Oliver Jones will be gracing the stage at a Montreal International Jazz Festival event tonight. The sold-out show will be his 44th performance over 37 years in his hometown.
Photo Credit: Montreal International Jazz Festival

Oliver Jones final good-bye at Montreal Jazz Festival

Oliver Jones has said good-bye before, but this time, at 81, he’s ready. The much-loved jazz pianist, who grew up down the street from Oscar Peterson in Montreal’s Little Burgundy neighbourhood, says the time has come.

In a sold-out show this evening, he and his trio, will bid adieu to the Montreal International Jazz Festival.

“I’m going to finally pull out my saxaphone and get back to work”

Oscar Peterson’s sister was Jones’ piano teacher as a child. Like Peterson, his talent was obvious early. Jones’s first public performance took place at the age of 5 in the local church. Now, 76 years later, he reminisces.

The first time he’d ever played beyond Canada or the United States was in 1984. And he has fond memories of the tour of New Zealand and Australia.

“I arrived a little late and the people took me directly into the venue. I got on the bandstand and I met the two musicians I didn’t know, we shook hands and I started to play. Within the first two minutes, I said ‘Well there’s no family out there, there are no friends, and the reaction was wonderful,'” he said.

“I think that gave me more confidence than anything else.”

His 1990 tour of Nigeria was the subject of National Film Board of Canada documentary, entitled ‘Oliver Jones in Africa’.

At home in Canada, he has been showered with rewards and honours over his lengthy career, including a Juno Award in 1986 for his album, ‘Lights of Burgundy’, named as an officer of the Order of Canada in 1993, received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in 2005, and had a stamp issued for him by Canada Post, during Black History Month, (February) in 2013.

Oliver Jones will perform his last show in Barbados in January, in honour of his parents.

“I’m looking forward to retirement, I truly am… I think it’s time to relinquish my part, especially the Montreal Jazz Festival, and many other festivals, it’s time to let some of the other pianists get an opportunity like I did” Jones told CBC news.

“I know that I’m going to miss the piano, but there’s other things in life and It’s time I started taking better care of my health… besides travel, what I would love to do is to be able to work as a musical ambassador to help promote Canadian artists in the jazz music field.”

“The other thing too, is I’m going to finally pull out my saxaphone and get back to work.” he added. He will continue with the occasional concert for charity.

With his farewell tour well underway, Oliver Jones will perform his last show in Barbados in January, in honour of his parents.

Meanwhile, another young piano prodigy is making a name for himself. Daniel Clarke Bouchard is now 16, and two years ago the young Montrealer impressed Ellen de Generes with his appearance on her program. Oliver Jones has been an enthusiastic mentor of Clarke Bouchard’s. in his life so far.

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