Jim Creeggan
On the inaugural episode of Canadian Songbook, host Ernesto Cervini rewinds the tape with Barenaked Ladies bassist Jim Creeggan, tracing his authentic, unscripted journey from camp jam sessions and high‑school talent shows to the all‑night dubbing spree that birthed the Yellow Tape. Jim recalls the teachers who nudged him toward jazz, the family choir that kept him grounded, and the friends who cheered every off‑beat experiment. It’s a warm, down‑to‑earth portrait of a working musician whose arena‑sized success still grows from the simple joy of playing music with people he loves.
Creators and Guests
Host
Ernesto Cervini
JUNO Award winner Ernesto Cervini is a sought-after drummer, composer and bandleader and an influential presence on Canada’s modern jazz scene and beyond. He has documented his vision with the Ernesto Cervini Quartet (featuring Joel Frahm), the innovative sextet Turboprop, numerous co- led trio projects including MEM3, Myriad3 and TuneTown, and also the quartet Tetrahedron, featuring acclaimed guitarist Nir Felder, electric bassist Rich Brown and alto saxophonist Luis Deniz. In all these settings, as J.D. Considine of JazzTimes has written, Cervini “drums like someone who’s an arranger at heart, carefully placing each accent for maximum melodic impact.” He’s been cited by Modern Drummer for his old-school knowledge and feel in the spirit of Art Blakey and Billy Higgins, yet credited by Musicweb International as a maker of music “grounded in the language of hard bop but not confined by it.”
Producer
TPR Records, LTD
TPR Records is a media company dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Canadian music, with a focus on Jazz and improvised music.
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© 2025 Ernesto Cervini