Ian McDougall is a Canadian jazz musician who played lead trombone for Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass.
Life and career
McDougall was born in Calgary, and grew up in Victoria. At the age of 11, he joined the Victoria Boy’s Band, wanting to be a drummer. Disappointed at not playing a full drum kit, he thought he'd like to try trumpet instead, but his father intervened: "Play the trombone, son, because a good trombone player is never out of work." Starting at the age of 13, he started playing at venues around Victoria. McDougall left Victoria in 1960 to tour in Great Britain with the John Dankworth Band. He returned to Vancouver in 1962, was a freelance player, and played with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and at the Cave Supper Club, under the leadership of Fraser MacPherson. He began studying at the University of British Columbia, earning Bachelor of Music, and Master of Music. In 1970 he co-founded the fusion group Pacific Salt, with five of Vancouver's premier jazz musicians: guitarist Oliver Gannon, Don Clark, Ron Johnston, Tony Clitheroe, and George Ursan. Pacific Salt recorded three LPs, and was inactive by the early 1980s. Pacific Salt bandmates McDougall, Gannon, and Johnston recorded in 1976 and 1988 and in 1990 toured the Canadian festival circuit under the name R.I.O., initials from each of their given names. McDougall reunited with Gannon and Johnston to perform as R.I.O in 2014. In 1973 he and his wife, violinist Barbara McDougall moved East to Toronto and began a studio career. Rob McConnell founder of The Boss Brass, invited him to join the group, and he became a featured soloist, playing with the group until 1991. McDougall was a founding member, soloist, lead trombone, and arranger for Doug Hamilton's The Brass Connection. McDougall has composed and arranged classical music, with commissions from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and the Vancouver and Toronto Symphony orchestras. Some of his music for brass is published by Cherry Classics Music.
Musical educator
A sessional instructor 1986-8 at the University of British Columbia, in 1988 he was invited to teach trombone, jazz studies, and orchestration at the University of Victoria in 1988, retiring as Professor Emeritus in 2003.
Awards and nominations
In April 2008, McDougall was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada. During his time with Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, the group was nominated nine times and received four Juno Awards. The Boss Brass album All In Good Time won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Big Band category in 1983, the album The Brass is Back was nominated in 1992. The Brass Connection won a Juno for their eponymous album in 1982, and were nominated again in 1984 for A New Look The album Live Jazz Legends with Oliver Jones, PJ Perry, Terry Clarke, and Michele Donato was nominated in 2008. As leader, Ian McDougall has had three albums nominated for the Juno: Best Traditional Jazz Album, In A Sentimental Mood, Instrumental Album of the YearThe Very Thought Of You, and Traditional Jazz Album, The Ian McDougall 12tet Live.
