Victoria trombonist, composer, arranger and bandleader Ian McDougall has had a pretty good 6 months, all things considered. His new CD, The Ian McDougall 12tet Live, features a group of players he says is the “most fun band I’ve been in since the Boss Brass.” And CBC Music is pleased to stream McDougall’s latest opus right here. Just click on the play button.
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When the 2013 Juno Award nominations were announced on Feb. 19, McDougall was pleased to learn that his previous CD, The Very Thought of You, released last October, had earned a contender’s spot in the category of instrumental album of the year. Sales of that album have done very well, translating into a $16,000 gift to McDougall’s charity, called the 10 Mile Student Assistance Fund, which was established to support financially strapped students enrolled in fine arts programs in Greater Victoria.
McDougall cares deeply for kids and young musicians, many of whom have benefitted from his mentoring through the years. Maybe the empathy he feels stems from the career affirming nudges he received as a young person from his own mentors, who included John Dankworth, Woody Herman and McDougall's father.
McDougall, who turns 75 this coming June, has had a long musical career, the likes of which are pretty rare these days. At 12 he joined the musicians' union in order to play gigs at a popular Victoria venue called Club Sirocco, operated by B.C. entertainment entrepreneur Isy Walters. McDougall's first gig meant late nights and a taste of the professional musician's lifestyle.
Recently, Margaret Gallagher, the host of B.C.'s jazz show Hot Air, sat down with McDougall to chat about his entry into the music business, some of his musical inspirations and the meaning of camaraderie among players.
Here is an excerpted version of Gallagher’s interview with McDougall.
How did you get your start in the music business?
At 12 years old I was playing nine to one Fridays and Saturday nights at the Sirocco nightclub here [in Victoria], for a bunch of drunks and everything, but it was really great. I really enjoyed it.
What did your parents think?
They were all for it. They were great. My dad was a musician in the '20s and '30s, a bandleader in Calgary.
Who were your earliest influences?
Because of my dad, the earliest person I liked a lot was Jack Teagarden. Jack is for me still maybe the greatest jazz trombone player who ever lived. A lot of people would argue with that, but if you’ve ever heard a more vocal player than that – and it’s just like he sings, as Louis Armstrong was. He plays like he sings and he’s just a fantastic, beautiful player.
Frank Rosalino was another guy, along with J.J. Johnson. Frank was also a great singer and his jazz playing was just phenomenal, and very influential to a lot of trombonists.
How do you foster camaraderie in a band?
You don’t. You foster it by making everyone happy, so that they enjoy it. You get people who you like, and people who are good players. This band here [the Ian McDougall 12tet] for me is like it was in the Boss Brass. [It's the] most fun band I’ve been in since the Boss Brass. We all like each other. We all like each other a lot.
The Boss Brass practiced a lot to be good musicians. We worked together a lot. And it makes all the difference in the world if you’re comrades and you’re trying to create something. It’s great and I love it.
McDougall's CDs, including his latest, The Ian McDougall 12tet Live, can be purchased through his website.
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