Jon Ballantyne facts for kids
Jon Ballantyne is a talented jazz pianist and composer from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. He now lives near New York City. Jon is known for his amazing music and for playing with many famous jazz musicians.
Jon's Musical Journey
Jon Ballantyne started playing the piano when he was just six years old. His dad was also a pianist, and both his parents loved jazz music. They introduced him to great artists like Miles Davis and Duke Ellington.
As a teenager, Jon studied classical piano. He also played in a garage band and performed the tenor saxophone and piano in his high school's music groups.
Jon received a scholarship to North Texas State University from 1982 to 1985. He even played in their famous One O'clock Lab Band. In 1987, he joined the Woody Herman Thundering Herd, a well-known jazz band, for a big tour across the U.S. He later toured with them again in Europe and the UK.
In the 1990s, while living in Brooklyn, Jon often played music with other musicians in jam sessions. Many of these musicians, like Seamus Blake and Donny McCaslin, were his neighbors!
Jon has also taught music at many universities, including Sibelius Academy in Finland and McGill University in Canada.
From 1999 to 2006, Jon led his own music groups. He also toured as a solo pianist, playing by himself, in the 1990s, 2000s, and again in 2014.
In 2013, Jon toured Canada with the Alan Jones Canadian All Star Sextet, which included famous musicians like Ingrid Jensen. He often plays at popular jazz clubs in the Northeastern U.S., such as The Deer Head Inn and Small's. In 2023, he performed many times with the Bill Goodwin Trio in New York.
Today, Jon plays in several groups. These include the Bill Goodwin Trio and The Parker Trio. He also plays with tenor saxophonist Dan Wilkins' quartet. Jon also has a duo with guitarist Bill Washer called the "Mode for Joe Duo," where they play music by Joe Henderson. A live recording from this duo is expected in Spring 2024. A new trio album called "Trio It Is" is also planned for Summer 2024.
Music Albums (Discography)
A discography is a list of all the music albums an artist has released. An asterisk (*) means the year listed is when the album was released.
| Year recorded | Title | Label | Musicians/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987* | Trio Jon Ballantyne | Jazzimage | With Terry Clarke (Drums) and Jim Vivian (Bass). This album was nominated for a JUNO Award. |
| 1988 | Sky Dance | Justin Time | A quartet album with Joe Henderson (tenor sax), Neil Swainson (bass), and Jerry Fuller (drums). This album won a JUNO Award! |
| 1991 | A Musing | Justin Time | Some songs are solo piano. Most songs are duos with Paul Bley (piano) or Dave Laing (drums). |
| 1994 | The Loose | Justin Time | A trio album with Drew Gress (bass) and Billy Hart (drums). |
| 1995 | Trio Live | NY Jam | A live trio album with Drew Gress (bass) and Billy Hart (drums). |
| 1997 | Known/Unknown | NY Jam | A trio album with Drew Gress (bass) and Gene Jackson (drums). |
| 2000* | Round Again | NY Jam | |
| 2005 | 4tets + Dewey Redman | Real Artist Works | With Douglas Yates, Jeff Hirshfield, Gene Jackson, Boris Kozlov. Dewey Redman (sax) played on some songs. |
| 2002 | "The Banff Session" | Real Artist Works | With Boris Kozlov and Hugh Sicotte. |
| 2006* | Avenue Standard | Real Artist Works | Solo Piano. This album also won a JUNO Award! |
| 2006 | Ever Since Now | Real Artist Works | Solo Piano. |
| 2012* | Twenty Accident Free Workdays | Real Artist Works | With Hugh Sicotte. This album was nominated for a JUNO Award. |
| 2016 | "Live at Porter's" (*Unreleased, 2024 release planned) | With Bill Goodwin (Drums), Tony Marino (Bass), and Jon Ballantyne (Electric Piano). | |
| 2017 | "Trio" | Vector Disc Records | With Bill Goodwin (leader, drums) and Evan Gregor (bass). |
| 2020 | "Duaxis" | Real Artist Works | With Devin Gray. |
| 2021 | "The Parker Trio" | PM Records | With Gene Perla and Adam Nussbaum. |
| 2024 | "The Mode for Joe Duo, Live at the Deer Head Inn" | Deer Head Records | With Bill Washer and Jon Ballantyne. |
| 2024 | "Trio It Is" | Vector Disc Records (expected Fall of 2024) | With Bill Goodwin (Drums) and Evan Gregor (Bass). |
Movies and TV Shows (Filmography)
A filmography is a list of movies and TV shows an artist has been involved in.
- In the Key of Eh! Canadian Jazz Piano (1996)
- DUOS: The Jazz Sessions (1999)
- SOLOS: The Jazz Sessions (Bravo! Canada, 2006)
- "Oh Canada": presenting Canadian Jazz Artists (PBS, 2016)
