Oliver Jones (1934 – 2026)

Their Story

Oliver Jones was a Montreal-born jazz pianist, composer and arranger whose six-decade career made him one of Canada's most celebrated musicians. Born to parents from Barbados in the Little Burgundy neighbourhood, he showed exceptional musical talent from an early age, playing from memory songs heard on the radio by age three, and by five he was already the pianist for Union United Church. He studied with Daisy Peterson Sweeney, sister of the legendary Oscar Peterson, starting at age eight. After spending decades performing around Quebec, the United States, and Puerto Rico, he returned to Montreal at age 45 and established a reputation that grew at home and abroad. From 1981 to 1986, he was the resident pianist at Charlie Biddle's jazz club Biddles, and his debut album recorded there in 1983 became the first release on the Justin Time record label. Jones won two Juno Awards (in 1986 and 2009), several Félix awards, and received six honorary doctorates. In 2023, he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.</bio> <parameter name="timelineEvents">[ { "date": "1934-09-11", "title": "Born in Montreal", "description": "Oliver Theophilus Jones born in Little Burgundy neighbourhood to Barbadian parents" }, { "date": "1939", "title": "Early musical talent", "description": "At age 3, could play from memory songs heard on the radio" }, { "date": "1939", "title": "First concert performance", "description": "At age 5, performed his first concert at Union United Church" }, { "date": "1942", "title": "Piano study begins", "description": "At age 8, began studying with Daisy Peterson Sweeney, sister of Oscar Peterson" }, { "date": "1979", "title": "Return to Montreal", "description": "Returned to Montreal at age 45 after decades performing in Quebec, United States and Puerto Rico" }, { "date": "1981-1986", "title": "Resident pianist at Biddles", "description": "Became resident pianist at Charlie Biddle's jazz club Biddles" }, { "date": "1983", "title": "Debut album", "description": "Released 'Live at Biddles,' the first record on the Justin Time label" }, { "date": "1981-1999", "title": "Montreal Jazz Festival performances", "description": "Performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival every year" }, { "date": "1990", "title": "Oscar Peterson Award", "description": "Won the Montreal Jazz Festival's Oscar Peterson Award" }, { "date": "1993", "title": "Order of Canada", "description": "Appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada" }, { "date": "2000", "title": "Retirement", "description": "Officially retired on January 1, 2000" }, { "date": "2023-05-18", "title": "Canadian Music Hall of Fame", "description": "Inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame" }, { "date": "2026-07-22", "title": "Death", "description": "Died at age 91 following a long illness" } ]

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Jones_(pianist)