Fonds 80 - Gary Williamson fonds

Gary Williamson, a Toronto Jazz pianist, gave his first solo piano recital at age 12 at the Royal Conservatory of Music. He began playing professionally in 1964, and started studying harmony and arranging with Gordon Delamont.

From 1968 to 1972, he toured Hawaii and Asia, before settling in Toronto with his wife Rose in 1976, where he continued his career recording, touring, performing, and recording. He performed with many musicians in the Toronto jazz scene and backed visiting "greats". He played and toured with Nimmons N Nine Plus Six (1974-1980); toured with the Dave McMurdo Jazz Orchestra to the Soviet Union (1991); and recorded with various artists, including Phil Nimmons, Ed Bickert, Katherine Moses, Charlie Gray, Sam Noto, and Hagood Hardy.

Williamson also taught jazz at the Banff Centre in Alberta and the University of New Brunswick (starting in the mid-1970s), and then as part of the new jazz program at the University of Toronto (1990). His students include Renee Rosnes, Chris Donnelly, David Braid, and Adrean Farrugia.