*Oliver Jones ~Jazz pianist, organist, composer,and arranger*

For this assignment we have to write a short report on an African Canadian. 20 people will be chosen out of 110 to read their reports on the annoucements each day in February for black history month.

I am doing my assignment on Oliver Jones. I saw him at the jazz festival in June and really liked his music.



Oliver Jones has become one of Canada’s finest pianist, organist, composer, and arranger. Born on September 11, 1934 in little Burgundy Montreal. At the age of 3 Jones heard a song once on the radio and played it from memory on the piano. Oliver first studied classical music with Mme Bonner in a church in little Burgundy. By age 5 he was performing publicly. He then did more studies with Oscar Peterson's sister “Daisy Peterson Sweeney" and continued lessons with her for 12 years. Most of his studies came from her. By the time he was 9 Oliver had his first night club appearance. Oscar Peterson was one of Jone's role models and friends. Oscar Peterson was also one of Canada's greatest jazz pianist and composers.

Jone's six decade musical career has been rich and varied.
He has done everything from classical to swing to rock n' roll in his career since jazz was not considered a viable career when he started preforming. Since he was a small child Jones wanted to be a jazz musician. When he was young he was famous for his classical music and was internationally famous for classical music into his twenties. In 1980 at the age of 46 his dream of being a jazz musician was finally within his reach. In 1964 he was presented with the opportunity to become musical director and pianist for Jamaican singer, Kenny Hamilton, a position which he held for sixteen years.

When I saw Oliver Jones preform at the Ottawa Jazz festival, he played the concert in two parts. The first part was music he had composed. The second part was a tribute to his good friend Oscar Peterson, who had recently died. It was a very emotinal concert for all watching and on stage. I was very happy to have experienced such an event of one respected Canadian musician doing a tribute to another great Canadian. As said by many, Oliver Jones is one of the greatest pianists in jazz history.




Oliver Jones' Awards:

1996
Honourary Doctorate St. Francis Xavier University

1995
Honourary Doctorate of Music McGill University

1994
Felix (awarded by ADISQ, representing the Québec music industry) for his solo piano
recording, "Just 88".

1994
The Order of Canada, for outstanding contributions to music in Canada and internationally.

1993
Martin Luther King Jr. Award given bu the Black Artists Workshop, for excellence in music.

1992
Honourary Doctorate in Music, Laurentian University

1990
Oscar Peterson Award, given by the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal

1989
Felix award for best jazz album of 1989, "Just Friends" given by ADISQ

1986
Juno Award for best jazz album of 1986, "Lights of Burgundy"

1984
PROCAN (now SOCAN) Award for composition



Sites:

http://www.brockvilleconcert.ca/jonestrio.htm

http://www.hour.ca/music/music.aspx?iIDArticle=12332

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE0D91F3FF930A15757C0A961948260

http://people.stfx.ca/profiles/ojones/profile.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Jones_(pianist)

http://www.aelaq.org/mrb/article.php?issue=19&article=568&cat=4

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0001783

http://www.justin-time.com/authors/oliverjones/

Here is oliver jone's music:











I hope you enjoyed reading my report, if you have any questions or comments please let me know. I am looking forward to read what other people wrote for their assignments, I am going to go read them now, so I will have to catch you latter, bye!


~ Sarah ( Whippy)