Dave Barton
Co-leader
Guitar & Arranger

Dave is co-leader of the Big Phat Horn Band and its principal arranger. He is a jazz guitarist, studio musician, arranger, composer, percussionist and private teacher working in jazz, pop and classical music. Dave has performed with many of Canada’s great jazz players in concerts and on recordings, most notably recording and touring with the late jazz trumpeter Kenny Wheeler.

At age 10, he studied guitar by trying to copy Chet Atkins records, then started gigging in dance bands at 16, with musicians that talked like they were in New York in the ’50’s: "Hey Davey-Daddy! Bring your axe and we'll wail!"

Dave went on to study classical guitar, composition and education at Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario, and to study jazz as a lifelong vocation. Dave taught high school band and guitar classes, and was also a guidance counsellor and special education teacher. His large-form compositions have been performed by the Toronto Jazz Orchestra, the Greg Runions Big Band, Brasswerks, and the Queen's University Jazz Ensemble.

Dave is one of Kingston's most respected and accomplished musicians, recently featured in an article titled: Kingston guitarist Barton 'a consummate musician'

Visit Dave's website: https://www.davebarton.ca