Tyler Summers was born in Burnaby, B.C. on August 3,
1980, and moved to Surrey, B.C. where he had his first taste for
his ongoing love of music. With both his parents having a love
for music, Tyler was exposed at an early age. His first instrument
was the violin a the age of 7, and then onto the piano a the age
of 8. While he pursued his classical piano, he was very active
in sports and school, and when he entered high school, he was
very eager to explore all the options he had open to him. At the
age of 13, Tyler picked up the saxophone. After many one year
of clarinet, he began studying saxophone with various musicians
around the greater Vancouver area. At 14, he attended his first
music festival where he began to become serious about this art
form called Jazz. His interest grew, and he involved himself in
the high school with Jazz Band, Concert Band, and Jazz Choir.
He seeked knowledge from the likes of Brad Turner, Campbell Ryga,
and Chad Makela. He would often go to concerts and tape them,
then going home to transcribe each and every note the next day.
Not only was he active in music, but his grades were also becoming
more noticeable as he was on the "A" honor role every
year he was in school. And his activity in sports became more
competitive and disciplined. In his grade twelve year, he received
the "Rising Star of Canada" award at Musicfest Canada,
and also that year he was voted by Jazz Report Magazine as the
"Most Outstanding High School Musician in Canada". Not
only was he recognized for music, but he also received Valedictorian
of Aldergrove Secondary School. His options were open, as many
schools offered Tyler a chance to pursue music, academics, and
sports, including place like the University of North Texas, Berklee
College of Music, University of Idaho, and even the University
of British Columbia, who offered him a $10,000 scholarship to
study the sciences. Even though all these options were open, his
love was music, and he went to the University of North Texas.
Tyler played with the grammy nominated Two'o'clock lab band in
his freshman year, and recorded his first album under Klavier
Records with the Two'o'clock. The next semester, Tyler was invited
to sing for the Jazz Singers, where he also finished a new album
that will be out shortly. While playing with the Two'o'clock and
singing with the Jazz Singers, he was able to lead his own group,
under his own record label (Maxwell Records), Trinity. This group
has recorded it's debut album on which Tyler plays, sings and
writes his own music. Not only did they finish this album, but
they are in demand for others, just recently doing a record for
NohJoh Music called "Freedom and Jealousy" with Paul
Tynan, a New York trumpeter. Tyler has played with people such
as Gary Burton, Lynn Seaton, Pat LaBarbera, Dan Haerle, Brad Turner,
Russ Ferrante, and Neil Slater. He hopes to spread his love of
music to more people, and continue to play and write for future
projects.
