Born: November 30, 1972 Primary Instrument: Guitar, acoustic
Duane Andrews's music is the product of a great ear, an adventurous spirit and a love of music that is beyond category. Uniting what would seem to be impossible, traditional Newfoundland music with the Gypsy Jazz of the legendary Django Reinhardt, Andrews makes it not just work he makes it soar. The award winning guitarist, composer, producer and international performer’s new album, Raindrops, is the best evidence yet of his truly unique musical vision and is the sound of him, literally, bringing it all back home.
A native of the island of Newfoundland, off the east coast of Canada, Duane grew up exposed to the island’s mélange of cultural influences (a mix of English, French, Irish, Spanish and Portuguese) and his development as a guitarist reflects that. After graduating from the Jazz Studies program at St. FXU with honours, Duane spent several years studying contemporary music composition at the Conservatoire International de Paris and at the Conservatoire National de Region in Marseille, France.
It was during his time in France that Reinhardt’s music had a profound impact on Duane. Upon returning to his home province of Newfoundland and Labrador he began fusing traditional Newfoundland music with Reinhardt’s style and his own original compositions. This work resulted in the 2004 release of his dynamic debut solo CD, simply titled, Duane Andrews, the 2006 release of the multiple award winning “Crocus” and his 2008 release “Raindrops” which features a collaboration with the Atlantic String Quartet.
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS:
2008 Vancouver Jazz Festival. Vancouver, BC
2008 Centre Culturel. St. Pierre, FR
2007 Newport Folk Festival. Newport, RI
2007 10 Days on the Island. Tasmania, Australia
2006 Rochester Jazz Festival. Rochester, NY
2006 Festival La Grande Rencontre. Montreal, QC
2005 Montreal Jazz Festival. Montreal, QC
2005 Sunfest. London, ON
2004 Halifax International Celtic Feis. Halifax , NS
2004 MusicNL Rising Star Tour. Throughout NL
Awards:
AwardsUSA Songwriting Competion
2007 Jazz Category Winner
Independent Music Awards
2007 Jazz Album Award
ECMA
2007 Jazz Album of the Year Award
2006 Instrumental Album of the Year Award, Male Artist Nominee
2005 Jazz Album of the Year Award, Emerging Artist Nominee
Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council
2006 Emerging Artist of the Year Award
MusicNL
2006 Jazz/Blues Artist of the Year Award
2004 Jazz/Blues Artist of the Year Award
Rising Star Nominee
International Songwriting Competition
2006 "A Birch Broom In The Fits" received Honourable Mention in the Instrumental category
Canadian Folk Music Awards
2007 Best World Artist (Solo) Nominee
2005 Best Instrumental Artist (Solo) Nominee
Best World Artist (Solo) Nominee
Pushing the Boundries Nominee
“...startlingly good...” --NOW Magazine, Toronto
“...it was the group's infectious versions of well-known Reinhardt tunes that drew the biggest applause. But it was the group's bubbling stew of styles on Newfoundland classics that still echoed after the last notes faded.” The Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa
Crocus
Record Label: Independent
Year Released: 2006
Duane Andrews
Record Label: Independent
Year Released: 2004
As A Side Musician
The Telephone Game
Artist Name: Kate Schutt
Record Label: Artistshare"
Year Released: 2008
Hold Out
Artist Name: Patrick Boyle
Record Label: Independent
Year Released: 2004
No Love Lost
Artist Name: Kate Schutt
Record Label: Wild Whip
Year Released: 2006
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