>> write // blaaaags and reflections // influences and inspiration |
Artist | Album Title | Rhythm Section |
Pink Floyd | The Division Bell | Guy Pratt, bass guitar Nick Mason, drum set |
Pink Floyd | Dark Side of the Moon | Roger Waters, bass guitar Nick Mason, drum set |
Pink Floyd | Pulse | Guy Pratt, bass guitar Nick Mason, drum set Gary Wallis, aux percussion |
David Gilmour | About Face | Pino Palladino, bass guitar Jeff Porcaro, drum set |
Roger Waters | Radio KAOS | Roger Waters, bass guitar Graham Broad, drum set |
Roger Waters | Amused To Death | Jimmy Johnson, bass guitar Randy Jackson, bass guitar Graham Broad, drum set |
King Crimson | In The Court Of The Crimson King | Greg Lake, bass guitar Michael Giles, drum set |
King Crimson | Red | John Wetton, bass guitar Bill Bruford, drum set |
King Crimson | Absent Lovers | Tony Levin, bass guitar and stick Bill Bruford, drum set |
King Crimson | Thrak | Tony Levin, bass guitar Trey Gunn, touch guitar Bill Bruford, drum set |
UK | self-titled | John Wetton, bass guitar Bill Bruford, drum set |
Marillion | Misplaced Childhood | Pete Trawavas, bass guitar Ian Mosley, drum set |
Genesis | A Trick of the Tail | Mike Rutherford, bass guitar Phil Collins, drum set |
Genesis | We Can't Dance | Mike Rutherford, bass guitar Phil Collins, drum set |
Yes | Fragile | Chris Squire, bass guitar Bill Bruford, drum set |
Yes | Close to the Edge | Chris Squire, bass guitar Bill Bruford, drum set |
Rush | Signals | Geddy Lee, bass guitar Neil Peart, drum set |
Rush | Counterparts | Geddy Lee, bass guitar Neil Peart, drum set |
Sting | Ten Summoner's Tales | Sting, bass guitar Vinnie Colaiuta, drum set |
Sting | Mercury Falling | Sting, bass guitar Vinnie Colaiuta, drum set |
Peter Gabriel | Secret World Live | Tony Levin, bass guitar Manu Katche, drum set |
Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach |
Painted From Memory | Greg Cohen, bass guitar Jim Keltner, drum set |
The Eagles | Hell Freezes Over | Timothy B Schmit, bass guitar Don Henley, drum set |
Beach Boys | Made in the USA [compilation] |
various |
Def Leppard | Vault [compilation] |
Rick Savage, bass guitar Rick Allen, drum set |
Phil Collins | The Hits [compilation] |
Phil Collins, drum set TR-808, drum machine (!) |
Van Halen | Best Of: Volume One [compilation] |
Michael Anthony, bass guitar Alex Van Halen, drum set |
The Police | Every Breath You Take [compilation] |
Sting, bass guitar Stewart Copeland, drum set |
Our Lady Peace | Clumsy | Duncan Coutts, bass guitar Jeremy Taggart, drum set |
I Mother Earth | Scenery and Fish | Bruce Gordon, bass guitar Christian Tanna, drum set |
The Tea Party | The Edges of Twilight | Stuart Chatwood, bass guitar Jeff Burrows, drum set |
Matthew Good Band | The Last of the Ghetto Astronauts | Geoff Lloyd, bass guitar Ian Browne, drum set |
Glueleg | Clodhopper | Andrew Charters, bass guitar Christian Simpson, drum set |
The Philosopher Kings | One Night Stand | Jason Levine, bass guitar Denton Whited, drum set |
Live | Throwing Copper | Patrick Dahlheimer, bass guitar Chad Gracey, drum set |
Matthew Sweet | 100% Fun | Matthew Sweet, bass guitar Miscellaneous People, drum set |
Counting Crows | August and Everything After | Matt Malley, bass guitar Steve Bowman, drum set |
Smashing Pumpkins | Siamese Dream | D'Arcy, bass guitar Jimmy Chamberlin, drum set |
Smashing Pumpkins | Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness | D'Arcy, bass guitar Jimmy Chamberlin, drum set |
Toad the Wet Sprocket | Dulcinea | Dean Dinning, bass guitar Randy Guss, drum set |
Toad the Wet Sprocket | Coil | Dean Dinning, bass guitar Randy Guss, drum set |
Radiohead | The Bends | Colin Greenwood, bass guitar Phil Selway, drum set |
Radiohead | OK Computer | Colin Greenwood, bass guitar Phil Selway, drum set |
Tower of Power | Soul Vaccination: Tower of Power Live | Rocco Prestia, bass guitar David Garibaldi, drum set |
Tower of Power | Tower of Power | Rocco Prestia, bass guitar David Garibaldi, drum set |
Earth, Wind, and Fire | Greatest Hits Live | Verdine White, bass guitar |
Earth, Wind, and Fire | Live by Request [DVD] | Verdine White, bass guitar Gordon Campbell, drum set |
Steely Dan | Royal Scam | various |
Steely Dan | Aja | various |
Pat Metheny Group | First Circle | Steve Rodby, basses Paul Wertico, drum set |
Pat Metheny Group | Imaginary Day | Steve Rodby, basses Paul Wertico, drum set |
Pat Metheny Group | Speaking of Now | Steve Rodby, basses Antonio Sanchez, drum set |
Pat Metheny and John Scofield |
I Can See Your House From Here | Steve Swallow, bass guitar Bill Stewart, drum set |
Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden |
Beyond the Missouri Sky | Charlie Haden, double bass |
Pat Metheny | Bright Size Life | Jaco Pastorius, bass guitar Bob Moses, drum set |
Pat Metheny | Question and Answer | Dave Holland, double bass Roy Haynes, drum set |
Weather Report | Heavy Weather | Jaco Pastorius, bass guitar Alex Acuna, drum set Manolo Badrena, percussion |
Thelonius Monk | Thelonious in Action | Ahmed Abdul-Malik, double bass Roy Haynes, drum set |
Gary Burton Quartet | Dreams So Real | Steve Swallow, bass guitar Bob Moses, drum set |
Gary Burton | Like Minds | Dave Holland, double bass Roy Haynes, drum set |
Herbie Hancock | Empyrean Isles | Ron Carter, double bass Tony Williams, drum set |
Herbie Hancock | Maiden Voyage | Ron Carter, double bass Tony Williams, drum set |
Herbie Hancock | Thrust | Paul Jackson, bass guitar Mike Clark, drum set |
Wayne Shorter | Night Dreamer | Reggie Workman, double bass Elvin Jones, drum set |
Wayne Shorter | Speak No Evil | Ron Carter, double bass Elvin Jones, drum set |
McCoy Tyner | The Real McCoy | Ron Carter, double bass Elvin Jones, drum set |
John Coltrane | Crescent | Jimmy Garrison, double bass Elvin Jones, drum set |
John Coltrane | A Love Supreme | Jimmy Garrison, double bass Elvin Jones, drum set |
Toots Thielemans | The Brasil Project | various |
Michel Petrucciani Trio | Live at the Blue Note | Anthony Jackson, bass guitar Steve Gadd, drum set |
Marc Johnson | The Sound of Summer Running | Marc Johnson, double bass Joey Baron, drum set |
Steve Khan | The Suitcase | Anthony Jackson, bass guitar Dennis Chambers, drum set |
Jan Garbarek Group | Twelve Moons | Eberhard Weber, electric upright Manu Katche, drum set |
Keith Jarrett | Belonging | Palle Danielsson, double bass Jon Christensen, drum set |
Keith Jarrett | My Song | Palle Danielsson, double bass Jon Christensen, drum set |
Ralph Towner | Solstice | Eberhard Weber, electric upright Jon Christensen, drum set |
Ralph Towner | Sound and Shadows | Eberhard Weber, electric upright Jon Christensen, drum set |
Oregon | Ecotopia | Glen Moore, double bass Trilok Gurtu, percussion |
Oregon | Always, Never, and Forever | Glen Moore, double bass Trilok Gurtu, percussion |
Chris Gestrin | Times That Do Not Belong To Us | Marc Rogers, double bass Joel Fountain, drum set |
Brad Turner Quartet | There and Back | Andre Lachance, double bass Dylan van der Schyff, drum set |
Mike Allen Quintet | One Step Closer | Andre Lachance, double bass Dylan van der Schyff, drum set |
Ihor Kukurudza | As It Was | Andre Lachance, double bass John Nolan, drum set |
Grupo Jazz Tumbao | Que Bola? | Allan Johnston, baby bass Chris Haas, drum set Jack Duncan, congas Edgar Romero, bongo |
Sharon Minemoto Quintet | Side A | Darren Radtke, double bass Bernie Arai, drum set |
Junction | Self Portrait | Chris Tarry, bass guitar Dave Robbins, drum set |
Metalwood | self-titled, 2, Live, and 3 | Chris Tarry, bass guitar Ian Froman, drum set |
Chris Tarry Group | Sevyn | Chris Tarry, bass guitar Ian Froman, drum set |
Crash | self-titled | Andre Lachance, bass guitar Jamie Kaufmann, drum set |
Alain Caron Le Band | Play | Alain Caron, bass guitar Paul Brochu, drum set |
Charanga Habanera | Tremendo Delirio | Pedro Pablo Gutierrez, baby bass Victor Sagarra, congas Eduardo Lazaga, pailas Orlando Leyva, bongo y campana |
Klimax | Oye Como Va | Roberto Riveron, basses Giraldo Piloto, drum set |
Maraca | Tremenda Rumba | Victor Miranda, basses Juan-Carlos Rojas, drum set and timbales |
NG La Banda | Echale Limon | Feliciano Arango, basse Giraldo Piloto, batterie |
Irakere | Yemaya | Carlos Del Puerto, basses Enrque Pla, drum set |
Los Van Van | Te Pone La Cabeza Mala | Juan Formell, baby bass Samuel Formell, drum set |
Chor Leoni Men's Choir | Canadian Safari | Diane Loomer, conductor |
West Coast Mennonite Chamber Choir |
The Time of Eternity | Tony Funk, conductor |
Rajaton | Out of Bounds | no conductor |
King's Singers | Good Vibrations | no conductor |
San Miguel Master Chorale | Great Original Pilipino Music | Ryan Cayabyab, conductor Eudenice Palaruan, conductor |
Bassists
Roger Waters
Waters brought a guitarist's pick technique to bass guitar playing. His subtle use of syncopation and certain phrasing tendencies made his playing unique. Because I listened to Pink Floyd so much, Waters's bass guitar playing made an impact on my early development. [Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon]
Geddy Lee
Juggling his bass playing with keyboard playing and singing is a remarkable feat unto itself. When Geddy started playing more and more keyboards, he used the Taurus pedals to hold down the bottom end. His use of synth bass added a new color to the music. [Rush - Signals, Counterparts]
Chris Squire
Squire was part of the aggressive English bass playing school that also included Jack Bruce, John Entwhistle, and others. Playing with a pick and playing through overdriven Marshall amplifiers gave him a unique tone that cut through the mix. His highly melodic playing drove the rhythm section and his falsetto singing pushed the music forward. "I guess that's why they call it (the) Progressive Rock!" For me, it wasn't his tone that I was necessarily enamored with, it was the spirit with which he played the bass guitar that I was impressed with. [Yes - Fragile, Close to the Edge]
Rocco Prestia
Prestia's relentless use of sixteenth notes, percussive ghost notes, and left hand muting combined with his playing connection with David Garibaldi makes for some truly funky music! [Tower of Power - Soul Vaccination: Tower of Power Live, Tower of Power]
Tony Levin
As the quintessential session man and consummate artist, Tony Levin makes the case for good, strong, "meat and potatoes" bass playing. His work with Peter Gabriel and King Crimson, in particular, show Tony to be a creative and insightful player possessing "a knack for the completely obvious." Like Geddy Lee, Tony Levin has experimented with alternative bass voices including the use of Chapman stick, electric upright bass and electric cello, and synth bass. His formation of Papa Bear Records and the various independent projects he has produced for his label was inspiration for me to start my own company. [Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live, King Crimson - Thrak]
Pino Palladino
Another quintessential session man who pioneered the use of fretless bass on many pop hits in the Eighties. Palladino played tasty grooves and tastier counter melodies while occasionally triggering his Boss OC-2 Octave Pedal while playing his MusicMan Stingray Fretless. In the Nineties he morphed his sound and started using a fretted Fender P Bass along with flatwound strings which gave his sound an earthier feel. I love all the sounds of Palladino and his sound evolution prompted me to consider doing the same when I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area.
Anthony Jackson
I've always admired musicians who are dedicated to their principles. Anthony Jackson took the influences of James Jamerson, Jack Cassidy, and Olivier Messaien and turned their ideas and philosophies into a cohesive playing concept. Jackson also made several innovations with instrument design including the commissioning of a 6 string contra bass guitar with a chambered body, the lack of onboard preamp or electronics. These advances in technology combined with hi fidelity amplification and a full range speaker system has earned Jackson the respect of many in the field. [Michel Petrucciani Trio - Live at the Blue; Michel Camilo - Suntan]
Jaco Pastorius
His influence on any bass guitarist, let alone any jazz musician, is immense. He singularly redefined bass guitar playing in the Seventies and Eighties on both fretted and fretless bass guitars. Jaco was able to successfully synthesize his rhythm and blues background with Bird's bebop lines and combined it all with superb musicianship and execution. I first heard "A Remark You Made" and "Birdland" while in high school. [Weather Report - Heavy Weather]
Steve Swallow
Swallow had a lot of guts switching from double bass to exclusively playing the bass guitar in 1970. Today, his unmistakeable approach is well-revered in the jazz community earning high praise for having an individual voice but in the early Seventies, the bass guitar was still considered as something of a novelty instrument better associated with popular music than with jazz. Having met Swallow in person, I can attest to the fact that his playing and writing accurately reflect his personality. [Gary Burton Quartet - Dreams So Real (the music of Carla Bley)]
Charlie Haden
In a world dominated by bassists who base their virtuosity on the need for speed and dexterity, Haden, to my ears, takes a totally different approach. His solos on Beyond the Missouri Sky, a duo album with Pat Metheny, are totally melodic, down-to-earth, understandable, intelligible, and singable. Many of these traits I try to apply in my own playing. His walking bass lines are big and round and his sense of legato are influences on my own approach to walking bass lines. [Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden - Beyond the Missouri Sky]
Steve Rodby
Rodby brings a studio musician's acumen and producer's knowledge while playing with the Pat Metheny Group. He has the capacity to self-edit his bass lines so that what he plays is only exactly what the compositions require. This kind of discipline is acquired by having the ability to see the bigger picture. Rodby is also one of the few musicians who knows exactly how to get a double bass sound live and on record so that his instrument is in the proper place in the mix. [Pat Metheny Group - First Circle, Imaginary Day, Speaking of Now]
Andre Lachance
Andre was my first bass guitar teacher. We worked on integrating ear training with jazz theory concepts. Memorable lessons included studying Tony Williams's and Ron Carter's explorations on Wayne Shorter's tune entitled Footprints which is found on Miles Davis's album Miles Smiles. He also affirmed the role of bass guitar in straight ahead jazz as a viable voice. [Brad Turner Quartet - There and Back; Mike Allen - One Step Closer]
Chris Tarry
I first met Chris Tarry at the Vancouver Bass Conference in 1999. I first heard him play with a group called Metalwood the year before. His concept and his sound were so different than anyone else that I knew I would have to study with him at some point. I checked out a gig of his at our local jazz club The Cellar during the summer after the conference and the coordinator of the jazz studies program I was enrolled in was also in attendance. I asked her if there was an opportunity of getting him on faculty. He was hired that fall and I was fortunate enough to learn about his ideas and influences over the next two years. I often joke that if Andre Lachance taught me how to walk, then Chris Tarry taught me how to walk faster! I also believe that if Chris weren't a successful bassist, he'd be an even more successful salesman! He has the uncanny ability to get anyone excited about anything by just being his energetic self! [Metalwood - self-titled, 2, Live, 3]
Allan Johnston
When I first got into playing Latin Jazz, Salsa, and Afro-Caribbean music I didn't really know where to start listening. I picked up Al Johnston's Grupo Jazz Tumbao CD at a local record store and immediately started transcribing his bass lines. I learned how to approach time and groove playing in these genres by listening to Al's playing. [Grupo Jazz Tumbao - Que Bola?]
Drummers
Nick Mason
Nobody but Nick Mason could have played drums for Pink Floyd. Could you imagine someone other than Ringo Starr playing for the Beatles? Or if Ginger Baker played for Led Zeppelin instead of John Bonham? I remember seeing the video "Live at Pompeii" and I recall how Nick Mason was always "going for it." He was playing in such a busy manner, ornamenting his "sometimes triplet, sometimes not" concept of groove that I couldn't help but incorporate those swinging ideas in my own playing. Later, and particularly after Dark Side of the Moon, his playing calmed down and reverted to keeping stable, solid time. [Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon, The Division Bell]
Bill Bruford
I would describe Bruford's artistry as "relentless innovation." Stemming from his tight and controlled playing with Yes to his fusion-influenced work with Seventies King Crimson and his own band Bruford and later his use of polyrhythms with the Eighties King Crimson to his use of electronics with his own jazz outfit Earthworks, Bruford always continues to redefine himself in the same way that other great pop artists like David Bowie or Peter Gabriel have. With the second edition of Earthworks, he's thrown away the electronics completely. After more than fourty years in the business, he wrote a witty autobioraphy of his music experiences. And, after more than fourty years in the business, he did what most professionals do after a satisfying and successful career: he retired. [Yes - Fragile, Close to the Edge; King Crimson - Red, Absent Lovers, Thrak]
Neil Peart
One of the most technically gifted performers ever to sit on a drum throne, Neil Peart brought a virtuoso's skill forward and propelled the Canadian prog rock band Rush to the foreground of contemporary music. Apart from his drumming, Peart's ability to address ideas from Ayn Rand's objectivism, humanism, and sociology within the context of what he does as a wordsmith is simply unparalleled. What makes Peart's lyrics and drumming so interesting is precisely his ability to look at the world in an intelligent and rational way, which is at least a light year away from your typical top forty basement-dwelling saccharine song. (Though, some of that stuff has a special place in my heart too, particularly if it comes from the Eighties!) [Rush - Signals, Counterparts]
Jimmy Chamberlin
I got to know Jimmy Chamberlin's playing from listening to the Smashing Pumpkins. He brought a new level of technique to alternative rock with his jazz-inspired approach. [Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness]
Phil Collins
From his work with Genesis to Brand X to his solo endeavours, Phil Collins had a readily identifiable sound on the drum set his including thundering reverb-gated toms [courtesy of his concert toms]. Stepping out front as a vocalist hasn't diminished his chops one bit. [Genesis - A Trick of the Tail, We Can't Dance]
Manu Katche
Manu's manic playing on Peter Gabriel's Secret World Live and rhythmic hook-up with Tony Levin was truly funky. I've been enjoying his solo work and collaborations with Jan Garbarek on the ECM record label ever since the Jan Garbarek album Twelve Moons came out. [Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live; Jan Garbarek - Twelve Moons; Manu Katche - Playground]
Steve Gadd
Gadd has such a solid time feel, a unique sound, and a frightening technique. His creative beats helped to popularize a particular approach to studio playing in 70s and 80s that many players today respect. His knowledge of drum corps rudiments, early experiences playing with organ trios, innovations with drum sounds, and subsequent involvement in multiple studio sessions as a first-call player solidified a unique musical conception that is legendary. His work on Paul Simon's Fifth Ways to Leave Your Lover, Steely Dan's Aja, and his more straight-ahead playing with Michel Petrucciani and Jim Hall make Steve Gadd one of the most influential drum set players in the history of modern music. I don't think there is a drummer alive who plays with more conviction than Steve Gadd. [Michel Petrucciani Trio - Live in Japan; Steely Dan - Aja]
David Garibaldi
His work with Tower of Power was revolutionary. He combined his love for funk and rhythm and blues along with a disciplined and studied approach that took drum set groove playing to a new level. Later, his studies in Afro-Cuban music brought a new dimension to Garibaldi's playing. [Tower of Power - Soul Vaccination: Tower of Power Live, Tower of Power]
Elvin Jones
I really got into Elvin after picking up Wayne Shorter's Blue Note disc entitled Speak No Evil. His wide beat conception, relentless swing, and powerful playing made an impression on me early in my drum set studies. [Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil; McCoy Tyner - The Real McCoy; John Coltrane - Crescent; John Coltrane - A Love Supreme]
Tony Williams
Tony's playing concepts were so revolutionary and unique in the sixties in his use of drum set orchestration, polyrhythms, and metric modulation. His work with Miles Davis's second quintet and his recordings on Blue Note set the standard for a whole new generation. [Herbie Hancock - Empyrean Isles; Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage]
Roy Haynes
Roy Haynes is considered by many to be the father of modern jazz drumming. Even as an octogenarian, he continues to push jazz forward. His evolution as a musician paralleled the evolution of jazz. He has performed with many of the innovators in jazz and the influence of years of gigs and recording sessions have all combined to foster a style considered by many musicians today as innovative. "Diddit nn diddit nn diddit nn!" [Thelonious Monk - Thelonious in Action; Gary Burton - Like Minds; Pat Metheny - Question and Answer]
Jack DeJohnette
While I was playing for a cruise line in 2002 during my downtime I had the opportunity to listen to Jack DeJohnette's playing extensively. I had brought along the Dave Holland Trio disc entitled Triplicate which, in addition to DeJohnette, also featured M-Base founder Steve Coleman. A fellow musician onboard had VHS tapes of the Keith Jarrett Trio from the mid-Eighties called Standards and Standards II, both recorded in Tokyo. DeJohnette has said himself that he sought to embody the looseness of Elvin Jones with the precision of Tony Williams. I appreciate that DeJohnette comes from the school of pushing the jazz boundaries. As with many true music innovators, he is continuously exploring and he maintains an open approach to playing and music making.
Antonio Sanchez
Antonio Sanchez comes from the new generation of drummers influenced equally by rock, fusion, and latin music as by modern jazz. With a background in classical piano and firmly rooted in musicianship rather than pyrotechnics, Sanchez brings as astonishing new dimension to drum set coordination, technique, and creativity. Whether he is playing a smaller bebop kit, or the larger kit with the Pat Metheny Group, Sanchez never sacrifices musicality for glitz and glamour. [Pat Metheny Group - Speaking of Now]
Bill Stewart
Bill Stewart's precise playing and concept of sound has influenced a whole generation of musicians. After having studied with Elliott Zigmund and Horacee Arnold at William Patterson College in New Jersey, this Iowa native started developing a solid playing reputation in New York with the likes of Peter Bernstein, Larry Goldings, and John Scofield. He was scouted by Maceo Parker, James Brown's once alto saxophonist, and Stewart subsequently joined Maceo's band for a year. [John Scofield and Pat Metheny - I Can See Your House From Here]
Jon Christensen
The ECM record label's house drummer for many of their projects and the drummer most associated with the "ECM" sound. Listening to Jan Christensen really taught me a lot about using texture rather than just rhythm as a contributing element of the music. [Keith Jarrett - Belonging; Keith Jarrett - My Song; Ralph Towner - Solstice; Ralph Towner - Sound and Shadows]
Ken Moore
My second semester at Capilano College, I took private instruction in snare drum technique with Ken Moore. He taught me the importance of consistency in sound and dynamics, and about efficient stick motion. These techniques have become the foundation of my drum set playing. He also taught my former band teacher, Larry Olson.
Dylan Van der Schyff
I took a semester of private instruction from Dylan in the fall of 1999. At that point, Dylan was very patient with me as I was still trying to get the basics together. My lessons with Dylan addressed a number of different topics. During one lesson, we analyzed his playing on the Brad Turner Quartet disc entitled There and Back, the influence of Elvin Jones on his playing, and the parts he developed for the tunes. We also talked about more conceptual topics such as playing as an artist with an independent identity rather than a hired session player functioning as a stylistic chameleon. He also relayed the importance of playing with people you can get along with. Having played with both Andre Lachance and Chris Tarry, Dylan illustrated graphically the differences in his approach to playing straight-ahead jazz with double bass and bass guitar. Dylan is very active in the free improv and new music worlds and we worked on a few concepts related to extended technique. [Brad Turner Quartet - There and Back; Mike Allen - One Step Closer]
Dave Robbins
I had the pleasure of seeing Dave Robbins perform a great number of times around Vancouver with various groups. He brought the energy of punk, the intensity of jazz, the rhythmic precision of classical music, and a healthy dose of chops and feel to each outing. Each time I saw him play, I had the sense that he was playing his last gig ever! I also had a chance to take an arranging class from this multifaceted musician. [Junction - self-titled]
Ian Froman
Ian's work with Chris Tarry was imprinted upon me when Metalwood became a favoured part of my listening during my years studying jazz at college. His bombastic, no holds barred style of playing truly embodied the spirit of fusion. It was as if the spirit of Keith Moon combined with the feeling of Elvin Jones when Ian performed with Metalwood. His straight-ahead playing is rooted in the Elvin Jones meets Tony Williams school and nods toward Jack DeJohnette. Still, I think that Ian is successful in combining these influences so that the result is a synthesized and complete vision and a unique voice. [Metalwood - self-titled, 2, Live, 3]
Stan Taylor
The Steamer, as Stan is affectionately called around these parts, is probably the only drummer I know who can adequately convey the weather in Vancouver through his playing. It sounds like a ludicrous thing to say, but, somehow, in perhaps a pseudo-synesthesia kind of way, I can picture clouds, breeze, rain, heat, wind, and even hail as he plays. Stan has studied Elvin Jones in depth and combines this knowledge with formal pipe band snare technique and African influences. His dynamic range is immense and can go from roaring to whispering in a single beat.
Miguel Benavides
Miguel and I have worked through many diverse musical situations most notably with the John Korsrud Latin Jazz Quartet, the salsa dura band Tanga, and with his singer-songwriter brother William Benavides. In each of these situations, we were called upon to provide the rhythmic backbone as a bass guitar and drum set team. After logging many playing hours together, we developed an almost symbiotic way of knowing how to leave or fill space, how to control rhythmic and dynamic energy, and how to create and release rhythmic tension. Miguel has also been very generous in imparting information and insight about drumming technique to me.
Colin Douglas
Colin Douglas helped me to integrate into the San Francisco Bay Area music scene upon my arrival. We have worked together in no less than three distinct musical situations, each requiring a different mindset. Throughout all of it, however, was Colin's rock solid groove, good sound, and steady energy. Standing beside this man was an education in consistency each time I had the privilege of playing with him.
Other Musicians
David Gilmour
As the heart and soul of Pink Floyd, David Gilmour's recognizable voice and guitar playing influenced me as a teenager. I imitated his high baritone voice and wailing lead guitar sound while jamming along to Pink Floyd records in my room. His carefully considered note and phrase choices, while firmly set in the blues tradition, was always melodic and had an immediate emotional effect for me. [Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon, The Division Bell]
Pat Metheny
For me, Pat Metheny has been able to consolidate the best elements of contemporary music with jazz in a way that isn't contrived. His compositions and improvisations, particularly with his own Pat Metheny Group, create sonic landscapes that reflect on the state of popular culture while pointing to other possibilities. His explorations of new timbres with innovative instruments like the 42-string Pikasso guitar, or his organic approach to marrying acoustic and electronic textures are unparalleled in the jazz idiom. Metheny's live shows are always top notch, high quality, and wonderful experiences. His concert programming and presentation are unparalleled in the jazz world.
Lyle Mays
Lyle Mays is Pat Metheny's partner-in-crime with the Pat Metheny Group, and he is an exceptional musician and polymath in his own right. He self-describes as a non-jazz musician, though he is a great improviser. Mays is an auto-didact and has taught himself computer programming and architecture, and he actively explored mathematics. Mays inspires me to push the envelope in areas of my own interest and to challenge myself to transcend my own limitations.
Keith Jarrett
The influence of Bill Evans's and Ornette Coleman's music on Jarrett's mid-Seventies explorations are evident on his output as a recording artist for Atlantic and ECM records. Jarrett's melodic sense, technical facility, and attention to phrasing are what I gravitate towards in his music. His work with both his Seventies American and European quartets shows a cohesive and synthesized vision of his musical influences. I respect Keith for choosing to follow through on a singular path: except for a brief period of playing electric keyboards with Miles Davis, he's kept to playing in acoustic contexts. For a while, he maintained a parallel career as a classical pianist, and, on some projects, also played the soprano saxophone. Later, his work exploring the Great American Songbook with Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette redefined the piano trio for us today. Jarrett remains an inspiration for me as I strive to maintain a creative career balancing time in the different contexts in which I operate. [Keith Jarrett - Belonging, My Song]
Michel Petrucciani
What I loved most about Petrucciani was his ability to infuse a sense of humor in his music. He had a unique way of inviting an audience in. To me, his playing was without arrogance. His music had the ability to appeal to both the lay commoner and the educated musician. He had incredible technical facility and combined this with a highly developed melodic sensitivity. Unlike so many others that show virtuosity for its own sake, I intrepret Petrucciani's musical message as being non-pretentious. Instead, I hear humanity in his playing. [Michel Petrucciani Trio - Live in Tokyo]
Pedro Aznar
I first heard Pedro Aznar's voice on the Pat Metheny Group album First Circle and instantly I gravitated to his ethereal voice. Pedro Aznar was a breath of fresh air at a time when Metheny sought to balance the electronics and synthesizers in his band with more acoustic and earthy timbres. Metheny himself is quoted as saying that Pedro Aznar plays guitar like Metheny, bass guitar like Jaco Pastorius, and sings with such incredible facility. His voice is unstrained, free, and has a clarion quality. His bass guitar playing is highly melodic and ornamented, always grooving, and never gets in the way ... something I strive for in my own approach to playing bass guitar. [Pat Metheny Group - First Circle, Letter From Home]
Robert Fripp
Fripp's influence on me stems not so much from his playing but his philosophy of music making. From his systematized lists, to his autodidactic nature, to his educational philosophies in Guitar Craft, to his role as the Crimson King, Fripp always had a unique way of making music and seeing the [ideal] world. He saw that entering into the music field at a young age and foregoing a career in business would allow him the best possible liberal arts education. Fortunately, he also recognized his need to step away from the music business in the 1970s in order to re-assess his values. He enrolled at JG Bennett's International Society for Continuous Education. Fripp worked to develop a greater sense of awareness, purpose, intention, and aim in his life. He recognized "points of seeing" whether it was sitting in a sauna and envisioning a "new standard tuning" for guitar, or driving along a road in Salisbury passing a school on the left and a church on the right and realizing a vision for a double trio incarnation of King Crimson. Jung called these instances synchronicity. Fripp also has some interesting ideas regarding live performances and recording; he regards the latter as a "love letter" and the former as a "hot date." He formed his record label Discipline Global Mobile in order to address, in his own unique way, the need to challenge the status quo of large, monolithic record labels. [King Crimson - Red, Thrak]
Adrian Belew
Belew has worked with many of rock's greatest artists including David Bowie, King Crimson, Frank Zappa, the Talking Heads, and Nine Inch Nails. He's an adaptable musician with an incredible voice. He's such a creative guitar player and this creativity is apparent in all of the things he does. [King Crimson - Absent Lovers; King Crimson - Thrak]
Ralph Towner
Pat Metheny called Ralph Towner's compositions gems of logic. Towner's compositions are memorable and generally use lots of motivic development. When Towner improvises, you can hear the composition process sped up and unedited, and perhaps his compositions are really improvisations slowed down and edited. I've always respected Towner's unique musical approach. When people ask me to pick up the double bass, I ask them in return if they would ask Towner to play electric guitar. Instead, he doubles on piano and added the keyboard synthesizer to his palette of sounds and occasionally plays brass instruments to add background depth on recordings. [Ralph Towner - Solstice, Sound and Shadows; Oregon - Ecotopia, Always, Never, and Forever]
Jan Garbarek
Garbarek is probably my most favorite saxophone player. Originally influenced by John Coltrane's modal explorations, Albert Ayler's tone, and composer George Russell's Lydian Chromatic concepts in addition to his interest in Norwegian folk music, and the folk musics of various nations of the world have all contributed to his idiosyncratic conception of sound. While most jazz saxophonists are content to emulate their American jazz idols, Garbarek eschews the familiar and instead aims for unique sonic territory. [Jan Garbarek Group - Twelve Moons; Ralph Towner - Solstice, Sound and Shadows; Keith Jarrett - Belonging; My Song]
Cuong Vu
I remember seeing Cuong Vu with an early version of his band at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and was captiviated with how he was manipulating his trumpet sound using electronics. In the early to mid part of the last decade, he was also a member of the Pat Metheny Group and brought his approach to the group sound. Cuong is a very approachable person and is very open to sharing his ideas with people. What I most admire about Cuong is the honesty in his approach. He admits to the influence of the pop and rock music that he grew up with, something that other "jazz" musicians may have a tough time openly admitting. As a member of the experimental Downtown New York scene in the early Nineties, to his time with the Pat Metheny Group, and now as a professor of jazz studies at the University of Washington, Cuong has allowed these experiences to permeate his own music. [Cuong Vu - Bound, Pure, Come Play with Me, It's Mostly Residual, Vu-Tet]
Budge Schachte
I met Budge Schachte when I was called upon to sub for Ache Brasil's bass player. He struck me as a unique fellow with an inimitable approach to guitar playing. I had the opportunity to really get to know Budge while working on my first cruise ship stint. He shared with me his unique ideas regarding improvisation and his penchant for combining thoughts and concepts from rather disparate disciplines into a cohesive philosophy of playing the guitar. His work with Tango Paradiso, a chamber group steeped in modern tango forms, and Van Django, a band originally formed to pay tribute to the swing guitarist has informed Budge's playing immensely.
Jared Burrows
Jared holistically hovers between music making, teaching, scholarship, producing, and guitar building. He is also an awesome cook. Jared is a proactive person in the local scene creating events and opportunities. He's not the type of person to sit around and wait for the phone to ring. With all of Jared's many accomplishments and skills, what impresses me the most is his tenacity, his ability to get things done, and his ability to bring together people who share a common vision.
Brad Turner
Brad Turner is Vancouver's very own multi-talented multi-instrumentalist. The Globe and Mail newspaper called him "kind of a Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Keith Jarrett rolled into one." I remember taking a combo class with him during my first year of jazz studies at Capilano College and then right after heading down to the local pub to watch him play and put into practice all that he had taught us. Most memorable was getting the opportunity to see his group, the Brad Turner quartet, play week in and week out. A New York based musician once asked Brad, "Why don't you move to New York?" To which Brad replied, "Why don't you move to Vancouver?" [Brad Turner Quartet - There and Back; Metalwood - self-titled, 2, Live, 3]
Ihor Kukurudza
I audited an improvisation course with Ihor during my time at Capilano College. He has developed a singularly unique approach to playing the guitar, one that aims to take the ideas put forth by Bill Evans, Ed Bickert, Paul Desmond, and others forward. He allows chord-scale theory to come about naturally within improvisation. Ihor allowed me to see the possibilities of melodies functioning differently and providing different colors when various chords are played behind them. His influence on my playing has not only infected (positively!) my playing but also my composing. [Ihor Kukurudza - As It Was]
Producers and Recording Engineers
Matthew Rogers
I worked with Matt on a number of projects while we were both students at Capilano College. I learned from Matt the importance of laying a good foundation and also layering instruments and overdubs. He has the ability to visualize the entire recording canvas and see the how each element would fit appropriately. He's a relentless perfectionist and I think these traits serve him well both as a producer and as a composer.
Gordon Breckenridge
Gord and I had the opportunity to work together on the second Dramatic Adrift disc and the Brave Waves project both of which were released on Iridium Records. I learned from Gord the art of audio editing and post production.
Allan Bacani
Allan and I actually went to the same high school and we would meet up many years later when he started dating my sister. We have worked on no less than six projects together. I have always been very impressed with students coming out of the Vancouver Art Institute audio engineering and recording arts program led by Steve Feindell. Allan is a tribute to his teacher and to the school but he has also blossomed into his own as a hip hop producer with No Plan B Entertainment. He is also a consummate perfectionist, a trait that Matt and Gord also possess in abundant quantity. Now, he's married to my sister, so he's family.
Conductors
J Scott Goble
Scott is a very precise and clear conductor and writer. These are aspects I have tried to incorporate into my own conducting and writing. His attention to precision in all that he does is admirable. His rehearsal techniques pay attention to some very fine details in music. Scott's programming choices are unique and often focus on more obscure pieces of choral music from which he assembles together thematic threads. Scott is also a consummate professional. He always maintains a positive attitude in rehearsal, cracks corny jokes, and shares fascinating stories about his experiences that relate in some form to the music we are rehearsing. As a teacher and scholar, Scott is perhaps the most systematic and organized person I know operating in those fields. Scott has shown me the value of resisting certain kinds of technology as a way of staying in touch with a kind of natural reality [as opposed to virtual reality?]. His dissertation introduced me to the pragmatism and semiotic of Charles Sanders Peirce.
Greg Quan
My initial interest in entering the teaching field was supported by Greg. When I needed more initial teaching experience, he allowed me to shadow his early morning rehearsals where I experienced the dedicated and commitment required to be an excellent teacher. He attended the same jazz studies program I did but graduated immediately before I began my studies. Greg taught me how important it was to be able to relate with students, and to be able to relate the study of music to life. His passion and desire for choral music is evident in all he does. He is active as a champion of vocal jazz in Metro Vancouver.
John Trepp
Now retired, John Trepp did a lot to raise the bar for quality high school choral music in British Columbia. His ensembles at Magee Secondary School are world-reknowned. I had the opportunity to take a month long course that John offered over the summer of 2003. His commitment to detail, to the musical phrase, to an exquisite age-appropriate choral sound, and his intellectual depth influenced my choral pedagogy. He also introduced me to the pedagogical possibilities of Gregorian Chant and Chironomy, the latter of which is his favored conducting approach, and which also sent me on an exploration mission to find out more about Gregorian Chant and Chironomy.
Wayne Jeffrey
I audited a conducting course taught by Dr Jeffrey during the summer of 2006. His gestures are some of the most expressive at portraying line and phrasing while never giving up his responsibilities to cue and, on occasion, indicate time. He divides the role of the left and right hand so effectively.
Gerald Van Wyck
I had the opportunity to shadow Gerry for three days during a local festival and I also attended a conducting master class where he was a featured presenter. I was impressed by his clarity, logic, and his open mind. He's probably one of the few practicing conductors I know who is still open to learning from others and sees its benefits. After having attended a Saito conducting workshop, he saw the need to modify his own techniques in order to accomodate the new knowledge he gained.
Tony Araujo
Two words come to mind when I think of Tony Araujo: passion and energy. Tony's background is not in music or music education but rather in English Literature, Spanish, Pastoral Studies, and Depth Psychology. He's an incredible motivator and I learned a lot about pacing a rehearsal, using less teacher talk, and sheer commitment and intention from this man. He is truly gifted in many ways and what he might lack on formal training he certainly makes up for in heart. His captivating persona and his belief in choral music as a transformative agent for revealing the soul is a witness to the possibilities that exist in helping people know more about themselves through the gift of song.
Scott Turkington
Studying Chironomy with Scott Turkington came about because I wanted to find a systematic way of conducting phrases rather than beat time. As the inheritor of the Gregorian chant tradition that originated with the Benedictine Monks of Solesmes and through his mentor Theodore Marier, Scott is probably the most qualified conductor in North America who can teach Chironomy and Gregorian chant. We spent time working on Chironomy conducting gestures, on arsic-thetic (rise and fall) phrasing, and on Gregorian Chant analysis as applied to Chironomy and phrasing. The time I spent studying with him revealed to me that he is probably one of the most down-to-earth, energetic, and in-the-moment conductors who combines his demeanour with a clear teaching style. And, he's one heck of an organist too!
Jonathan Velasco
Shortly after moving to California, I had the opportunity to watch the Ateneo Chamber Singers in concert at the University of California-Berkeley. I was immediately impressed with the efficiency of their conductor's gesture. I found out later that Jonathan Velasco was the name of the conductor and he was the former student of Saringhimig Singers's conductor George Hernandez whom I am currently singing for. With this connection, I was able to arrange for a conducting lesson. During the hour and a half we spent together, he imparted an incredible amount of information about conducting, gesture, and rehearsal technique that was at once logical, concise, and efficient. As a student of Martin Behrmann, he has truly evolved into a master teacher who evokes great results with his choirs. No doubt it is due to his ability to convey his thoughts and ideas with clarity.
George Gemora Hernandez
I remember cold calling George one day while researching and collecting Filipino choral music for my fledgling group Kaisahan Voice Ensemble. He was gracious with his time and he sent me a number of his arrangements which the group and I ended up performing several times and also on-air for CBC radio. I was afforded the opportunity to audition for the famed Philippine Saringhimig Singers, the group that George formed while a music student studying choral conducting and voice at the University of the Philippines. The Saringhimig Singers has a long history of placing well in European competitions. No doubt this success is attributed to George's brilliance as an arranger, conductor, and voice teacher. Many of his voice students are members of opera choruses, Broadway musicals, and some are reknowned conductors themselves: Jonathan Velasco of the Ateneo Chamber Singers and Fidel Calalang Jr of the University of Santo Thomas Singers. His humble and humourous nature is a regular part of Saringhimig rehearsal as is his liberal sharing of vocal pedagogy. I have learned from George how to truly experience and use the mixed voice, something I understood in theory but did not know how to access in reality.
Music Education Philosophers
David Elliott
I had the opportunity to read David's ground-breaking book called Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education in my first year as a teacher. Dissatisfied with the prevailing assumption that music education ought to be taught to enhance aesthetic perception, Elliott wrote this book and drew on the concept of praxis, the concept of flow from the psychology of Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, and specified their relevance to curriculum, teaching and learning, and education and schooling.
Thomas Regelski
During my work with the MayDay Group, I had the opportunity to read much of Tom Regelski's work and his own views and version of praxial music education. A strong proponent of 'amateurism', action ideals, and action learning, Tom's insights allowed me to see the values of these principles and I sought to apply them in my own teaching situations.
Poets and Writers
Carl Leggo
Taking classes with Carl was some of the most liberating experiences of my graduate school experience. His teaching of creative writing and, in particular, the benefits of poetry and narrative had a profound effect on me as a creative artist. His exercises stimulated my creativity and his endless encouragement made me a much more confident writer where others sought to stifle my writing toward a more academic channel. His research into the 'voice' of the writer has had an effect on my thinking of choral sound: is the sound of the choir the sum of the voices within the collective? Or, is it imprinted upon the group from a predetermined set of constrictions [and constructions?] driven by the conductor of the group? Carl also taught me to see the magic in words, in the sounds of words, in the emphasis of words, and the history of words. And, he presented all of this with a true sense of humility that he conveyed in actions, and, in words. As a truly gifted individual, his pedagogy definitely touches the heart.
Karen V Lee
Karen taught many of the required undergraduate teacher education courses for potential music educators at UBC. She encourages all of her students to reflect on their work and to write about their experiences. The process of reflecting through writing is a valuable exercise, particularly for teachers, to keep oneself humble and 'in check'. Rather than an exercise in exclaiming achievement, the process allows one to look inwardly to reveal the true nature of actions and experiences. Karen also mentored me through my practicum experiences and taught me the importance of pacing a rehearsal session well. After graduating from UBC, we worked together on many projects, including the coediting of the British Columbia Music Educator's Journal and we also comentored new student-teachers entering the field. Her dissertation, an artographic inquiry into the transformation of musicians becoming teachers, introduced me to the possibilities of artistic inquiry in formal education research.
Veronica Gaylie
Veronica taught a required a class on the use of language across disciplines for all teacher education candidates. As much as the class focused on theory, Veronica made sure to balance this with poetic inquiry. I regained the joy of writing through class with Veronica and Karen V Lee. She also told me to take a class with Carl Leggo if I had the opportunity. I ended up taking two classes with Carl during my Master of Education work at UBC.
Karen Meyer
Karen Meyer gave me new insight into the use of reflection and observation using creative techniques. Some of her ideas have made their way into some of the courses I now teach. She also introduced me to the work of Krishnamurti. Along with Carl Leggo, Karen V Lee, and Veronica Gaylie, Karen Meyer allowed me to explore life through writing and reflecting upon my experiences.
Hockey
Pat Quinn
Pat Quinn was the president and general manager (and later coach, earning him the nickname 'superboss') of the Vancouver Canucks from 1987 until 1997. During his tenure, he turned the Canucks from a laughable team into a respectable organization. He shrewdly drafted the likes of Trevor Linden, Gino Odjick, and Pavel Bure, and made monster trades that landed the likes of Greg Adams, Kirk McLean, Geoff Courtnall, Cliff Ronning, Sergio Momesso, Jeff Brown, Murray Craven, and others ... all of whom would figure prominently in the Stanley Cup run of 1994. This memory is forever etched in my mind as the city rallied around its team. Later, Quinn would trade for Alex Stojanov for Markus Naslund, considered by many as one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history. Above all of this, he treated people with class and respect.
"You always want to be an inspiration to someone and he certainly was. Just the way he treated people, inspired you." - Dave Babych on Pat Quinn
"Guys really wanted to go to bat for him because he respected so much what you were doing and going through." - Kirk McLean on Pat Quinn
Brian Burke
Burke is the type of person to call a spade a spade. He didn't spare the media from his wrath when the media pounced on him or the team. For the Canucks, Burke was a man of vision, integrity, and justice. He's not afraid to make big moves. Shortly after being fired by bean counter Stan McCammon [widely considered to be a revenge move by McCammon after Burke criticized upper management for not signing a pre-Colorado incident Todd Bertuzzi], Burke was hired by Anaheim and within three years built a Stanley Cup winning team. Certainly, he gained a considerable amount of wisdom from his mentor Pat Quinn. Now, he's doing his thing as President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, still unafraid to make big moves.
Trevor Linden
Mr Canuck himself is Vancouver's favourite adopted son. As the heart and soul of the Vancouver Canucks, Linden is one of the classiest, most professional individuals in hockey. He played with character, grit, and determination night in and night out. It was a sad day for everyone when he was traded away by Iron Mike Keenan. When Brian Burke brought him back to the team, everyone in Vancouver rejoiced! Linden gave of himself completely to his team mates, to the community, to kids, and to his fellow players [in his capacity as one time president of the players association]. In interviews, Linden never had a bad word to say about anyone and had the utmost respect for everyone. Even though Markus Naslund wore the C, we all know who the real captain of the Canucks was.
Alex Burrows
Alex Burrows went undrafted and signed with a third tier minor hockey league team until he was discovered by Manitoba Moose general manager Craig Heisinger. Heisinger himself started as the Winnipeg Jets's equipment manager until he moved his way up to attaining the position he holds today. After signing with the Moose, he was brought to the attention of the Vancouver Canucks and he was called up for a series of games during the 2005-2006 National Hockey League season. He has since taken on a regular role with the Canucks because of his work ethic, his ability to battle for the puck with every shift, and his physical and feisty play on the ice. He was rewarded following the 2007-2008 season with the team's unsung hero award. Alex has continued to evolve as a player, having developed a scoring touch that has complemented his defensive awareness of the game.
Mike Gillis
I have to honestly admit that I was very skeptical of the hiring of Mike Gillis shortly after the dismissal of Dave Nonis following the 2007-2008 season. What I have come to appreciate and admire about Gillis is his visionary, unorthodox, and creative thinking. As the post-lockout salary cap-era brought big blockbuster trades to a standstill, Gillis foresaw the need to develop players from within the system using the draft.
To that end, in his first year, he hired Laurence Gilman, a 'capologist' to deal with the complexities of managing a salary cap. He hired assistant coach Ryan Walter, a former Canuck, television colour commentator, corporate coach, and a leadership specialist to work with young players. He hired assistant coach Darryl Williams, a career minor league player who played an enforcer role and someone who knows that hard work and paying dues pays dividends. He hired Dave Gagner, who was running a hockey school in Ontario, to focus on player development. He promoted Stan Smyl to direct the scouting of the US College Hockey scene, an untapped source of hockey talent. He also hired a skills coach in Glenn Carnegie to guide his players in skill development and when his goaltenders needed full time guidance, he hired former Vigneault assistant Rollie Melanson.
Gillis also knows how to fix his mistakes. When it was clear that Ryan Walter wasn't going to work out, he found another gem in assistant coach and power play specialist Newell Brown. Goaltender Roberto Luongo was named team captain for the 2008 - 2009 season a move deemed by many to be unorthodox. Luongo had difficulties managing the pressures and stress of the media focus, and in two years relinquished his captaincy perhaps at Gillis's insistence.
Seeking to find every winning angle available, he also retained the services of Queen's University sports psychologist John Phelan, has consulted with Global Fatigue Management to deal with players sleep patterns, and retained the services (and knowledge) of Dr Len Zaichkowsky as Director of Sports Sciences. Based on this research, the team adjusts their travel and practice schedules to ensure peak performance. He redeveloped the dressing room into a circle to facilitate discussion and openness, and he also worked with sports science experts to develop a 'mind room' where players can cultivate their abilities to stay in the 'flow' during peak performance stress.
When it was clear that players Darcy Hordichuk and Shane O'Brien wouldn't make the team, he made every effort to ensure that they could remain in the NHL with another team by trading them rather than burying them in the minors. The same went for Peter Schaefer after Alain Vigneault had less use for him. This goes to show that Gillis had integrity when it came to managing his players. While in Ottawa to play the Senators on Remembrance Day 2010, rather than the usual morning skate and practice, he had players attend the Remembrance Day ceremonies on Parliament Hill so that players would have an opportunity to pay their respects to those who had served the country. Hopefully, the players came to realize how fortunate they are to be able to play hockey in a free society.
The result of this talented hockey person is that Vancouver is now seen as a first class model organization that has longevity and consistency, something the Canucks hadn't had in their 40 year history. Undoubtedly, there are numerous other organizational changes that he has effected behind the scenes which has contributed to a change of culture. Hopefully, it will only be a matter of time until he and the Canucks bring a Stanley Cup to Vancouver!
Of course ... all good things must come to an end, and Gillis's tenure in Vancouver did in April of 2014. It was a disastrous year for the Canucks and the ownership declared that a change in voice and leadership was needed. Unfortunately, after the peak of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final when Vancouver came within a game of the championship, the team started to decline. It led to various miscalculated moves including the Luongo and Schneider goaltending controversy, firing Alain Vigneault and hiring John Tortorella, mismanaging the contracts of the core players, and bad drafting. He was also known as someone who was rather curmudgeonly and smug, especially with the media. In time he became rather arrogant in his approach, and this led to his demise as leader of the organization. As much as Gillis was an innovator, the lesson to take here is never to let one's accomplishments go to one's head. One must learn to always be humble with one's endeavors.
Teachers and Professors
Larry Olson
The man who took a chance on me, let me play bass guitar in concert band, and gave me my first gig. He let me explore and rediscover music through various instruments including the piano, the guitar, and the drum set. Much of this exploration took place after school hours when he'd let me hang out in the music room after jazz band rehearsals. I remember every so often, Mr O, as he was affectionately called by his students, would get behind the drum set and he would show us what a good, solid drummer ought to be able to do. Larry also played drum set on my first jazz album, in a sense, brings things around full circle.
Mark Smigel
Mr Smigel was a teacher who was well liked by his students. I was lucky to learn from him in Socials 9. He had an entertaining and humourous way of educating and he had some pretty phenomenal stories to share with his students. I recall that most of those stories involved his teenage experiences working as a garbage man. While the curricular content of his classes were important, I would be hardpressed to remember that content now. For me, his class was about how to develop authentic human relationships between teachers and students. Hopefully, I, in turn, cultivate the same with my students.
Terry Shea
I took the most important course in high school with Terry Shea. Mr Shea taught Religion 12 in a way that was at once enlightening and entertaining. He found a way to enthral us by introducing us to the work of Joseph Campbell, and with Star Wars as a backdrop, taught us everything we needed to know about faith, culture, religion, and society. I'll never forget his lesson on living in the moment, being the hero, but being accountable. His freewheeling lectures and ability to inspire was nothing less than phenomenal.
Mark Battersby
In my last year at Capilano College, I needed to take academic liberal arts courses to fulfill my degree requirements. In signing up for Philosophy and Critical Thinking courses I hoped to be exposed to some rational thinking and encounter some interesting people. Mark had an objective and centered way of thinking that dealt primarily with facts. On the very first class, he gave us all a pre-test to see how we would rationalize and argue for or against certain claims. The idea was to use what we knew. During the semester, Mark empowered us with the basic tools to spot fallacies in arguments and claims. The surprise was that our final exam was the same pre-test we took at the beginning of the semester. During that test, I realized the great potential that lay in being empowered with tools for self-sufficient and independent thinking - an influence on how and what I teach today.
Thomas Scirghi, SJ
I had the pleasure of taking my first theology courses with Tom. He has tremendously influenced my understanding and my approach to liturgy. He is a consumate Jesuit teacher using stories and humour, and peppering these with deep wisdom and practical experience. Tom is a caring and passionate person who embraces the notion that liturgy should reflect life and that life should reflect liturgy.
T Howland Sanks, SJ
Hal was profoundly influential in my understanding of ecclesiology and liberation theology. As a systematic theologian, his seminar style classes were well organized and he encouraged discussion and debate. His book The Community Called Church is a constant reference for me.
Thomas Buckley, SJ
Tom's course in understanding the history of United States Catholicism immediately before Vatican II to the present helped me to better understand my new adopted country and the influence of Catholicism on secular society. Like Tom Scirghi, Tom Buckley drew from his personal experience of events which reminded me that using stories is a powerful teaching tool.
Jeffrey Calligan, FSC
My first year at the Buttimer Institute of Lasallian Studies was led by Brother Jeffrey. His experiences in institutional leadership and his work in formation made my initial Lasallian learning experiences nothing less than a joy. He often used interesting YouTube videos as a hook to begin class, a technique I now often use to begin my own classes.
Frederick Mueller, FSC
Brother Fred is one of the pre-eminent scholars in Lasallian Studies and he brings all of his research to bear in our classes. Brother Fred taught me that Saint La Salle and his work rested on the foundation of his work was based on God's will that all be saved and that there are many children who are far from salvation. Our work as Lasallian educators is to bring those students entrusted to our care closer to the God who is ever-present and ever-loving. Brother Fred also has one heck of a singing voice!
Donald Mouton, FSC
A scripture scholar, Brother Don's wealth of knowledge in this area allowed me to understand how Saint La Salle used scripture to inspire the early brothers of the Institute. Brother Don's profound passion and nuanced humour reminds me that it is possible to inspire students with subtlety and gentleness.
William Mann, FSC
Brother Bill's deep personal spirituality led me to understand that it is not possible to separate my work as a teacher from my inner work as a human being. He reminded me of the value of developing a healthy spirituality that would give me the well-spring of grace that I need to draw from in order to continue to grow as a person and as a teacher.
Lasallian Colleagues
Bruce Halverson
The person I affectionally call 'coach'. Coach Halverson is a modern day Yoda. He is someone who brings the wisdom of the ages into a cohesive present-day application. He has inspired me to pursue work in the area of counseling as a way of expanding my love of working with and guiding students in a new area.
Antone Olivier
Mr Olivier is a consummate artist. A trained painter, musician, and actor, he brings the spirit of the artist to all that he does. I had the pleasure of working in no less than five stage productions and I watched his magic work with student-artists. He honors and values the contributions of all people into a creative endeavor which is truly representative of a whole rather than a single person.
Craig Sutphin
Craig and I shared an office for the better part of two years. During this time, we shared many laughs and creative ideas. There was a synergy that was present between us that we were able to carry over into our work with students. We combined student leadership, student activities, and campus ministry into a cohesive whole. Craig is well-respected amongst students and brings passion to all that he does.
Joe Palladino
Joe reminded me that the Lasallian educational enterprise is fundamentally based on relationships. To that end, Joe was the person who regularly brought people together. He is one of the most genuine teachers I have ever had the pleasure to know. Like Craig, Joe is fundamentally concerned with ensuring that his students are critically self-aware of social issues of justice and of privilege.
Adrian Mison Fulay
Adrian mentored me when I started my work as Campus Minister at Saint Mary's College High School. He was very giving of his time and wisdom, and he shared his work in such a generous and gentle way that I was able to find my own voice and my own approach to the work entrusted to me. As a master liturgist, Adrian is keenly attuned to balancing the needs of assembly with the wider view of connecting to tradition.
Peter Imperial
A mutual friend had introduced Pete to me at a point in my life where I was in search of a new teaching gig. Pete had the ability to move a faculty forward in order to keep up with educational innovations. In particular, working with Pete has allowed me to improve my pedagogical knowledge on cross-curricular thematic applications, grading and assessment, and trimester timetable scheduling.
Cathy Molinelli
Cathy taught me the value of making intentional connections when it comes to program development and coordination. Cathy also has a heart of gold and always looks at school life in a positive manner.
Andrew Berkes
After transtitioning to a new Lasallian school in 2014, Andrew helped me to acclimate to my new environment with his steadfast support, his steady demeanor, and his ever-ready humour and wit. He is a well-respected, dedicated, and inspirational colleague to many, including me.
Mary Ann Mattos
Before joining my new Lasallian community in 2014, I had the opportunity to work with Mary Ann as a colleague on various projects. In my time at De La Salle High School, Mary Ann has been a steadfast supporter, a pastoral counselor, and a champion for educational innovation and technology. As I studied Educational Leadership in more detail, she was my mentor and guided me through the soft skills of administration and also the nuts and bolts of scheduling and student course selections.
Kin
Family
Mom always encouraged me to strive for the best and to settle for nothing less. I attribute my success in academia to my mother who constantly encouraged my sister and I to read. She ensured that I would become a voracious reader by driving us to the local public library every weekend. Dad is a quick and logical thinker who knows how to take calculated and accurate risks. These are traits of his that I strive to incorporate in my own life. Both of my parents are mature and selfless human beings. I am proud to be their son.
My sister Celine's artistic prowess in dance and her drive for success in her endeavours is a continual source of inspiration for me. My Grandmother Lola Felizarda is the most compassionate, loving, and giving person that I know. Her deep devotion to our family and to faith in God is a true testament to her strength of character. At an early age, my Lola taught me the meaning of religion and the 'oneness' of the world's many faiths.
Pia is my light, my rock, and my ultimate pillar of support and love. She is the reason I smile. My wife and I have quite a history together, but that's another story, for another day! ;)
The Triune God
Where would I be without the ultimate creator, the guiding redeemer, and the inspiring sanctifier?