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| Introduction | Catalogue | Workshop | Gallery | Artists | Tonewoods | Available | Contact | |
Thanks to all who have generously contributed.
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Gary Benson Guitarist Gary Benson, respected by his peers as "one of the hardest swinging players on the jazz scene". He has made a significant contribution to jazz in Toronto during a distinguished career spanning more than three decades. Whether backing up a long list of jazz vocalists, including such luminaries as Peggy Lee and Natalie Cole, or playing with other jazz greats such as Peter Appleyard and Ed Bickert, Benson has set a consistently high standard of excellence. He has been a featured player at both the Shaw and Stratford Festivals, and in frequent television appearances. In 1989, Gary Benson founded the Canadian Jazz Quartet (CJQ) with percussionist Don Vickery, and, with the later addition of vibist Frank Wright, and most recently, bassist Duncan Hopkins, the CJQ has become one of Canada's most consistently swinging jazz groups. Benson studied composition in Toronto with the late Gordon Delamont and later, with legendary New York-based guitarist, Jim Hall. An accomplished composer and arranger in his own right, Gary's original compositions and arrangements highlight the CJQ's CDs and live performances. He is also a gifted teacher and many of his students over the years have gone on to establish successful careers of their own, all carrying Benson's unique influence with them.
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Roy Patterson Since the release of his first recording in 1989, Roy has built a body of original work which demonstrates a personal, evocative style drawn from early musical influences and eastern meditative practices. His fourth CD, Inland Passages, was released in 1997 and came about as a result of the Roy Patterson Quartet winning the coveted Prix de Jazz at Montreal's Festival International de Jazz, the first Toronto based band ever to win this competition. The award brought exposure through national radio, television, and a tour that concluded at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. Inland Passages is a testament to Roy's own earthbound and spiritual journeys and his pursuit of adventure. More recent credits include the Jazz Report magazine award for Guitarist of the Year for 2000, and the formation of the Toronto Jazz Composers Collective, a non-profit group dedicated to the performance and dissemination of Canadian jazz compositions.
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Matt Stevens As a professional musician, Stevens has shared the stage and recorded with many of contemporary music’s finest musicians including Christian Scott, Donald Harrison, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Victor Bailey, Jason Moran, Rodney Holmes, Aaron Goldberg, Jeff Lorber, Aaron Parks, Jacky Terrasson, Esperanza Spalding, Casey Benjamin, Jaleel Shaw, and Taylor Eigsti.His playing has been applauded in numerous publications worldwide including The New York Times, Downbeat, Jazz Times, The Financial Times, Billboard Magazine, Los Angeles Times, and All About Jazz. He has toured extensively in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and the Caribbean. He has performed at many of the major jazz festivals — Montreux, North Sea, Newport, Montreal, Monterey, Fujitsu, Anguilla BET, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage — and renowned venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, The Kennedy Center, The Blue Note clubs in New York, Tokyo and Milan, and The Moscow International Music House.
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Jazz/blues guitarist Mike Armando was born in Brooklyn, NY. He Played many years with Screamin Jay Hawkins band. At present his new group is called "In the Moment''He was the guitarist for the late Screamin Jay Hawkins for three fun years while on tour. One of Mike's recording's," Half Stepin" on the mja Record label, a jazz/blues recording was rated one of the top ten records on radio play list in Bill Board Magazine. He has performed on radio and tv stations across the country. His recordings on the mja Record label have been played throughout the USA and in Europe.
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Dunstan Morey Dunstan Morey is a classically trained guitarist and graduate of the Humber College jazz program. He has performed as both sideman and leader in a variety of musical configurations, but now works almost exclusively as a solo guitarist. In addition to free-lancing at weddings and corporate events, he has been the house guitarist at La Maquette restaurant in Toronto for the last six years. Every second Monday, Dunstan can be found with his Harrison Classic Jazz CJ-16 guitar, hosting the Toronto Fingerstyle Guitar Association's open stage at Ten Feet Tall in Toronto.
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Harrison Guitars |
