Foundations – Digital Download
The award winning Jodi Proznick Quartet released their debut CD Foundations (Cellarlive) in 2006 to critical acclaim. The album features a wonderful mix of the tradition, a re-imagining of beautiful pop tunes and strongly crafted original repertoire. From Tilden Webb's arrangement of Peter Gabriel's Washing of the Water to the Duke Ellington classic, All Too Soon, this album is sure to delight the listener.
Recorded at the Factory Studio, Vancouver B.C.
Engineered and Mixed by Shawn Pierce
Assisted by Sheldon Zaharko
Mastering by Dylan Van Der Schyff
Graphic Design and Photography by Steve Mynett
Executive Producer: Cory Weeds
Produced: Jodi Proznick and Tilden Webb
Foundations - Digital Download quantity
The Jodi Proznick Quartet released their debut CD "Foundations" on Cellar Live on 2006 to critical acclaim. It was nominated for a Juno award and was awarded both Album and Acoustic Group of the Year at the National Jazz Awards in 2007. The repertoire is a mix of original compositions as well as arrangements of songs by Duke Ellington, Oscar Pettiford, Joni Mitchell and Peter Gabriel. This swinging album features Jodi Proznick on bass, Tilden Webb on piano, Jesse Cahill on drums and Steve Kaldestad on tenor saxophone.
3 reviews for Foundations – Digital Download
Mary K – October 1, 2017
Bassist Jodi Proznick has been hiding out in the dark corners of jazz clubs in Canada for many years now. She's backed countless bands and won several awards, including the 2007 Bassist of the Year in the Canadian National Jazz Awards. "Foundations" is her first foray into a leadership role, heading Tilden Webb on the piano, Steve Kaldestad on tenor sax and Jesse Cahill on drums. Proznick's bass stands out as the showcase of this album. A lot of jazz bass gets lost on the background, but not here. Her abilities as a composer shine as well, however, her interpretation of Joni Mitchell's "Help Me" is the high-point of the album. "Foundations" features a mix of Proznick originals, like "Duke of York" written for a 27-pound pet cat and "Must be Rain," an homage to the Pacific Northwest. Other highlights include Peter Gabriel's "Washing of the Water." — Daniel J. Graeber 88.1FM WYCE Grand Rapids, MI
Musicians end up playing the instruments they do for all kinds of reasons, but Vancouver bassist Jodi Proznick, the daughter of a nationally acclaimed high school band director, can cite a specific one.
"He didn't know anything about the bass, so as a tenacious 13-year-old I thought that he couldn't look over my shoulder and tell me what to do," she said of her desire for musical independence from trumpeter/educator dad Dave Proznick.
That's not to say both parents didn't inspire their three children's artistic pursuits. Proznick also studied ballet for 10 years, while sister Kelly is a trombonist/educator and brother Tim plays drums.
"I suppose if they were as into hockey as they were into us doing dance and theatre and music I would have been on a hockey team," said Proznick, 32, who makes her Toronto headlining debut at the Rex tonight.
Her first national tour is also a family affair. The band, which played on her first recording, Foundations, includes pianist Tilden Webb, Proznick's husband of three years, his high school pal, tenor saxist Steve Kaldestad, and her sister's beau, drummer Jesse Cahill.
"In terms of being a leader, it's kind of ideal in a way, because you're dealing with people who care about each other," said the noted bassist.
Rooted in traditional swinging post bop, her group covered Duke Ellington, as well as Joni Mitchell and Peter Gabriel on Foundations.
"I love pop," explained the performer, who started out on electric bass and moved to upright at 16, "but jazz was a good fit, because it's challenging. You're on the edge of your ability always and it's such an in-the-moment way to make music. I love communicating with people and playing jazz is this euphoric way of communicating with others: the musicians and the audience.
On the disc's four original songs, Proznick said she was "trying to write from a real sensory place."
"With `Duke of York,' for example, I wanted to embody my 28-pound cat, York. Rhythmically, it's the soundtrack I would put to watching him lumber down my hallway.
"I will often explain this (to the audience) when I'm playing that song and people often respond because they have a visual. I think with instrumental jazz it can be a little difficult for the average listener; they feel a bit alienated from it, because it seems like there's so much going on. I've found this song is kind of an invitation: everyone knows cats, everyone's seen Garfield, they have something to hang their hat on it while listening to the song."
By Ashante Infantry
Pop & Jazz Critic
Toronto Star, Wed., Nov. 14, 2007
Proznick's group began the night affirming a great Canadian composer much loved by many jazz players – Joni Mitchell. Pianist Tilden Webb recast Help Me as a well-crafted waltz, offering a new way to hear Mitchell's catchy melody.
Later in its set, Proznick's quartet covered another pop-world composer, making Peter Gabriel's Washing of the Water into an affecting ballad that was half-anthem, half-hymn.
Otherwise, the group's originals and closing cover played to its greatest strength – vivid, unfettered grooving grounded by Proznick's room-filling bass and driven by drummer Jesse Cahill's rock-solid beat.
Proznick announced one Webb original, Round About, as a "celebration" of the late saxophonist Newman, the Ray Charles sideman who had played and recorded with Webb, Proznick and Cahill. But in fact, every song from the band was celebratory – of jazz's rhythmic sureness and lyricism, and of the coming together of like minds.
Show review by Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen
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