Steve Boudreau

About

Steve Boudreau is an Ottawa-based pianist who specializes in jazz and popular music. He currently teaches piano privately and as part of Carleton University's Music Performance program.  He also works frequently as a vocal accompanist in many genres. In 2010 he received a Master of Music degree in jazz performance from the New England Conservatory in Boston. He has toured North America with multiple musical productions and has performed as both leader and sideman at various Canadian jazz festivals. His recently released trio album "Preludes: The Music of George Gershwin" has been getting radio play on Canadian jazz stations and a new quartet record is almost ready for release.  The new album will feature original music and is co-led by long-time collaborator, guitarist Garry Elliott.

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News

May 19 2018

Updated Events

Hey, just a quick note to say I've updated my calendar to reflect some Jazz Festival events, most notably the 24 hour jazz ramble which takes place from 10AM Friday to 10AM Saturday next weekend.  I'll be on at noon…

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Mar 24 2018

Indian Music

I've started rehearsals with Vinay Bhide for a show May 10th at noon at City Hall.  Vinay has asked Mike Essoudry and me to join him to play what we feel fits in the performance of two pieces.  One is…

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Feb 28 2018

Radio Play

My hopes of a regularly maintained thoughtful content-filled blog haven't materialized in the face of my regular practice and teaching schedule.  However, I thought this might be a great and easy way to keep track of fun news and things…

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Nov 14 2016

Jam Session Rep Lists

Virtually immediately after you start playing jazz music you start getting pressure to know "all the standards".  I remember a giant daunting list at the back of a popular jazz theory book (that I don't recommend) that said "Learn all…Read more

Oct 31 2016

All - Never Took

Here is the another video of a solo piano arrangement of a pop/punk tune.  The first one you can find by clicking here. 

I went to see the documentary about the band All and the Descendents "Filmage" when it…

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Oct 24 2016

Modern Bootlegging

First of all, the very word "Bootlegging" has to do with clandestine action, and what started me thinking about this issue was the extremely overt and non-secretive manner in which people currently are reproducing live music.

We have…

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Oct 17 2016

7.5 beat time

My love for North Indian Classical music began when I took a course taught by Vinay Bhide at Carleton University in 2002. His introduction to Indian music was aimed at all Western musicians, but to me seemed geared even more…

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Sep 26 2016

Bodyjar - Five Minutes Away

For three of my posts in this series I wanted to record solo piano versions of songs that aren't covered by solo piano very often.  This exercise of figuring out a vocal melody and harmony and making an arrangement is…Read more

Sep 19 2016

Forbidden Musical Devices

During World War II, Hitler's regime forbade certain musical ideas and devices that didn't conform with their idea of artistic music.

From New Dutch Swing: 

It [de jazzwereld's guideline for entertainment music in 1940] was mostly a detailed…

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Sep 11 2016

Simple Triads

One of the first theory lessons I like to teach is that there are only 12 major chords and 12 minor chords.
Learning these is attainable in a relatively short amount of time.

To simplify this further I start with…

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Jun 24 2015

RIP Gunther Schuller



I had the great opportunity to perform this piece with the composer himself conducting during my time at NEC.  Without him I don't think any of us working in jazz full time with a large part of that work…Read more

Feb 17 2015

Learning how to Learn

After missing a week of my self-imposed schedule of weekly thoughts on music, and already being 24 hours behind and dangerously close to missing another I thought it might be good to whip off a quick note about something I…Read more

Feb 2 2015

Music Note Sudoku

I often encourage students to practice randomized chord patterns by picking a chord type or two, and then moving them through a tone row.

For instance CMaj7 - Ebmin7 - FMaj7 - F#min7 - Dbmaj7 - Dmin7 - BMaj7 -…Read more

Jan 19 2015

Bud Powell Un Poco Loco - part 2

Once I realized that the actual improv going on was just over a C-pedal, I was curious to know what kind of material Bud would play.  Generally it's melodic, beboppish, but the adventurous parts are especially exciting. 

Click here to…Read more

Jan 5 2015

Bud Powell Un Poco Loco

My big project this fall was digging into Bud Powell's "Un Poco Loco". 



It's a song with more than one moment that pushes the envelope of standard jazz language, rhythm and form. The Max Roach drum pattern alone has…Read more

Jan 1 2015

Happy New Year 2015

I want to congratulate my brother-in-law, Tyler Kealey for sticking to his insane goal of recording a different song every day for 2014.  Here is the final video which includes many of my favourite Ottawa musicians.  Not to leave anyone…Read more

Dec 22 2014

Music: An Investment of Your Time

Full time and part time musicians alike are living in an age where it is increasingly hard to put a monetary value on music.  In the 20th century, people in the western world found ways to monetize every aspect of…Read more

Events

Date Event Location
 —  — Mark Ferguston & Steve Boudreau play Bill Evans The Record Centre, Ottawa, ON The Record Centre, Ottawa, ON
 —  — Hard Bop 5tet The Record Centre, Ottawa, ON The Record Centre, Ottawa, ON
 —  — Steve Boudreau Students' Recital Gigspace, Ottawa, ON Gigspace, Ottawa, ON
F8-Bit at Ottawa Jazz Festival OLG Ontario Stage OLG Ontario Stage
Steve Boudreau Trio Gigspace, Ottawa, ON Gigspace, Ottawa, ON
View previous events