ABOUT US

Tim Booth’s

Toronto Art Orchestra

TAO

Featuring the works of some of the great jazz orchestra composers of our time- such as Gill Evans, Maria Schneider, Greg Runions, Bruce Cassidy and Timothy Booth to name a few.

Also featuring some of Toronto’s finest musicians - led by Timothy Booth with Mark Inneo, Marcus Ali, Dave Caldwell, Scott Marshall, John MacMurchy, John McCleod, Dan Fortin, Steve Cole, Phil Gray, D'Arcy Myronuk Contact

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Timothy W. Booth has been on the Canadian music scene for over 20 years, performing with a wide-array of groups in the Montreal and Toronto areas. He has played with orchestras including the Orchestra London, the Hamilton Symphony Orchestra, Montréal Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Orchestra, and l'Opéra de Montréal, and many other diverse ensembles.

Tim has also performed with a series of stars including Aretha Franklin, George Burns, Placido Domingo, José Carreras, Lucianno Pavarotti and John Pizzarelli and progressive rock group Yes. Tim has also played with such big bands as the Vic Vogel Big Band as well as the Freeflight Band and is currently leader of the Toronto Art Orchestra.

In Montreal, Tim was bass trombonist for Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Jeanne La Pucelle. In Toronto, he has played tuba and bass trombone on Beauty and the Beast, The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Showboat, and Ragtime. Tim is a member of SOCAN as well as the A. F. of M.

News

Reviews-

Toronto Art Orchestra--not your mamma’s big band

There is no doubt that jazz in Toronto is alive and well. Toronto Art Orchestra explores fresh directions brought forth through imaginative arrangements of original compositions and their own unique perspective to the works of jazz masters. These are talented performers who have listened to what is going on today.

As an arranger and composer, Tim Booth is able to steer the ensemble down a multitude of musical pathways with completely original compositions and arrangements influenced by some of the great jazz composers of our time but also incorporating modern rock and pop music influences.

New Moves, opens with ‘Melancholia’ Bruce Cassidy’s unique tribute to South Africa, complete with a Townships groove and some beautifully melodic soloing by Bob Brough and a pulsating groovy electric piano solo, and Phil Gray does a trombone solo like no other trombone player I have heard. We then have ‘Time Remembered’, one of Bill Evan’s greatest tunes, a wonderful almost symphonic arrangement by Tim Booth, harmonically rich and definitely influenced by the great Gil Evans. Solos by Tim on trombone, rich and warm, then a beautiful flute solo by James Warburton finishing with a fluent flugel horn solo by Brigham Philips. ‘Dragon’s Lair’ is a driving pulsating frenzy driven by trombones, wth a great electric guitar solo by Steve Cole, the Mike Stern of Toronto, and some crazy free solos on baritone sax and trombone truly a jazz-rock delight. The disc finishes with ‘Intruder Alert’ by John MacMurchy, one of Toronto’s great tenor players. The tune starts with a quiet peaceful woodwind soli, as if someone were peacefully asleep, suddenly the rhythm section comes driving in like a bandit in the night, ‘Intruder Alert’ driving swing. John solos fluently over the band with a warm soulful bluesy solo.

Along with the overall strength of the orchestra, The Toronto Art Orchestra is loaded with outstanding soloists. John MacLeod, Russ Little, until recently the President of the Toronto Musician Association, Bruce Cassidy, John MacMurchy, Phil Gray, Steve Cole, Dave Caldwell, Scott Marshall, Marcus Ali to name just a few. The endeavors of such an uncompromising musical community help to keep the genre vital and relevant an engaging listen, regardless of the climate. It is quite evident that these guys are true players, well versed in their craft and driven by passion.

Louise Ennis

Gonzo North

June 2007

Tim,

     Just a note to tell you how much I enjoyed your band at the Dominion. I was tired that night but stayed for two sets anyway. The arrangements were varied and rather different from the usual. I liked yours and Bruce's the most.

     I think your band will become one of the important staples of jazz in Toronto, and will also be of interest to audiences elsewhere.

Michael Colgrass (pulitzer prize winning composer)

Oct. 1 / 07

Music

Dragons Lair


Time Remembered 2