John Geggie

A native of the Gatineau Valley, John Geggie has studied with numerous esteemed teachers in both the orchestral as well as the improvised music fields. In Ottawa, he worked with David Currie of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and continued post-graduate studies with Larry Hurst and Bruce Bransby at Indiana University (Bloomington, IN). With the help of a grants through the Canada Council for the Arts, John studied with the well-known bassists Gary Peacock, Palle Danielsson and Anders Jormin.

John Geggie has secured for himself a position in the Canadian and international jazz scene as a versatile musician and creative composer. He has two CDs released under his own name, The Geggie Project with Marilyn Crispell (Ambiances Magnétique) and The Geggie Trio featuring Donny McCaslin, Across the Sky (Plunge Records). For nine years, he has programmed, curated and performed in his own series (The Geggie Series) of improvisational concerts at the Fourth Stage of the National Arts Centre in Ottawa (Canada). He has also recorded or performed with a veritable who’s who of creative improvised music: Edward Simon, Seamus Blake, Donny McCaslin, Jon Christensen, Andy Milne, Ben Monder, George Colligan, Craig Taborn, Sheila Jordan, David Murray, Andrew Cyrille, Matt Brubeck, Ted Nash, Billy Hart, Vic Juris, Marilyn Crispell, Myra Melford. Bill Carrothers, Cuong Vu and bassist Mark Dresser. He has for many years hosted the Late Night Jam Sessions at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival.

Previously, he has performed at various international festivals including in Rouen and Maubeuge (France), in Molde (Norway) and throughout the United States. Geggie has also performed and composed music for the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival. His performances are regularly heard on broadcasts by the CBC and SRC (Société Radio-Canada). In addition, he continues to maintain a busy concert schedule with the 13 Strings Chamber Ensemble and is involved in many recording projects.

John is on faculty at the Crane School of Music, State University of New York (SUNY Potsdam) and has students at both Carleton University (Ottawa) as well as University of Ottawa.