Features
Bernie Senensky: Jazz Pianist / Organist, Composer, Teacher
By DAVID EISENSTADT Fifty-plus years active, and jazz icon Bernie Senensky is still working hard and going strong.
That doesn’t begin to describe this notable Canadian Jewish musician’s incredible career.
The Winnipeg, Manitoba native was born to Reuben and Shauna (née Pascov) Senensky on December 31, 1944.
His Canadian-born parents ensured he took piano lessons. Classical with Clara Perlman at age eight, and at 14, he studied with jazz pianist Bob Erlendson.
Peter Hum of the Ottawa Citizen reported, “he had one jazz teacher, and thereafter was self-taught.”
Senensky said he is “essentially a bebop player, and beyond. My heroes are anyone from Bud Powell to McCoy Tyner to Keith Jarrett and Herbie Hancock.” He’s also an organist “influenced by Larry Goldings, Mike LeDonne and Larry Young,” wrote Hum.
In Winnipeg, he played with local musicians including guitarist Lenny Breau and bassist Dave Young. For a time, he led a house band in Edmonton, Alberta, for the Holiday Inn hotel chain.
Senensky transitioned to Toronto in 1968 where he became a first-call accompanist for a who’s-who list of illustrious musicians. He toured the globe with many of them. His biography lists:
Eighteen saxophonists/clarinetists including Pepper Adams, Ravi Coltrane, Buddy DeFranco, and Zoot Sims; 30 trumpeters from Chet Baker, Guido Basso and Terence Blanchard to Dizzy Gillespie, Red Rodney and Freddie Stone; 8 trombonists – Wycliffe Gordon, Slide Hampton, Russ Little and Rob McConnell; 23 guitarists – Ed Bickert, Herb Ellis, Lorne Lofsky,1 Rob Pilch, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Reg Schwager; 26 bassists from Eddie Gomez, Rufus Reid to Slam Stewart and Eugene Wright; 26 drummers – Archie Alleyne, Art Blakey, Jerry Fuller and Elvin Jones; 6 vibists including Peter Appleyard, Gary Burton, Paul Hoffert,2and Don Thompson; 4 flautists – Sir James Galway, Moe Koffman to Herbie Mann and Bill McBirnie; 4 violinists – Moshe Hammer, Drew Jureka, Lenny Solomon,3 and Lara St. John; 29 vocalists including Tommy Ambrose, Heather Bambrick, Salome Bey, Ori Dagan,4 Catherine McKinnon, Ginette Reno, and Bobby Vinton.
He played piano duets with Marian McPartland and Oscar Peterson and joined established groups like The Maynard Ferguson Orchestra, The Moe Koffman Quintet, The Herbie Mann/Al Grey All-Star Septet, and Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass.
Mark Miller, in the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, noted, “his playing is characterized by an obvious comfort in a wide range of styles, from swing to the assertive post-bop of his group.”
Peers recognized Senensky for his true artistry. Some years ago, Oscar Peterson said, “Bernie is one of my favourite local pianists, I really can’t understand why he hasn’t become better known.” Buddy DeFranco called him “The best of the best!” The late Boris Brott said, “It is always a great privilege to have our festival [in Hamilton, Ontario] associated with artists of Senensky’s stature.” Oliver Jones added “a brilliant, world-class pianist.”
A recipient of many accolades/awards, including the Toronto Musicians’ Association Lifetime Achievement Award, he was nominated twice for Jazz Album of the Year at the Juno Awards – 1989 for Friday the 14th– 1993 for Wheel Within A Wheel.
In the ‘70s Senensky led his trio. In 1979 he was the keyboardist in Moe Koffman’s Quintet when that band was the top Canadian jazz combo. That gig lasted 20 years. The Canadian Jazz Archive reported, “As part of Koffman’s Quintet, Senensky ultimately had the opportunity to contribute many of his compositions to the band’s repertoire.” He has kept that music memory alive since 2003 leading the Moe Koffman Tribute Band.
Senensky’s debut album, “New Life,” was released in 1976; in 1989 he recorded with drummer Barry Elmes and bassist Kieran “Over The Chalet Season.” In 1991 with his septet, he released “Re-Action.” Then came “Homeland” in 1994, which featured US musicians Gary Bartz, Harvie Schwartz, and Arkia Tana. Two years later he recorded an album of his own, recorded in 1993 at the Top of The Senator Toronto venue with bassist Jim Vivian and drummer Bob Moses. In 1999, came “New Horizons,” featuring Eddie Henderson on trumpet and Kirk MacDonald on drums. In 2011 he released “Invitation” with Gene Perla on bass and drummer Ben Riley.
Senensky excels on the Hammond B3 Organ. A few years back he formed “Organic, “with drummer Morgan Childs, guitarist Nathan Hiltz and sax player Ryan Oliver for weekly Sunday evening gigs at the (now shuttered) Joe Mama’s in Toronto. That led to his album – “Live at Joe Mama’s,” in 2013.
Senensky told me he’s “been busier since COVID eased up,” releasing a new CD – “Don’t Look Back,” with “another on its way.” He’s been playing, recording, and teaching in Vancouver, BC, and had an October 2022 German tour with his organ trio, “Organic Earfood,” including vibraphonist Stefan Bauer and drummer Peter Baumgartner.
In early 2023, he fronted a tribute to Moe Koffman’s band in Toronto, that included Moe’s son, Jake Koffman, an accomplished saxophonist, clarinetist, and flautist. I was privileged to attend and enjoy that York University Department of Music concert.
1David Eisenstadt, “Community Jewish News,” April 30, 2022, cjnonline.com | cjnonline.ca.
2 David Eisenstadt, “Community Jewish News,” September 12, 2022, cjnonline.com | cjnonline.ca.
3 David Eisenstadt, “Community Jewish News,” August 7, 2022, cjnonline.com | cjnonline.ca.
4 David Eisenstadt, “Community Jewish News,” May 9, 2022, cjnonline.com | cjnonline.ca
This Chapter is excerpted from David Eisenstadt’s second book – MUSICIANS UNDER THE RADAR – 36 NOTABLE CANADIAN JEWISH PERFORMERS – available on Amazon.ca, Amazon.com or by contacting the author, deisenstadt@tcgpr.com.
Uncategorized
Volatility, Hit Frequency, and RTP: Why the Number Casinos Advertise Is the Least Useful One
The return to player percentage looks clean as a casino data point. It gives players a neat number, usually around 94% to 97% for many online slots, and that number feels easy to compare. A 96.5% game appears better than a 95.2% game. The problem starts when players treat RTP as a forecast for their next 50 spins or one evening.
You may find the RTP listed on slot pages on a leading online casino in Ontario, but the number only tells part of the story. Two games can share the same RTP and create different sessions: one may return small wins often, while the other may drain a balance before one bonus round changes everything.
The RTP Trap
Return to player (RTP) measures the theoretical share of total wagers a game returns across a very large number of rounds. In plain terms, a 96% RTP slot returns about $96 for every $100 wagered in the long run. That does not mean one player who deposits $100 should expect $96 back.
The trap sits in the word “theoretical.” RTP comes from the game’s math model. It works across huge samples, not personal sessions. A player can finish far above that percentage, far below it, or with nothing left after a short run of poor results.
Is it useless then? No, RTP can still help. It gives a baseline cost of play. Lower-RTP games cost more on average than higher-RTP games. Still, once a game passes a reasonable threshold, the next question matters more: how does it distribute that return?
Hit Frequency: The Number That Shapes Session Feel
Hit frequency tells you how often a game produces a winning outcome. This often misleads players because any win can count. A spin that returns $0.10 on a $1 bet may still count as a hit, even though the player lost $0.90 in real terms.
A game can feel active because symbols connect often, sounds play, and the screen keeps celebrating small returns. The balance may still fall. In many modern slots, “win” does not always mean profit on the spin.
Hit frequency answers one practical question: how much silence can you tolerate? Some players dislike long dry spells. Others accept quieter sessions because they chase bonus rounds or larger payouts.
The educational site Get Gambling Facts gives a useful distinction: RTP concerns the percentage of money returned over time, while hit frequency concerns how often a machine stops on a winning combination.
Volatility: The Risk Label Players Need More Often
Volatility, also called variance, describes how unevenly a game pays. Low-volatility games tend to return smaller amounts more often. High-volatility games hold more value in rare events: bonus rounds, premium symbols, multipliers, or jackpots.
Here is where RTP becomes less useful on its own:
- A 96% low-volatility slot may give modest returns and longer play from the same balance.
- A 96% high-volatility slot may burn through funds quickly unless the player hits a strong feature.
- A progressive jackpot game may look exciting, but it often places more value on rare top prizes.
The same RTP can hide very different risk profiles. Players who ignore volatility often blame the casino or the game when the session follows its math design.
Why the Same RTP Can Feel So Different
Picture two slots with 96% RTP. Slot A pays small wins on many spins, has a modest top prize, and rarely creates dramatic balance swings. Slot B pays less often but offers a large max win and volatile bonus rounds. The advertised return matches, but the experience does not.
Slot A may suit a player who wants a slower bankroll drop and more regular feedback. Slot B suits someone who accepts sharper losses in exchange for a shot at a heavier payout.
A Better Way to Read a Slot Page
Most slot pages give players more clues than they notice. The trick is to read the details together rather than chase the highest percentage.
Start with RTP. If two games look similar, the higher number has better long-term value. Then check volatility. If the game uses terms such as high, very high, or extreme variance, lower your bet size or expect shorter sessions. Next, look at the paytable. A huge max win usually means the game saves a lot of its value for rare outcomes.
A sensible pre-play check looks like this:
- RTP: What is the average long-term return?
- Volatility: How rough can the session become?
- Hit frequency: How often will the game show any wins?
- Paytable: Where does most value sit?
To Conclude
Casinos advertise RTP because it looks objective, tidy, and easy to rank. Players should read it, but they should not give it more authority than it deserves. For long sessions, volatility may matter more than a small RTP difference. For comfort, hit frequency may explain the feel better than the payback rate.
Features
They Deserve the Very Best”: The Doctors Bringing Specialist Care to Holocaust Survivors at Home
Features
The Popularity of Simpler Slot Games in 2026: Review From Casino Online CrazyTower Experts
Online casinos now fill their libraries with numerous video slots that have dozens of functions, long bonus rounds, complex mechanics, and so on. Interestingly, despite this huge range of modern options, many Canadian visitors at sites like Casino Online CrazyTower here https://crazytower.com/ca/ no longer want complicated gameplay that requires constant attention and long explanations.
Simpler slots now attract a wider audience because they save time and create faster sessions. So, let’s figure out why this change happened and reasons for the popularity of simpler machines.
Why Many Players Are Returning to Basic Gameplay
Modern websites like Casino Online CrazyTower pushed complex video slots for years, but many people now prefer classic formats again. Simple gameplay has fewer interruptions and is simpler in terms of budgeting, which is important when you gamble for fun.
These are a few potential reasons explain why simpler slots became popular again in 2026:
- Faster rounds. Symbols appear quickly, and rounds continue without long animations or extended bonus sequences.
- Easier controls. Most classic slots have simple menus and familiar layouts that don’t confuse new visitors.
- Smaller feature lists. Simple slots usually have standard wilds, scatters, and multipliers instead of dozens of random mechanics.
- Better session flow. People spend more time on gameplay instead of reading explanations about symbols and special functions.
- Lower visual pressure. Simpler slots use calmer designs and shorter effects that don’t overload attention.
Classic gameplay also suits mobile devices better because shorter rounds work well on smaller screens. Plus, many visitors now prefer games that start instantly and explain their mechanics within seconds.
Features That Make Simpler Slots Appealing
Simple machines at Casino Online CrazyTower and similar websites continue to attract attention because they have a high gameplay speed. Many classic titles also replicate older casino machines that people already know from physical casinos.
However, these aren’t the only factors that attract gamblers. So, check out this list:
- Short bonus rounds. Free spins and multipliers finish quickly instead of interrupting gameplay for several minutes.
- Common and standard paylines. Traditional layouts help people understand payouts without long explanations.
- Faster loading times. Simpler graphics reduce waiting time on phones, tablets, and older computers.
- Stable gameplay pace. Long cutscenes and constant pop-up notifications don’t interrupt the session.
- Traditional themes. Fruit symbols, bars, sevens, and classic casino designs still attract large audiences.
- Smaller menus. Important information appears immediately without complicated tabs or hidden sections.
Modern video slots often contain too many mechanics in a single game. Developers now combine expanding reels, random modifiers, mission systems, tournaments, and multiple bonus levels in one title. Many visitors lose interest because gameplay turns repetitive and overloaded with constant interruptions.
Compare this to a session when you get results immediately and aren’t interrupted. These still have free spins and even mini risk games, but not as loaded as innovative titles.
Conclusion
Simple slots usually create better replay value because people understand the mechanics immediately. Common and standard gameplay doesn’t cause frustration and allows faster decisions during casino sessions.
Many classic slots also function better during short breaks because rounds finish quickly without long bonus interruptions. That’s why simpler slots became popular again at many casinos, including Casino Online CrazyTower and such.
