Band 21/22

Aaron Dolman

Aaron Dolman, born and based in Montreal, is a versatile and imaginative young drummer and composer who is rapidly establishing himself in the city?s diverse music scene, where he is equally at home performing in Jazz and experimental contexts as he is in Folk and Pop settings.

Aaron has performed with many notable North-American Jazz musicians, including Kevin Dean, Sasha Berliner, Jean-Michel Pilc, and Mike Rud. He has also worked with Folk musicians across Canada, including Juno award- winning singer-songwriter and member of the Order of Canada, Connie Kaldor.

Aaron released his debut album, “Nostalgia and Other Fantasies,” in November of 2019. Inspired by the feelings of nostalgia that are stirred up when sifting through old family photos or driving through the Canadian prairies, Aaron weaves together two of his great musical loves – Folk and Jazz – to create songs that sway between evocative melodies, engaging

improvisations and delicate soundscapes. Roots Music Canada called the album “an improbably adept melding of acoustic string lyricism and Jazz vectors” and Aaron’s compositions have been described as “wonderful and captivating” (the WholeNote) with melodies that are “poetic and poignant” (The Jazz Music Blog). The album features his 5-piece chamber-folk ensemble, which includes Caitlin Smith on viola, Zacharie Bachand and Marcus Lowry on acoustic and electric guitars, and Mathieu McConnell on bass.

Aaron holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance with Outstanding Achievement from McGill University and has been the recipient of a number of awards and accolades, most notably the Lou Williamson Jazz Award (2017), The Schulich School of Music Award for Outstanding Achievement in Performance (2017) and three Schulich School of Music Scholarships in 2016, 2017 and 2018. He was a member of McGill’s flagship ensemble - the Jazz Orchestra 1 - led by Juno-winning composer Christine Jensen and in his final year of studies was invited to share the stage with McGill’s 2019 Catherine Thornhill Steele Guest Artist, acclaimed trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire. When home in Montreal, Aaron is a coveted sideman and can be found playing regularly in many of Montreal's local Jazz clubs, cafe?s and performance spaces. When on the road, he performs at Jazz and Folk festivals across Canada.

Aaron’s second album as a leader is currently in the works and will feature original music and lyrics composed for his unique trio that teams the drummer with two vocalists: Sarah Rossy and Euge?nie Jobin. The album will reflect the distinctly eclectic blend of Jazz, Folk, and experimental influences that inspired “Nostalgia and Other Fantasies”, with an added focus on the uniquely expressive powers of percussion and voice as ancient conveyors of rhythm, melody and poetry.

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