The Boss Brass. 1968. CTL 477-5015/RCA CTLS-1015
At home they won three Best Jazz Album JUNOs, in 1978, 1981 and 1984. McConnell’s most memorable JUNO moment came during the 1981 broadcast when he had to scramble up the ladder out of the orchestra pit, where he was conducting, in order to accept the JUNO for the Boss Brass record Present Perfect. McConnell was also feted personally. Late Canadian jazz musician Rob McConnell's talents as a bandleader, arranger and trombonist are spotlighted on the Juno Award-winning Present Perfect. Notably, on the standard Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, he plays an adventurously off-kilter lead-in to the melody and then delivers a brilliant valve trombone solo. McConnell and his 22-piece brass.
Boss Brass Two. 1969. CTL 477-5118/RCA CTLS-1118
The Sound of the Boss Brass. 1970. CBC LM-73
Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass. 1971. CTL 477-5143. Reissued as Down to Brass Tacks. Pickwick PC-40013
Rob: Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass 4. 1972. CTL 477-5159. Reissued as Odds and Ends. Pickwick PC-44007
The Best Damn Band in the Land. 1974. CTL CTLS-5182/U Artists UALA-309G
The Jazz Album. 1976. Attic LAT-1015
Big Band Jazz. 1977. 2-Umbrella UMB-DD4
Nobody Does It Better. 1977-8. CTL CTLS-5215/Phonodisc NV-5004
Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass Again! 1978. 2-Umbrella UMB-GEN-1-12
The Hi-Lo’s – Back Again. 1978. MPS 0068.217
Singers Unlimited with Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass. 1978. MPS 0068.238
Present Perfect. 1979. MPS 0068.249
Are Ya Dancin’ Disco. 1979. CTL CTLS-5223/New Ventures NV-5008
All in Good Time. 1983. Innovation JC-0006
Atras da Porta. 1983. Innovation JC-0010
Boss Brass and Woods. 1985. Innovation JC-0011
Mel Tormé Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass. 1986. Concord Jazz CJ-306
The Brass is Back. 1991. Concord Jazz CCD-4458
Live In Digital. 1992. Sea Breeze CD-SB-106
Brassy & Sassy. 1992. Concord Jazz CCD-4508
Our 25th Year. 1993. Concord Jazz CCD-4559
Overtime. 1994. Concord Jazz CCD-4618
Velvet & Brass (Mel Torme). 1995. Concord Jazz CCD-4667-25
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore. 1995. Concord Jazz CCD-4661
Even Canadians Get The Blues. 1996. Concord Jazz CCD-4722
Rob Mcconnell Present Perfect Exercises
Play The Jazz Classics. 1997. Concord Jazz CCD-4784-2
Big Band Christmas. 1998. Concord Jazz CCD-4844-2
Rob Mcconnell Discography
Riffs I Have Known. 2002. RECALL SMDCD-267
German label MPS through Naxos Canada has re-released a terrific recording from Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass called Present Perfect.
MPS, known for its recordings of Oscar Peterson and the Singers Unlimited, usually recorded at their famed Black Forest studios, but at this time in 1979, The Boss Brass had never performed or recorded outside of Canada. This recording was done in Toronto, and then mixed in Germany.
Rob Mcconnell Present Perfect
A great recording of a band at the absolute top of its game. Newly reissued “You Took Advantage of Me” from Present Perfect, featuring solos from Guido Basso on trumpet and Rick Wilkins on tenor sax is your First Listen for January 8, 2016.