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James McGowan
James McGowan is a pianist (jazz and classical), improviser, composer, music theorist, and educator at Carleton University in Ottawa Canada.
About Me
James McGowan is an award-winning Canadian composer, pianist, ensemble leader, and educator. Comfortable in jazz, classical, improvised music, and music for theatre, McGowan creates music that combines these elements in innovative ways to tell a story. Barra Ó Súilleabháin of HeadStuff writes: “McGowan, a gifted pianist and composer, leads the ensemble with confidence and sensitivity, creating a sonic landscape that feels intimate yet expansive.”
With degrees in Composition (BMus and MMus Toronto) and Music Theory (MM North Texas, PhD Eastman), Dr. McGowan has published in the areas of jazz harmonic theory and music pedagogy. He also graduated with an ARCT in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. Finally settling in Ottawa Canada in 2010, he is a faculty member and Supervisor of Performance Studies in Music at Carleton University. In the summers, he teaches piano and improvisation at the CAMMAC Music Centre as well as Carleton’s Jazz and Songwriting summer camps, as Managing Director. A sought-after pianist in the National Capital Region, McGowan collaborates with a wide range of excellent artists. In 2017 and 2020, he released two albums with drummer Jamie Holmes, bassist JP Lapensée, and guitarist Alex Moxon in a group called Modasaurus.
“Canadian quartet Modasaurus displays expert musicianship in a session firmly rooted in contemporary jazz fusion. Modasaurus is a quartet of extremely skilled musicians who combine styles expertly and turn 4K into a great success.” – Elliot Marlow-Stevens, Jazz Journal (UK).
My Jazz Story
My Favorite Local Jazz Venues & Festivals
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