Clinic with Sam Kirmayer

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In 2016, Sam Kirmayer, a jazz guitarist, composer and native Montrealer, completed an Undergraduate degree in Jazz Performance at McGill University with Outstanding

Achievement and Dean's Honour List standings. He has also been the recipient of several awards and scholarships including the Oliver Jones Jazz Scholarship from Vanier College, the David Moyse Guitar Scholarship from McGill and an Artist Development Grant from FACTOR.

Sam is very active in the Montreal jazz scene, with several weekly residencies and frequent appearances as both a leader and sideman at the city's major jazz clubs. In April 2017, Sam released his first full length album, Opening Statement, on Montreal based label Chromatic Audio. A mixed set of originals and standards, the album features New York based pianist Sean Fyfe and Montreal stalwarts bassist Mike De Masi and drummer Dave Laing.

Sam draws inspiration from masters like Wes Montgomery and Grant Green, and eschews effects in favour of a clear, direct tone and maintains firm roots in the blues and hard bop traditions. Sam has performed with some of Canada's finest musicians including André White, Joel Miller, Mike Rud and Kevin Dean, who have praised him for his “excellence, honesty and power of emotion.”

"Sam's dexterity, his love for the richness of jazz and his sheer joy at making music are all over this, his first CD ... a great introduction to Sam's solid sense of swing ... get ready to groove!" – Katie Malloch, former host of CBC’s Jazz Beat

"A monster musician with an incredible tone." - CBC Music

"No pretense or posturing, only musical sincerity." – Jazz Guitar Life