Mike Downs

Mike Downes is one of Canada's finest jazz artists. He is an internationally recognized bassist, band leader, composer and educator. Mike has performed and/or recorded with virtually all of Canada's top jazz musicians, including Oliver Jones, Diana Krall, PJ Perry, Renee Rosnes, Ed Bickert, Don Thompson, Kirk MacDonald, Terry Clarke, Guido Basso, Pat Labarbera, Jerry Fuller, Moe Koffman, Jane Bunnett, and Mike Murley. As part of the Roy Patterson Quartet, he won the Prix de Jazz contest in the Montreal Jazz Festival in 1996. He has received three Juno nominations for his recordings with Ranee Lee, Lorne Lofsky, and Molly Johnson. Molly's recording Another Day, featuring Mike as a composer and bassist, has been nominated for a Juno in 2003.

He has recorded with international jazz stars John Abercrombie, Peter Erskine, and Dave Liebman, and has performed with Curtis Fuller, Lew Tabackin, Chris Potter, Gary Bartz, Mike Stern, Kenny Wheeler, Louie Bellson, Ted Rosenthal, Geoff Keezer, Charles MacPherson, Dewey Redman, Jay McShann, and many others. His bass playing has delighted audiences across Canada, eastern and western Europe, the United States, Bermuda, Brazil, and Mexico.

Mike's acclaimed release Forces features an all-star band of Dave Restivo, Phil Dwyer, and Ted Warren. As a sideman, he has performed on over thirty professional recordings, on numerous radio and television shows, and he continues to be one of the most sought after bassists in Canada.

Mike became the head of the bass department at prestigious Humber College in Toronto in 1999. He has just completed The Jazz Bass Line Book, which is a comprehensive approach to the construction of jazz bass lines. He is much in demand as a clinician across Canada.

Mike Downes is sponsored by Yamaha Canada Music Ltd.,/b>


Recommended recordings:"Forces"Counterpoint CPR 007
"Bill Please" with Lorne LofskyJazz Inspiration JID 9307
"Grooveyard" with Richard WhitemanCounterpoint CPR 011
"The Steve Holt Jazz Quartet" Sackville SKCD2-2032
"Quarter to Three" with Roy LernerJustin Time JTR 8437-2


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