MUSIC

The only constant in Dave Douglas's music is excellence. The New York-based trumpeter and composer has led an amazing variety of projects since he made his bandleading debut in the early 1990's. Director of the Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music and the co-founder and director of the Festival of New Trumpet Music in New York, his music exemplifies the state of modern jazz today, mixing influences and ideas from a broad range of musical genres and cultures and bringing it all to life with the spark of improvisation.

Yet, even Douglas's most forward-looking music is rooted in his deep appreciation of what has come before. He has recorded tributes to underappreciated jazz originators Booker Little and Mary Lou Williams. His Brass Ecstasy project pays homage to Lester Bowie as well as the parade bands where Louis Armstrong and King Oliver sowed the seeds of modern jazz improvisation.

His remarkable musical innovations have earned Douglas overwhelming acclaim from critics and audiences alike. His accolades include numerous DownBeat magazine critics' polls, including a trifecta in 2001 (best trumpet player, best composer, and album of the year for Soul on Soul); a Guggenheim Fellowship; and two Grammy nominations. Never content to rest on his laurels, Dave Douglas reminds us that "rebellion against the tyrannies of specialization and predictability...can motivate a musician to exhilarating heights" (-San Francisco Chronicle).