Throughout his distinguished career as both a bandleader and sideman, English bassist Dave Holland has emerged as one of the most identifiable voices of his generation. He first rose to prominence in the late 60s as a result of playing with Miles Davis, appearing on seminal albums such as the jazz-fusion classic In a Silent […]

Ellis Marsalis carries one of the most famous surnames in jazz. He, along with his sons Branford, Wynton, Delfeayo and Jason, are the only family to win a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award, the highest honour awarded by the United States for jazz. While Ellis is a brilliant pianist in his own […]

Dwayne “MonoNeon” Thomas Jr is one of the most creative and talked-about young electric bassists on the scene today. Only 22 years old, the Tennessee native has brought his killer chops and original concept to a wide variety of settings, playing with jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette, microtonal guitarist Dave Fiuczynski, and gospel star Tye Tribbett. […]

Vibraphonist Gary Burton’s four-mallet technique is astonishing, and has revolutionized the role of the vibraphone in ensemble playing. After touring in the mid-60s with pianist George Shearing and saxophonist Stan Getz, Burton established his own group, the Gary Burton Quartet, in 1967, with guitarist Larry Coryell, drummer Roy Haynes, and bassist Steve Swallow. Their album […]

Pianist and composer David Braid is one of Canada’s most creative and prolific young musicians. His own compositions combine a harmonic intricacy gleaned from his study of Western classical music with the improvisational tradition of American jazz. He has recorded seven albums with five different ensembles, garnering four Juno nominations. Currently, he is focusing on […]