Rob McConnell


Robert Murray Gordon McConnell was a Canadian jazz trombonist, composer, and arranger. McConnell is best known for establishing and leading the big band The Boss Brass, which he directed from 1967 to 1999.

Biography

McConnell was born in London, Ontario, Canada, and took up the valve trombone in high school. He began his performing career in the early 1950s, performing and studying with Clifford Brown, Don Thompson, Bobby Gimby, and later with Canadian trumpeter Maynard Ferguson. He studied music theory with Gordon Delamont. In 1968, he formed The Boss Brass, a big band that became his primary performing and recording unit through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
McConnell assembled the original Boss Brass from Toronto studio musicians. The instrumentation of the band was originally sixteen pieces, consisting of trumpets, trombones, French horns, and a rhythm section but no saxophones. He introduced a saxophone section in 1970 and expanded the trumpet section to include the fifth trumpet in 1976, bringing the total to twenty-two members.
In 1977, McConnell recorded a double LP called Big Band Jazz. This was a 'direct cut' LP using Direct-to-disc recording. A small number of albums that recorded direct-to-disc began to appear on the market in the late 1970s and were marketed as "audiophile" editions, promising superior sound quality compared with recordings made using the more common multi-track tape recording methods. On McConnell's direct cut double LP, an entire side was devoted to a version of Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess". The double album won the Juno Award for Best Jazz Album in 1978. His 1983 All in Good Time album won the Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble recording.
In 1988, McConnell took a teaching position at the Dick Grove School of Music in California, but gave up his position and returned to Canada a year later. In 1992 he was presented with a SOCAN jazz award. In 1997, he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and in 1998 was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. He remained active throughout the 2000s, touring internationally as both a performer and educator, running music clinics around the world and performing as a leader and guest artist. The Rob McConnell Tentet, a scaled-down version of the Boss Brass featuring many Boss Brass alumni, recorded three albums, The Rob McConnell Tentet, Thank You, Ted, and Music of the Twenties.
McConnell died of liver cancer on May 1, 2010, in Toronto at the age of 75.

Discography

The Boss BrassThe Boss Brass - Rob McConnell, Canadian Talent LibraryRob McConnell's Boss Brass 2, Canadian Talent LibraryThe Sound Of The Boss Brass, CBC Radio CanadaOn a Cool Day, Canadian Talent LibraryRob McConnell's Boss Brass 4, Canadian Talent LibraryThe Best Damn Band in the Land, United Artists RecordsThe Jazz Album, Attic RecordsNobody Does It Better, Canadian Talent Library, PhonodiscBig Band Jazz, Umbrella RecordsAgain!, Umbrella RecordsAre Ya Dancin' Disco?, New VenturesThe Singers Unlimited with Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass, MPS RecordsPresent Perfect, MPS RecordsTribute, Pausa RecordsLive in Digital, Sea Breeze, Palo Alto RecordsBig Band Jazz Volume 1, Pausa RecordsAgain! Volume 1, Pausa RecordsBig Band Jazz Volume 2, Pausa RecordsAll in Good Time, Sea Breeze, Palo Alto RecordsAgain! Volume 2, Pausa RecordsAtras Da Porta, Innovation RecordsBoss Brass and Woods, Innovation RecordsMel Tormé, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, Concord JazzThe Brass Is Back, Concord JazzBrassy and Sassy, Concord JazzOur 25th Year, Concord JazzOvertime, Concord JazzDon't Get Around Much Anymore, Concord JazzVelvet and Brass, Concord JazzEven Canadians Get the Blues, Concord JazzRob McConnell and the Boss Brass Play the Jazz Classics, Concord JazzBig Band Christmas, Concord JazzThe Concord Jazz Heritage Series, Concord JazzTwo Originals , MPS Records...One More Time! Live At The Old Mill Inn, JAZZ.FM91
The Rob McConnell TentetRob McConnell Tentet, Justin Time RecordsThank You, Ted, Justin Time RecordsMusic of the Twenties, Justin Time RecordsJustin Time For Christmas Four, Justin Time Records
OtherA Canadian Christmas - Noël Canadien, CBC Radio CanadaTrombone Rob, Canadian Talent LibraryMutual Street, Innovation Records Old Friends, New Music, Unisson RecordsThe Boss of the Boss Brass, Duke Street RecordsLive At The 1990 Concord Jazz Festival, First Set, Concord JazzThe Rob McConnell Jive 5, Concord JazzManny Albam, Rob McConnell And The SDR Big Band Featuring Herb Geller, IntercordTrio Sketches, Concord JazzThree for the Road, Concord JazzRiffs I Have Known, Recall/Snapper MusicLive with the Boss - Rob McConnell & Big Band Brass, Black & Blue Records So Very Rob, Boss Brass Revisited, Hanssler
Guest and backing appearances, arrangements, compilation inclusionsCool and Hot Sax - Moe Koffman Septette, Jubilee RecordsColor Him Wild - Maynard Ferguson, Mainstream RecordsLove Talk - Guido Basso, Kanata Records, Canadian Broadcasting CorporationSongs for the New Industrial State - Doug Randle, Kanata Records, Canadian Broadcasting CorporationJazz Canadiana: All Star Jazz In Concert, CBC Radio CanadaMy Heart Belongs To Me - Rick Wilkins Orchestra, PhonodiscAnd All That Latin Jazz! - Guido Basso, Canadian Talent LibraryBack Again - The Hi-Lo's, MPS RecordsOut of the Shadows - Chris Vadala, Art of Life RecordsSwing Fever - All Star Swing Band, CBS DirectPlay The Compositions And Arrangements Of Bill Holman - Vic Lewis West Coast All Stars, Mole JazzLet's Eat Home - Dave Frishberg, Concord JazzPlays Bill Holman - Vic Lewis West Coast All Stars, Candid RecordsFrom Lush To Lively - Oliver Jones, Justin Time RecordsLookin' Good - Dave Frishberg, Concord JazzJustin Time Records 20th Anniversary Compilation, Justin Time RecordsJazz Moods: Sounds Of Autumn, Concord Special ProductsJazz Moods: Jazz At The North Pole, Concord Special ProductsInstant Party - Mel Tormé, Concord JazzI'm New Here - MHCC Jazz Band, Sea BreezeFrom the Top - Music! Its Role and Importance In Our Lives, Glencoe/McGraw-Hill EducationJazz After Dark II, Playboy JazzSwingchronicity - Phil Woods, DePaul University Jazz Ensemble, Jazzed MediaJust Friends - The Texas Christian University Jazz Ensemble, Sea Breeze Vista RecordsThe Complete Quebec Jam Session July 28, 1955 - Clifford Brown, Rare Live RecordingsThe Complete 1975 Toronto Recordings - Paul Desmond Quartet, Mosaic Records

Awards and nominations

Juno Awards
Grammy Awards
  • Nominee, Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band, Big Band Jazz, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, 1979
  • Nominee, Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist, "Tangerine", The Singers Unlimited with Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass, 1980
  • Nominee, Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band, Present Perfect, Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass, 1981
  • Nominee, Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band, "Tribute", Tribute, Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass, 1982
  • Nominee, Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band, Live In Digital, Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass, 1983
  • Winner, Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band, All In Good Time, Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass, 26th Annual Grammy Awards, 1984
  • Nominee, Best Arrangement On An Instrumental, "I Got Rhythm", All In Good Time, Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass, 1984
  • Nominee, Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance, The Brass Is Back, Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass, 1992
  • Winner, Best Arrangement on an Instrumental, "Strike Up The Band", Brassy And Sassy, Rob McConnell, 35th Annual Grammy Awards, 1993
  • Nominee, Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance, Brassy And Sassy, Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass, 1993
  • Nominee, Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance, Our 25th Year, Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass, 1994
  • Winner, Best Instrumental Arrangement With Accompanying Vocal, "I Get A Kick Out Of You", Mel Tormé, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, Rob McConnell, 38th Annual Grammy Awards, 1996
  • Nominee, Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance, Even Canadians Get The Blues, Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass, 1997
  • Nominee, Best Instrumental Arrangement, "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?", Big Band Christmas, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, Rob McConnell, 1999
  • Nominee, Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, Rob McConnell Tentet, Rob McConnell Tentet, 2002
  • Nominee, Best Instrumental Arrangement, "Autumn In New York", So Very Rob, Boss Brass Revisited, Rob McConnell And The SWR Big Band, Rob McConnell, 2004
Canadian National Jazz Awards
  • Arranger of the Year, Rob McConnell, 2002
  • Trombonist of the Year, Rob McConnell, 2002
  • Arranger of the Year, Rob McConnell, 2003
  • Trombonist of the Year, Rob McConnell, 2003
  • Acoustic Group of the Year, The Rob McConnell Tentet, 2003
  • Big Band of the Year, The Rob McConnell Tentet, 2003
  • Arranger of the Year, Rob McConnell, 2004
  • Trombonist of the Year, Rob McConnell, 2004
  • Big Band of the Year, The Rob McConnell Tentet, 2004
  • Big Band of the Year, The Rob McConnell Tentet, 2005
  • Trombonist of the Year, Rob McConnell, 2006
  • Big Band of the Year, The Rob McConnell Tentet, 2006

Honours