Album Overview

Forgotten Stories Suite presents the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra in a fully integrated, narrative-driven large-ensemble setting, composed by multi-instrumentalist Sean Irvine. Structured as a five-movement suite, the album weaves orchestral writing, improvisation, spoken word, and vocals into a continuous musical arc. Rather than functioning as a collection of individual charts, the work unfolds as a single extended form, emphasizing pacing, color, and ensemble interaction. Under the direction of Richard Gillis, the orchestra balances clarity and restraint, allowing the music’s architectural design and internal relationships to guide the listening experience.

From the album…

Listening through Forgotten Stories Suite, one clear entry point arrives with “Movement I: Nightmare.” The orchestra tightens its focus here, using compact voicings and sustained rhythmic pressure to create momentum without excess. Driven by structured ensemble writing and rhythmic urgency, this movement integrates vocal color, sectional interplay, and strong tenor saxophone improvisation by Niall Cade into the big band framework. Density and momentum are prioritized, creating sustained through ensemble-driven momentum. The movement’s energy is controlled and deliberate, offering a concentrated example of how the suite integrates large-ensemble writing and individual expression into a unified musical narrative.

Album Details

Artist: Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra & Sean Irvine
Album Title: Forgotten Stories Suite
Label: Chronograph Records (CR-118)
Release Date: February 6, 2026
Format: CD / Digital
Composer: Sean Irvine
Conductor / Artistic Director: Dr. Richard Gillis

Personnel

• Sean Irvine — composer; poetry and lyrics; alto sax, soprano sax, piccolo, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet

• Quinn Greene — spoken word

• Karly Epp — vocals

Trumpets: Shane Hicks; Matthew Walden (trumpet & flugelhorn); Andrew Littleford (trumpet & flugelhorn); Jon Challoner (flugelhorn)
Saxophones: Neil Watson (soprano, alto); Niall Cade (tenor); Monica Jones (tenor); Kyle Wedlake (baritone)
Trombones: Joel Green; Jeremy Duggleby; Karin Carlson; Isabelle Lavoie (bass trombone)
Rhythm Section: Larry Roy (guitar); Will Bonness (piano, Rhodes); Karl Kohut (upright & electric bass); Fabio Ragnelli (drums)

Track Listing

1. Forgotten Stories

2. Prologue: Studies in Shapes of Palo Santo

3. 2 Brothers

4. Movement I: Nightmare

5. Longing for Texas

6. Movement II: Texas

7. A King and His Castle

8. Movement III: A Perfect Castle

9. May He Rest

10. Movement IV: Harold

Listening moment

“Movement I: Nightmare” offers a focused view into the ensemble language of Forgotten Stories Suite, highlighting compact orchestration, sustained momentum, and the integration of improvisation within a large-ensemble framework.