The Writers’ Guild

Based on a True Story received critical acclaim and hit #1 on the earshot! jazz charts across country, as well as receiving a nomination for a Western Canadian Music Award.

The Writers’ Guild is a jazz composers’ collective featuring five of Edmonton’s finest creative minds. The band tinkers with the traditional jazz quintet machine, using vintage compositional tools to workshop new tunes and ideas, alchemizing jazz and funk, classical, R&B, and traditional folk music. As one of Edmonton’s most exciting and dynamic groups, the Writers’ Guild makes ink on paper fly.

Each of the three primary composers has a unique writing style: Marty’s liquid melodies are heavily influenced by the “ECM” sound: artists such as Kenny Wheeler, Dave Holland and Tomasz Stanko. Dan Davis’ compositions show a blend of traditional and modern jazz sounds, with catchy melodies over a backdrop of chords that would be right at home in Chris Potter’s latest release. Tyson Kerr’s music, influenced by such Canadian artists as Andrew Downing and David Braid, is impishly quirky. Rounding out the band are two of the strongest young rhythm players in Canada: Josh McHan of the Tommy Banks Trio is in turn brash and lyrical, sawing and sultry, and Efa Etoroma Jr., an in-demand established drummer in LA.

Notable performances for the Writers’ Guild include being featured in the Edmonton Jazz Festival in 2013 and 2014, hosting the Yardbird Tuesday night Jam over many years, several performances at Jeffrey’s Cafe and Wine Bar and the Blue Chair, and their CD Release party in June 2014 at the Yardbird Suite. Their debut album, “Based on a True Story”, received substantial radio play on stations such as CKUA, CJSR, Scarborough Fusion Radio, and others across Canada. “Based on a True Story” reached #1 on the national Jazz charts for radio play in 2014, and has been nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award for Jazz Recording of the Year. A later iteration of the band included Brett Hansen and Jamie Cooper on drums, which has performed at the Edmonton Jazz Festival in 2017 and 2019.