JAMES McGOWAN ENSEMBLE

THREADS OF FATE

Independent label

The strings dance.  The horns answer with punchy harmonics.  The piano of James McGowan steps out in front of the orchestrated dynamics.  This first piece is the album title, “Threads of Fate” that is composed of small segments of various musical themes from McGowan’s original compositions on this album. It’s an interlude introduction.

Track #2 is titled “On Your Own” and above the string section, voices read poetry.  The music is very classical, with strings playing like chamber music and various men and women reading the poems. Spoken word introduces the listener to ancient Greek mythology, descriptive of the goddesses of fate and how this presentation explores the album’s theme using poems.

However, the more I listen, the less I feel like this album should be categorized as jazz. This is because one of the most important parts of jazz music is missing: improvisation.  These parts and performances seem to be charted and scripted.

“Goddesses of Fate” continues the classical trend with what appears to be contemporary classical music. It features a beautiful violin solo.  The story behind this album depicts three Goddesses of Fate who represent that free will can be asserted against authoritarian control by finding strength in community. The song titles also tell the story of the composer’s intention.

This album includes participation of an international award-winning children’s theater company called “KingDom Theatre.”  They offer youth, from ages 5 to 18, who participate in musical performing groups. The theater ensemble, based in Ottawa, Canada, performs in both Russian and English.  Many members immigrated to Canada from Russia, Ukraine, and Eastern-European countries. Participants and educators are said to be active proponents of peacebuilding using the arts. James McGowan is a Professor of Music. He teaches composition and music theory at Carleton University. Seven members of his ensemble also teach at this university. Four other musicians are former students of James McGowan.

McGowan has released other albums featuring his Ensemble. One was titled “Reaching Out” in 2024, and another was titled “Reaching In” released in 2023.

This time, McGowan wanted to create an ensemble that represents classical string chamber music, sometimes orchestral, other times more like a big band, but always theatrical. I found it challenging to find the contemporary jazz aspect in this musical production.

However, the tide turned on a tune called, “Alone in the Dark” that featured Mike Tremblay playing an emotional tenor saxophone solo. I enjoyed his performance but wondered if he was improvising or reading his solo note for note.  “Second Chance” began sounding like jazz with Rich Page’s alto saxophone at the top of the arrangement soloing over the string section.  Page’s solo was quite soulful and jazzy. But McGowen’s arrangement soon directed the attention back to the Despax String Quartet.

A song called “People Pleaser” was definitely a shuffle jazz tune, featuring Cal McGowan on an impressive cello solo.  This time, Rich Page plays clarinet and Mike Tremblay’s flute is a sweet addition to this slow swing.

There is a “protagonist Tango” tune, and a trumpet led composition called “Fight Amongst Ourselves” that is heavily orchestrated and dramatic, but with definite jazz accents from the bell of Ed Lister’s trumpet.  The tempos and moods change, as if this is a suite and not a singular composition.

McGowan’s piano sparkles on his “Soliloquy” composition briefly at the introduction. Then comes orchestration and poetry.

This James McGowan Ensemble production is full of drama and imagination. It plays like the soundtrack to a theatrical production.  Perhaps it is the music to accompany the KingDom Theatre shows and support their dancers, actors and musicians.

THE JAMES McGOWAN ENSEMBLE: James McGowan, piano/composer; Jamie Holmes, drums; Jean-Philippe Lapensée, bass; STRINGS: Valérie Despax & Cal McGowan, cello; Maxime Despax, viola; Cendrine Despax & Jean Despax, violin; Keith Hartshorn-Walton, tuba; Mark Ferguson, trombone; Ed Lister & Rebekah Waddell, trumpet/flugelhorn; Mike Tremblay, tenor saxophone/flute; Richard Page, alto & soprano saxophones/clarinet/bass clarinet; POETRY SPEAKERS: Aleks Demkina, Kateryna Karpova, Alisa Rogul & Lesana Yatsenko.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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