Bio
After becoming obsessed with the guitar at a young age, Dave went on to study classical guitar, composition and education at Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario, 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.
-jazz guitarist, studio musician, arranger, composer, percussionist and private teacher working in jazz, pop and classical music.
-performed with many of Canada’s great jazz players in concerts and on recordings,
-large-form compositions have been performed by the Toronto Jazz Orchestra, the Greg Runions Big Band, Brasswerks, and the Queen's University Jazz Ensemble.
MUSIC
Performances
LINKS
Bandcamp channel
featuring new release,Trio Music
Youtube channel - contains indulgent multitracks and instructional videos:
Soundcloud site
My guitar was made by J.P. Laplante!
My son Paul Barton writes awesome music!
Dave is “fluent” in both jazz and classical guitar, able to help prepare students for auditions in both types of programs at university.
Last Saturday of every month at the RCHA Club in Kingston with the Big Phat Horn Band as guitarist and arranger - Going strong for 12 years! 193 Ontario St.
Friday October 24, 4 to 6 pm at the RCHA Club in Kingston on guitar with singer Bob Robertson - - 193 Ontario St.
Monday October 27 - 8 -11 pm The Limestone Jazz Collective celebrates Women In Jazz at the RCHA Club, on drums, 193 Ontario St.
Friday, November 7 and Friday November 21 5-7 pm. Jazz At the Academy Food And Drink, Kingston Marriot Hotel, 285 Kings St. East, on guitar
Friday and Saturday December 12 and 13 , 8-11, The Big Phat Horn Band Christmas Show
Monday December 15, 4:30 to 6:30 pm, Dave Barton Trio with special guest Paul Barton, at the RCHA Club,
Dave and Paul Tynan giving a workshop
Teaching
Dave has a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University. Dave taught high school music for 22 years in both traditional band classes and guitar classes. Dave was also a guidance counsellor and special education teacher.
Learning to improvise jazz is like learning to speak a language. Organized jazz instruction teaches the musical grammar and helps with the vocabulary of improvising.
Thanks to Victor Wooten for the language analogy in his book “The Music Lesson”.
Recordings
As a leader:
New Release
Trio Music - Bandcamp release
New and old compositions recorded in isolation
Solo Performance: The Solo Standard
A collection of old and recent standards on solo classical guitar
The Dave Barton Trio: Snapshot
A trio release featuring 7 original compositions and 3 standards
With others:
Greg Runions Big Band - Star Stuff (A Cosmos Suite)
Greg Runions Septet Something Old, Something New https://gregrunions.bandcamp.com/
Mike Cassells Motianless https://mikecassells.bandcamp.com/album/motianless
The Kingston Jazz Composers Collective https://kjcc.bandcamp.com/
The Newcourt Sessions Vol. 1 and 2
Times and Places
The Greg Runions Big Band, Sweet Home Suite https://gregrunions.bandcamp.com/album/sweet-home-suite
Featured soloist on the track Living Lonely
The Queen’s University Alumni Big Band, Oil Thigh Composition, (used to be a) Simple Tune
Greg Runions Quintet But Not Forgotten - https://gregrunions.bandcamp.com/album/but-not-forgotten
with guest artist Kenny Wheeler
Over 100 albums as a session musician on guitar, electric bass and drums
Compositions
Dave has written numerous jazz tunes, big band compositions, brass ensemble works, and solo classical guitar works. Listen to demos on the Soundcloud page and E-mail for a detailed list of available scores/leadsheets