JAZZ 64 by Nick Ayoub: A Raw, Unfiltered Blast from Canada’s Jazz Scene
Man, if you’re out there hunting for some real-deal jazz that doesn’t pander or play it safe, JAZZ 64 by Nick Ayoub is your ticket. Released in ‘65 under CBC International Service, this album is like a time capsule of Canadian cool—unpolished, unapologetic, and dripping with soul. Sure, the production ain’t perfect, but who cares? This record hits hard because it feels alive, like it’s breathing right in front of you.
Let’s talk tracks. First up: “Le quintette de Nick Ayoub.” Holy smokes, this one grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. The horn section? Razor-sharp. It’s got this chaotic energy that makes you feel like the band’s about to lose control—but they never do. That’s the magic here. You can almost picture them sweating it out in some smoky Montreal dive, just going for broke. There’s no pretense, no overthinking—just pure instinct. And when those sax lines start weaving through the rhythm, man, it’s like getting punched in the gut (in a good way).
Then there’s “Le trio de Pierre Leduc,” which flips the vibe completely. This track sneaks up on ya, all smooth and understated at first, but then BAM—it drops this bassline so deep it feels like it’s coming from another dimension. The interplay between the piano and drums is tight as hell, like they’ve been jamming together since birth. What sticks with me most is how restrained it feels. Like, these guys know they don’t need to show off—they just know. It’s confident without being cocky, and that kind of subtlety? Rare as hell.
Look, I ain’t gonna sit here and tell you this album reinvented jazz or anything. But what it does, it does damn well: capture a moment in time where music wasn’t about perfection—it was about passion. Listening to JAZZ 64, you get the sense that Nick Ayoub and his crew weren’t trying to impress critics or chase trends. They were just making noise that mattered to them.
And honestly? That rawness might be exactly what we need today. Screw the autotune, screw the polished playlists—give me something messy, something human. Funny thing is, after spinning this album, I found myself wondering why more people don’t talk about Nick Ayoub. Maybe he didn’t care about fame. Or maybe…just maybe…he knew his music would find its way to the right ears eventually. Either way, props to him.
