One of Canada’s most popular entertainers for half a century, Morris “Moe” Koffman began his career in the 1940s as a saxophonist with dance bands in Toronto and New York. In 1955 he returned to Toronto to form the Moe Koffman Quartet to play clubs and concert halls, where they were in great demand. On the suggestion of a friend, they recorded a demo tape which landed them a deal with Jubilee Records. Their first record for Jubilee in 1957 was to begin with an original by Koffman called “Blues à la Canadiana” but was changed during the recording session to “Swinging Shepherd Blues”. This recording on flute was an international hit and helped popularize the instrument in jazz. In 1998 it was given the BMI award for over 1 million performances logged, and remains one of the few Canadian jazz tunes most Canadians can identify. Moe Koffman went on to become a mainstay of Canadian jazz and blues for another four decades.


Clip courtesy CBC television, EMI Music and the American Federation of Musicians
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