Schulich School of Music of McGill University Concerts and Publicity 555 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1E3 Phone: (514) 398-8101; Fax: (514) 398-5514
P R E S S R E L E A S E
Schulich Year of Jazz Phil Dwyer and John Taylor, October 8, 2010
For immediate release
Montreal, October 1, 2010 – On Friday, October 8 at 7:30 p.m., jazz greats Phil Dywer and John Taylor will be on stage at the Schulich School of Music in Tanna Schulich Hall, as part of the Schulich Year of Jazz. They will be performing with McGill Jazz Orchestra 1, Gordon Foote, director, and McGill Chamber Jazz Ensemble, Joe Sullivan, director. Tickets are $10.
Phil Dwyer
Musician Phil Dwyer has been a force on the international jazz scene for over two decades. A critically acclaimed composer, arranger, and musical director, as well as gifted, intuitive perfomer on both saxophone and piano, Dwyer has performed with everyone from Aretha Franklin, Ian Tyson, and Gino Vannelli to jazz greats like Red Rodney, Ingrid Jensen, Randy Brecker, Tom Harrell, Jim Hall, Dave Holland, Don Thompson, and many others.
Dwyer is a frequent collaborator with Kenny Wheeler and has been saxophonist for the British-based jazz star's Canadian performances for the last 15 years.
Phil has written for theatre companies, dance groups, and symphonies around the world and received commissions from Mark Fewer, CBC Vancouver Orchestra, Art of Time Ensemble, and Duke Trio.
In 2001 Dwyer won the prestigious KM Hunter Award for Land of Sleepless Dreams, a composition he wrote for Amici Chamber Ensemble. That year, he was also featured soloist with Latvia’s Liepaja Symphony. Dwyer was commissioned by CBC Radio Drama to write original music and serve as musical director for A Night at the Quinte Hotel, an evening of Al Purdy’s poetry starring Gordon Pinsent.
In 2008 Phil was recognized at the National Jazz Awards with awards for Saxophonist and Arranger Of The Year. Other recent highlights have been performances in Chile with Dave Young and Mike Murley, composing and performing with the Gryphon Trio in Toronto, and jazz club appearances with Robi Botos (Vancouver) and Joe Labarbera (Edmonton).
John Taylor
John Taylor was born in Manchester in 1942 and first came to the attention of jazz audiences in 1969 when he partnered saxophonists Alan Skidmore and John Surman.
John is currently a member of Kenny Wheeler’s quartet and large ensemble and performs in duo and quartet settings with John Surman – their recording of ‘Ambleside Days’ on album won critical acclaim. John celebrated his 60th birthday year in 2002 with a Contemporary Music Network Tour in which he presented his new trio with the drummer Joey Baron and Marc Johnson on bass. The tour also featured the Creative Jazz Orchestra playing John's composition 'The Green Man Suite'.
In July 2002 John received the BBC Jazz Award for 'Best New Work' for this suite. In 2004 John recorded 'Where do we go from Here?' in duo with Kenny Wheeler and 'Nightfall' with bassist Charlie Haden. They subsequently performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival. Also that year John formed a new trio with Palle Danielsson and Martin France. They performed at the Vancouver Festival and recorded 'Angel of the Presence' for CAM Jazz. This recording was released in January 2006 to coincide with their UK tour and has received critical acclaim.
John has been professor of Jazz Piano at the Cologne College of Music since 1993 and became a Lecturer in jazz at York University in 2005.
Concert:
Friday, October 8, 2010 7:30 p.m. Tanna Schulich Hall
Tanna Schulich Hall is located at 527 Sherbrooke St. West
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Media Contact: Alain Labonté Communications: 514-523-9922 McGill Contact: Louise Ostiguy, Concerts and Publicity: 514-398-8933