Andrew Stewart Project

  • June 25, 2023
  • 10:00 pm
  • The Pilot

Hosting the official Festival Late Night Jam

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Born in Toronto to Jamaican immigrants, Andrew Stewart has become an integral part of Canada’s emerging new school jazz and world music scenes. Andrew was introduced to soulful gospel music and the melodic, exciting rhythms of the Caribbean through his father/Haltons’ guitarist Winston Stewart. Taking cues from the likes of Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten, Andrew views the bass guitar as a solo instrument. This gifted player’s versatility has opened up opportunities to record and perform with a wide variety of musical artists - he has worked with, among others, Salome Bey, Melba Moore, Chaka Khan, Liberty Silver, Johnny Reid, David Francey, Blackburn, Shakura S’aida, David Rudder, Natalie MacMaster, Donnell Leahy, Levon Ichkhanian, Pee Wee Ellis, Clive Zanda, Eddie Bullen, Bruce Skerritt, and reggae music pioneer Ernest Ranglin. Andrew’s is a sound that reimagines the Caribbean Jazz tradition through a North American urban sensibility. This sound is generated through the beautiful handmade custom bass guitars that Andrew himself crafts (Stew Art Musical Instruments).

In the mid 1990’s while still a high school student, Andrew discovered his passion for woodworking. It was during those formidable teenage years where Andrew taught himself to make bass guitars with limited tools and resources. By the early 2000s Andrew established his brand “Stew Art Musical Instruments” and quickly became recognized for his jaw dropping bass designs as well as his impressive music chops. All Stew Art basses are hand made from the highest quality wood available. An extensive choice of beautiful exotic burls, quilted and spalted woods are also available on request.