Dave Dunlop
Biography
DAVID (DAVE) DUNLOP (trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet, piccolo) was born February 11, 1955 in London, Ontario, Canada.
In 1975, he moved to Toronto to attend Humber College. Studying with Rainer Schmidt and Don Johnson had a major impact on his playing and helped prepare him for the long and varied career he established. His trumpet and flugelhorn have been heard around the world in many styles of music from Cuban to Gospel. Big bands have always been a big part of his career.
He considers playing lead trumpet with Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass a highlight of his career, which has also included stints with Peter Appleyard, the John Macleod Big Band, Brigham Phillip’s Big Band, the Maritime Jazz Orchestra, NOJO, the Spitfire Band, and Jim Galloway. He has performed with the icons of the international music scene including Mel Torme, Mercer Ellington, Phil Nimmons, Al Jarreau, Doc Severinson, Manhattan Transfer, Guido Basso, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Aaron Neville, Lou Rawls, Roger Daltrey, Petula Clark, Moe Koffman, Tito Puente, Shania Twain, Michael Buble, John Pizzarrelli, Maria Schneider, Paul Anka, Ed Bickert, Joe Lovano, Bill Holman, Vince Mendoza, Gonzalo Rubacala, Dave Valentin, Doug Riley, Maynard Ferguson, and Kenny Wheeler. He has played in jazz festivals across Canada and in Europe, including Montreux (France), Bern (Switzerland), Montreal, Toronto (Beaches and Toronto Downtown Jazz festivals), Halifax, and Ottawa.
He has frequently led his own small jazz ensembles, and been a member of Memo Acevedo’s famed Banda Brava, Gary Morgan’s PanAmericana! Latin Band, and Hilario Duran’s Big Band. Recording has also played a major role in his career. He has played on CDs for Holly Cole, Brian Hughes, Eddie Bullen, Mark Kelso, John McDermott, Hilario Duran, Michael Pickett, Roberto Occhipinti, Domenic Troiano, Alan Jackson, Don Breithaupt, Jack de Keyser, Rick Emmett, Manteca, Memo Acevedo, Robbie Rox, and Emily-Claire Barlow.
Dunlop has played on the Juno Awards Show, the Geminis, and Canada’s Walk of Fame specials, as well as the soundtracks for the films Net Worth, The George Chuvalo Story, and The Last Mogul. His work on animated productions includes Beetlejuice, Babar - the Movie, Monster by Mistake, and George Shrinks. He played on Canada’s “other national anthem”, the television theme to Hockey Night in Canada, and his music has also been used on TV episodes of Degrassi Jr. High and Instant Star. Finkleman’s 45s and the Evolution of Jazz are just two of the many radio shows on which he has played.
He is a pillar of many of the pitbands playing for major theatrical productions presented in Toronto, including Chicago, Fosse, Saturday Night Fever, Hairspray, Les Miserables, and Dirty Dancing. His early love for and career consideration of classical music have made pops concert engagements with the National Arts Center Orchestra, The Toronto Symphony, and the Hamilton Philharmonic highlights of his resume.
