Music by Alex Bird/Charlie Angus/Ewen Farncombe & Lyrics by Alex Bird/Charlie Angus

Debut album from Alex Bird and the Jazz Mavericks.

Alex Bird - Vocals
Ewen Farncombe B3/Piano/Rhodes
Eric West - Drums
Scott Hunter - Bass

RELEASE DATE: October 23rd, 2020 (Worldwide)

Recorded at Canterbury Music Company (2019)
Mixed and Engineered by Jeremy Darby
Mastered by Peter Letros at Wreckhouse Mastering
Produced by Alex Bird & Charlie Angus
Album Photos by Aref Mahabadi
Album Titles by Zoran Jovicic
Copyright @SOCAN

WHAT THE PRESS IS SAYING:

“Every now and again, an act emerges from the cosmos and shakes up the planet. One of those groundbreaking bands is Alex Bird and the Jazz Mavericks. Bird and his group of talented players are rewriting the text book for vocal-infused Jazz.” - Brian M. Owens at Metronome Magazine (Boston)

”Vocals are a rival to Michael Bublé with a dash of Edwyn Collins. Edgy stuff. Possibly the new Elvis? Too much? Check it out yourselves.” - ALL ABOUT JAZZ

“Very much a modern take on the traditions of the Great American Songbook, Bird resonates with a quality parallel to Tony Bennett or Harry Connick Jr., and this debut album easily solidifies him as a highly skilled artist with both intimate and adventurous song craft that sounds as great today as it will 30 years from now.” - Tom Haugen at Take Effect Reviews (USA)

“Joining the stable of contemporary jazz creators like Michael Bublé, John Pizzarelli and Esperanza Spalding, Bird proves to be every bit as talented and deft as his counterparts.” - Brian M. Owens at METRONOME MAGAZINE (USA)

“The slow-footed 3:52​ (In the Morning) is a potential future classic. Whisky Kisses is a luscious, well-performed collection of originals that will appeal to fans of both ballads and up-tunes from the 1930s to the 1950s.” - Jeremy Isaac at JAZZ JOURNAL (UK)

“Crooners who not only sing in style according to classical etiquette, but also write their own lyrics are rather rare. Canadian Alex Bird is one of the few exceptions. In short, it is all there: The voice, the class, the sensuality and above all the feeling for both pathos and swing. Eleven songs that fit perfectly into the repetoire of “The Great American Songbook”. GEORGES TONLA BRIQUET at JAZZ’HALO (Belgium)

“I am somewhat skeptical about comparisons with the shadows of the great vocalists of the past. No, Alex Bird will not become the second Sinatra, although he works in the same stylistic field. He has already become the first Alex Bird, and if the trends outlined by Whisky Kisses continue in the future, this name will sound louder and louder.” - LEONID AUSKERN at JAZZ QUAD (Russia)

“Bird will captivate any listener with his sultry and mellow voice that has just that touch of smokiness which both manages to serve as a hark back to the era of golden jazz crooners like Sinatra and Bennett but also brings us into the present with a freshness that breathes new life into the traditional aspects of the genre. The influence of jazz bigwigs such as Bennett, Baker and Fitzgerald on the golden throated vocalist is apparent; Bird adds a distinct charm to his stylings while bringing that timeless classiness along into his new take on the past. Title track Whisky Kisses is a beautiful ballad that closes the album on a melancholic yet positive note, a sign that there’s much more to come from this astounding new talent.” - Kati Kiilaspea at THE WHOLE NOTE (Canada)

“Alex Bird, if you haven't heard his name, you soon will. The Toronto based jazz singer just released his debut album, “Whisky Kisses.” Alex brings a modern twist to the classic crooners of days gone by. You can imagine yourself putting on the record, lighting a fire, and pouring yourself a drink. His intimate lyrics and smooth vocals immediately pulls you in. It's an album you're certain to play again and again.” - Bleu Bop (USA)

Lemon Drop Stars

Alex Bird is a JUNO nominated Jazz singer and songwriter in Toronto, ON. With a swinging style and an indescribable charm, Alex is currently working on an entirely new chapter in the Great American Songbook. His original debut album “Whisky Kisses” was released in October 2020 and received reviews, awards, airplay, and distribution around the world. Music from the album was featured in a short documentary entitled “Because One Day” which debuted on the opening night of The Canadian Film Festival (May 2020) and received the award for best music by the film festival jury. 

Following that momentum, Bird has just released his second album, “You Are the Light and the Way”(Nov 2021). This sophomore album was made possible thanks to the generosity of the Canada Council for the Arts, who fully funded the release of this emerging new talent. The album has now been nominated for Best Vocal Jazz Album at this year's JUNO awards(2022). Bird and songwriting partner Ewen Farncombe wrote 12 new originals, with Farncombe also crafting horn and string arrangements. Working with a killer lineup of young musicians, “The Jazz Mavericks”, they are pushing the boundaries of a beautiful tradition and bringing it into a new era.

Alex literally grew up with the classics. As a young boy he was taken to hang around the Toronto Jazz scene, and had the opportunity to see and meet many of the greats along the way; Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, Ray Brown, Oscar Peterson, Mel Tormé, Ray Charles…the list goes on. Without even knowing it, his musical training developed, sitting around at smoky Jazz clubs into the wee small hours of the morning.

"Every now and again, an act emerges from the cosmos and shakes up the planet. One of those groundbreaking bands is Alex Bird and the Jazz Mavericks. Bird and his group of talented players are rewriting the textbook for vocal-infused Jazz." – Brian M. Owens at Metronome Magazine (Boston)