Jazz guitarist, Oliver Gannon, has been very active in the Vancouver and Canadian jazz scenes since the early 1970’s. In 2003, Oliver was elected ‘Jazz Guitarist of the Year’ by the Canadian Jazz Awards. He has performed at many of the major jazz festivals in Europe and North America and has made three concert tours of the former USSR. He has performed on many jazz records, including four on the Concord label. A duo album recorded in 1982 with long standing colleague, tenor saxophonist Fraser MacPherson, won the Juno Award (the Canadian Grammy) for best jazz album. More recently he performs with the Oliver Gannon Qt., the Ian McDougall Sextet, Two Much Guitar (Qt. with Bill Coon), The Cory Weeds Qt. and others.
Recordings:
(Cellar Live Label) Oliver Gannon Qt. Live at The Cellar 2002, That’s What 2004, Two Much Guitar 2006, Up a Step (with Mike LeDonne) 2012, Easy Sailing 2014. With Miles Black – Broadway 2015, Two Much More Guitar 2015
With Ian MacDougall: Three 1976, Rio 1988, The Warmth of the Horn 1996, Burning Down the House 2001, Nights In Vancouver 2003, In a Sentimental Mood 2005, The Ian McDougall 12tet – Live 2012, The Very Thought of You 2012.
With Fraser MacPherson: Live At The Planetarium 1978 & 2015, Live From Montreux 1979, Live at Puccini’s 2012, I Didn’t Know About You (JUNO Award for Best Jazz Album 1982), Indian Summer 1983, Honey and Spice 1987, Encore 1990, In The Tradition 1991, Someday You’ll Be Sorry 1996.
With Ed Bickert: The Guitar Mastery of Ed Bickert, DSM2–3004, 1996
With the George Robert Quintet: Tribute, Focus Records, 1994
With Ross Taggart: Ross Taggart & Co, Boathouse Records, 1998
With the Oliver Gannon Qt: Jazz Vancouver (with various groups) Justin Time Records, 1999
With Donnie Clark: To Swing or not to Swing The Donnie Clark Quintet, Silver Lake Records (2002)
Also albums with Pacific Salt and others.
Oliver has been a major contributor to the “Band-in-a-Box” music accompaniment program (www.pgmusic.com) owned by his brother, Dr. Peter Gannon.