In the great Canadian treasure chest of the country’s best there is a brilliantly shining jewel, a bass-playing gentleman. A true statesman and living legend. His wisdom has always been a hallmark of his body of work, of his performances, and of his guidance and collaborations. Those who have experienced the teaching energy of Dave are some of the luckiest among us and in the world of jazz.
The Oscar Peterson landmark album Canadiana Suite sets Canada to music. Dave Young, who played with Peterson, is Canada set to music. Born in Winnipeg, you could say that he is very much at the center of things, belying the all too often unfairly assumed role of the bass as only a supporting member of a combo. Winnipeg’s richness of homegrown artists makes it, as an arts incubator-city, very much Canada’s fulcrum. Dave Young’s artistry is like that fulcrum; his rightful place is at the center of things. The reverence of peers and those who have followed glows and is deserved.
Dave Young shines brilliantly in the treasure chest of the country’s best.