innovative projects to one of Toronto’s most prominent venues. Join the party by coming out to show your support and be part of this exciting night and their fresh takes on jazz music.
Tickets are available through the Roy Thomson Hall, Massey Hall and Glenn Gould Studio’s box offices as well as online at:
roythomson.com (keyword Yvette)
or by calling 416-872-4255.
$20 adults $12 students, seniors artists $5 kids under 12 years.
For one night only, and to thank you for celebrating the release of Ima with her, Yvette is excited to offer her new CD at a discounted rate of only $10!
This event has been graciously funded, in part, by The Canada Council For The Arts.
(Allowing for the affordable ticket pricing.)
Thank you Canada Council!
YVETTE AWARDED A CHALMERS ARTS FELLOWSHIP
In 2008, Yvette’s talents were recognized when she was named recipient of the prestigious Chalmers Arts Fellowship. With the Chalmers family’s gracious support, Yvette will travel to Hungary to further explore her Hungarian roots, spend time in one of her favourite and most inspiring environments, The Banff Centre For The Arts, and compose music to accompany her poet uncle, Jozsef Tollar. She will add her new Hungarian folk music inspired jazz tunes to the repertoire list of Kek Duna her Hungarian/Jazz ensemble which is co-led with pianist, Robi Botos, brother and reed man, Ernie Tollar, upright bassist, Attila Darvas and drummer, Frank Botos.
Yvette offers her most sincere and warm thanks to the generous Chalmers Family and to the Ontario Arts Council who act as distributor of the award.
PRESS RELEASE FOR YVETTE TOLLAR’S IMA
She's one of Canada's leading modern jazz vocalists and a member of Canada's first family of jazz and world music, and on November 28th, Yvette Tollar returns to centre stage with the launch of her long-awaited sophomore album Ima (pr. EE-mah).
Inspired in part by a lengthy period of personal hardship for Tollar, which spanned several of the years following the release of her 2001 debut, Cactus Flowers, Ima is a true family affair - a collection of Tollar's all-time favourite original compositions, many of them ballads, many composed by either Tollar herself or by members of her esteemed musical family. All are performed in her trade-mark world-tinged modern jazz style and showcase her richly expressive vocals.
Two of the album's stand-outs come from brother Ernie Tollar, who is known for his work with Tasa, Holly Cole and Maza Meze. He composed the music for the reflective "Glittering Precipice," which features spoken-word poetry written by Yvette, and "Sick Rose," which sees William Blake's "The Sick Rose" set to music. The opening track, "Contradiction," is a collaboration between sister-in-law Maryem Tollar, known as the Arabic vocalist in Jesse Cook's band and as the singer of the Little Mosque on the Prairie theme, and uncle Ehab Latoyef, the Montreal poet and activist who made headlines in 2005 when he went to Iraq on behalf of the Canadian Islamic Congress to try and free the Canadian hostages. For Yvette's part, she composed two of the cuts: "I Forgive You" and the music for the captivatingly plaintive title track.
In addition, several musical friends make impressive contributions to the album. Kevin Breit of Norah Jones fame wrote two of the tracks, including the beautiful country-tinged "Hang On." National Jazz Award-winner David Restivo provides yet another highlight in the form of "Prayer for Human Kindness," featuring lyrics by Juno-winning drummer Jim Hillman.
Restivo also plays piano on several of the cuts; Breit plays guitar and mandolin; Tollar's husband Rich Brown of Autorickshaw and rinsethealgorithm plays bass and acted as co-producer alongside Yvette; brother Ernie plays flute, sax and clarinet; and sister Allison Long provides some backing vocals. Other guests include word/jazz percussionists Mark Duggan and Debashis Sinha, Tasa tabla player Ravi Naimpally, international award winning pianist Robi Botos and Maza Meze vocalist Sophia Grigoriadis.
Throughout the album, Tollar's distinctive voice ties the diverse compositions into a cohesive package, shifting effortlessly from melancholic to joyful, haunting to reflective, progressive to sophisticated. Robert Price once wrote of her that she makes "jazz sound easy," while others have praised her flawless technique and soulful, spirited and unforced delivery.
Tollar's musical chops have been honed over a lifetime immersed in the jazz and world scene. Born and raised in Toronto by parents who supported their children's musical experimentation (her dad encouraged Yvette to get her welder's license though (just in case)… she didn't), she spent her teen years taking lessons at the Royal Conservatory and hanging out with her older brother Ernie and his roommate Holly Cole – whose record collection she devoured. She studied in NYC with legendary jazz singer, Sheila Jordan and participated in workshops at the Banff Centre For The Arts with Dave Holland, Kenny Werner and Joe Lovano.
Tollar started her professional career at 16, and has been a regular in Toronto’s live music ever since. She is a former member of the Juno-winning ensemble The Merlin Factor, and she has recorded with the Toronto Tabla Ensemble for Japan's Naxus label. She has also toured her own ensemble through Europe and parts of Canada. In addition, Tollar sings with the Hungarian band Kek Duna, performs with the Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band, provides backing vocals for Maryem and Ernie Tollar’s Arabic jazz projects and sings with her husband's jazz super group rinsethealgorithm.
She launches Ima November 28th at Glenn Gould Studio with, special guest, Kevin Breit on guitar, Robi Botos and David Virelles on piano and keys, Rich Brown on bass, Allison Long on backing vocals, Ernie Tollar on flute, clarinet and sax, Larnell Lewis on drums.
The show features an opening set by Rich Brown's rinsethealgorithm and will be recorded for live national broadcast by CBC radio.
GUEST APPEARANCE ON RINSETHEALGORITHM’s, LOCUTIONS
Yvette is guest vocalist on Rich Brown’s rinsethealgorithm’s debut release, Locutions.
Soothe The Machinery, with music and lyrics by electric bassist, Brown, showcases Yvette’s ability to navigate through the most difficult musical terrain. With an odd meter, and a melody line demanding of a considerable range and agility, this tune speaks of environmental concerns and is a lament for a planet under attack.
Grab your copy of rinsethealgorithm’s Locutions from HMV, Archambault or online at CDbaby.com!
GUEST APPEARANCE ON JASNA JOVICEVIC’S INVENTED REALITY
Serbian saxophonist, Jasna Jovicevic’s, debut album is bubbling with jazz and traditional Sebian sounds. Written by Jasna and with Yvette’s voice in mind, the title track features lush string arrangements and Yvette’s singing at her finest. A double bill, European tour is in the works for these two distinct womens’ voices on the world’s modern jazz scene.
Grab your copy of Jasna Jovicevic’s Invented Reality at CDBaby.com (keyword
Jasna).
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