Nicholas ("Nick") Ayoub was a Canadian jazz saxophonist, oboist, English horn player, and composer. While he focused on jazz in his career, he also performed classical music at some points. He was born in

Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières (, – 'Three Rivers') is a city in the Mauricie administrative region of Quebec, Canada, at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice River, Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence River, Saint Lawrence rivers, on the north shore of the Sain ...

, Quebec on September 7, 1926 and died on May 2, 1991.

Early years and education

Ayoub, who had Lebanese parents, grew up in Montreal. He learned clarinet, tenor saxophone, oboe, English horn, and flute. He studied at the Conservatoire de Montréal (CMM), under

Arthur Romano Arthur Romano (23 March 1914, Naples – 16 January 1964, Montreal) was a Canadian saxophonist, clarinetist, oboist, english hornist, and music educator of Italian birth. He is considered a pioneer in the classical repertoire for the saxophon ...

, and he was awarded the Premier prix in 1953. Next, he studied with Harold Gomberg from the New York Philharmonic.

Career

1940s

He started playing professionally in 1943 in dance bands and jazz bands. He played in bands led by Johnny Holmes,

Maynard Ferguson Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often served ...

, saxophonist Freddie Nichols, and trombonist

Jiro Watanabe is a Japanese former boxer. Watanabe, who fought only in Japan and South Korea, was one of the first World super flyweight champions, as the division was relatively new when he was crowned. Biography With a background in Shotokan Karate, he ...

1950s-1980s

He worked as a studio musician in Montreal in the 1950s. He played oboe from time to time (and in some cases, saxophone) in the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. He played in a jazz quintet at the 1963 Montreal Jazz Festival. In 1964, he recorded 'The Montreal Scene' LP with

Michel Donato Michel Donato (born August 25, 1942) is a Canadian jazz double bass player, composer, and singer and pianist. According to the ''Canadian Encyclopedia'', " s association with both scarPeterson and illEvans marks Donato as one of Canada's foremost j ...

and other local players, under the RCA Victor label. In 1968, he started teaching saxophone and leading the jazz big band at the CMM. From 1974 to 1978, he taught at the JMC Orford Art Centre. He taught a number of Quebecois musicians, including Yves Charuest, Michel Ethier, Martin Fournier, Daniel Gauthier, Jean-Noël Letennier, Guy McDougall, André Pelchat, Yannick Rieu, and François Théberge. In the 1970s, he led bands that included trumpet player Alan Penfold and piano player Art Roberts. These bands gigged at clubs and played on CBC radio. He played at the 1988 FIJM with bassist Skip Bey and guitarist Nelson Symonds.

Discography

*Nick Ayoub with Rosita Et Deno - 'Bossa Nova' (LP). Trans-Canada; TC-A-74, 1962. *'The Montreal Scene' (Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo) - with Michel Donato (bass). RCA Victor, PCS-1042, 1964. *Nick Ayoub - Canadian Talent Library (LP), 1965. *Nick Ayoub - 'Dance to the Saxophone' (LP). RCA Camden, 1965. *Nick Ayoub - 'Les Lumier De Québec' (7", Single). Caprice, CAP 4010, 1968 *Nick Ayoub - 'Contact 20 Plus' (with Guy Maufette, Charles Linton, Nick Ayoub, Tony Romandini) (7", Single). Banque Provinciale, M-8955, 1970.

Personal life

His son grew up to share his father's musical gifts, and he became a professional drummer.

References

1926 births 1991 deaths Canadian male composers Musicians from Trois-Rivières Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal alumni 20th-century Canadian multi-instrumentalists 21st-century Canadian multi-instrumentalists 20th-century Canadian composers 21st-century Canadian composers Canadian people of Lebanese descent 20th-century Canadian male musicians {{Canada-composer-stub