Well-known jazz great and former senator Tommy Banks has been nominated for a Juno.
The Edmonton musician’s collaboration with trumpet player Jens Lindemann is up for Instrumental Album of the Year. It’s called Legacy Live and was recorded in Calgary. Banks says winning is a long shot but it’s always nice to be nominated.
“I was surprised and so was Jens Lindemann whose record this really is. He was in Israel playing with the symphony orchestra. When I told him and said, ‘thanks for the nomination’ he said, ‘we what?’ We don’t know how it happened.”
This is the 79-year-old’s second Juno nod. Banks won his first award in 1979 for Jazz Canada Montreux featuring singer Big Miller.
“They’re both live recordings which is nice but adds to the nervousness level because you don’t get another chance to do it. We were surprised by that nomination too and doubly surprised when we won in 1979. But it’s a delight to be nominated and an even greater delight to win.”
The Juno Awards Ceremony will be held in Calgary April 3. Banks plans to be there.