Veteran Canadian musician collaborates with acclaimed jazz performers on new single from Rick Maltese & Friends Vol 2
A message of kindness at a time of social division
Toronto pianist, composer, and songwriter Rick Maltese is using music to deliver a timely message of compassion with the release of his new single, “Just Like an Angel,” a melody-driven track that emphasizes the power of small acts of kindness.
The song, drawn from Maltese’s latest album Rick Maltese & Friends Vol 2, combines warm piano arrangements, conversational jazz instrumentation, and reflective lyrics to explore how simple human gestures can have a lasting impact. At a moment when social tensions and public fatigue continue to shape everyday interactions, the veteran musician says the song was intended as a reminder that empathy still matters.
“Just a smile, just a word, just a look or an open door, can save a soul from wanting more,” Maltese sings in the track before delivering its central refrain: “Even when you don’t have much to share, you’re just like an angel when you show you care.”
Maltese has described the song as a reflection on how generosity and compassion can spread outward in unseen ways, comparing the effect to a ripple created by even the smallest gesture.
The single arrives amid broader conversations about social isolation and community connection, themes that have increasingly surfaced across the arts sector in recent years. Rather than offering overt commentary, Maltese approaches the subject through understated songwriting and melodic structure, framing music itself as an act of care.
Acclaimed jazz collaborators bring depth to the recording
The recording features a lineup of internationally recognized Canadian and jazz musicians whose collective résumés span decades of touring, recording, and production work.
Joining Maltese on the track is bassist George Koller, recipient of the National Jazz Award for Bassist of the Year, whose recording credits extend across more than 1,600 albums and collaborations with artists including Peter Gabriel, Loreena McKennitt, and Holly Cole.
Drummer Ben Wittman also appears on the session. Wittman, a composer and producer, has worked with performers such as Sting, Paul Simon, and Rosanne Cash, while also maintaining frequent creative collaborations with his Grammy-nominated wife, jazz pianist and vocalist Laila Biali.
The ensemble is completed by flutist Bill McBirnie, an internationally known jazz and Latin flute specialist who was personally selected by Sir James Galway as his Resident Jazz Flute Specialist.
The sessions were recorded at Kuhl Muzik in Toronto, where Maltese said the musicians quickly developed a natural chemistry in the studio. According to the composer, the atmosphere encouraged spontaneous musical decisions and a relaxed collaborative dynamic that ultimately shaped the tone of the track.
That familiarity was reinforced by the longstanding professional relationship between Wittman and Koller, who have previously performed together backing vocalists including Holly Cole and Measha Brueggergosman. Their shared experience contributes to the recording’s conversational feel and understated rhythmic foundation.
The studio itself also carried personal significance for Maltese. The Bechstein grand piano used during the sessions connected him to earlier performances at Musideum, the former Toronto cultural venue located within the city’s 401 Richmond arts complex.
A career shaped by melody and musical versatility
Maltese brings decades of professional experience to the release. Throughout his career, he has worked as a pianist, arranger, conductor, and music director across multiple genres, including classical, jazz, blues, pop, folk, and world music.
He previously served as Musical Director at Toronto’s Royal York Hotel and has led musical theatre and choir productions in a variety of performance settings. His compositional style reflects a strong emphasis on melody and structure, influences he traces in part to classical composers such as J.S. Bach.
That classical influence continues to shape his current work. Maltese is also developing a larger-scale project tentatively titled Cantata for Peace, which he describes as an extension of his longstanding interest in structured melodic writing.
With “Just Like an Angel,” however, the focus remains intimate and direct. Rather than relying on elaborate production or overt messaging, the single leans into simplicity, using lyrical warmth and ensemble interplay to underscore its central idea: that compassion often begins with small, everyday actions.
As audiences continue to seek music that balances reflection with optimism, Maltese’s latest release positions itself as both a personal artistic statement and a broader appeal for empathy in uncertain times.
For more information, contact Eric Alper.