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Christian Overton

Originally from Sudbury Ontario, Christian Overton is now one of the most in demand trombonists and composers in Toronto in every scene from jazz and rock to salsa, R&B, theatre work and everything in between. He has a degree from Humber College where he studied with some of the nation’s top jazz musicians including Pat LaBarbera, John MacLeod, and Alistair Kay. Christian has also completed a Masters degree at the University of Toronto studying with Kelsley Grant, Gary Kulesha and Tim Ries.

Jazz collaborations include: Hermeto Pascoal, John Clayton, The Panamanian Big Band featuring Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, Brian Blade, Miguel Zenon. Also Kurt Elling, Bobby Shew, Guido Basso, Peter Appleyard, Jane Bunnett, Bill Dobbins, The Art of Jazz Orchestra, Jens Lindemann & the Order of Canada Band, Christine and Ingrid Jensen, The LaBarbera Brothers, The Don Thompson Big Band, John MacLeod's Rex Hotel Orchestra, Turboprop, The Carn Davidson 9, The Heavyweights Brass Band, NOJO and Gary Morgan’s Panamerican All Stars as well as many other acts. Christian was also featured on the Cuphead video game soundtrack which reached #1 on the billboard jazz charts in 2019.

Non Jazz collaborations include: Frankie Valli, Glass Tiger, Jully Black, Sloan, Bedouin Soundclash, Jimmy Bosch, Jens Lindemann, Sean Jones and The Righteous Echo, Do Make Say Think, Fred Penner, The Art of Time Ensemble, Classic Albums Live, The Lowest of the Low, Monkey House, Jackie Richardson, Alain Trudel, Alfredo De La Fe, Jimmy Bosch, Roberto Blades, Willie Torres, Jerry Rivera, Ebi, KC Roberts & the Live Revolution and many others.

Currently composer for his own Composers Collective Big Band and Quintet, he has also composed for several television projects as well as commissions for recent visits by Ranee Lee and Dave Douglas and for countless jazz and chamber groups. The Christian Overton Quintet has released their first record "The Test" and The Composer Collective Big Band released their self titled album in 2017. Christian was also a finalist for the OAC Louis Applebaum composers award in 2019.

Recently Christian has launched Clovertone Music Publishing, an innovative sheet music publishing company designed to get customized Canadian material in to the classroom and connect today’s professional musicians with the next generation.

Awards

Christian was nominated for a 2017 Juno award for “Sweet Canadiana” by Jens Lindemann and the Order of Canada Band.

Christian was nominated in 2023 for the Album "A HIstory of Us" by The Carn Davidson 9.

Christian was also a finalist for the OAC Louis Applebaum composers award in 2019.

Gear

Christian is a Yamaha trombone artist.

The Composers Collective Big Band: The Toronto Project

Read "The Toronto Project" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
May 18, 2023

The term Composers Collective is quite often a thinly veiled phrase that signifies “experimental" or “avant-garde" jazz. Thankfully, that is far from true on the Composers Collective Big Band's irrepressible The Toronto Project, which carries the listener on a buoyant and colorful musical journey through Canada's largest city, capital of the province of Ontario and home to a number of superb jazz musicians. True, there are some moments when the Collective veers from conservative to exploratory, but ...

Album Review

Carn Davidson 9: The History of Us

Read "The History of Us" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
December 28, 2021

From north of the U.S. border comes The History of Us, a warm-hearted album by the Carn Davidson 9, a Toronto-based nonet co-led by trombonist William Carn and saxophonist Tara Davidson. The album consists of a pair of three-part suites, one by Carn, the other by Davidson, separated by Carn's amiable composition, “Goodbye Old Friend," a fond salute to his late and dearly loved cat, Murphy. Carn's “Finding Home" suite, which leads things off, was inspired by ...

" a crowd-silencing trombone solo from Christian Overton" NOW Magazine

“Overton and company pass with flying colors” Jazz Weekly