Album Notes

One of Jamie's inspirations as a young boy was his grandmother who was a concert pianist. It was because of the many afternoons he sat on her knee, mesmerized while she played the piano that Jamie developed a passion for music and decided that his destiny was to follow in her footsteps.


While he continued to study the piano, Jamie developed an interest in the saxophone which he picked up at the age of fourteen. His love for the instrument led him to saxophone great Pat Labarbera with whom Jamie studied saxophone and jazz improvisation.


Jamie recorded his first CD in 1994 which included a selection of jazz standards. He played tenor saxophone and recorded with jazz greats Peter Appleyard on vibes, Ed Bickert on guitar, Don Thompson on bass and Joe Labarbera on drums.


Jamie Mitges recorded his second CD”Density” during the summer of 1997. Jamie co-wrote a number of instrumental pieces with a good friend of his Brent Bodrug and then assembled a group of some of Toronto’s finest musicians to record these songs. On July 21, 1997 “The Jamie Mitges Group” went into Phase One Studios, Toronto. Jamie played alto sax on the session, Brent Bodrug who studied under Oscar Peterson as his Protégé and was subsequently honoured by receiving the Toronto Arts Protégé Award in 1993 played keyboards, Kevin Vienneau was the guitarist, Drew Birston played the bass and our drummer was Denton Whited from The Philosopher Kings,