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"Canadian guitarist Bill Coon has teamed up with guitarist Ron Peters in their latest release, entitled No Boundaries. The majority of the album is a guitar duet with bassist Jodi Proznick playing on a few tracks. Bill Coon is one of Canada's great treasures, a master improviser on the guitar, currently living in Vancouver, BC., He is a Juno nominated guitarist/arranger/composer who has performed with many of the great musicians of our time, including Chuck Israels, Jimmy Heath, and Dr. Lonnie Smith. Ron Peters is also a great jazz guitarist and currently lives south of the Canadian border in Washington State. In addition to working in the internationally acclaimed Seattle- based Gypsy group Pearl Django, Peters has performed with the Manhattan Transfer, and the Don Ellis Group, among others.

     No Boundaries imparts a feeling of intimacy by playing music within the context of duo and trio settings. Their ability to listen to one another is obvious from the fist few seconds of the CD with their rendition of the standard There is No Greater Love. The song starts off with a contrapuntal weaving of guitar lines through the harmonic progression of the song for one chorus before the melody is started. Both guitarists are able to communicate musically with the other, feeding off one another's ideas, and playing with unrestrained imagination. This is reminiscent of the beautiful interaction created on the Bill Evans/Jim Hall duo albums recorded in the 1960's. This level of intimacy and creativity continues throughout the album.

     The music on the CD features a wide variety of styles of music, featuring straight -ahead swing songs, ballads, Brazilian music, blues, and original compositions. The CD features a great selection of standards including Footprints, Bernie's Tune, Stairway To The Stars, Yesterdays, Emily, and How Insensitive. The solos created by Coon and Peters on this album are sensitive and melodic. The record concludes with a composition that pays tribute to Jim Hall, titled Mr. Hall. It is obvious that both of these talented guitarists are heavily influenced by Hall's melodic, playful, and compositional approach to improvisation. No Boundaries is a delight to listen to."

Brandon Bernstein Just Jazz Guitar 

"This latest release (Two Much Guitar)  features veteran guitarists Bill Coon and Oliver Gannon in friendly conversation going through an enjoyable set of originals and bop standards. It’s audibly easy to tell the two apart, as Gannon’s tone is akin to Wes Montgomery’s, which is a pleasant contrast to Coon’s lighter Jim Hall sound. Together, the mix it up with drummer Dave Robbins and bassist Darren Radtke through a set of medium tempo jaunts quite eloquently. “Chi Chi”, in particular is a wonderful display of the two guitarists complementing each other at a boppish clip. Even more distinguishing are their ballads in duet form. “Polka Dots” and “Darn that Dream” are charming in their delicacy, and Tadd Dameron’s “If You Could See Me Now” is achingly sweet. If you can’t make it up to Canada, save the gas money and invest in this fine 12 string special.                   JAZZWEEKLY.COM

"Bill Coon & Oliver Gannon Two Much Guitar (Cellar Live) This live, eight-tune set from these two Vancouver-based guitarists—which includes Bird’s “Chi Chi” and Kern’s “All the Things You Are”—is well worth adding to your collection."                Len Dobbin (the Montreal Mirror)

Bill Coon & Oliver Gannon: Two Much Guitar in Vancouver
"Unlike a string quartet with two violins, the double guitar quartet in jazz is less common but a similar opportunity to enjoy two voices that complement rather than compete with each other. Bill Coon and Oliver Gannon are two of Canada s most popular guitarists, straight-ahead partners in a duo that is reminiscent of the great pairing of Herb Ellis and Barney Kessel. Crowned king of Canadian guitarists, Gannon has a number of recordings to his credit including a 1998 Juno Award for a duo recording with the late Fraser McPherson and Live @ The Cellar (2002); he was named Canadian Guitarist of the Year in 2002. Bill Coon has studied with Jim Hall and was a long-time member of the Andre White Band in Montreal. After moving to Vancouver in 1995, Coon worked extensively with Denzal Sinclaire. He s also previously recorded live at The Cellar with his trio, including Darren Radtke and Dave Robbins (Speakeasy, 2002).

Two Much Guitar is anything but backed by Coon s previous partners Darren Radtke on bass and Dave Robbins on drums for five of the nine tracks, this live recording from the Cellar Live label (taped at Vancouver s Cellar in fall 2005) brings a modern swing to standards and jazz classics, along with an original composition from each of the guitarists. The minimal electronics creates the sound of a true acoustic ensemble, and in fact three tracks are simply duets among Coon and Gannon. The cover tunes are contemporary yet timeless renditions of familiar fare, the double guitar ensemble giving them a new twist and plenty of propulsion. Often Coon and Gannon trade solos as if two horns, one taking the lead and the other dropping back in a comping role. Chi Chi (Charlie Parker) is a very swinging tune with well placed chord fills. The alternating round and sharp lines of the two guitars bring energy to the well-trod Kern standard, All the Things You Are, the nine-plus minute track allowing all to stretch out. The harmonies of the two guitars lift this above the usual rendition as they get into a near- echoing duet enhanced by the additional bassline and a grainy solo from Radtke. Robbins is subtle but ever-present; and the track concludes in a lovely dual-guitar counterpoint. On Have You Met Miss Jones, the Rogers and Hart classic receives a swinging quartet effort with some fleet fingering runs that pop and crackle and fine interplay among bass and drums."   Contributed by Andrea Canter, Contributing Editor website: jazzpolice.com   

“...he’s clearly from the less-is-more school of jazz performers, never settling for an easy spray of notes when a well-chosen handful will do.”

“...one of Vancouver’s first call guitarists, and a real asset on the local scene.”  

Alexander Varty The Georgia Straight