2023 JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR (GROUP) | Carn Davidson 9 | | The JUNO Awards

The Carn Davidson 9 (CD9) was formed in 2010 as a collaborative project between JUNO Award-winning artists, trombonist William Carn and saxophonist Tara Davidson. CD9 is a 9-piece chord-less ensemble that utilizes its seven horns as melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic devices, anchored by bass and drums. This co-led ensemble is an opportunity for both artists to craft their original compositions for this unique chamber jazz instrumentation. The ensemble’s first two recordings also showcased a formidable collection of guest arrangers such as Andrew Downing, Reg Schwager, and Terry Promane.

The Carn Davidson 9’s extraordinary sound is made stronger by an all-star lineup of prominent Canadian artists who are all exceptional ensemble players as well as outstanding soloists. CD9 has produced three studio recordings; “Nine” was their debut released in 2012 and “Murphy” was released in 2017. Both recordings garnered JUNO nominations for Jazz Album of the Year.  

 “The History of Us” is CD9’s third studio recording (released November 2021) and is their most personal project to date. Comprising of two three-movement suites, “The History of Us” is a meditation on the universal themes of family, migration, and loss. “The History of Us” received much critical acclaim, including a 4-Star review in DownBeat magazine.