Harry Boon

BOON – Harry May 1919 – Dec 2006. Harry, a resident of West Vancouver, was predeceased by his loving wife Ethel in 2003 and is survived by his daughter Cheryl Boon and her husband Phil van Mossel of Ottawa and children Nicholas and Nathan, and by his son Dennis and wife Joyce of Kelowna and children Kristen, Kyle and Adrienne. Harry was born in Penticton where he studied music, earning his ATCM degree from the Toronto Conservatory of Music. His musical career in Edmonton began at the Trocadero Ballroom. He was heard regularly on CJCA radio, which in those days aired live music, and in 1948 Harry became music director and then program director for CJCA. He was an important part of the Edmonton music scene, his excellent arranging skills and ability to extract the best from his sidemen made him the first-call pianist and bandleader at the Trocadero, the Royal Glenora, and Glengarry clubs. He had his own show on CBC television for 10 years. The city of Edmonton hired him to produce a Klondike Show for Expo ’67 in Montreal, and he also accompanied many star performers such as the Mills Brothers, the Ink Spots, Tom Jones, Patti Page and Rosemary Clooney. In 1974, he and Ethel moved to Victoria where he was program director at CJVI, the orchestra leader for the summer programs at Butchart Gardens, and a regular at the Empress Hotel. In 1979 they moved to Vancouver where he was program manager for CJAZ-FM as well as playing with his own six piece dance orchestra at major hotels in Vancouver, and as the featured pianist with Dal Richards, Mart Kenny, Lance Harrison and Bobby Hales. A celebration of his life was held Saturday, April 7th at the Boal Chapel, 1505 Lillooet Rd, North Vancouver. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be sent to the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society 316 W 6 Ave Vancouver BC V5Y 1K9.

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