From Jaymz Bee comes Seriously Happy, a jazz and vocal album on Linus. This is the CD edition. This edition was released on April 27, 2004.
Jaymz Bee and his Royal Jelly Orchestra mark their 10th anniversary by getting Seriously Happy. The thirteen songs on this album are playful interpretations of jazz standards along with a brand new composition, "Who Wouldn't Care For You", written and sung by Alex Pangman exclusively for this recording. In what Jaymz refers to as a "post-modern departure from cool and disengaged", this album brings the listener to the cutting edge of "hot and engaging". Led by Bandleader and Artistic Director Jaymz Bee, the 12-piece Royal Jelly Orchestra provides high-spirited and solid backing to extrodinary vocals. The cast of vocal talent includes Julie Michels, DeeKaye Ibomeka, Big Rude Jake, and Sandra Caldwell among the vocalists, and arrangements are handled by Kevin Clark, Sarah McElcheran, Richard Underhill, Ross Wooldridge and Tony Quarrington. The song list is culled from the 20th Century's happiest songs including; "Get Happy", "When You're Smiling", "This Is My Lucky Day" and "Let The Good Time's Roll". All were chosen to put the listener in a Seriously Happy mood. REVIEW "...good-time jazz standards? performed by an all-star band and nearly a dozen larger-than-life singers." -- David Olds, WholeNote Magazine May/June 2004"A class act?" -- Stanley Fefferman, The Live Music Report, May 2004"? the vocal abilities here are enormous and the arrangements flawlessly tight. " -- Now Magazine, May 2004 ABOUT THE ARTIST After spending the late 1980?s and early 1990?s touring Europe and North America with Canada's legendary "Look People", and then handling Musical Director chores on "Friday Night", a variety/talk show on the CBC TV, Jaymz Bee's musical ambitions began to take greater focus in 1994, deciding: "I wanted to do a big-band album. ?I just want to do something from the heart ." He recorded his first big band album "Jaymz Bee and His Royal Jelly Orchestra" ? releasing it in 1995. For his initial foray into the studio with his "big band", Bee surrounded himself with some of Canada's best young jazz inspired players including Richard Underhill, Sara McElcheran, Colleen Allen, Victor Bateman and George Koller. It was with many of these musicians Jaymz began tirelessly touring the country performing a mix of Bee penned originals, Jazz instrumentals from Monk to Ellington, American Songbook standards, and Jazz-inspired re-arrangements of current pop music chart hits. From 1996 to 2001 Jaymz Bee released four more recordings with the Royal Jelly Orchestra ? often adding Canadian Jazz legend Peter Appelyard to his studio sessions, and featuring a wide range of distinctive Canadian vocalists, including Julie Michaels, John Alcorn, Tim Tamashiro and his discoveries, the Beehive Singers. Jaymz Bee's Royal Jelly Orchestra have been featured on a wide number of television programs, radio broadcasts and have headlined on Canadian stages from Coast to Coast ? as well as being featured in select U.S. venues. Jaymz Bee and his RJO's sixth CD, "Seriously Happy" featuries some of the top jazz talent in Toronto This recording features Jaymz and his all-star unit with returning guest Peter Appelyard, accompanying some of Canada's brightest vocal talent, including Alex Pangman, Sandra Caldwell, Julie Michaels, and Jennifer Ryan. His Tenth Anniversary edition of the RJO features his most impressive line up of jazz players to date. Building on the foundation of his decade long partnership with charter RJO members Richard Underhill Sarah McElcheran and Bob Scott, he expanded the band's horn line up with Grammy nominated Kevin Clarke, Chris Gayle, Ross Wooldridge, Terry Promane and Dave Dunlop. Bee has also added the guitar stylings of Juno Award winner Tony Quarrington and bassist extraordinaire Brandi Disterheft ? to create a true Toronto Jazz all-star line up. In 2003, Jaymz led his re-vamped RJO on a headlining shows at Toronto's Harboufront stage, at the Royal Ontario Museum's public opening event for their Art-Deco exhibition and a number of other high profile events. This band proved to be Jaymz? most powerful line-up yet. Jaymz? continuing love for Jazz has led him to work at Jazz radio station, Jazz.FM, where he hosts a number of shows that support Canadian jazz players. Jaymz Bee is once again hitting the stage with his Royal Jelly Orchestra in support the release of "Seriously Happy" with an exiting line up of players and singers that are wowing audiences with a dynamic jazz and vocal experience. See more
