For those unaware, Juno Award-winning trumpeter-flugelhornist-flutist Gabriel Mark Hasselbach marked Jazz Appreciation Month with a remarkably prolific burst of creativity: two new releases — one straight-ahead, one contemporary — and a new instructional book. A rare dual-genre charting artist, Hasselbach continues to bridge the classic and contemporary jazz worlds with equal fluency.

Hasselbach has released a straight-ahead album, MidCentury Modern Vol. 4, on his Windtunnel Records imprint — a project he believes will be his definitive opus and stand the test of time. On the same day, he dropped the smooth single “Swizzle Stick” featuring Billboard hitmaker Chris Standring, who released the funky and vibrant trumpet and guitar duet on his Ultimate Vibe Recordings label.

MidCentury Modern Vol. 4 is an expansive 20-track album of standards and two original Hasselbach compositions. He created the series years ago from a desire to have an outlet for his love of jazz without compromising the classic jazz essence, and without muddying his contemporary jazz bonafides. Released in 2022, MidCentury Modern Vol. 3 was No. 9 on the Jazz Week chart and spent 17 weeks on the chart (and finished at No. 51 on the year-end chart).

1. “Terra Firma Irma”
2. “Chick’s Tune”
3. “Mamacita”
4. “Driftin’”
5. “Superblue”
6. “Jazz ‘N Samba”
7. “Blues On My Mind”
8. “Gibraltar”
9. “So What…Now?” 10. “Blue Soul”
11. “Funk In Deepfreeze”
12. “Sister Sadie”
13. “I’m Goin’ Fishin’”
14. “Mississippi Jump”
15. “Jazz Party”
16. “El Tapatico”
17. “Round Midnight”
18. “Lullaby of Birdland”
19. “Move”
20. “Coming Home for Mardi Gras”

Considered to be Canada’s foremost exponent on electronic wind instruments, playing trumpet, flugelhorn, valve trombone, flute, and alto flute, Gabriel opens his new recording on the upbeat and perky “Terra Firma Irma,” the free-flowing “Chick’s Tune,” a dutiful hipsway within “Mamacita” and the ambient “Driftin’” and then we are gifted the strident fare of “Superblue,” the emotively sculpted “Jazz ‘N Samba,” the triumphant “Blues On My Mind,” with the toe-tapping delights of “Gibraltar,” the cultured “So What…Now?” and the vibrantly affecting “Blue Soul” along thereafter.

Up next is the veritably cinematic “Funk In Deepfreeze,” the fleet of foot “Sister Sadie,” the flirtatiously infectious “I’m Goin’ Fishin’” and the euphorically-charged “Mississippi Jump,” which are in turn backed seamlessly by the studious “Jazz Party,” the rhythmic gem “El Tapatico,” a sumptuous rendition of “Round Midnight,” the set rounding out on the piano-imbibed decadence of “Lullaby of Birdland,” the furtively pulsing “Move,” coming to a close on the New Orleans-hued beauty “Coming Home for Mardi Gras.”

“This project is my homage to all the great trumpeters who inspired me and kept me focused on my path. MidCentury Modern Vol. 4 is my legacy album — my zenith. It captures my most erudite playing on trumpet, flugelhorn, flute, valve trombone, and even vocals. I am also ecstatic over the sublime performances by my colleagues like pianist Miles Black,” said the Vancouver-based Hasselbach, who produced the album.

On MidCentury Modern Vol. 4, Hasselbach spotlights material from such standard bearers as Freddie Hubbard, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Blue Mitchell, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Horace Silver, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, George Shearing, Joe Henderson, and Delfeayo Marsalis. He also pays homage to lesser-known trumpeters who influenced him, specifically Joe Gordon and Carmell Jones.

The new album includes two of Hasselbach’s compositions: “El Tapatico” was inspired by his concerts in Mexico, and “Coming Home for Mardi Gras” reflects the years in which he lived and played in New Orleans.

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