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Harley Card

Harley Card is a Toronto based guitarist and composer. Well versed in jazz and popular music, Harley has been a collaborator in Toronto’s diverse music scene since 2003. He has released four albums of his original music; 'Unconfined Invisible' (2020), ‘The Greatest Invention (2017), Hedgerow (2013), and Non-Fiction (2008). In addition to leading his own projects, Harley is a member of the the Canadian bands; Stoptime, Hobson’s Choice, Dream Logic, and God's Gift To Yoda.

As a sideman, Harley has played with a wide array of bands including; Carlie Howell and The Deharms, Harrington, Karl Silveira Quintet, Heavy On The Willie, and The Dan Jam Orchestra. As a freelance guitarist he has worked with; Alex Samaras, Kelly Jefferson, Dan Fortin, Alex Dean, Rebecca Hennessy, Dave Clark, Mike Malone, William Carn, Richard Underhill, Bernie Senensky, Michael Herring, and Michael Davidson among others.

A graduate of Applied Music from Mohawk College and Jazz Performance from the University of Toronto; Harley was also a semi finalist in the 2008 Montreux Jazz Festival Guitar Competition. During the winter of 2014 Card was an Artist In Residence at The Banff Centre. Card spent the summer of 2017 in New York City to study with Peter Bernstein, Lage Lund, and Rez Abassi.

Harley is on faculty at The University Of Toronto's Jazz program. Harley also maintains a private teaching practice; providing instruction in guitar, theory, and composition.

Awards

Harley is a five time recipient of the Toronto Arts Council Creation Grant, a three time recipient of the Ontario Arts Council’s Popular Music Grant, and a two time recipient of Canada Council Tour Grants for tours with his quintet. He was awarded a Chalmers Professional Development Grant in 2017.


Tags

7
Album Review

Harley Card: Hedgerow

Read "Hedgerow" reviewed by Fiona Ord-Shrimpton


Hazy summer sun and nostalgia, the album cover hints best at what the music of Harley Card sounds like (with the exception of the giant mirror-beach-ball-spaceship-portal thing--no idea). Hedgerow is a contemplative and absorbing sound, reiterating guitar phrases across a wide harvest of colors and plaited exchanges. Hedgerow is a little knotty, in the sense of a moot undercurrent of gentle melancholy, after careful unraveling it's not hard to appreciate the calm and find an overall sense of ...

163
Album Review

Harley Card: Non-Fiction

Read "Non-Fiction" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose


This record certainly does not feel like guitarist Harley Card's debut CD. It jumps at you much like the fifth or sixth record! This suggests a high degree of polish and maturity not just in technique, but also in the dynamics of Card's approach to the guitar, the individuality of his voice, the complex beauty and daring of the compositions. It is also a slick production, but if you think this is a calculated effort, perish the thought. Card knows ...

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"Card’s musical sensibility is fully formed and urbane. His writing reflects a sense of history and is therefore worldly wise." - Raul d’Gama Rose- All About Jazz

“Card's sophisticated but accessible writing and the committed, well-measured playing from all hands are a potent combination."

- Peter Hum- The Ottawa Citizen

"One of Canada's best kept secrets, guitarist Harley Card's Hedgerow is a spatial exploration of modern jazz. the perfect storm!"

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Primary Instrument

Guitar

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

Harley Card has taught at Humber Community Music School, Bay View Glen Day School, and continues to run his own teaching practice. Harley is also currently on faculty at The Sterling Hall School, and is a frequent guest instructor at Humber College and The University Of Toronto. Over the years he has enjoyed teaching all levels and ages of students, specializing in rock, jazz, folk, and pop. Harley has taught as a guest clinician at the Thousand Islands Jazz Festival, been an adjudicator at Funfest Music Competition, a guest instructor at York University, and an examiner for the Ontario Teachers Guild.

Clinic/Workshop Information

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Dream Logic

Three Pines Records
2021

buy

The Greatest Invention

Self Produced
2018

buy

Hedgerow

Self Produced
2015

buy

Non-Fiction

Dymusic
2008

buy

Snowblind

From: Dream Logic
By Harley Card

The Greatest Invention

From: The Greatest Invention
By Harley Card

Sophomore

From: Hedgerow
By Harley Card

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