MEET ANDREW JONES

With a love for collaborative arts and an upbringing deeply rooted in the Canadian music scene, Andrew Jones has established himself as a unique voice in music education. Active as a writer, clinician and a trombonist in the Greater Toronto Area, his works have been performed by University, College and High School ensembles across Canada and in the United States. A graduate of the University of Toronto Jazz Performance Program, he studied under the incomparable Phil Nimmons, as well as trombone with Jerry Johnson, listing his greatest compositional influences as Maria Schneider, Vince Mendoza and Canada’s own Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass. Today he actively maintains a busy schedule of performing, composition and teaching at the University and high school level, as well as working with professional and community bands.

First making a name for himself as the recipient of the SOCAN Phil Nimmons Emerging Jazz Composer Award through the International Association of Jazz Educators Association in 2008, Andrew has developed a distinctive sound, composing original music for many professional artists and developing a reputation for his collaborative directing style. He spent 6 years as head arranger for the Whitney Smith Big Steam Band, and currently his music is often heard through the work of The Jazz Mechanics, a jazz orchestra in Brampton, Ontario where he serves as Artistic Director.

Other compositional highlights include pieces performed and/or recorded by The University of Toronto 10 O'Clock and 11 O'Clock Jazz Orchestras, The Mohawk College Jazz Orchestra, Wilfred Laurier University Jazz Orchestra, Humber College Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Montclair State University, The Toronto Jazz Orchestra, as well as commissions for The Hamilton All-Star Big Band and secondary school programs across Ontario. As a trombonist, Andrew works in a wide variety of ensembles and genres, from brass quintets to serving as a member of groups such as the The Paul Read Orchestra, and Barry Romberg’s Random Access Large Ensemble. He has crossed the high seas as a cruise ship musician and has lived abroad studying music and traveling Europe with his trombone.

Recipient of the Don Wright Scholarship for Composition in Education, Andrew deeply values the role that creative music making and jazz fundamentals play in developing engaging curriculum and student success. Beyond his work at the University of Toronto Jazz Program where he teaches pedagogy, arranging and orchestration, he currently serves as Head of Music at Cawthra Park Secondary School for the Arts in Mississauga where he has taught and developed curriculum for over 20 years. As an experienced clinician and adjudicator, most recently as part of the Yamaha True North Master Educator Program, and as an instructor at the highly regarded Interprovincial Music Camp (IMC), Mr. Jones continues to foster a love of musical fundamentals through improvisation, composition and collaboration.

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