Hometown: Regina, Saskatchewan
Al Muirhead has long been an iconic figure on the Canadian jazz scene. And the trumpeter, composer, arranger, sideman and recording artist has been making listeners take notice for longer than jazz fans might realize.
Born in Regina in 1935, by age 12, he was playing in the Regina Symphony and dance bands. While Muirhead’s playing is infused with the indelible influence of jazz giants, his flowing, melodic sound is his own – and has become influential in its own right.
Muirhead has worked with legends such as Guido Basso, Diana Krall, Paul Anka, Rosemary Clooney, Frank Mills and Dizzy Gillespie. In 2013, he was honoured with the WCMA Heritage Award for his mentorship and industry-building. In 2015, he earned the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival’s Special Recognition Award.
A highlight is the 2014 release of his first-ever solo album It’s About Time, with longtime friends, Tommy Banks and PJ Perry. Muirhead unleashes melodies that are incredibly inventive and utterly timeless. Now at 80 years old, he shows no sign of slowing down with two more albums coming in 2016-17.