Internationally-lauded flute giant BILL McBIRNIE has achieved something decidedly unlikely for a Canadian flutist who was raised in the small town of Port Colborne, Ontario. Despite an uneventful musical beginning, he has succeeded in attaining an international standing as one of the foremost flutists in jazz today—all while rarely setting foot outside of what is his now native city of Toronto.
He attributes his steady progress to his long and diligent study of both jazz and classical techniques which he combined with a patient determination to make the instrument sound entirely natural and, at the same time, entirely convincing in jazz and other non-classical formats.
McBirnie’s longstanding commitment has earned him unequivocal critical acclaim as well as numerous awards including Flutist of the Year (Jazz Report Awards) and Best Jazz Album (Toronto Independent Music Awards) in Canada, the Vox Populi Award for Best Jazz Album (at the Independent Music Awards in the USA), and as a winner in all three of the jazz flute (1) Soloist, (2) Masterclass and (3) Big Band Competitions (at the National Flute Association in the USA).
As a testimony to his singular place in the international flute community, Bill McBirnie was solicited personally by Sir James Galway to serve as his resident Jazz Flute Specialist at Sir James’ official website.
This evening’s all-star BILL McBIRNIE TRIO features jazz masters BERNIE SENENSKY on piano and PAT COLLINS on bass, entertaining in the up-close-and-personal ambience of The Home Smith Bar.