Bobby Cairns :: Indelible

Bobby Cairns Trio Bios

Bobby Cairns, guitar
For more than forty years, Bobby Cairns has been busy teaching, performing and adjudicating music. Bobby began his professional career as the guitarist for Tommy Banks at the age of sixteen. This opportunity and long association enabled Bobby to develop skills as an arranger and composer, and molded his capabilities as a musician. He also studied with Jim Hall, Barney Kessel, Joe Pass, and had a close relationship with Lenny Breau, passing information both ways. Bobby studied arranging and composition with Bobby Hales, Spud (Lyle) Murphy, Bill Russo, Luigi Zaninelli, Ray Sikora, and Bob Myers (Academic Dean Berkley College).

Bobby has represented Canada at Jazz Festivals around the world as a lecturer, adjudicator and performer, and continues to hold clinics at international, national, Rocky Mountain and regional events. Bobby’s custom jazz style and musical expertise have allowed him to work in a variety of settings from the writing and production of television themes, documentary films, and commercial jingles to appearances with symphony orchestras in both pop and classical concerts. As Chair of the Guitar Program at Grant MacEwan College for the past thirty years, Bobby has helped to create and establish one of the most respected music programs in Canada.

Rick Kilburn, bass
Born and raised in a musical family in Vancouver, BC, bassist Rick Kilburn grew up listening to and playing jazz. He attended the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts in 1973-74. From there he moved to New York where he worked as bassist with Dave Brubeck, Mose Allison, and Chet Baker. After eight years in New York, Kilburn returned to British Columbia where he taught music and improvisation at Malaspina University College and the Jazz Workshop at the Banff Centre for the Arts. He is currently on the faculty of Vancouver Community College. In the past decade, Kilburn has produced over 100 album projects. He has been involved in two Juno award-winning projects, both with the Hugh Fraser Quintet. He has also been the recipient of several West Coast Music awards and made it to the Grammy short list in 1989.

Tommy Doran, drums
Tommy Doran is widely acknowledged as one of the most musical and melodic drummers playing in Canada today. He began his professional career at age 13 and has enjoyed notable success as a studio musician featured on numerous CD's and television shows. He has played and recorded with such artists as David Foster, Paul Horn, Bernie Senesky, Lenny Breau, George Blondheim and Big Miller. Other musical highlights include the D'Jango Experimental Rock Band, Jesus Christ Superstar and the Montreaux Jazz Fesitval.