Steve Holt (Canadian musician)
Steve Holt | |
|---|---|
 Steve Holt | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 1954 (age 71–72) Montreal, Canada |
| Genres | Jazz, Pop/Rock |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Piano |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
Steve Holt (born 1954) is a Canadian jazz pianist and composer.
Early life and education
Born in Montreal, Quebec, in 1954, Holt exhibited musical ability in early childhood, playing piano at the age of four.[1] By the time he was a teenager, Holt was a regular on the Montreal club scene.[1]
Holt remained self-taught until he entered McGill University.[2] There, he was taught by pianist Armas Maiste, whose bebop playing influenced him.[2] Holt also became a student of Kenny Barron, traveling regularly to New York City for private lessons with the pianist.[1] Holt graduated from McGill in 1981 with that university's first Bachelor of Music major in Jazz Performance,[3] and taught jazz improvisation there.[1]
Later life and career
In 1983, Holt's debut album, The Lion's Eyes, was released.[1] It was nominated for a Juno Award.[2] He has worked with jazz musicians Larry Coryell, James Moody,[4] Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson,[5] and Archie Shepp.[1] Holt moved to Toronto in 1987 and worked as an equity analyst.[2] For a time, he also continued playing clubs at night.[2] Further albums were released in the 1990s: Christmas Light (1991); Just Duet (1992); and Catwalk (1994).[1]
In 1999, Holt returned to concentrating on music full-time.[1] Three years later, his fifth album, The Dream, was released.[1] He then moved into music production, and stopped performing jazz live[2] until 2014. Following a move to the countryside, his interest in jazz performance returned.[2] In 2017, he opened a health food store in Warkworth, Ontario,[6] that operated as a jazz venue (The Jazz Cafe) once a week.[7]
After a 20 year absence from the recording field, Holt released a new album in April 2025. The album, IMPACT, featured several new compositions and a new band, The Steve Holt Jazz Impact Quintet.[8] The album received widespread international acclaim[9][10][11] and a 2026 JUNO Award nomination for Jazz Album of the Year.[12]
In November 2025 Holt released a holiday album, "Jazz Christmas - Live At Waring House", a live album recorded December 10, 2024.
Discography
- 1983: The Lion's Eyes (Plug)
- 1991: Christmas Light (Inner Music)
- 1992: Just Duet (Sackville) with Kieran Overs
- 1993: Catwalk (Sackville)
- 2001: The Dream (Trilogy)
- 2025: Impact (Inner Music)
- 2025 Jazz Christmas - Live at Waring House (Inner Music)
Singles
- 2002: We Need You (Trilogy)
- 2002: Just to Be With You (Trilogy)
- 2003: Soon (Trilogy)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Wilson, MacKenzie. "Steve Holt". AllMusic. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hum, Peter (April 18, 2016). "'I Feel Like I'm Fully Invested Again in Jazz': The Steve Holt Interview". Ottawa Citizen.
- ^ StudentScholarships.org
- ^ "Canadian Jazz Archive".
- ^ "Canadian Jazz Archive".
- ^ "Owner of "The Natural" is Jazzing up his shop in Warkworth | Trent Hills Now". Retrieved 2019-10-04.
- ^ Williams, Caroline (Fall 2018). "Keeping Music Live at The Natural". Grapevine Magazine. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
- ^ "Steve Holt Returns with 'IMPACT' on April 25th via Inner Music". v13.net. 2024-04-03.
- ^ "Paris Move".
- ^ "Jazz Journal UK". 8 June 2025.
- ^ "Midwest Book Review".
- ^ "And the Nominees Are".
