Tonight’s edition of ‘Hidden Gems – an Evening of Buried Treasures’, again features skilled pianist ROSS WOOLDRIDGE as he delves into the Great North American Songbook ‘In Tribute to the Torch Song’, showcasing vocalist CAROLYN CREDICO, with LEW MELE on bass.
Born in Hamilton Ontario, Ross Wooldridge showed early musical ability, taking piano lessons by age four. Self-taught on clarinet at age 13, he took up the saxophone while a student at Ancaster High. While attending Mohawk College and Humber College, he honed his skills as a multi-instrumentalist arranger and composer, later adding producer, conductor, transcription specialist, and educator to his portfolio.
Wooldridge enjoys co-leading an excellent traditional jazz band, The Dixie Demons with trombonist Dan Douglas, and a busy career of playing and recording. He has recorded with Peter Appleyard, Don Thompson, Alex Pangman, Terra Hazelton, and the late Jeff Healey. He is the leader/musical director of Toronto’s Galaxy All Star Orchestra. He has written many of their arrangements and produced their CD “Tribute to the Kings of Swing” which is played regularly on radio stations across North America. They have many different shows that feature Ross such as “Benny Meets Artie” a Tribute to the Big Bands of Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman, “in The Mood”, a Tribute to the music of Glenn Miller, and “Carnegie Hall 1938” – a recreation of Benny Goodman’s landmark 1938 Carnegie Hall concert.
Notable is his critically acclaimed most recent CD, Ross Wooldridge and his Tribute to the Benny Goodman Sextet, a stellar group stocked with world class musicians such as Don Thompson that has been in demand at festivals and concert venues since 2005. He also currently leads an exciting group that pays homage to the music of Artie Shaw and his Gramercy 5.