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Bill McBirnie

Bill McBirnie is a jazz and Latin flute specialist based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He has studied with renowned American flutist, Samuel Baron, distinguished Canadian flutist and composer, Robert Aitken, as well as Cuban charanga legend, Richard Egues. Bill has also been solicited by no less than Sir James Galway to serve as his resident Jazz Flute Specialist at Sir James' official web site.

Bill is well known for his outstanding technique. However, he is also recognized as an exceptional improviser (notably in the bebop, swing and Latin idioms) as demonstrated by his recordings as a sideman with Junior Mance, Irakere, Memo Acevedo and Emile-Claire Barlow. Needless to say, Bill has performed and recorded extensively with Toronto's finest musicians and is a longstanding charter member of Bernie Senensky's Moe Koffman Tribute Band.

Here are a few illustrative comments regarding Bill's work:

- "Dear Maestro McBirnie, This just blew me away. Great, great playing...Innovative...I have never heard anyone play like this...Great technique and music making. The scales are so even it sounds like he wrote the Taffanel scale book...Bill, when you read this, I have to take my hat off to you. This is great playing by any standard." SIR JAMES GALWAY (Galway-Flute-Chat)

- “In both duo and quartet formats, McBirnie dazzles...In every instance, his technique is flawless, dynamic and often simply jaw-dropping...McBirnie has been called Canada’s standout jazz flautist. I maintain he is one of the top two or three in the world." MARK E. GALLO (JazzReview.com)

- "A distinguished flutist with a devotion that shows up in the airy sweetness of his sound at ballad tempos and in the remarkable control he can bring to rapid-fire, skittering runs on up tempo, Coltrane-inspired material." STUART BROOMER (Editor, Coda magazine)

- "McBirnie has always handled bop exceptionally well. You can hear his years at the conservatory in his sound, a pure, transparent tone at rest, brightening with exertion, yet he swings like someone who grew up with a large collection of Blue Note and Prestige LPs down in the basement. He's entirely idiomatic, but also effortlessly inventive." MARK MILLER (The Globe and Mail)

- "...All beautifully recorded, unclassifiable, and virtually timeless..." MICHAEL STEINMAN (Cadence Magazine)

Bill has produced two Extreme Flute projects as well as four straight-ahead acoustic jazz recordings under his own name including (1) Nature Boy (featuring The Mark Eisenman Trio), (2) Paco Paco (with Bernie Senensky, Neil Swainson and John Sumner), (3) Mercy (featuring Robi Botos), (4) Find Your Place (an organ trio featuring Bernie Senensky and Anthony Michelli) and (5) The Silent Wish (with Bernie Senensky). All of these albums have attained Top 40 spots at Jazz.FM91 (and previously Bob Parlocha's syndicated jazz program) as well as steady air-play in their respective spin cycles.

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12
Album Review

Bill McBirnie: Forever

Read "Forever" reviewed by Chris M. Slawecki


Canada's Bill McBirnie is known around the world for his flute prowess in Latin, pop, jazz and classical music settings. For example, he was personally recruited by Sir James Galway to serve as Resident Jazz Flute Specialist on Galway's official website. McBirnie published The Technique and Theory of Improvisation: A practical guide for flutists, doublers and other instrumentalists in 2019. He has recorded as sideman with artists in styles ranging from Irakere to Junior Mance. McBirnie is also the only ...

14
Album Review

Bill McBirnie: The Silent Wish

Read "The Silent Wish" reviewed by Don Phipps


On this set of choice covers and one original, Bill McBirnie uses the flute to express dancing, happiness, blues, romance and melancholy. Sliding effortlessly along the keys of his instrument, McBirnie produces a wonderfully cool tone. Take his work on Ray Bryant's “Reflection" or Kenny Dorham's “Blue Bossa." There's a peppy action to it, like a kite darting back and forth in the sky. The album features musical conversations between McBirnie and pianist Bernie Senensky. These conversations have ...

10
Album Review

The Bill McBirnie Trio: Find Your Place

Read "Find Your Place" reviewed by Edward Blanco


Canadian jazz flautist Bill McBirnie fronts a unique organ trio on Find Your Place, his sixth album as a leader. McBirnie lends his “Extreme" flute and award-winning chops to an array of swing, Latin-flavored, bossa nova, shuffle and ballads in one audacious outing. Joining forces with fellow Canadians Bernie Senensky on Hammond B3 organ and Anthony Michelli on drums, the trio play their way through a sensational selection of standards from such icons as Cole Porter, Horace Silver, Duke Pearson ...

10
Album Review

The Bill McBirnie Trio: Find Your Place

Read "Find Your Place" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


The standard organ trio doesn't usually include a flute. On paper, it sounds like a bad idea. It seems as if the cool breeze aspects of the airy blowing of the flute would get lost in the organ's electric woosh. As it turns out, flutist Bill McBirnie's Find Your Place, proves those seemingly similar sounds to be quite complimentary. The genesis for the project lies in the recording of a previous McBirnie set, Paco Paco (Extreme Flute, 2005). ...

239
Album Review

Bill McBirnie: Mercy

Read "Mercy" reviewed by Paul J. Youngman


Bill McBirnie is an award-winning flutist, based in Toronto, Canada and Mercy is the fourth release on his own independent label, Extreme Flute. The album is divided into two parts with a quartet performing on seven songs, and a duo, featuring McBirnie and pianist Robi Botos, covering five songs. The liner notes indicate the project was recorded over two days in the summer of 2009, with the quartet performing on day one and the duo the following day. The quartet ...

210
Album Review

Bill McBirnie: Mercy

Read "Mercy" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza


Bill McBirnie weaves a magic spell as he embarks on a musical journey that stops at 12 vantage points. McBirnie has established an enviable reputation as a flautist, with a particular emphasis on Latin jazz. Here, he goes way beyond that calling as he plays bebop, swing, Dixieland, bossa nova, and rock 'n' roll by way of New Orleans. Not only is he comfortable in every style, he elevates each to a high plateau.

McBirnie's explorations are luminous. He makes ...

280
Album Review

Bill McBirnie: Mercy

Read "Mercy" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose


By its very nature and high and lonesome sound, the flute is a solitary instrument. Although played from ancient times, the modern flute as a solo voice has been rather seldom heard compared to other woodwind--especially reed--instruments. But non-existent it is certainly not. First Frank Wess' then Herbie Mann's and Hubert Laws' work certainly comes to mind. In Canada the instrument has been a part of the fine tradition that owes much to Moe Koffman, and lately the maestro, Bill ...

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17

Recording

Extreme Flute Releases 'Forever' by Bill McBirnie & Bruce Jones

Extreme Flute Releases 'Forever' by Bill McBirnie & Bruce Jones

Source: Bill McBirnie - Extreme Flute

Bill McBirnie and Bruce Jones have teamed up once again with a brand new Extreme Flute project, featuring Bill in his singular capacity as “flautist extraordinaire”, and Bruce in his multiple capacities as composer, performer and engineer. The result of their collaboration is a genuinely hypnotic, dreamy and incantatory album with a distinctly Brazilian favour that will resonate with listeners whose tastes range from samba to ambient, from urban to jazz. Forever is finally here... and now!... Bill McBirnie has ...

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Book / Magazine

The Technique And Theory Of Improvisation By Bill McBirnie

The Technique And Theory Of Improvisation By Bill McBirnie

Source: Bill McBirnie - Extreme Flute

Renowned jazz and Latin flutist, Bill McBirnie, provides a roadmap to success in improvisation The Technique and Theory of Improvisation is a concise but comprehensive guide to (1) the technique (articulation, vibrato, and breathing), and (2) the theory (rhythm, melody and harmony) that are essential in learning to improvise. This book also addresses how to integrate the technique with the theory using a simple melodic approach. In addition, the book examines practical issues such as analyzing tunes, using an idiomatic ...

7

Recording

Flautist Bill McBirnie releases The Silent Wish with Bernie Senensky

Flautist Bill McBirnie releases The Silent Wish with Bernie Senensky

Source: All About Jazz

The Silent Wish is the latest release from Canada's premier jazz and Latin flutist, Bill McBirnie, and it features Bill's superior craftsmanship along with that of his longstanding and formidable accompanist, Bernie Senensky, in an intimate duo setting, brimming with pristine acoustic clarity, that displays their uncommon levels of musicianship and simpatico as they explore a diverse range of material, integrated by a ubiquitous and enchanting “minor theme” inspired by Bill’s wife, Svetlana. Here are some reactions to Bill McBirnie ...

6

Recording

New Brazilian Flute Release Bill Mc Birnie & Bruce Jones Release "Grain Of Sand"

New Brazilian Flute Release Bill Mc Birnie & Bruce Jones Release "Grain Of Sand"

Source: Bill McBirnie - Extreme Flute

Extreme Flute release Grain of Sand features Bill McBirnie on flute, alto flute and piccolo along with the multi-talented singer-songwriter, Bruce Jones. Grain of Sand consists of original material in a variety of Brazilian formats incliding improvised flute work and is now available at CDBaby and iTunes. Early praise for Grain of Sand “...McBirnie’s brilliant flute technique and sensitive style happily unite with Jones’ diverse skills and genuine gift for songwriting as they demonstrate their shared love for Brazilian music. You will ...

6

Recording

Flutist, Bill McBirnie, Releases A New Album - Find Your Place

Flutist, Bill McBirnie, Releases A New Album - Find Your Place

Source: Bill McBirnie - Extreme Flute

The Bill McBirnie Trio featuring Bernie Senensky and Anthony Michelli Find Your Place Bill McBirnie's new album, Find Your Place, departs in a significant way from his previously acclaimed acoustic jazz projects ("Mercy" with Robi Botos; “Paco Paco" with Bernie Senensky; and “Nature Boy" with Mark Eisenman). In FIND YOUR PLACE, Bill places the flute in a very unlikely role...as part of an organ trio! For this singular format, Bill has recruited two outstanding fellow Canadian musicians, Bernie Senensky on ...

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Education

Online Lessons with Jazz & Latin Flute Specialist, Bill McBirnie

Online Lessons with Jazz & Latin Flute Specialist, Bill McBirnie

Source: Bill McBirnie - Extreme Flute

Bill McBirnie is Canadian jazz and Latin flutist based in Toronto, Ontario. He has had a lot of classical background but he has also been working as a non-classical flute specialist for the past three decades. During that time, he has succeeded in modifying his technique so that it works extremely well in jazz and Latin contexts. His technical approach will be of interest as well as relevance not only to doublers but also to classical flutists who want to ...

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Award / Grant

Jazz Flutist, Bill McBirnie, Wins At The TIMAs

Jazz Flutist, Bill McBirnie, Wins At The TIMAs

Source: Bill McBirnie - Extreme Flute

The album, “Mercy," The Bill McBirnie Duo/Quartet (featuring Robi Botos), won the award for Best Jazz at the 2009-2010 TIMA (Toronto Independent Music Awards). Bill thanks the musicians, all of whom made this outcome possible—namely, Robi Botos (piano), Pat Collins (bass) and John Sumner (drums). In addition, Bill extends special thanks to co-producer, Pacy Shulman of Hilo Studio, who not only engineered but also mixed as well mastered “Mercy." Pacy's workmanship was genuinely acoustic with absolute fidelity to the nature ...

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Performance / Tour

The Bill McBirnie Quartet at the Old Mill (Toronto) on April 8th

The Bill McBirnie Quartet at the Old Mill (Toronto) on April 8th

Source: Michael Ricci

Take this rare opportunity both to see and to hear The Bill McBirnie Quartet featuring highlights from Bill's new and highly-acclaimed album, Mercy, in what is a genuinely relaxed and enjoyable setting. Bill's quartet will consist of: - Bill McBirnie (flute), David Restivo (piano), Pat Collins (bass), John Sumner (drums). The time and venue are as follows: Thursday, April 8th 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. The Old Mill - Dining Room Reservations (recommended) ...

173

Recording

Bill McBirnie - Mercy (Featuring Robi Botos) - Tracking Info and Critiques

Bill McBirnie - Mercy (Featuring Robi Botos) - Tracking Info and Critiques

Source: Michael Ricci

Below is some recent tracking information as well as some further critical reaction to Bill McBirnie's new acoustic jazz flute release, Mercy (featuring Robi Botos).

TRACKING INFORMATION:

Mercy has been achieving some active rotation and is filtering upwards in various spin-cycles, per the following: (1) - Mercy has reached the “Top 40 New Releases" at the web site of US-syndicated Jazz DJ, Bob Parlocha. (2) - Mercy is currently a “Featured Release" at Canada's Premier Jazz Station, JazzFM91. (3) - ...

90

Recording

Bill McBirnie - New CD Release - Mercy

Bill McBirnie - New CD Release - Mercy

Source: Michael Ricci

THE BILL MCBIRNIE DUO/QUARTET (FEATURING ROBI BOTOS) - MERCY Following up on his two previously acclaimed acoustic projects (Nature Boy with Mark Eisenman and Paco Paco with Bernie Senensky) extreme flutist, Bill McBirnie, has come out swinging and scintillating once again with yet another exceptional acoustic flute release, Mercy. On Mercy, Bill joins forces with Romani piano sensation, Robi Botos, for a series of duos and, for the remaining quartet pieces, Bill couples Robi with a steadfast rhythm section consisting ...

SIR JAMES GALWAY—"I want to tell you how much I enjoyed your latest, and greatest, CD. I’ve listened to it several times and it’s a really terrific record. You are my favourite jazz flutist…This album is a real knock- out!…"

DOWNBEAT—"…Toronto’s deep pool of local talent was on display at dozens of events…Opening for Eliane Elias, flutist Bill McBirnie proved a passionate and eloquent improviser with sure-footed support from pianist Bernie Senensky. Their set included...a show-stopping finale penned by Senensky...inspired by Hermeto Pascoal and Charlie Parker.” (Allen Morrison)

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Primary Instrument

Flute

Location

Toronto

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

Typically, the people who come to me for lessons are (1) classical players trying to cross over into jazz and (2) doublers wanting to improve their flute technique for jazz purposes. Other instrumentalists come to me for coaching as well on how I approach improvising. My students genuinely appreciate what I have to offer because it is...singular...often, peculiar to the flute...and, more importantly, it is not in any books!...

Clinic/Workshop Information

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Sparkbird

Empress Music
2023

buy

Forever

Extreme Flute
2021

buy

The Silent Wish

Extreme Flute
2018

buy

Grain of Sand

Extreme Flute
2015

buy

Find Your Place

Extreme Flute
2014

buy

Find Your Place

Extreme Flute
2013

buy

Bird of Beauty

From: Sparkbird
By Bill McBirnie

My Heart Belongs To Daddy

From: The Silent Wish
By Bill McBirnie

Yes Or No

From: Find Your Place
By Bill McBirnie

Willow Weep For Me

From: Mercy (featuring Robi Botos)
By Bill McBirnie

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