David Young
Young, David
David (Anthony) Young. Bassist, composer, b Winnipeg 29 Jan 1940; BA economics (Manitoba) 1964, B COMM (Manitoba) 1966. A pupil in 1962 of William Curtis at the Berklee College of Music, Boston, and 1967-9 of Thomas Monohan at the RCMT, Young has pursued a dual career in classical music and jazz. He worked during the late 1960s with Moe Koffman and Hagood Hardy's Montage in Toronto nightclubs and then was a member 1970-2 of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, assistant principal 1972-3 and principal 1973-4 of the Hamilton Philharmonic and principal in 1974 of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. He left the Winnipeg SO to tour in 1975 with Oscar Peterson then returned later that year to the Hamilton orchestra, maintainting an intermittent association with it until the early 1980s and with the COC orchestra through the 1980s. Young worked frequently in the Carol Britto and Bernie Senensky trios that backed US jazz musicians at the Toronto club Bourbon Street in the late 1970s. He served the Britto trio similarly at Lytes in 1982 and also returned on occasion to Bourbon Street - eg, with Lenny Breau in 1983.
Young's graceful, measured sense of swing has been particularly favored by pianists: he worked again 1986-8 and 1989-90 with Oscar Peterson, toured 1988-9 with Oliver Jones, and has played in clubs and concerts with Wray Downes (a partnership that began in 1976), Joe Sealy, the US pianist Johnny O'Neal, and others. Young is especially noted for his arco improvisations. His own groups, generally cast in a more contemporary vein and devoted in part to Young compositions, have performed in Toronto clubs. Three Young bands toured in turn 1983-7 elsewhere in Canada: the first comprised Kirk MacDonald (tenor saxophone), Mark Eisenman (piano), and Barry Romberg or Joe Bendzsa (drums); the second, Downes and Reg Schwager (guitar); the third, Schwager, Perry White (tenor and soprano saxophones), and Michel Lambert (drums). Young himself has travelled internationally with Jones (he is seen in the NFB's Oliver Jones in Africa), Peterson, and Peter Appleyard, and toured Japan in 1991 with the US guitarist Barney Kessel.
Young also has played in recitals and chamber-music concerts (eg, in Schubert's Trout Quintet with the Brunswick String Quartet and others) and recorded with the Czech Quartet. His sister, Sydney (Elizabeth) Young McInnis (pianist, b Winnipeg 23 Sep 1934, a pupil of Jean Broadfoot in Winnipeg, Margaret Miller Brown 1952-7 at the RCMT, and Rosina Lhévinne at the Juilliard School), has performed widely as an accompanist and soloist in western Canada and has taught privately and at the University of Manitoba. In 1990 she became director of the Manitoba Conservatory of Music and Arts.
Discography
as Leader or Co-leader
Just for You. MacDonald tenor saxophone, Eisenman piano, Romberg drums. (1984). cass (unnumbered)
Soulful Swinging. O'Neal piano, Clarke drums. 1985. Parkwood 110
as Sideman
Pete Magadini Polyrhythm. 1975, Briko BR-1000
- Bones Blues. 1977. Sack 4004
- Live in Montreal. 1988. Briko BR-1003
Detroit Jazz Connection Alive and Well!. 1983. Parkwood 102
Bill King Avenue B. (1984). Night Passage NP-2
Johnny O'Neal Live at Baker's Keyboard Lounge. With Clarke drums. 1985. Parkwood 105
George Benson Detroit's George Benson Swings & Swings & Swings. 1986. Parkwood 107
Earl Van Riper Detroit's Grand Piano Man. 1987. Parkwood 109
Vikrama Hands Off. 1987. Unity 105
Dave Turner For the Kindness of Strangers. Also, Clarke drums. 1988. Justin Time JUST-29
Others with Breau, Jones, Koffman, Peterson, Sealy, the Brass Connection, Art Ellefson, Buddy Tate (see Downes), and Kenny Wheeler
Miller, Mark. 'Tired of being a sideman, bassist hits the road,' Toronto Globe and Mail, 19 Nov 1983
'Dave Young: the pursuit of excellence,' interview with Bill King, The Jazz Report, vol 2, Oct-Nov 1988
Links to Other Sites
Honouring Canadians
Search this site for brief biogarphies of recipients of honours and awards presented by the Governor General of Canada.
Dave Young
Check out the audio and video clips of Dave Young in performance at this tormusic.com website.
Jazz Festival: Oscar Peterson and Friends
A rave review of a 1987 Oscar Peterson performance at Carnegie Hall. From the New York Times.
David Young
A brief profile of acclaimed bassist Dave Young from the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto.
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