BLUE STANDARD
Blue Standard features the vocal stylings of Maple Blues Award winner and acclaimed actor Raoul Bhaneja, joined by the youngest member of the first family of Canadian roots music, Jesse Whiteley on piano.
The new album “A Good Thing” is released world wide January 18th 2019. Recorded live off the floor. A Good Thing features classic songs that inspired both performers, originally interpreted by the likes of Nat King Cole, Joe Williams and Chet Baker.
All photos Lyon Smith
Vocals / Raoul Bhaneja
Piano / Jesse Whiteley
A Good Thing
by Blue Standard
The debut release from Blue Standard, recorded live off the floor with no overdubs, one September day in 2018, at Canterbury Music Company in Toronto, Canada. Mixed, engineered, mastered and co produced by James Paul of the legendary Rogue Music Lab.
“A 12-song collection of terrific, but not overdone tunes. Bhaneja has a nice feel for lyrics, and an approach that is at times reminiscent of Chet Baker, but somewhat more assertive. Whitley provides wonderful support, and makes the most of his solo opportunities. The program is replete with good tunes that are mostly familiar, but not ones that are the kind of same old, same old selections that too many vocalists settle for. “ - Joe Lang - Jersey Jazz
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Live performances
Jesse Whiteley’s blue standard birthday bash!
Reid’s distillery
32 Logan Ave. , Toronto
Wednesday, January 10th 2024
8pm
$10
Link for tickets:
https://reidsdistillery.com
Previous online concerts and shows
Blue Standard do another show with our friends at JazzinToronto Facebook group Sunday July 18th at 4pm EST (50 mins).
Link here to watch and donate if you can:
https://www.facebook.com/jazzintoronto
Blue Standard celebrated Jesse Whiteley’s birthday with a live stream from our friends at JazzInToronto Facebook group on January 9th 2021!
Link here to watch and donate if you like:
Back in a Lockdown kinda mood, present you with the Frank Loesser classic, What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve with a nod to the great version from Joe Williams, later on in his career.
To celebrate Raoul’s mother Marie’s 80th Birthday a special online concert Sept 13th at 2pm EST is streamed at The Jazz Bistro in Toronto, Canada:
http://www.facebook.com/BlueStandardMusic
Check out the video for the title track from our debut album at Good Thing directed by zefred and filmed at The Rex Hotel, in Toronto Canada.
Blue Standard decided to work on a project remotely, observing safe social distancing. They independently recorded audio and video of their version of “Everything Happens To Me”.
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve (Lockdown Edition) available here: https://youtu.be/t3Z-Gys4oSo
Featured on CBC’s The Sunday Edition with Michael Enright!
On Sunday February 2nd our version of “It’s a Wonderful World” from our debut recording A Good Thing in Hour 1 along with a story about a very large snow storm in St. John’s, Newfoundland!
Blue Standard live at Streetcar Crowsnest, Toronto Canada. Photo Dahlia Katz.
NEWS
Check out what’s been making news for Blue Standard!
CBC Saturday Night Jazz!
Big Thank you to Saturday Night Jazz on CBC Radio which debuted our track “Always You” from A Good Thing in Hour 1 of the January 13th broadcast. Host, award winning jazz artist Lalia Biali says “It sounded so much like Chet Baker I had to check to make sure it wasn’t Chet Baker”!
rave review from The wholenote
Raul de Gama of The Wholenote writes-
“It does not take much to become entranced by this disarmingly natural and eloquent performance by the duo that calls itself Blue Standard.”
https://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/booksrecords2/potpourri/29031-a-good-thing-blue-standard
BluZ Fm with Danny Marks on JazzFM 91.1
Raoul spent an hour on air with his old friend Danny Marks on BLUZ FM where they talked show business and Danny played two tracks, “When Did You Leave Heaven” and “Crazy Rhythm” from A Good Thing.
JAZZ JOURNAL PRAISE for JESSE Whiteley!
“It benefits from the presence of pianist Jesse Whiteley, a competent and expressive pianist who not only accompanies thoughtfully, but has the ability to vary his approach, from boogie-woogie/stride to swing and modern styles. His solos are brief but effective.” - Matthew Wright, The Jazz Journal
REVIEWS
The Jazz Music Blog
“Blue Standard's selection and delivery of 12 standard and timeless vocal classics is nothing short of sophisticated, polished and highly entertaining. The emotionally-rich voice of Raoul Bhaneja combined with the masterful piano licks of Jesse Whitely come across as tender yet effervescent and more than do justice to these tunes that will be familiar to most jazz vocal aficionados. A stylish and accomplished collaboration that is solid and finely-calibrated.”
https://thejazzmusicblog.blogspot.com/2019/01/toronto-based-jazz-duo-blue-standard.html?fbclid=IwAR1anJxvwSRhJxSeF5Y60-vwLbyPDxtIEfgFZUaxmaD0ozr2NgFgafY_XuE
spokane public radio
"Between the expressive and authentic emotions coming through Raoul on songs like "When Did You Leave Heaven," here on this song, and throughout, Jesse is right there on piano beside him, alongside him, behind him, and even sometimes ahead of him...This album is a great saunter down the sidewalk, a fleeting kiss, a memory in the city lights aglow, rhythm alight with love and excitement for the music, itself."
Zan Agzigian
Producer/Host
Soundspace with Zan
Sundays 9pm-11pm PCT
Spokane Public Radio, 91.1 fm
MIDWEST RECORD
“BLUE STANDARD/A Good Thing: Top shelf jazz/cabaret male vocal that takes a nice walk down memory lane adding all it's own special sauce rather than try to recreate what was. Powered by a pair of pros that wanted to shake it up a touch, vocal fans will get a nice kick out of these proceedings as it's helmed by no mere manques singing Sinatra into their hairbrushes in the mirror. Check it out.”
(Big Time 7)
http://midwestrecord.com/MWR1465.html?fbclid=IwAR1_UofmsGzv-3KxKxGfqO4xdHr6u9NQ2aJyShe4NLA16W0WpE8eI_kCG24