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Kerilie McDowall

Jazz guitarist, Polaris Music Prize juror, Former DownBeat contributor, 12x Award-winning 10x nominated short TV movie Director, Short Filmmaker, former Rhythm'a'ning jazz radio host.

About Me

Kerilie McDowall, a jazz guitarist/composer, and 13x international award-winning jazz Filmmaker is a past TV Director and a jazz radio producer/host (17 years). Altogether she has won 16 awards in music, film, jazz guitar/composition with six from the USA. (https://filmfreeway.com/KerilieMcDowall) McDowall is a York University music graduate, and a film/guitar/musician/writer coach/instructor and is a Polaris Music Prize juror and DownBeat Critics Poll judge. She is the winner of Nanaimo's 2024 WIN Women of Influence Creative Innovator Award for her film, In the Zone Rick Kilburn, and is the writer of the In the Zen blog. Kerilie McDowall is additionally a freelance and a national music writer. She is the owner of Oceanview Guitar Studio, and as a past publicist is a recording musician’s self-empowerment Canadian music industry instructor and coach. She also enjoys teaching and mentoring guitarists. McDowall was a DownBeat music writer contributor monthly from 2016 until the 2020 pandemic. She was a jazz bandleader-guitarist and composer for over a decade (1989-2000) in Vancouver. McDowall's jazz, lifestyle, and arts blog, In the Zen, features jazz and creative interviews, lifestyle, gardening, and health news. McDowall is still judging as a DownBeat Critics Poll critic and Polaris Music Prize judge. She works with rising star and JUNO Award and Order of Canada-winning recording artists and aspiring young musicians. McDowall's film In the Zone: Rick Kilburn reached 13 million hits in 2023, and was at 12.7 million hits in February 2024. The film cast received over 1.4 billion hits from 2023-24. McDowall ranked as #1 in Nanaimo on Alignable in 2024 as 20th overall business woman on the popular business networking site with 8 million members. What made McDowall's short jazz film unique was that it was designed for social media, YouTube, and TV simultaneously with royalty-free photos, artists with photos/films, music and live music shooting thanks to the Kilburn estate. McDowall has played music since age 4/5, performing professionally at age 16/17, and was a jazz guitarist- bandleader in Vancouver, BC, from 1989-2000, is a freelance writer, She has written for All About Jazz since 2021, INSPIRED 55+ since 2018, and more. She began writing and illustrating intuitively at age 7/8, in experimentation for years, she started writing music more formally at age 13. McDowall was a jazz radio host, producer and live engineer of the #1 Google-ranked (2013-15) Rhythm'a'ning from 1989-90, and 2000-2016. McDowall enjoys assisting others and passing along knowledge. She is savvy in the areas of film and guitar, and events publicity/the press, assisting non-profits and recording artists with savings and expertise. She enjoys assisting new film directors and filmmakers as a coach and instructor. She recently spoke to women at the Women's Spirit Festival about the Joy of Music & Improvisation and Positive Manifestation. Commencing as a professional guitarist 40 years ago she's still working as a Nanaimo guitar, film, and music industry instructor while serving nationally and internationally as a music judge. She resumed performing in 2024. McDowall penned 9 new jazz compositions in summer 2025, and just completed two more sketches in January 2026. She plans to release a sextet album or two in the coming years. A guitarist-jazz bandleader and instructor in Vancouver, BC for over a decade, Kerilie came to Vancouver Island in 2000. Her passions are music composing, teaching, organic gardening, and writing. For 24 years, McDowall has been tremendously inspired working with gifted students, creatives, and award-winning JUNO/Polaris musicians. She is proud of her students and the excellence that they have achieved. One of McDowall's recording artist coaching students was most recently nominated for a 2024 JUNO Award. McDowall continues to enjoy passing along knowledge to emerging creatives, musicians, and new filmmakers and working within the music industry. “Kerilie's advice was an absolute Godsend that could not have come at a better time. Kerilie and I began corresponding on a semi-regular basis just as I was putting the finishing touches on my fourth album. Her help was invaluable, and I learned something new about the fine art of self-promotion (which was never my strong suit) each time we spoke. I can't thank her enough for sharing her wisdom and experience, and I plan to put her advice to good use with each new project.” —JUNO-winning bassist Rich Brown, Toronto, Canada (Steve Coleman and Five Elements, Jeremy Ledbetter Trio, Rudresh Mahanthappa). ”Kerilie is one of those rare people who really understands music and art while also understanding how to share it in a way that is efficient and beneficial to both the artist and the artform. With her contagious passion and energy, she reminded me of the importance and meaning of this fascinating career path and the importance and value of hard work. Kerilie is deeply passionate about art and people, she is generous, inspiring and supportive and is a great source of knowledge, which are all qualities that contribute to her being an outstanding teacher.” —2022, Gentiane Michaud-Gagnon (Radio-Canada Revelation Prize (2019), François-Marcaurelle Award from the Quebec Musicians’ Guild (2019), OPUS Award for Artist of the Year (2020), and Best Jazz Album of the Year (2023). Walls Made of Glass, was also nominated for the ADISQ (Quebec) and JUNO Awards (Canada) in 2024.) ”Kerilie is a rare combination of ardent supporter, facilitator, and artist. Whether it’s journalism, broadcasting, filmmaking, educating, or her own music making, Kerilie’s contribution to the creative music ecosystem is immense!” —JUNO Award winner Stephen Lyons, Fond of Tigers.