DUANE ANDREWS‘ music is the product of a great ear, an adventurous spirit and a love of music that is beyond category. Uniting what would seem to be impossible – traditional Newfoundland music with the swing jazz of the legendary Django Reinhardt, Andrews makes it not just work – he makes it soar. The Juno award winning producer, composer, guitarist and globetrotting performer’s latest album is the best evidence yet of his truly unique musical vision and is the sound of him, literally, bringing it all back home.
A native of the island of Newfoundland, off the east coast of Canada, Duane grew up exposed to the island’s mélange of cultural influences and his development as a guitarist reflects that. After graduating from the Jazz Studies program at St. FXU with honours, Duane spent several years studying contemporary music composition at the Conservatoire International de Paris and at the Conservatoire National de Region in Marseille, France.
His discography starts with the release of his debut solo CD, simply titled, Duane Andrews (2004), which led to the multiple award winning Crocus (2006), then Raindrops (2008), which features a collaboration with the Atlantic String Quartet and two albums with Cape Breton master fiddler Dwayne Côté, Dwayne Côté and Duane Andrews (2010) and The Empress (2012).
Other notable collaborations include Charlie’s Boogie (2013) with bluegrass guitarist/singer/songwriter extraordinaire Craig Young which evolved into Fretboard Journey (2016) with the addition of fellow Newfoundland guitarists Sandy Morris and Gordon Quinton. Playing regular Sunday sessions in Quidi Vidi, NL with accordionist Aaron Collis resulted in The Mallard Cottage Sessions (2015) and his most recent collaboration, the Juno award winning More Sheep, Less Sleep (2015) from The Swinging Belles with children’s educators Erin Power and Laura Winter, can be found at www.theswingingbelles.ca.
PRESS
“the music might be best described as Folk music played by a top Jazz guitarist and the result is refreshing and stunning. Highly recommended.”
Folkworld Magazine, Germany
“…startlingly good…”
NOW Magazine, Toronto
“…it was the group’s infectious versions of well-known Reinhardt tunes that drew the biggest applause. But it was the group’s bubbling stew of styles on Newfoundland classics that still echoed after the last notes faded.”
The Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa
PAST SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
2019 Piu Piano, Neuburg, Germany
2018 Ritornello Chamber Music Festival. Saskatoon, SK
2017 Sweetwater Music Festival. Owen Sound, ON
2016 Cork Folk Festival. Cork, Ireland
2015 The Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival. St. John’s, NL
2014 Cafe Vivaldi. NY, NY
2013 La Semaine Acadienne. St. Aubin, France
2012 Atlin Arts and Music Festival. Atlin, BC
2011 Woodford Folk Festival. Woodford, Australia
2010 Cork Jazz Festival. Cork, Ireland
2009 Festival des Guitares du Monde. Rouyn-Noranda, QC
2008 Vancouver Jazz Festival. Vancouver, BC
2007 Newport Folk Festival. Newport, Rhode Island
2007 10 Days on the Island. Tasmania, Australia
2007 Domo. Reykjavik, Iceland
2006 Rochester Jazz Festival. Rochester, NY
2005 Montreal Jazz Festival. Montreal, QC
AWARDS
Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council
2017 Artist of the Year Award
2006 Emerging Artist of the Year Award
Atlantic Film Festival
2018 Best Original Score (An Audience Of Chairs)
2009 Best Original Score (Crackie)
British Documentary Film Festival
2017 Best Music (Meet Maurice Crosby)
The Nickel Film Festival
2016 Best Original Score (for Terra Nova Matadora)
Juno
2016 Children’s Album of the Year Award (with The Swinging Belles)
MusicNL
2018 Fans Choice Award (with The Swinging Belles)
2017 Instrumental Album Award (with Fretboard Journey)
2016 Male Artist and Jazz/Blues Album Awards
2015 Traditional Album Award (with Aaron Collis)
2014 Instrumental Album Award (with Craig Young)
2012 Jazz Album of the Year Award (with Dwayne Côté)
2010 Instrumental Album Award (with Dwayne Côté)
2008 Male Artist, Album, SOCAN Songwriter, Jazz Album of the Year Awards
2006 Jazz/Blues Artist of the Year Award
2004 Jazz/Blues Artist of the Year Award, Rising Star Nominee
Independent Music Awards
2014 Jazz Single Nominee
2011 Instrumental Album Award (with Dwayne Cote)
2008 Jazz Single and Album Nominee
2006 Jazz Album Award
ECMA
2017 Traditional Instrumental Recording of the Year Award (with Fretboard Journey)
2016 Roots/Traditional Group of the Year Award Nominee (with Aaron Collis)
2014 Traditional Instrumental Recording of the Year Award (with Craig Young)
2012 Roots/Traditional Group of the Year Award Nominee (with Dwayne Côté)
2011 Instrumental and Jazz Album of the Year Award (with Dwayne Côté)
2010 Album and Producer of the Year Nominee
2009 Instrumental Album of the Year Award, Male Artist Nominee
2007 Jazz Album of the Year Award
2006 Instrumental Album of the Year Award, Male Artist Nominee
2005 Jazz Album of the Year Award, Emerging Artist Nominee
Canadian Folk Music Awards
2016 Instrumental Artist Award
2015 Children’s Album Award (with The Swinging Belles)
2007 Best World Artist (Solo) Nominee
2005 Best Instrumental Artist (Solo) Nominee, Best World Artist (Solo) Nominee, Pushing the Boundries Nominee
The Overcast
2017 Voted Most Talented Musician in reader poll
The Scope
2009 Best Musician Award
MusicNS
2012 Jazz Recording of the Year Nominee (with Dwayne Côté)
2010 Jazz Album of the Year Award (with Dwayne Côté)
USA Songwriting Competition
2008 Jazz Category Double Nominee
2007 Jazz Category Winner
International Songwriting Competition
2006 “A Birch Broom In The Fits” received Honourable Mention in the Instrumental category