Bio

Musician, Composer, Educator

Bill Prouten is a saxophonist/composer/educator based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and currently a supply teacher for the Toronto District School Board.

He relocated to Toronto, Ontario in the summer of 2011 from Fort McMurray, Alberta, where he had spent nine years as Woodwind Instructor at Keyano College and was the Director of the Keyano Jazz Festival from 2003 until 2010 inclusive.

He holds a Bachelor of Education from York University, a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance from the University of Southern California, a Bachelor of Music from McGill, and a Diploma in Jazz Studies from St. Francis Xavier University.  He has studied saxophone and improvisation in a variety of educational settings with Bob Sheppard, David Liebman, Pat LaBarbera, Shelton Berg, Kevin Dean, Janis Steprans, and Gordon Foote.

Bill worked as a freelance musician and composer in Winnipeg, Montreal, Los Angeles, and Vancouver prior to moving to Fort McMurray in August of 2002.  He has shared the stage in various contexts, with Bill Watrous, Dianne Shuur, Paquito D’Rivera, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, David Liebman, Marvin Stamm, Jack Sheldon, Lanny Morgan, Louis Bellson, Buddy Childers, Carmine Bradford, Gerald Wilson, Ed Shaughnessy, Mike Vax, Quincy Jones, Carl Fontana, Ira Nepus, Steve Turre, Bunky Green, Gabe Balthazar, and others.

He has twice been a member of Saxology Canada, a sax quartet based out of Winnipeg, and has written and arranged for that group.

His cd, Low-down, No-good… is his first release, and a good introduction to his style of jazz.  Please take some time and have a listen online at CDBaby.com, http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/billprouten or sample tracks at iTunes, Rhapsody, and other major online music services.   Then buy a copy for all your friends; they make great stocking stuffers!