2020 JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR: GROUP | Al Muirhead's Canadian Quintet | | The JUNO Awards

Eighty-four year-old JUNO-nominated trumpeter Al Muirhead is excited to present his most intriguing project to date; Undertones. Recorded at award-winning OCL Studios, the album features Muirhead on the rare bass trumpet with his new Canadian Quintet. The album highlights musicians he has admired over the years, including Canadian jazz heavyweights Kelly Jefferson (sax), Reg Schwager (guitar), Neil Swainson (bass), and Ted Warren (drums). Undertones is a collection of standards that he and his quintet selected in studio, along with two tribute pieces composed by Muirhead – including one for his dear friend and 50+ year collaborator, the late Tommy Banks.

With a 70-year career in music, Muirhead is a true expert – when he steps on stage or into the studio, something special comes out of his horn. He is one of the few masters in the world on the rare bass trumpet, and Undertones showcases its mellow and deep tones.

The album debuted at #1 on Canadian jazz radio and #3 in the US, and has earned Muirhead rave reviews across the globe. The Quintet completed a successful cross-Canada jazz festival tour, funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, in summer 2018 to sold out audiences.