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Downbeat Article: Gary Schwartz
Drawn to an open, “elastic” conception of music, Montreal guitarist and educator Gary Schwartz dedicates his latest project—LETTINGO—to the music and influence of Ornette Coleman. Having assembled an 11-piece band of Montreal musicians several years ago to interpret Coleman classics and present original pieces inspired by the pioneering saxophonist,
Schwartz recently released LETTINGO Live. Schwartz, who has taught theory, improvisation, guitar lessons and jazz ensembles in the Music Department of Concordia University since 1979, maintains a busy schedule. He has worked in various
groups (organ trios, big bands and pop, blues and funk bands), played with the Montreal Symphony and McGill Chamber Orchestra and led his own projects (Between The Lines, Public Transport Project, Inside/Out). Schwartz began playing classical guitar at age 10, joined his school band (guitar was not an option, so he picked up the baritone horn and tuba) and spent
his teens gigging with various pop and blues bands. Idolizing Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery and Joe Pass, by age 14 he was studying transcriptions of Sun Ra and John Coltrane in the pages of DownBeat.