James Pett
jamespett @ yahoo.com
  • Summary of Skills
    -Guitarist
    -Composer
    -Producer/Arranger
    -Artistic Director
    -Music Teacher

  • Performances
    -CANADA - Many concert appearances and club dates in Victoria, Gulf Islands, Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Fredericton, Halifax
    -EUROPE Paris, London
    -USA New York, Boston.

  • Orchestral
    -    Cruise Line contracts, (Royal Carnival 2003-2004)

  • Collaborators
    -Bucky Adams, Ron Allen, William Beauvais, Keith Blackley, Jules Charles, Allen Cole, Holly Cole, Daisy DeBolt, Jim Heineman, Al Henderson, Graeme Kirkland, George Koller, John Lennard, Michael Libby, Carlos Lopes, Jack McFadden, Marion Law, Sharron McLeod, Mike Murley, Claude Ranger, Bill Smith, Danuel Tate, Richard Underhill, Jim Vivian, James Young.

  • Compositions

    Broadcast Recordings
    -Numerous compositions on CBC Radio, CJRT, CFNY, CIUT, CKLN, CFRO, CJSW, CFUV

    Film
    -30 minute score to Stealing Images (dir. Alan Zweig 89 )
    -Awarded Silver Hugo Chicago Film Festival
    -Best Short Festival of Festivals (Toronto)
    -Best Short Indianapolis Film Festival
    -Television Broadcasts CBC, GLOBAL, CITY

    CD
    - surreptitious pandemonium independent release 2001

  • Studies
    -1979-80 Harmony, Arranging, Berklee College, Boston
    -1977 Informal study, Yucatan, Mexico
    -1976 Private study with Tony Braden, Toronto
    -1972-73 Informal study, Kenya and Tanzania
    -1969 Private study with Johnny Brdar, Toronto

  • Administrative Experience
    -1986-96 Artistic Director Jazz at the AGO
    -1987-89 President DiscReps Jazz Distribution
    -1986-89 Managing Director Unisson Records
    -1986-88 Chairman Contemporary Music Projects

  • Teaching Experience
    -2001 Instructor, Wave Music Studios, Sooke, B.C.
    -1979 - Present Private students, including pro and semi-pro players & teachers
    -1976 - 77 Boards of Education for Toronto and North York

  • Professional Affiliations
    -Member AF of M, SOCAN
    -Advisor to Ontario Arts Council Music Office 1992-96
    -Jury Member, FACTOR 1986-96
    -Advisor to Music Committee, Open Space Gallery, Victoria B.C. 1997 - 2002

  • Production Credits
    -Produced and arranged CD for Lesley Young @ Number Nine Sound", Apr. 1994
    -Produced CD for Elizabeth Paddon @ Comfort Sound Apr. 1995
    -Produced CD for Handslang @ Chalet Studio Jun. 1995
    -Produced various demo recordings.
    -Engineered and recorded performances of electro-acoustic music and dance Strange Nature featuring Takashi Harada, Kazue Mizushima (Tokyo) and Sara Peebles (Minneapolis) Landscaped set design for outdoor dusk performances, using high intensity projections in city park, Yorkville, Toronto, Festival of Independent Dance (FIDA) 1996
    -Produced 90 concerts at Art Gallery of Ontario
    -Engineered recordings of 54 of the above AGO concerts, including performances by; Micah Barnes, CCMC, Allen Cole, Daisy DeBolt, Jean Derome, Shirley Eikhard, Bob Fenton, Don Francks, George Koller, Jani Lauzon, Lee Pui Ming, John Lennard, Mosaic, Bob Mover, Mike Murley, Nazka, Phil Nimmons, Bern Nix, Casey Sokol, Carl Strygg, Sylvia Tyson

  • Quotes
    • " smouldering expressive playing establishing his own unique voice as a composer and improviser." -Review of surreptitious pandemonium, Joseph Blake, Victoria, Times Colonist

    • "....soulfully relaxed....the music hangs on you like a familiar favorite coat...."-Review of surreptitious pandemonium, Bill Smith, CODA magazine.

    •".... Pett ran the gamut of guitar styles....Reinhardt and the two Sonnys (Greenwich and Sharrock)...." -Mark Miller, Toronto, Globe and Mail.

    • "....always impeccable, tasteful playing...." Val Clery, Toronto Star.

    • "....Pett improvises in a quiet context with delicate execution and a shifting probing spirit...." -Frank Rubolino, Cadence Magazine

    • "....explosive, eruptive guitar passages.....the music moves towards the edge without losing its structural footing...." -Frank Rubolino, Cadence Magazine