Phil Nimmons
Phil Nimmons O.C., O. Ont. is often referred to as the “Dean of Canadian jazz”, and is known for his work as a clarinetist, bandleader, composer, arranger and educator. In the 1940s, he began his musical career in Vancouver with the Ray Norris quintet, and also wrote music for CBC radio plays. After attending the Julliard School and the Royal Conservatory of Music, he inevitably formed his own bands, most notably the popular group Nimmons ‘N’ Nine and later Nimmons ‘N’ Nine Plus Six. Over his lifetime, he has composed and arranged an astounding amount of material for a wide range of formats and styles, including big band, film scores, contemporary chamber and orchestral works.
A founding member of the Canadian League of Composers, he also co-founded the Advanced School of Contemporary Music with Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown. Phil had a major influence on establishing many jazz programs across Canada, and taught at the University of Toronto, Jazz Studies program for over 45 years.
Phil was awarded the inaugural JUNO Award for best jazz album in 1977. In 1993, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Phil is also a member of the Order of Ontario, and in 2001 he was inducted into the International Jazz Educator’s Hall of Fame for his total dedication to jazz and jazz education. In 2002, he received Canada’s highest honour for an artist, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement for his enduring contribution to the performing arts in Canada. For more than 6 decades, Phil has been a passionate advocate for music in Canada, and a stalwart supporter of musicians, teachers, and students. He has influenced thousands of lives and musical careers, and is beloved by several generations of Canadian musicians.
It gives us tremendous pleasure to present Phil Nimmons with the 2019 Canadian Jazz Master Award for his lifetime of artistic excellence in jazz.
Kenny Wheeler
Jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist, Kenny Wheeler was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1930. He began playing trumpet at the age of 12 and studied at The Royal Conservatory of Music. When he was in his early twenties, Kenny moved to London, England and quickly became a highly regarded figure in London’s music world. His playing was inspired by such jazz greats as Clifford Brown and Art Farmer, and he was a member of John Dankworth’s orchestra for several years.
In the late 1960s, he began to explore the style of improvisation in free jazz, and his style combined the more traditional with the experimental. Kenny credited Duke Ellington, Gil Evans and Stan Kenton as major influences on his writing. In addition, he listened carefully to classical and contemporary composition, all shaping his own pieces and performances. Wheeler gained international recognition through the recording of Gnu High, a session with Keith Jarrett, Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette. He was a member of groups led by Anthony Braxton, Dave Holland, and Mike Gibbs, as well as being a member of the Globe Unity Orchestra for many years. His compositions were included in the repertoires of the Globe Unity Orchestra and the Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra.
Considered one of the most advanced voices on his instrument, he had a full, lovely tone and astounding range, and was equally at home playing lyrical post-bop pieces or the more experimental melodies of free jazz. Kenny Wheeler’s playing can be heard on many records, both as a sideman and as a leader. His Songs For Quintet was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in December, 2013, and released on what would have been his 85th birthday, January 14, 2015.
Kenny Wheeler passed away on Sept. 18, 2014 at the age of 84. We are proud to acknowledge him as the recipient of the 2019 posthumously presented Canadian Jazz Master Award for his lifetime of artistic excellence.