Bill King Quintet | Night Passage Years (1984-1986)

Bill King Quintet | Night Passage Years – 1984-1986
Night Passage Music

Between the years 1984-1986 Bill King recorded three sides, Ice, Avenue B and City of Dreams for his own label – Night Passage Music. Tracks from these Night Passage years have now been re-issued on this release.

King enlisted some of the finest Jazz musicians in Canada to launch the project; saxophonist Pat LaBarbera, bassist Dave Young, percussionists Dick Smith and Marty Morell along with up and coming vocal star, Liberty Silver. Amongst the numerous King original’s a few gems were added to showcase Silver’s vocal strengths – Stanley Turrentine’s, ‘Sugar', 'Loverman', Miles Davis’ 'Four' and the Billie Holiday classic, 'God Bless the Child'.

Back then "Avenue B" was nominated for a Juno in the Best Jazz category and "City of Dreams" caught the ears of People Magazine and was featured as a top new recording and shining light of independent work.

“I just wanted to learn the business and didn’t want to wait on anyone. I wanted to record when I wanted too, pick the musicians I wanted, write my songs and stock stores when needed. I went to pressing plants, I hired the best photographer and graphic artist Deborah Samuel and just let everyone do their thing. I’m still doing the same some 34 years later." - Bill King

Track list:

  1. Eyes of Morning ***
  2. Sugar ***
  3. Angelina ***
  4. God Bless the Child ***
  5. City of Dreams ***
  6. Loverman ***
  7. Summerheat ***
  8. Four ***
  9. Dark Eyes **
  10. Avenue B **
  11. Save the Children **
  12. Festival of Life *
  13. Portrait of Duke *
  14. Jennifer's Dream *

* Ice (1984)
** Avenue "B" (1984)
*** City of Dreams (1985)

Credits:

  • Bill King Keyboards/Producer - Composer 1,3,5,7,9,10,11,12,13,14 
  • Liberty Silver – vocals
  • Pat Labarbera – saxes
  • Dave Young – acoustic bass
  • Reggie Evans – drums
  • Dick Smith – percussion
  • Everton ‘Pablo’ Paul drums and percussion Summerheat
  • Anthony Holmes – Summerheat - bass
  • Wayne McGhie – Summerheat - guitar
  • David Myles – Summerheat – guitar
  • Atlanta String Section - Summerheat
  • Rene Gely – guitar – Dark Eyes - 9
  • Joe LaBarbera tracks 9, 10, & 11 – drums
  • Marty Morell – percussion – 9, 10, 11
  • Kevan McKenize – drums 12, 13, 14
  • Rick Homme – bass – 12, 13, 14

Recorded at Grant Avenue Studio Hamilton Ontario.

Engineered by Greg Roberts

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