A virtuoso clarinettist who also excelled at alto and tenor sax, Baculis enjoyed an illustrious playing career prior to teaching, joining the Canadian Jazz All-Stars - a Montreal-based quintet - in 1953 at only 23 years of age. Baculis would win the CBC All-Star Jazz Poll for his playing with the quintet, a victory he would repeat several years in a row. He was also a regular player in local ensembles that backed visiting stars, including Eartha Kitt, Edith Piaf and Tony Bennett in the '50s and '60s.

Baculis was a familiar name on live radio and TV on both French and English networks (later he would become a respected arranger and composer for Radio Canada, the CBC and the National Film Board, among others). In 1967, he founded the Al Baculis Singers, a six-part pop/jazz vocal ensemble that included his wife, Margo MacKinnon, and would go on to compose and arrange music for a galaxy of Quebec vedettes: Ginette Reno, Céline Dion and Michel Louvain, to name but a few. And in the mid-'60s, he accompanied a group of musicians entertaining UN troops stationed overseas, an honour he never forgot.

However, it was in 1976 that Baculis composed, arranged and performed the theme for the closing ceremonies of the Montreal Olympics, one of the loftier peaks in a career marked by many high points. "I remember there was a streaker running around in the background while he conducted," laughs son Al. "I've never had a gig like that!"

Baculis passed away in Florida, where he'd retired. "He was a loyal and generous friend who shared his great sense of humour with everyone," says daughter Heather. "[He] will always be remembered by his family and friends for his enormous capacity as a loving husband, father and grandfather."

MEMBERS' COMMENTS

Eternal Melodies...

It's one thing to be gifted with such talent, and he surely was!, but it's another thing to be able to pass it down through his teachings. I'll never forget my music teachers. They don't only teach you techniques and theory and practise, but music really is a way of life. It's a language inpenetratable to those who don't appreciate music (if there are any left, that is!). I always thought that music was the cure, but poor Al Baculis' cancer did not survive it. And what a way to pass such gifts and memories to generations to come. Through his music and his works, he will be eternal... always.

Noora Abbas
February 14th, 2007

So Long Baculis

My sincere condolences to Al senior's family for the loss of this great musician; often enough we don't give credit to these artists while they are alive. Having been versatile in his career is what set him apart from other bassists, having composed and arranged songs or accompanying UN troops which we would take for granted. Visiting artists should only find the same type of quality accompaniment from young jazz musicians today.

Martin Dansky
February 2nd, 2007

Original URL: http://www.hour.ca/news/news.aspx?iIDArticle=11324

BACK TO AL BACULIS' MAIN PAGE