Phillip Rista Nimmons, OC OOnt (born June 3, 1923) is a Canadian jazz clarinetist, composer, bandleader, and educator. Nimmons is known for playing in a "Free Jazz" and mainstream styles. As well as playing jazz, Nimmons also plays other genres, notably classical music.^[1] Nimmons has composed over 400 pieces of music in various genres, and for various instrumentations including film scores, music for radio and television, chamber music, music for large ensembles, concert band and symphony orchestras.^[1] Nimmons studied clarinet at the Juilliard School and composition at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.^[2]

Career

Nimmons was born in Kamloops, British Columbia.^[3] He joined the University of Toronto in 1973.^[3] In 1953 Nimmons formed the ensemble "Nimmons 'N' Nine" ^[2] which, later, he led during his weekly radio show on CBC radio.^[1] this ensemble grew to 16 musicians in 1965 and was active intil 1980.^[2]

As an educator, Nimmons has made substantial contributions to the study of jazz music. In 1960, along with Oscar Peterson Nimmons founded the Advanced School of Contemporary Music in Toronto. Nimmons was involved in the development of the jazz performance program at the University of Toronto.^[4]

Nimmons turned 100 on June 3, 2023.^[5]

Awards and honours

Nimmons received the first Juno Award given in the Juno Awards jazz category, for his album Atlantic Suite.^[3] His composition "The Torch" was commissioned for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.^[3] It was performed at the Olympics by a big band led by Rob McConnell.^[3]

In 1993, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.^[6] He is also a recipient of the Order of Ontario. In 2001 Nimmons was a recipient of the Jazz Education Hall of Fame which honours "individuals whose musical contributions and dedication to jazz education over the past 25 years have created new directions and curricular innovations for jazz education worldwide".^[4] In 2002, Nimmons received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, for his lifetime contribution to popular music.^[6]

On November 21, 2005, Nimmons was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by SOCAN at the SOCAN Awards in Toronto.^[7]

Discography

• The Canadian Scene Via the Phil Nimmons Group (Verve, 1956)
• Nimmons 'n' Nine (Verve, 1963)
• Take Ten (RCA, 1963)
• Mary Poppins Swings (RCA, 1964)
• Strictly Nimmons (RCA, 1965)
• Nimmons Now (RCA, 1970)
• Jazz Canadiana: All Star Jazz In Concert (CBC, 1973)
• The Atlantic Suite (Sackville, 1975)
• The Canadian Scene Via Phil Nimmons/Nimmons 'N' Nine (New York, Verve, 1999)
• Sands of Time (Sackville, 2000)
• Vintage Nimmons 'n' Nine CBC Air Checks '59-'64 (Sackville, 2003)
• Nimmons 'n nitecap (Vancouver, Capilano College, 2005)
• Nimmons 'n' Nine—now (MCCO records, 2008)
• Beginnings (Nimmons 'n' Music, 2009)
• Friendly encounter (Marquis, 2009)
• Canadian Composer Portrait: Phil Nimmons (CMC, 2009)
• Trish Colter & Paul Read – The Dance Never Ends (REACO, 1997) (appearance)