Joe Sealy
Sealy, Joe
Joe (Joseph Arthur) Sealy. Pianist, organist, composer, actor, b Montreal 16 Aug 1939. In his youth he studied piano with Daisy Peterson Sweeney, Professor Boyce, and Bob Langlois in Montreal; later he was pupil of Darwyn Aitken in Toronto. Sealy began his career during the late 1950s in jazz groups and/or show bands with René Thomas, Bob Rudd, Benny Winestone, Walter Bacon, and others throughout Quebec. Moving in 1967 to Halifax, he served as music director or consultant for several CBC TV series ('Music Hop' 1967-9, 'Roundabout,' 'Student Showcase,' etc), played organ in the Unusuals (an R&B trio with Charles 'Bucky' Adams, tenor saxophone; Chuck Cornish, French horn, drums and vocals), and was a pianist in local studio orchestras and hotel lounges.
In 1976 Sealy went to Toronto where he has worked extended engagements in jazz rooms and lounges (eg, intermittently 1980-3 at Errol's) and served as musical director for a succession of musicals through the 1980s, including Spring Thaw, Indigo, Ain't Misbehavin', More Sweet Reason, One More Stop, Madame Gertrude and Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, taking acting roles in several.
Sealy has written scores and/or songs for TV and film, and several themes for jazz group. Of the latter, Sealy has recorded Early Morning Blues, Dumpling, Clear Vision, Playa Caliente, Fat Cat and Distant Shores. An efficient jazz pianist whose style continues to show the influence of his early models, Oscar Peterson and Horace Silver, he has accompanied several leading US musicians in their Canadian appearances, including Buddy DeFranco, Milt Jackson, Sonny Stitt, and Joe Williams at Pepe's in Halifax. In 1979 he toured in the USA with David Clayton-Thomas and Blood, Sweat & Tears.
Joe Sealy Trio. Sadler (electric) bass guitar, Cahoon drums. 1969. RCI 304
Sailing Home. Palmer alto saxophone, Beckwith double-bass, Cahoon drums. 1976. Solar SAR-2009
Live at Errol's. Amaro tenor saxophone, Fisher voice, Young double-bass, Magadini drums. 1981. Innovation JC-0004
Clear Vision. Young double-bass, Magadini drums. 1981. Sack 4007
Double Entendre. Novotny double-bass. 1989. Sea Jam 1001-2
Also, albums as sideman to Eugene Amaro, Dutch Mason (At the Candlelight), Ivy Steel (Reincarnation, 1980, Innovation JC-0001), etc
Smith, Bill. 'Joe Sealy... Canada,' Coda, Oct 1981
Links to Other Sites
Inside The Music
Listen to past episodes of CBC's "Inside The Music" program featuring some of Canada's leading musicians. Click on the audio player to start streaming.
Governor General's appointments to the Order of Canada
Scroll down the page and click on the links to brief biographical notes of recent appointees to the Order of Canada. Click on "Find a Recipient" on the left side of the page to find previous recipients. From the website for the Governor General of Canada.
Triplet Records
Check out the bios and recordings of Triplet Recording stars.
The Dominion government's advertisement asked for volunteers "able to read and write either the English or French language" with "good antecedents" who were good horsemen...
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