Nelson Symonds (September 24, 1933 – October 11, 2008) was a Canadian jazz guitarist born in Upper Hammonds Plains,

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

Biography

After pursuing the

banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and in modern forms is usually made of plastic, where early membranes were made of animal skin. ...

at a young age, Symonds switched to the guitar. He gained his first performance experience touring on a travelling carnival from 1955 to 1958 throughout the United States. Upon returning to Canada, Symonds settled in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

in 1958 and played in the group 'The Stablemates' led by Alfie Wade Jr. During the 1960s and 1970s Symonds played mainly with bassist Charlie Biddle and drummer Norman Marshall Villeneuve at venues such as The Black Bottom and Rockhead's Paradise. During the 1970s, Symonds and Biddle performed as a duo in numerous Laurentian resorts. Throughout his 30-plus year career, he played at all of the major jazz venues in Montreal including Upstairs, Biddles and Cafe La Bohème among others. Symonds reportedly resisted recording until the 1990s, cutting three collaborative albums, and one as leader. Symonds played a

Gretsch Gretsch is an American company that manufactures and markets musical instruments. The company was founded in 1883 in Brooklyn, New York by Friedrich Gretsch, a 27-year-old German immigrant, shortly after his arrival to the United States. Fri ...

Sal Salvador Sal Salvador (November 21, 1925 – September 22, 1999), whose name was originally Silvio Smiraglia, was an American bebop jazz guitarist and a prominent music educator. He was born in Monson, Massachusetts, United States, and began his profession ...

model guitar. Symonds died in Montreal, Quebec due to a heart attack at the age of 75, twelve years after undergoing a

quadruple bypass Coronary artery bypass surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass graft (CABG, pronounced "cabbage"), is a surgical procedure to treat coronary artery disease (CAD), the buildup of plaques in the arteries of the heart. It can relieve chest p ...

that put an end to his musical career.

Discography

As leader

*''Getting Personal'', ( Justin Time, 1992)

As featured soloist

* Bernard Primeau Jazz Ensemble, ''Reunion'' (Amplitude, 1990) * Dave Turner Quartet, ''Live - Thank You For Your Hospitality'' (DSM, 1995) * Dave Turner / Nelson Symonds, ''The Pulse Brothers'' (DSM, 1997)

Filmography

Symonds is the subject of two short documentary films by Mary Ellen Davis *''Nelson Symonds Jazz Guitarist'', (1984) *''Nelson Symonds Quartet'', (1984)

Awards

*1996: Oscar Peterson Prix De Jazz Award,

Montreal Jazz Festival The Festival international de Jazz de Montréal is an annual jazz festival held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Jazz Fest holds the 2004 Guinness World Record as the world's largest jazz festival. Every year it features roughly 3,000 ar ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Symonds, Nelson 1933 births 2008 deaths Canadian jazz guitarists Canadian male guitarists 20th-century Canadian guitarists 20th-century Canadian male musicians Canadian male jazz musicians Justin Time Records artists