|
Born: July 10, 1959
Etobicoke, Ontario
Current home: Vancouver BC
Bill Coon has been performing professionally for twenty
years and began his musical career in Montreal where
he was a long time member of the Andre White Band. His
association with White has had a large effect on his
development as a player and composer. His formative
studies were at Vanier CEGEP where Coon studied guitar
with Sam Balderman, as well as improvisation with Art
Roberts and arranging-composing with Al Baculus. He
later obtained a degree in Jazz Studies at Concordia
University where after graduating he taught private
guitar studies and arranging.
In Montreal he was an original member of Jennifer Bell
and Bill Mahar's Altsys jazz Orchestra and collaborated
with guitarist-vocalist Dawn Thomson (most notably in
the jazz chamber group Indigo). He also performed with
his own jazz trio that included at various times Andre
White, Alec Walkington and Pete Magadini. Coon moved
to Vancouver in 1995 with his wife, trombonist Jill
Townsend, originally to work with Denzal Sinclaire (then
Densil Pinnock) on the story of Nat King Cole "Unforgettable".
After the show was finished they found a very welcoming
and vibrant music community in the Lower Mainland where
they have remained ever since.
Two of Coon's most important mentors are guitarist
Jim Hall and arranger/composer Neil Chotem and he has
had the opportunity to study with them as a result of
awards from the Canada Council. His long-time musical
partnership with Sinclaire has produced three CD recordings,
a number of television specials, several radio shows
and many performances throughout Canada. In Vancouver
he performs with Ross Taggart, Wow Jazz Orchestra, Oliver
Gannon, Campbell Ryga, Jill Townsend Big Band, Karin
Plato, Jennifer Scott and Mike Allen. His first CD as
a leader, "Speakeasy" presents his trio of
three years, with bassist Darren Radtke and drummer
Dave Robbins along with tenor player Ross Taggart. Coon
is also considered a composer and arranger of note and
has written for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the
National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Norwegian Radio
Orchestra and the Woody Herman Band. |
 |
Bill Coon
Trio - Speakeasy - Pagetown Records
PTCD0002 - 2003 |
| Bill Coon (guitar)
Darren Radtke (bass)
Dave Robbins (drums)
Ross Taggart (tenor saxophone) on Alone Together,
Aperçu, TBA, In the Moment |
Autumn Leaves
Alone Together
Aperçu
Body & Soul
Speakeasy
Darn That Dream
TBA
Read My Mind
In the Moment
Libation with Nation
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
Recorded at Birch Theatre, Capilano College, North
Vancouver
June 5 & 6, 2002 |
|
