Tony Marriott

Having grown up in Toronto, Tony Marriott launched his path as an independent singer and songwriter while still quite young, drawing from classic British rock records alongside traditional jazz. Early on, the budding guitarist frequently joined garage rock ensembles, yet his abilities advanced rapidly enough to land him professional work in Vancouver by age 16. During what he called his “jazz phase,” he enrolled at the Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles, where he shared living quarters with Jeff Buckley. The encounter with Buckley, both as an artist and an individual, reshaped his entire approach to music-making. After two additional years of study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, he established himself as a working musician throughout Southern California. While in the San Francisco area he performed alongside several prominent jazz players and also appeared with various alternative bands and improv ensembles. His songwriting output increased, and after returning to Vancouver in 1997 he composed and tracked his debut album, Looking For Dorian, issued in 1999. An artist who balances guitar and vocals with equal weight, he earned considerable notice from the independent press, which in turn sustained live opportunities over the following years. By 2002 he had completed another recording, releasing The Bad Machine that summer.