And the beat goes on…

After an absence of some 15 years, singer Terry Dale returned to the spotlight last fall at a fascinating gathering in Toronto’s huge Don Mills Centre — and she sounded fine, thank you.

The event was concocted by Toronto deejay Glen Woodcock and Bob Farnon maven Pip Wedge to help promote Woodcock’s ongoing re-discovery of Farnon’s wartime band recordings from Britain.

A skilful quintet led by trumpeter Paul Grosney provided delightfully swinging music for three hours. Aiding Grosney were saxophonist Hart Wheeler, drummer Jerry Fuller, bassist Pat Collins and guitarist Bill Bridges Grosney and company did remarkably well with various Ellington tunes and such Armstrong-recorded favourites as Hello Dolly and Mack the Knife. Featuring Terry Dale was a perfect bonus. The Vancouver-born singer was known as the "Sweetheart of the Armed Forces" for her work during the Second World War. She joined the Art Hallman orchestra in 1946 and was heard for several years on the Wayne and Shuster Show. She also toured Korea and Japan in 1953. Later in the decade she had her own TV series with her late husband, Alan Miller.

One piano, four hands
Cers for the Canadian husband-wife team of Anne Louise and Edward Turgeon for their CD titled Romantic Dances (on EMI’s Marquis Classic label.) They’re billed as "Duo Turgeon" and do more than justice to 20 gorgeous melodies by Franz Schubert, Joannes Brahms, Anton Dvorak, Edvard Grieg, Max Reger and Moritz Moszkowski.

The Turgeons studied at the University of Toronto and Yale School of Music. They have been performing together since 1988 and have won numerous international competitions and now serve on the piano faculty of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

This CD, their third, was recorded at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta.

Celebrating Duke
Ellingtonia – A Tribute to Duke Ellington is a good example of the high standards that helped Justin Time Records win last year’s Jazz Report Award as Record Label of the Year. This compilation CD features Ellington compositions played by, among others, Diana Krall, Fraser MacPherson, Oliver Jones, the Danny Christianson Big Band and the combination of Dave Young and Oscar Peterson. The Christianson band, based in Montreal, is heard to good advantage on Sophisticated Lady with baritone sax player Jean Frechette featured prominently; MacPherson plays Chelsea Bridge and Oliver Jones is heard in a speedy version of Take the ‘A’ Train. Young and Peterson share the honours on a laid-back rendition of In a Mellow Tone.