Lucas Haneman Biography

   Playing guitar since age 6 and currently enrolled in the Jazz studies program at Montreal’s Concordia University, Lucas Haneman is a          soulful and expressive national award winning musician with a broad expansive reputation.

   Now working with his own Jazz Trio and Quintet, as well as a long standing duo and band project with vocalist Elyssa Mahoney,            Haneman has composed and played in many different projects from his past work with the alternative band Eppiphane, to The Nepean All City Jazz band, to other national Jazz bands and much more.  

   Haneman has studied under the direction of many mentors including the innovative renowned Ottawa guitarist Wayne Eagles, with       whom he worked with from age 9 until age 19, as well as legendary composer and performer Roddy Ellias, with whom he has studied for the past 3 years at Concordia.

   Being a young musician in great demand Lucas has performed in many different styles and venues in the Montreal, Ottawa  and

Toronto areas, including such festivals as The Ottawa Jazz festival, The Montreal Jazz Festival, Ottawa Blues fest, the Limestone Blues festival in Kingston, The Festival of the Islands in Gananoque, and the South Side Shuffle Blues and Jazz festival in Port Credit. 

   Lucas has been the fortunate recipient of many awards and scholarships including; Robert D. Ball Memorial scholarship 2009, Garnet Menger Award 2009, Oscar Peterson award/scholarship for jazz performance at Concordia University, 2008,Ontario Independent Music Award (Best Blues Song) for “How to Dance” co-written and recorded with Elyssa Mahoney, 2008, 2nd place winner in jazz & people’s choice award winner at the Montreal Guitar Grand Prix, 2007, as well as finger style award winner in 2007 and 2009, Domenic Troiano Guitar Scholarship, 2006, CBC Galaxie “Rising Star” award and scholarship. Ottawa International Jazz festival, 2005, Best overall performance from Canadian Galaxy Jazz Youth All-Stars 2005 and top soloist at The Halifax Band festival 2005.

   Lucas has also had the opportunity to open and perform with such music legends as guitarist Jeff Healey, trombonist Curtis Fuller, saxophonist David (Fat Head) Newman, delta blues harmonica player James Cotton, as well as many Canadian greats.

   Discography includes:

Pull Me In (Produced by Ken Friesen, recorded with Elyssa Mahoney, and released

June 2008).

New Beginning (self produced album of jazz trio, acoustic guitar and other instruments, released 2007).

You Won’t Be Judged (produced by Peter Gilroy, recorded with Eppiphane, released 2005).

  Encouraging Quotes:

 “He’s got so much talent he makes me sick” , jokes Roddy Ellias  Guitarist, teacher, and mentor Article by Doug Fischer Ottawa Citizen (January 14/09). 

  “Haneman, a guitarist with an almost frighteningly broad stylistic reach and tone that ranged from clean and warm to distorted and aggressive”.  .... John Kelman, All about Jazz Magazine, (July 12/05), Review of Ottawa International Jazz Festival

  “Every once in a while there comes an exciting player in town (Ottawa) who you think is a young Charlie Parker or Miles Davis, or at least has that potential.  Lucas is one of those guys, he’s simply amazing.” Rob Frayne, jazz saxophonist and music instructor at Carleton University. Article by Shelley Page, Ottawa Citizen (June 26 /05).