PHOTO ESSAY

Most Valuable Players

Hockey card summaries of this year’s GG Performing Arts Awards winners

By Alec Scott

November 4, 2005

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OLIVER JONES
Jazz pianist
Born: Montreal, 1934
Claims to fame: A product, like Oscar Peterson, of Montreal’s St-Henri neighbourhood, Oliver debuted at age five at the Union United Church in Montreal; throughout his youth, he regularly appeared at the city’s then-premier jazz venue, the Café St-Michel. As an adult, he initially opted for a career in soft rock; for 16 years, he played in Jamaican crooner Kenny Hamilton’s band. In 1980, Oliver returned to Montreal, and to jazz, hooking up with bassist Charlie Biddle at his eponymous club. Rising record producer Jim West took in some of their sets and asked Oliver to record his first album (with Biddle); Oliver was approaching his 50th birthday. On the strength of Live at Biddles, his belated debut, Oliver has gone on to a distinguished career in jazz, recording 17 albums. He has toured extensively in Africa, China and South America, as well as Europe and North America.
Trivia: His first piano teacher was Daisy Peterson, Oscar’s older sister.
Quotable quote: “When we made our first recording I was in a state of shock. You dream of something for 30 years, and then it finally happens.”