Tributes poured in — from Paul Anka New York Times jazz critic Ira Gitler and musicians around the world — while in Calgary hundreds of friends and relatives gathered September 14 to celebrate the life of local jazz musician Bob Day. The flugelhorn and trumpet player known as a true artist and gentleman with a legendary dry sense of humour died of cancer September 9.
"His absence from our music community is being felt across the country" says John Hyde president of the Calgary Musicians’ Association.
Born August 27 1946 in Toronto to Irene and Gordon Day one of Canada’s leading flutists Day started his career working with many of the country’s jazz stars including Moe Koffman and Guido Basso. He played for some of the biggest names in show business such as Frank Sinatra and Anka as well as many of the greatest in jazz and toured Sweden and Germany in 1990 with Stockholm’s hottest jazz band Panta Rei.
In 1986 Day settled in Calgary and began studying with New York trombonist and composer Bob Brookmeyer. He became a mainstay of the Calgary jazz scene and taught at Mount Royal College. Recently Day had begun recording his original compositions.
