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Biography
Since moving to Vancouver in 1980, Dennis Esson has
established himself as a highly respected and sought after trombonist for a
wide variety of musical endeavors.
He has recorded music for cartoons, movies, jingles and
soundtracks in addition to albums with many pop and rock groups such as
Stephen Fearing, The Paperboys, Buddy Miles, The Salteens, Veda Hille and
others. He has also been in the pit orchestras for Broadway shows such as
“Chorus Line”, “The Full Monty”, and “42nd Street”.
As a jazz musician Dennis has recorded numerous C.B.C.
sessions as a featured soloist. He is also the lead trombonist with groups
such as the “Vancouver Ensemble of Improvisation (VEJI)”, “Orquesta Goma Dura”,
“Jill Townsend Big Band”, “Hard Rubber Orchestra” and the “Fred Stride Jazz
Orchestra”. Some of the musicians he has performed with include Kenny
Wheeler, Phil Woods, Eddie Daniels, Marvin Stamm, David Foster, Maynard
Ferguson, Natalie Cole, Clark Terry, Bud Shank, and Phil Nimmons. He has
appeared and performed at all of the major jazz festivals across Canada.
In addition Dennis was the recipient in 1993 of a Canada
Council of the Arts “B” grant to study jazz trombone in New York where he
studied with Conrad Herwig, Steve Turre, Benny Powell and Slide Hampton. More
recently he resumed his studies and completed a Bachelor’s and Master’s
degree in Orchestral Performance from the University of British Columbia.
As a music educator Dennis has been the Jazz Trombone
instructor at Capilano College since 1997 and has been the director of the
UBC Jazz Ensemble 2 since 2000. In addition he has been on the faculty of the
Courtney Youth Music Center since 2000 and prior to that time he was on the
faculty of the Okanagan Summer School of the Arts from 1984-1999.
As an adjudicator Dennis has appeared at many festivals
throughout B.C. and western Canada including Kelowna, Edmonton, Whistler,
Surrey, Burnaby, and Vancouver. He has also performed clinics and master
classes at universities, colleges, and secondary schools throughout Canada.
Dennis is a Yamaha trombone artist and performs and
records on the YSL697Z trombone.
Degrees
B.Mus., M.Mus.(UBC)
Performance Related
Has Performed With:
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Lionel Hampton Jazz Orchestra |
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Tommy Banks Orchestra |
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Vancouver Ensemble of Jazz
Improvisation |
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Kenny Wheeler |
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Slide Hampton |
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Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme |
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Ray Charles |
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Martha Reeves and the Vandellas |
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Jack Jones |
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Natalie Cole |
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Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick |
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Mitzi Gaynor |
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The Temptations |
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Harry Connick Jr. |
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Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra |
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Barry Manilow |
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Henry Cuesta and the Lawrence Welk
Orchestra |
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Maynard Ferguson |
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Muhal Richard Abrams |
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Marvin Stamm |
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Brass Roots |
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Clark Terry |
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Bill Watrous |
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Phil Woods |
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Bud Shank |
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Eddie Daniels |
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David Foster |
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and numerous others. |
Lead
trombonist with:
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Fred Stride Jazz Orchestra |
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Jill Townsend Big Band |
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Vancouver Ensemble of
Improvisation(VEJI) |
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The Hard Rubber Orchestra |
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Goma Dura |
Theatre
Shows:
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Chorus Line
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Denzel Sinclaire- “A Tribute
to Nat King Cole” |
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Forever Swing |
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The Full Monty |
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42nd Street
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Numerous recordings as a featured jazz
soloist including many CBC sessions for a variety of different leaders:
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Hugh Fraser |
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Ian McDougall |
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Dave Robbins |
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Mike Herriott |
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Fred Stride |
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John Korsrud |
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Jill Townsend
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A member of “The New Orleans
Connection”, a Dixie-Swing showband performing throughout Canada and Europe.
Many studio sessions including
jingles, cartoons, movie sound tracks, and television shows.
Discography
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Mike
Herriot Quintet |
Free at Last
A Piece Of The Action
Unto The Breach
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Vancouver Ensemble of Improvisation (VEJI) |
Classic VEJI
V
VEJI Now
Big Works
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Banff
Jazz Orchestra |
Banff Jazz Orchestra at
Banff
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Brass
Roots |
Brass Roots
Laconda Rift
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Shango
Ashe |
Timba Con Sandunga
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Stephen
Fearing |
The Assassin’s Apprentice
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Mart
Kenney |
Celebration 2000
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Hard
Rubber Orchestra |
Cruel But Fair
Rub Harder
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Buddy
Miles |
Miles Away From Home
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Dave
Robbins Sextet |
At The Mark
Veda Hille
Auditorium
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Forever Swing Cast
Recording
Forever Swing
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Jill
Townsend Big Band |
Tales From The Sea
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The
Paperboys |
Dilapidated Beauty
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Patsy
Goto |
Near You
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Karin
Plato |
The State Of Bliss
Education Related
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Jazz
Trombone Instuctor at Capilano College, 1997-2004
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Jazz
Trombone Instructor at the Courtney Youth Music Center, 1986, 2000-2004
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Jazz
Trombone Clinician at the U.B.C. Band Camp,1998-2002
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Jazz
trombone Instructor at the Okanagan Summer School of the Arts, 1984-1999
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Jazz
Trombone Instuctor at the Kelowna Summer Music School, 1993-1994
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In my
teaching capacity at all of these summer schools I have also taught
improvisation, jazz history, jazz theory, combos and directed big bands
of all ages and abilities
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Clinician
and Adjudicator for the Whistler Music Festival, April 2001-2004
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Clinician
and Adjudicator for the Kelowna Interior Jazz Festival, April 2003
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Clinician
and Adjudicator for the Edmonton JazzWorks Festival, 2002
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Clinician
for the Vancouver Kiwanis Music Festival, 1999-2000
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Adjudicator at the Surrey High School Jazz Festival, 1998–2004
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Adjudicator at the Burnaby School District Jazz Festival, 2001
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Adjudicator at the Vancouver District Jazz Festival, 2001, 2004
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Director
and guest soloist of the Coquitlam District Honor Jazz Band, 2004
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Director
of the Junior All Star big band, Surrey Jazz Festival, 2001
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Conductor
of the UBC “B” Jazz Ensemble 2000-2004
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Have
studied with Dave Robbins, Steve Turre, Benny Powell, Conrad Herwig,
Slide Hampton, Herb Besson, Art Baron, Wayne Andre, Gordon Cherry
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I am
active as a Yamaha Artist/Clinician throughout B.C. and Canada
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Awards
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Recipient of a Canada
Council Arts Grant “B” in 1993 to study jazz trombone in New York.
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Awarded scholarships to the
Banff School of the Arts as a member of The Banff Jazz Orchestra 1992-93.
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Finalist in the 1988 Alcan
Jazz Competition as a member of the Bill Clark Sextet. |
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