Trombonist WILLIAM CARN has established himself as one of Canada’s leading contemporary jazz composers and performers. He is a multiple JUNO Award-nominated artist for his work as a leader, co-leader, and side musician, and was nominated for Trombonist of the Year at the National Jazz Awards from 2004 to 2008. Carn also enjoys a diverse freelance career and has performed in numerous musicals for Mirvish Productions, as well as many seasons with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival Orchestra. He is currently an instructor at Humber College and the University of Toronto.
TARA DAVIDSON is a nine-time JUNO-nominated alto and soprano saxophonist who has performed around the world at prestigious venues including NYC’s Carnegie Hall, the acclaimed North Sea Jazz Festival in The Netherlands, and The Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC. As a bandleader, Davidson has produced six recordings since 2004 and performed on more than 30 recordings as a side musician. She is an active educator, currently on the faculty at the University of Toronto and York University.
In 2011 William Carn and Tara Davidson formed the Carn Davidson 9 (CD9). CD9 is a collaborative project and an opportunity for both artists to reimagine their compositions for the chamber jazz instrumentation. CD9 has produced two recordings — “Nine” which was their debut release in 2012 and “Murphy” released in 2017. Both recordings garnered JUNO nominations for Jazz Album of the Year.
Tonight’s performance by the all-star WILLIAM CARN & TARA DAVIDSON QUARTET also features jazz masters ADREAN FARRUGIA (piano) and ANDREW DOWNING (bass), entertaining in the up-close-and-personal intimacy of the Home Smith Bar.