Album Notes

Bill Coon has been performing professionally for twenty years and began his musical career in Montreal where he was a long time member of the Andre White Band.

His association with White has had a large effect on his development as a player and composer.

His formative studies were at Vanier CEGEP where Coon studied guitar with Sam Balderman, as well as improvisation with Art Roberts and arranging-composing with Al Baculus.

He later obtained a degree in Jazz Studies at Concordia University where after graduating he taught private guitar studies and arranging.

In Montreal he was an original member of Jennifer Bell and Bill Mahar's Altsys Jazz Orchestra and collaborated with guitarist-vocalist Dawn Thomson (most notably in the jazz chamber group Indigo).

He also performed with his own jazz trio that included at various times Andre White, Alec Walkington and Pete Magadini.

Coon moved to Vancouver in 1995 with his wife, Jill Townsend, trombonist/composer and leader of the Jill Townsend Big Band, originally to work with Denzal Sinclaire (then Densil Pinnock) on the story of Nat King Cole "Unforgettable". After the show was finished they found a very welcoming and vibrant music community in the Lower Mainland where they have remained ever since.

Two of Coon's most important mentors are guitarist Jim Hall and arranger/composer Neil Chotem and he has had the opportunity to study with them as a result of awards from the Canada Council.

His long-time musical partnership with Sinclaire has produced three CD recordings, a number of television specials, several radio shows and many performances throughout Canada.