PETER
DENT - RETIRED
This website will soon collapse.
At this time in my life, I have no further need to advertise
as I have “officially” retired from making music. I am
indebted to my good friend, John Coulthard who has maintained
this website for many years.
Originally, I was going to list all of all those who have
helped me on my musical journey. But find this task so
daunting that I can only highlight some who have helped me
through the many high points of this journey.
All of my formal jazz piano studies were with the late Bob
Doyle in 1970 and again in 1992. He was the man that showed me
the art of chord substitutions.
I had limited compositional training but really appreciated
the knowledge of Fred Stride with whom I studied at UBC. I
composed 2 lengthy choral works. A JAZZ MASS (1993) and A
CANADIAN REQUIEM (2004)
Singers with whom I worked included the incredible Lorraine
Foster, the late Sibel Thrasher and Robert “Marcus” Mosely.
World-class sidemen included Dave Young, Terry Clarke, and
Neil Swainson, Jimmy Wightman, Stan”Cuddles” Johnson, Stew
Barnett and Donnie Clark. I recorded 3 CD’s as leader, one
joint release and was a side player on 3 more. In 2024 with
help of the great pianist and bassist from Vancouver, Miles
Black, I recorded many of my original compositions for
posterity. I had the privilege of working with the Big Bands
of Mark Kenney, Dal Richards and the Preservation of Swing
Band.
My first gig was in the Bewdley legion playing in a country
band with the late Jim and Isobel Waterbury. In third
year University, I played for a year in the Place Pigalle, a
pub on Avenue Road in Toronto. When I got to Vancouver I
played country music again in a Veterans Club. I was hired to
play at the Penthouse Strip Club in 1969. Throughout the years
I have played in all Canadian provinces except Manitoba and
Newfoundland, in Prague and Northampton and in California. As
a travelling player, I did gigs in Saskatoon, on the Rocky
Mountaineer at Christmas in the late 1990s, in Jamaica (where
I also taught at the Edna Manley College in 2007-2008).
I sang in several choirs. In my youth I was in the Port Hope
United Church Choir and the High School Glee Club. At
university, I was a member of the York University Choir and
the University of Guelph Madrigal Singers. Concurrently, I
spent 2 years in the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Both the
University Choir and the Mendelssohn Choir performed at Expo
’67. As an adult, I sang for over 20 years in the Vancouver
Bach Choir (1969 –1991) While in the Bach Choir, I formed an a
cappella jazz Choir, “Home Made Jam”. Of the members, I
remember fondly the late Sandy Fast, the late Charlie
Burtinshaw, the late Myron Balagno, and Jane Coates. I also
led a folk singing group, the Billy Bishop Singers which
travelled extensively in the early 1980’s performing at labour
rallies in BC, Washington State and at historical
seminars on the union folk song tradition. In 1993, with
the encouragement of a member of the Unitarian Church, I
founded a group called Jazz Etc. which I left after 4 years.
Choral singing gave me several opportunities to travel. Twice
to Expo 67. once to Holland, Eastern Canada, Britain, Japan,
and twice to Mexico.
Transitioning to conducting, I joined the Vivaldi Chamber
Choir in 1992 - 1998. I had the pleasure of founding and
conducting the Pacific Singers (1998 – 2003). Relocating
to Vancouver Island, I directed Coro Galiano (2004 – 2009),
The Newcombe Singers (2009 – 2020), Ekoos (2012 - 2017, and
the Arion Male Voice Choir (2010 – 2019).
Of the many choral conductors from whom I learned, three stood
out: Jim Fankhauser of UBC, the late Simon Streatfeild, and
Bruce Pullan.
With great luck and a little hard work, I was able to start
and operate 2 lengthy travel choral projects: one to the Czech
Republic which began in 1998 and ended in 2024. I am indebted
to Michal Svarc and Petra Skorepova for their expert
organizing skills and deep friendship for over a quarter
century. I also thank Ann McNamee who was our accompanist for
many of the trips. The second was to Cuba which started in
2006 and ended in 2024 as well. I could not have made this
project possible without the professional help of pianist
Jorge Williams and his band, Sonora Jibacoa.
Today, I confine myself to playing and recording with
violinist Robert Dukarm with whom I have to date issued 3
recordings on-line.
www.robertjandukarm.com
Many who are not named have been with me on this musical
journey, but my wife Dorothy Harvey has been my rock since
1995.
In the words of the great Mel Blanc “Th-th-that’s all, Folks!”
May 28/2025