Canadian Jazz Icon:Phil Nimmons. "The Atlantic Suite" and "Suite P.E.I."

Tonight's Jazz Feature honors one of the most productive and influential musicians in Canadian Jazz and that is Phillip Rista Nimmons, who was born in Kamloops B.C. June 3,1923 and he just celebrated his 100th Birthday. He is alive and well and healthy. Tonight's Jazz Feature spotlights Phil Nimmons' JUNO Award winning "Atlantic Suite". A suite in 5 movements featuring his great band "Nimmons 'n' Nine Plus Six" . It was recorded in Toronto in June of 1975 and won one of the first JUNO Awards for Jazz in 1976. Following the Atlantic Suite will be the work called "Suite P.E.I" which features a live performance of Phil Nimmons leading The Canadian Jazz All-Stars. This is a composition by Nimmons and it features his innovative and very modern clarinet playing. He deserves much wider recognition for his clarinet playing. The Canadian Jazz All-Stars is full of prominent Canadian musicians like Moe Koffman, Guido Basso, Don Thompson and Terry Clarke and others. The Atlantic Suite and Suite P.E.I. are presented to honor Phil Nimmons tonight.