Neil Swainson

2017 TMA149 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

One of the joys in choosing the recipient of the TMA’s Lifetime Achievement Award is that we get to celebrate musicians’ musicians. We all know who they are, superb players whom the public doesn’t necessarily fully appreciate — but other musicians do.

Neil has fought in the trenches at Local 149 since 1977, when he was part of an influx of young players from the Maritimes and the west coast. Neil came to Toronto from Victoria, B.C. On the coast, Neil had played with local and visiting players, including Paul Horn, Herb Ellis, Sonny Stitt, and Barney Kessel. Since migrating to Toronto, Neil has played with… well, just about everyone: Moe Koffman, Rob McConnell, P.J. Perry, Kevin Dean, Ed Bickert, Lorne Lofsky, Peter Appleyard, Jay McShann, George Coleman, Tommy Flanagan, Joe Farrell, Slide Hampton, and the list goes on.

Neil is well-known in New York as well, having played, toured, and recorded two albums with Woody Shaw. Other recordings feature Doc Cheatham, Geoff Keezer, Sam Noto, Kirk MacDonald, Pat LaBarbera, and many others. He toured internationally with Gene DiNovi, and for 23 years with George Shearing.
Neil has played flagship concert and jazz venues around the globe. At the same time, Neil can often be found in small “hole in the wall” jazz clubs, working with both young and old players, and always with an ear for young talent. As a calm, centred presence in any group, Neil lays down an unquestionable harmonic and rhythmic foundation every time. His work is “rock-solid,” “like a freight train.” In other words — a musicians’ musician.

We congratulate Neil Swainson on this richly-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award, and thank him for his contributions to the TMA.