As the son of the Music Supervisor for the Board of Education, there's little doubt that the young Stratford, Ontario boy, David Priest, practiced.
Not quite 5 when he started, David spent 13 years in classical piano lessons. But under the bemuse [+]As the son of the Music Supervisor for the Board of Education, there's little doubt that the young Stratford, Ontario boy, David Priest, practiced.
Not quite 5 when he started, David spent 13 years in classical piano lessons. But under the bemused eye of his teacher, all sonatas, polonaises and even lullabies by Brahms or Schubert would trail off into David's own jazz, blues, or boogie woogie versions of the masters' compositions.
Inspired not only by Bach, Chopin, Rachmaninoff et al - but also by Oscar Peterson, Errol Garner, and George Shearing, among others - David would often be found noodling on the keys along with his heroes' records. Quick to soak up all their licks, he soon teased out his own style from theirs. He stunned anyone who heard him play, but his talent was so natural that the reaction always surprised him.
David's playing matured into the soulful sound that led to an opening act slot for none other than the great Ella Fitzgerald when she graced Alumni Hall in London, Ontario, with a concert in her later years.
David's versatility took him all over Canada and the U.S., as he shared the stage with everyone from Del Shannon and Gordie Tapp to Peter Appleyard and Linton Garner.
With his boundless energy, David also performs with his group, The David Priest Trio (with drummer Bob Liley and bassist Brian Harrison) as well as lending his talents to a 17-piece Swing Jazz orchestra.
Along the way, he rounded up some of Vancouver's finest musicians and put down some tracks, including his own composition, "Smile(And Touch My Heart)".
But it wasn't until his old buddy Harry Kalensky (the original bassist of Canada's 1970's rock group 'TROOPER') stepped in to produce the project that it really took off, and David's debut CD "David Priest - Smile" was born in late 2002.
With his trademark humility, David still doesn't know what all the fuss is about, but one just has to listen to get a heart-full.
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