Oliver Jones

Discovery came late for Oliver Jones, who had already entered his fifties before the jazz community took notice of his abilities. He first approached the piano at age seven, then began studies at nine with Daisy, sister of Oscar Peterson, an early association whose impact continues to shape his playing. Before devoting himself to jazz, Jones performed regularly with show bands and spent the period from 1963 to 1980 as accompanist to pop singer Ken Hamilton, much of that time based in Puerto Rico. Only after returning to Montreal in 1980 did he begin working as a full-time jazz musician. From the mid-1980s onward, extensive recording activity for Justin Time has confirmed his standing as a major modern mainstream pianist noted for impressive technique and a hard-swinging style.