Dave Barton first studied guitar by trying to copy Chet Atkins records at the age of 10. Dave started gigging in dance bands at 16, with musicians that talked like they were in New York in the ’50’s :
"Hey Davey-Daddy! Bring your axe and we'll wail!"
Those musicians were great mentors! Dave went on to study classical guitar, composition and education at Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario, (BMus 1981 and BEd 1982) and to study jazz as a lifelong vocation. Dave taught high school band and guitar classes, and was also a guidance counsellor and special education teacher.
Dave Barton is a jazz guitarist, studio musician, arranger, composer, percussionist and private teacher working in jazz, pop and classical music. He has performed with many of Canada’s great jazz players in concerts and on recordings, most notably recording and touring with the late jazz trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. Recently he was featured in duet performances at the Prince Edward County Jazz Festival, withToronto musicians, saxophonist Alex Dean, jazz violinist Drew Jurecka and saxophonist Tara Davidson.
Dave's large-form compositions have been performed by the Toronto Jazz Orchestra, the Greg Runions Big Band, Brasswerks, and the Queen's University Jazz Ensemble.
Dave is a busy performer, composer, arranger and teacher, Dave has performed live in all venues: jazz clubs, musical theatre, recordings, concerts, teaching privately and in the St. Lawrence College Music and Digital Arts program.
