Shirantha Beddage ‘Departures’ Album Release in Toronto!

Shirantha Beddage – baritone sax and bass clarinet

Kevin Turcotte – trumpet

Nancy Walker – piano
Mike Downes – bass
Jim Doxas – drums

Shirantha Beddage is a baritone saxophonist, composer and educator from Toronto, Canada. His original music combines hard bop and modern jazz to create a sound that is both accessible and sophisticated. He has released three critically acclaimed albums as a band leader: Roots and Branches; Identity (a 2013 JUNO nominee); and Momentum (a 2017 JUNO nominee). He’s thrilled to announce the release of his fourth recording: Departures.

Departures is a title with many meanings. For Beddage, the compositions on this album have been influenced by major recent life events, including the death of his mother, a new job, and numerous family trips around the world.

For this album, Beddage felt that it was time for an experiment. He decided to record with a brand new group, assembled specifically for the session – one with no prior experience performing his music. He assembled some of his favourite Canadian musicians, each one hailing from a different province. As Beddage recalls: “this process forced me to feel the sense of urgency that I always enjoy in a live setting, and I loved the challenge. I hope that you will hear that urgency in the music.”

The originals and arrangements on this album reflect a broad range of themes, including Beddage’s desire to explore his Sri Lankan heritage, his identity as a Canadian living in America, and his experience as a South Asian with British and European heritage. He also examines the influence of the music of Kenny Wheeler (himself a British Canadian) on his musicianship, and the experience of European cultures through food.

Departures is an album with a wide emotional arc, and  an important milestone in the career of Canada’s foremost baritone saxophonist.