Jones, Oliver
Jones, Oliver
Jones, Oliver, Canadian pianist; b. Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Sept. 11, 1934. Though internationally respected, he has been overlooked in the United States. The outstanding pianist performed his first public concert at the age of five, his first club date at nine. Though he studied with Oscar Peterson’s sister, Daisy Peterson Sweeny, for 12 years—and the Peterson style is very evident in his playing and choice of sidemen Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen—he did not gain notoriety on the jazz circuit until the 1980s. From 1962-80 he was the musical director and pianist for pop singer Ken Hamilton and worked in Puerto Rico as a music director for club shows. In 1980 he started his jazz career and has released some very good albums on the Canadian Justin Time label. Though currently in semi-retirement, Jones still tours every year and is a fixture at the International Montreal Jazz Festival.
Discography
Oliver Jones Trio Featuring Clark Terry (1989); A Class Act (1991); Just 88 (1993); Yuletide Swing (1994); From Lush to Lively (1995); Have Fingers, Will Travel (1997).
—Paul MacArthur