Philip May

Having always been fascinated by all things percussive, drummer Philip May played his first professional gig at the age of 14. By 16, he was already a regular performer in the local bar and jobbing gig scene. It was while he was 16 that he underwent a life-changing musical experience when he attended a 7 – week summer course at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, meeting and playing with people from all over the world. It was at this point that he decided to make music his life work. At 18, he was the leader of a jazz trio that featured guitarist Reg Schwager. They were invited to be the first group to record and broadcast from the then newly opened CBC and Radio Canada stations in Sudbury. Moving to Toronto in 1981, Philip May continued to expand his playing and recording experience. He has performed with such artists as Holly Cole, Jeff Healey, Ed Bickert, Hilario Duran, Tony and Paul Quarrington, Kevin Turcotte, Ernie Tollar, Perry White, Andy Milne, Richard Underhill, and Bobby Wiseman of Blue Rodeo.

As a Franco-Ontarian, he has also played with Robert Paquette, members of the group CANO, Eric St. Laurent, and Paul Demers. He has many recording credits to his name and his television credits include two appearances on the internationally syndicated program “Just Jazz”.

Always striving to become a better musician, Philip May has studied the drum set privately with such teachers as Jim Blackley, Peter Magadini, Barry Elmes, and Gary Chaffee. On a more formal level, he has studied music at both Berklee College of Music and York University, where he was a member of the Oscar Peterson workshop.

He maintains a very busy private drum set teaching practice at the Greenwood Drum Studio. (greenwooddrumstudio.com)

He has released a CD with the contemporary jazz quintet Broche A Foin called People We Have Known. It won the 2011 Best Album of the Year by a Group Award by Music and Film in Motion. His first album as leader, entitled Sudbury, is now available.

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