Ian McDougall cranks the volume on his home stereo and lets a smile overwhelm him. His new recording of the Charlie Chaplin original, Smile, plays.

B次元官网网址淚 like it loud,B次元官网网址� says the 73-year-old jazz trombonist.

Arms outstretched, McDougall pauses, then as if to point at the notes filling his living room, cries out in appreciation of Rick WilkinsB次元官网网址� arrangement on the track.

B次元官网网址淟isten to the strings,B次元官网网址� McDougall says of the recording which happens to be much slower B次元官网网址� and more emotional B次元官网网址� than most expect from the ballad. The way Chaplin intended, he says.

But the iconic jazz musician, Juno Award winner, University of Victoria professor emeritus and Order of Canada recipient stops himself short of embarking on a conversation about sentiment. The story behind his latest disc, The Very Thought of You, featuring Smile and 13 other classic ballads performed by an all-star ensemble of Canadian talent, is powerful enough on its own.

The record is an entirely volunteer endeavour of McDougallB次元官网网址檚, an effort to create an emergency fund for students entering the arts. Ten dollars from every $20 CD will go directly into the fund, intended to support fine arts students in need at UVic. No strings attached.

The project is nicknamed the B次元官网网址渙ne potatoB次元官网网址� fund after McDougallB次元官网网址檚 encounter with a young man purchasing a single potato for dinner at his neighbourhood grocery store, PepperB次元官网网址檚 Foods.

B次元官网网址淗e was looking a little worn out,B次元官网网址� McDougall says. B次元官网网址淚t was right at the end of the year and heB次元官网网址檚 got no money to eat, poor guy. And heB次元官网网址檚 just buying the one potato.B次元官网网址�

The fund is not intended to supply bursaries or scholarships, rather  B次元官网网址渁 little doughB次元官网网址� for students in immediate need, he says.

B次元官网网址淚f they get successful after that and theyB次元官网网址檝e paid their millions in students loans and they can put it back in the fund, but if they donB次元官网网址檛, thatB次元官网网址檚 okay.B次元官网网址�

Also behind one potato are UVic alumni Jim Crawford and Tony Gage, who assisted with financial backing by establishing Ten Mile Music Production Limited Partnership and soliciting donors to the project.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 something I could never afford, but I can do the stuff that makes the record. I can write and I can play.B次元官网网址�

The Very Thought of You was recorded at the Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, along with McDougallB次元官网网址檚 wife Barb, a four-piece rhythm section, 20 strings and an oboe. Barb, a violinist, produced and mixed the recording.

The oldest of the ballads B次元官网网址� which McDougall insists arenB次元官网网址檛 jazz B次元官网网址� is a 1926 George Gershwin tune. The newest: Henry ManciniB次元官网网址檚 Moon River from B次元官网网址�61.

McDougallB次元官网网址檚 epic career began in late night downtown Victoria, where he B次元官网网址渓earned on the job,B次元官网网址� he says, as young as 12 years old.

B次元官网网址淚nstead of playing in the school band, I was playing in the clubs with a bunch of boozers,B次元官网网址� he adds.

He went on to play on somewhere in the neighbourhood of 40 LPs and CDs over his 63-year-career and accompany the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett and Gladys Knight. McDougall continues to perform with his band, the Ian McDougall 12tet.

B次元官网网址淢usicians never stop working if they care about music,B次元官网网址� McDougall says, adding that continuing to play is also an excuse not to drink cheap wine.

Should CD sales take off, Ten Mile has plans to extend the fund to fine arts students across the country.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 very happy to the supporters and that theyB次元官网网址檙e happy giving to this fund. What more can you ask for?B次元官网网址�