Through the latter, for example, heвЂ™s brought us such stunning discoveries as 2020вЂ™s George Coleman Quintet Live in Baltimore and this yearвЂ™s Roy Brooks вЂ“ Understanding as just two examples. Oh, before we go on вЂ“ for those unfamiliar with WeedsвЂ™ entrepreneurial endeavors he is the force behind Cellar Music GroupВ and its imprints- Cellar Live, Cellar Music, and Reel to Real Recordings. YouвЂ™ll note that just as Parker and his ensemble recorded a well-known Vernon Duke and Yip YarburgВ tune (вЂњApril in ParisвЂќ), so, too, have Weeds and Dwyer with the title track, вЂњWhat Is There To Say.вЂќВ And just as Bird played the GershwinsВ (вЂњSummertime,вЂќ вЂњThey CanвЂ™t Take That Away from MeвЂќ), here, too, thereвЂ™s love shown to George and Ira with the closer, Porgy and BessвЂ™s вЂњThereвЂ™s a Boat LeavinвЂ™ Soon for New York.вЂќ Interestingly though, this album is as much an homage to BirdвЂ™s classic as it is an effort to be similar, yet different. But it was really that Gary Smulyan record-something about that sound.вЂќ It was just kind of funny that it all kind of came about when it did. And, actually, we ended up doing that, too, on some of thisвЂ¦Oddly enough, while I was recording this record, I got an opportunity to play with the Kamloops Symphony doing the Bird with Strings music. There was something about that sound in particular-I believe they had 12 or maybe 14 strings on that record, and then they doubled them up. Yes, that sacred landmark album of Charlie Parker with Strings hovers over and invariably inspired this project, a daunting and courageous path for any saxophonist to take on but Weeds is not just вЂњany saxophonistвЂќ and keep in mind he is playing tenor not alto, and his are a mix of standards and three original compositions, whereas Parker rendered all standards.Д¬ommenting on this Weeds says, вЂњThe record that really made me want to do a strings record was Gary SmulyanвЂ™sВ Gary Smulyan with Strings.В And in fact, I presented Gary here in Vancouver doing that record.

Though Weeds headlines and co-produces, heвЂ™s tapped saxophonist, pianist, composer, arranger, and mentor, Canadian Phil DwyerВ as the projectвЂ™s other co-producer and de-facto music director in addition to playing piano, DwyerвЂ™s written all the arrangements here, including those for the accompanying 13-piece string orchestra. Yet, the subject at hand is Cory Weeds on tenor with strings in What Is There to Say, WeedsвЂ™18thВ album as a leader and first backed by a string orchestra. We cannot use the word вЂspareвЂ™ regarding Weeds, however, as his friend, Steve Kaldestad, details WeedsвЂ™ super multi-tasking talents in the liners.

In fact, Weeds would likely let you know that he is a saxophonist first, and an entrepreneur in his otherwise time. WeвЂ™ve heard so many produced projects recently from Cory Weeds that weвЂ™ve almost forgotten that heвЂ™s quite an artist in his own right.

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