Bill Coon
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Juno nominated artist Bill Coon won the 2009 National Jazz Award, ‘Guitarist of the Year’, and has performed with many significant artists including Jimmy Heath, Peter Bernstein, Dr. Lonnie Smith, PJ Perry, Denzal Sinclaire, Sheila Jordan, Carol Welsman, Chris Hazelton, Dee Daniels, Rebecca Kilgore, Phil Dwyer, Peter Washington and Lewis Nash.
The Western Canadian Jazz awards nominated Coon’s Departure BC Double Quartet for Jazz Artist of 2018. Featured on this recording are two heroes of the Canadian music scene, trumpeter Brad Turner and violinist Cameron Wilson.
Coon is an experienced and well-known teacher, having taught extensively at music festivals and jazz camps throughout BC, including the VSO Summer Jazz Workshop. As well as being a proud member of the VSO School of Music teaching staff, he is a member of the Jazz Studies Faculty at Capilano University in North Vancouver, teaching arranging, composition, ensembles, and private jazz guitar.
Among his many critically acclaimed recordings is Triology’s Stairway to the Stars, a collaboration with award-winning artists Jodi Proznick and Miles Black. Coon is featured on trumpeter Kevin Elaschuk’s recent recording Stories Interweaved, Threads Bared by, as well as altoist Roy Styffe’s Stories Within Stories. Other recordings include Jill Townsend Jazz Orchestra’s Legacy, The Music of Ross Taggart, Arrival with Jennifer Scott and Rene Worst, Canadian Sunset with Rebecca Kilgore and Tom Wakeling, and Two Much More! with Oliver Gannon, acclaimed as one of the top ten Canadian jazz recordings of 2015 by the CBC.
Coon is well-known for his large ensemble arranging/composing, recently featured on Explosion with Cory Weeds, Joe Magnerelli, and Steve Davis. His orchestral arrangements have been commissioned by trumpeter/vocalist Bria Skonberg and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
He is busy touring, recording and performing with many significant jazz artists such as, Lorne Lofsky, Mike Allen, Sienna Dahlen, Tom Keenlyside, Laura Crema, Andre Lachance, Campbell Ryga, Buff Allen, Dave Robbins, Steve Maddock, Monique Nordine and many more.
*Photo by Diane Smithers