Jordan O’Connor’s
Lebreton
solo

Last February I decided to record another Cash Cow CD. This desire was spurred on by Rob, from Candyrat Records who took the earlier Cash Cow CD “When We Were Little Girls” as well as “Fragments vol. one” into the Candayrat catalogue -  his new online label. As a player I was out of shape and felt largely lost as a musician. I didn’t feel I was “a part” of any music scene, and outside of occasional gigs with guitarist Don Ross (which was how I made the Candyrat connection) and some subbing work here and there I felt like an alien in Toronto. So with Rob’s I decided to record again; yet, as I said, I was out of shape.
           
The solo session (which would become “Lebreton”) began without any specific intent. I needed to play and get back into the game, so to speak. Additional, I finally had all the things one needs to record; the gear, a place and so on, however, since I had felt so musically “out of touch”, I hadn’t been playing or practicing very much; thus, there was a practical need to “get in shape” on the instrument before the Cash Cow session, not just physically, by emotionally and mentally. My frustration, with my lack of connection to Toronto and the music scene and, by extension, with my lack of playing, led me to act like a child who, if s/he couldn’t be accepted, or feel accepted, was going to become resentful and cynical. In short I was hurt and unfocused. As much as this continues to be a battle for me, I do hope to overturn my lack of focus and hurt feelings– as petty and futile as they might be– into something positive. So over the course of a few nights I decided I would play what I call “open music” and just be who I am and leave the rest behind.
           

Why release online?
The idea of releasing CDs and touring is appealing, but the reality is, I am not willing or currently able to put the work into the business side of Jazz –frankly I don’t even know where to begin! So I put my energy into other things; composing improvising and thinking about life and music. I will not be selling CDs on the road, nor will I strike-up some deal with Chapters, HMV, Wal Mart, Starbucks or whatever. The reality is, I don’t have the time or inclination or guts to travel door to door with my music and it’s not because I don’t believe in it, it’s because I need to keep exploring – we only have so much time – and I don’t feel I have come to any conclusions that I could really sell!

Over the coming months, as I release more of the recordings I have tucked away, I think the diversity of my musical interests will be obvious and thusly convey both the sales nightmare I present to myself and others as well as my need to explore music – and I always wish I could do more.    

Why is the recording entitled Lebreton?  

The “Lebreton” Flats is where I lived from about 15 to 22 or so, which were very informative years for me personally and musically. It was also where my Mother lived for about 15 years, and prior to me living with my mother I would visit her (my parents were divorced) so I have lots of earlier memories of The “Lebreton” Flats. The title of this recording is a “tip-of-the-hat”, a tribute and recognition of those memories. I am a very nostalgic person and although I don’t wish to move back to Ottawa so many of my memories seem so immediate to me that I feel like that place, now 12 years and more gone, is just outside my door.

What are some of the upcoming recordings that you plan to release?

Well there is a session I did with a wonderful saxophone player Hughie O’Connor, which features Mark Ferguson (Trombone) Craig Harley (Piano) Jesse Baird (Drums) and myself (Bass). Hughie and Mark are two people I played a lot with when I lived in Ottawa and they are two people I learned a tremendous amount from. The session will include a number of Jazz standards I played with Hughie and Mark over the years. This was a session that was made possible by Bill Stunt at the CBC and I will always be in his debt. In any case, I will talk more about it when it is online.

I will also be releasing Cash Cow’s new CD entitled “Love In The Big City”, which will include a great number a tunes I wouldn’t have been able to include on a CD because of time restrictions. The band is Craig Harley (Piano) David French (Tenor Saxophone) Nick Fraser (Drums) and myself (Bass). I think this is a great follow-up recording to the “When We Were Little Girls” CD, although long over due – that was released in 2000! Time flies…

There are a number of live recordings and sessions I have done over the years that will be released. One session features, Justin Haynes (Guitar) Craig Harley (Piano) Nick Fraser (Drums) and myself (Bass). This was something we did recently, over the course of a few days and there is a lot of great music from this session. I have played with Nick and Justin many times over the years, largely when we were younger and lived in Ottawa, and so it is pretty amazing to think back on the music we played when we were 15 and 16 and then to the music we are playing at 34. Furthermore, it was great to have Craig on the session, a session that was Craig’s idea. To play with the three of them was something really special, for me it was a session of my essential peers in music and it was wonderful.  In any case, I will talk more about this when the session is online.

So keep checking back and take a listen there is more to come.