City of Neighbourhoods

Anniversary’s are special, so guitarist Michael Occhipinti and pianist Paul Neufeld from the JUNO winning team of NOJO decided to celebrate their 10th anniversary with the release of what many are calling ‘a masterpiece’ with legendary saxophonist Sam Rivers. The stunning CITY of NEIGHBOURHOODS is the most outstanding piece of musical work that NOJO has composed to date. The complexity and arrangements of this seven-song disc will thrill music lovers.

Paul Neufeld tells us that “Playing our music with Sam Rivers, one of our heroes, is something that has no substitute for us, which is why we initially asked Sam to join us for concerts in August 2001 and to return in 2003”. That Sam would involve himself with NOJO, after all the things he has accomplished, is a great honour”. Michael adds “It has been a great privilege to work with someone as completely involved in music as one can be, for such a long period of time, and to absorb his stories and wisdom about this music.”

Sam Rivers is an authority on African-American music in the 20th century. In his eight decades, he's heard it all first hand, from the earliest jazz, to gospel, to R&B, to jazz's avant-garde. He has played with Miles Davis, Andrew Hill, T-Bone Walker, Chaka Khan, Dizzy Gillespie, Steve Coleman, Billie Holiday, J.C. Higgenbotham, Cecil Taylor, Jimmy Witherspoon and more. Sam is a pioneering composer and saxophonist who has carved a unique spot for himself in jazz's pantheon, and the sessions he and his wife Beatrice hosted at their New York loft are legendary. He still composes new music at a pace few can match. He leads and writes for his own adventurous Grammy nominated big band, and his current trio, where each musician plays multiple instruments, is unique.

CITY OF NEIGHBOURHOODS is NOJO’sthird CD on True North Records. Since its debut in 1994, NOJO has performed everywhere from the prestigious Umbria Jazz Winter Festival in Italy to the renowned Festival International de Jazz de Montreal. NOJO won the 2002 National Jazz Award for Big Band Of The Year, and they won a JUNO for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. Each of NOJO’s four recordings have had JUNO nominations.