Stealing Genius
JAZZ.FM91′s International Jazz Day Open House
On TUES, APR 30 @ 7PM.
JAZZ.FM91 will hold an evening Open House and welcome in our listeners and locals musicians for a night of music. At 7:00 pm in our Performance Hall we’ll invite Amy McConnell and William Sperandei’s Quintet to perform Live to Air and then at 8:00 local instrumental group Triodes. Tune in jazz.fm!
French interview on Toronto’s CHOQ FM 105.1 with Guillaume Touzel-Bond on the release of Stealing Genius. Listen here:
Saturday, March 2, 2013 at 1:30PM. Looking forward to my excellent adventure with Bill & Ted! Tune in 
Don’t let the picture lead you astray. Amy will sing, William will play the trumpet and Mark will play the piano! And it will be three whole sets of us, so we will surely play your favourite song at some point. Please join us for a lovely evening.
Friday, March 8th, 2013 from 7:30 – 10:30PM
The Old Mill Inn & Spa, 21 Old Mill Rd, Toronto 416 236 2641 http://www.oldmilltoronto.com
No reservations • No cover • $20 minimum • Full menu • Free parking • Steps to subway
The debut record from singer Amy McConnell and trumpeter William Sperandei, with producer Douglas Romanow and executive producer Feisal Patel, is a stylish romp through 20th century music originating from a range of genres and eras. The title, Stealing Genius, is a reference to Oscar Wilde’s quip “talent borrows; genius steals.” But since covering other songwriters’ work is standard practice in the world of jazz, the quip could be reworked as “talent borrows; jazz artists assume ownership.” In this case, the victims of the thefts are varied and sometimes unexpected such as Elvis Presley (Suspicious Minds), Led Zeppelin (Thank You) and James Bond (From Russia With Love).
McConnell’s background in theatre shows in her vocal phrasing and approach — she has a big sound and emotions are expressed in broad strokes that play to the back of the house. Her accent is beautiful and convincing on the few French offerings including, of course, Piaf’s La Vie en Rose. Sperandei’s nice, bright sound blends well with McConnell’s and his soloing is confident and concise. Singer/stride pianist Michael Kaeshammer’s guest turn on the Ink Spots’ I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire is inspired. But the real genius is in having Larnell Lewis and Rob Piltch play drums and guitar on this record. Lewis’ exuberant precision and Piltch’s subtle musicality elevate many of the songs from stylish to artful.
JAZZ: Thank You
Amy McConnell and William Sperandei, from Stealing Genius
The title of an album of adventurous jazz covers was motivated by an Oscar Wilde quote about theft and borrowing, and the breezy, graceful piano-and-trumpet take on a Led Zeppelin classic does right by the original. “Inspiration is what you are to me,” it goes, “inspiration, look and see.” When the dreamy singer McConnell and the sublime brassman Sperandei say Thank You, messrs. Plant and Page can only reply, “Most welcome.”
Listen for my half hour interview on Sunday, January 27th @ 8:30AM. Everything you always wanted to know about me but were afraid to ask 
