BIO

Guitarist and composer Don Scott has emerged as one of Toronto’s fresh new talents. His unique sound and approach to different styles of music is being sought after by musicians and audiences throughout Canada, the US and abroad. Notably, Don has recorded and toured with Michael Herring's Vertigo featuring New York saxophonist, David Binney, performed head-to-head with legendary jazz-reggae guitarist Ernest Ranglin, toured with British reggae legend Brinsley Forde (of Aswad), and Jason Wilson & Tabarruk, as well as recording and touring with his own projects. Don has attended the International Jazz Workshop at the Banff Centre for the Arts, where he forged many relationships with musicians from around the world. There, he had the opportunity to play and record a concert with Chris Potter and also share the stage with Jim Black, Dave Douglas, Django Bates, Kenny Werner, Ari Hoenig, and Johannes Weidenmuller. In Toronto, he has performed with such Toronto mainstays as Kevin Turcotte, Kirk MacDonald, John McLeod, Dave Restivo, Mike Murley, William Carn, Tara Davidson, Nick “Brownman” Ali, Melissa Stylianou, and many more. The Don Scott Quartet (with Quinsin Nachoff, Michael Herring, and Nick Fraser) released their critically acclaimed debut, Out Of Line, in 2007. Don also co-leads God’s Gift to Yoda (with Harley Card, Michael Herring, and Nico Dann), and performs in many musical projects in Toronto including Michael Herring's Vertigo, William Carn’s Run-Stop-Run (modern jazz), Loitering Heroes (folk-rock), Methuselah (electronic), and Joe Sorbara’s Pickle Juice Orchestra (improv). Don Scott is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Jazz Performance program, where he studied with Lorne Lofsky and Roy Patterson, and he has since become an integral part of a vibrant new wave of Toronto musicians. In 2008-2009 Don will be splitting his time between New York and Toronto in order to study with Ben Monder, David Binney, Donny McCaslin, and Adam Rogers, with generous support from the Canada Council for the Arts.