Cory Weeds - Home Cookin' (2023) [Hi-Res]

There are so many variables with recording, so many things that can affect the outcome. I put a lot of thought into Home Cookin’ and what would set me and the band up for success. A rehearsal, two nights performing the music live at Frankie’s Jazz Club in Vancouver and then into the studio. It was perfect! What could possibly go wrong?

The recording was scheduled on a Sunday with the band performing at Frankie’s Jazz Club on the two previous nights (Friday and Saturday). As it happens I was also playing at the club on Thursday night. During that gig I came down with a serious head cold. I was a mess. At the end of the gig I figured the quickest way to get to bed was to pack up the horn and throw it in the instrument closet off the stage, something I had done dozens of times.

On Friday evening at 5:00 I showed up at the club still very sick, to rehearse with the band. I couldn’t find my horn. I went to the office and asked the GM if he happened to move my horn. His face went blank. He informed me that the club had been broken into and my saxophone must’ve been stolen.

Not only was it an incredible instrument, but it had immense sentimental value for me. To say I was devastated would be an understatement however, as the old saying goes, “the show must go on.” I had 11 musicians on stage, a conductor and a producer waiting for me so they could begin rehearsal. I jumped into action with the help of James Danderfer and Steve Kaldestad (both saxophonists on the gig) to find a playable instrument that would get me through the weekend including the recording. Thanks to fellow Conn-man Ian Shaw I got hooked up with a wonderful Conn 10m. I actually got back in time to rehearse two tunes!
The band played magnificently and the sold out house at Frankie’s made me forget I wasn’t playing the horn I had played for the better part of 10 years. To say the situation wasn’t ideal is an understatement. It wasn't my horn, it wasn’t my mouthpiece, they weren’t even my reeds but I had a job to do and a recording to make and what’s the saying? “A good carpenter doesn’t blame his tools.”

Home Cookin’ is a continuation of my first little big band record Explosion. Released in 2018 it showcases some of my favorite musicians from New York City. For this date I wanted to focus on my favorite musicians living here in Vancouver. We are so lucky in this city as it is rife with world class talent. Hence the title of the album.

The material is made up of tunes that are important to me for one reason or another. I’m happy to have two Horace Silver tunes here as he and his late 50’s band has become a huge influence on me. The title track and Metamorphosis are two of my favorite Horace tunes. So hip! Blossoms In May is a throwback to my very first date as a leader, Big Weeds. I wrote this for my beautiful wife and Jill has been threatening to write an arrangement of it for years and she finally did. I had the pleasure of recording my dad’s Corner Kisses on a live date with the great Joey Defrancesco and I thought that the little big band format would be perfect for this burner! Thad Jones’ Thedia screamed a little big band arrangement to me and Bill Coon made this tricky little tune come to life! Power Station is a tune that I was playing a lot with its composer and pianist Micheal Weiss while we were on tour and he was telling me he has a small band arrangement of it which I was very excited about! It’s such a great little tune. Finally, Lullabye Of The Leaves comes from one of the albums that is the impetus for this band. Gene Ammons - Late Hour Special featuring arrangements from the great Oliver Nelson is a desert island recording with this standard being one of my favorites. Again, HIP is the word that comes to mind when listening to this.

Given all that happened leading up to this recording I was a bit scared to listen back to it fearing the worst. What I hear however is myself powering through what was a tough situation, making the best of it and most importantly having fun with my friends. The music is meant to make you smile and if it does that then I have done my job!

Sincere thanks to James Danderfer and Steve Kaldestad for keeping me sane during the whole process, to Fred Stride for his transcription of Lullabye Of The Leaves, to Bill Coon and Jill Townsend for the incredible arrangements, to Sheldon Zaharko for your immense talent in the studio, to Frankie’s Jazz Club for doing so much for the local jazz scene, Scott Morin for everything and to FACTOR Canada for enabling the Cellar Music Group to record and bring this music to the world.

Cory Weeds June 2023 Vancouver, BC


Cory Weeds - tenor saxophone
Chris Gestrin - piano
John Lee - bass
Jesse Cahill - drums
Steve Kaldestad - lead alto
James Danderer - tenor saxophone
Dave Say - baritone saxophone
Brian Harding - trombone
Jim Hopson - trombone
Brad Turner - trumpet
Chris Davis - trumpet