45north band

We are  45north - Paul, bass - Jean, trumpet - Paul, keys - Ralph, sax - Bill Brown, drums 

and, in case you're wondering how we got the band name, scroll to the bottom...

   Until recently I have also been baritone sax in the nonet 'Alternate Takes' and we released our 2nd CD at our concert at Merrickville's Jazz Fest in Oct 2018 - the tune above is an excerpt from the first track on that CD, Little Sunflower

You can purchase copies of Alternate Takes new CD 'Urban Sunflower' at the Alternate Takes web site

- recordings of 45north below -

45north band

45north band is a 5-piece band - trumpet, sax, piano, bass and drums.  We perform a varied repertoire of great jazz tunes, many    by Canadian artists.  Our arrangements are done by us, Jean Trudel has done many, or by others specifically for 45north.  For Canada's 150th celebrations in 2017 we added a group of tunes to our repertoire that were non-jazz tunes but all by Canadians.  We have now reverted back to our all jazz repertoire, a short list is below, and we are now adding a number or original tunes as well as we continue to refine our book.  Our tunes tend to be lyrical and melody driven and thus accessible both to jazz audiences and non-jazz audiences alike.  

Contact Ralph Hopper for booking information or inquiries:    email  phone: 613-833-3509  -  cell: 613-882-8464

45north is:  Ralph Hopper, saxes; Jean Trudel, trumpet/flugel; Paul O'Connor, keyboards; Paul Soble, bass; Bill Brown, drums

A sample listing of tunes by Canadian artists that forms the core of our repertoire:

• Dissfunktion     by Manteca
• Honeydew Harbour     by David Restivo [Toronto]
• Fissure  and Other Fascination     by Nick MacLean [Snaggle - Toronto]
• Cowboy Bebop and The Work Song     by David Braid [Toronto]
• Stanstill  and  Sonny's Way    by Mike Murley [Toronto]
• Blue Jeans  and  LeBreton Flats   by Rob Lussier [Ottawa]
• Blue Jade     by Joe Sealy  [Toronto] 
• Hockey Night in Canada theme arranged by Jean Trudel
• Intrada      by Alan Matheson [Vancouver]
• Jazz Dance    by Paul Novotny [Toronto]
• In The Blues Garden and Sundown Comin' and Swamp Gator Crawl by Bill King [Toronto]
• Search Warrant     by Cameron Wallis - Montreal Hard Bop 5
• Signal to Noise and Dimpled Chad     by Jean Trudel 
• Eight By Eight and Green's 'N Blues  by Ralph Hopper
• Let's Go  by Tilden Webb and Cory Weeds [Vancouver]
• The Pour  by Ross Taggart and Cory Weeds [Vancouver]
• Open Season  by Brian Dickinson
• •     Some non-Canadian tunes
• Gypsy Blue  and Open Sesame  by Tina Brooks
• Five Spot After Dark   by Benny Golson
• Alter Ego   by James Williams
• Chant for Bu  by Mickey Bass
• Hand of Love by Paul Chambers
• Sudel and Big Bertha by Duke Pearson
• Ale House Rock  by Rick Hirsch
• Line For Lyons and Rico Apollo and Festive Minor and Soft Shoe   by Gerry Mulligan
• Short Stop   by Shorty Rogers
• Can't Wait For Perfect and Fiction by Bob Reynolds
• Blues for T.H. and Nice Groove and Tears Forever by Reed Kotler [arr by Bobby Shew]
• I Know You  and An Elusive Man  by Gordon Goodwin
• Dance of Denial  by Michael Philip
• Three In One by Wayne Wallace

                                            Click here to contact me for information, available dates and rates.

[left] A short video of 45north playing at Fatboys Southern Smokehouse in April 2017.  Great crowd that night.  A couple of solos from 'LeBreton Flats' by Jean [tpt] and Ed [gtr].  [right]A compilation video from our 2018 Ottawa Jazz Festival.  Video by Albert Kaprielian

45north at the Ottawa Jazz Festival, June 26, 2018

We were in the studio recording some demo tracks in March 2017 and the results are posted here.  LeBreton Flats now posted along with a short version [no solos] of Dissfunktion by Manteca and Honeydew Harbour by David Restivo, a tune on his excellent recent CD 'The Waves' - also Work Song, a tune written by David Braid .