International performer, drummer, composer, record producer, educator and multi-award winning Barry Elmes has been a mainstay of the Canadian jazz scene since the early 1980's. His work has been documented on over fifty jazz CDs and he has performed and/or recorded with many renowned jazz artists including: Tommy Flanagan, Charlie Haden, Hank Crawford, Diana Krall, Joe Henderson, John Abercrombie, Oliver Jones, Dizzy Gillespie and the Moe Koffman Quintet.

In 1991 he formed the Barry Elmes Quintet, featuring a "who’s who" of the best in Canadian jazz. A success from the beginning, this group has released four notable recordings, the first of which, the critically acclaimed Climbing, featured Barry's own compositions and received a Juno nomination for Best Jazz Recording. The most recent CD "The Five Minute Warning" received an Indie Award nomination for Best Jazz Recording 2001. The Barry Elmes Quintet won Acoustic Jazz Group of the Year at the 2002 National Jazz Awards.

Barry has performed all over the world. He represented Canada at the 1992 Venezuela International Jazz Festival with the quartet Time Warp. In 1994 he was featured with the Oliver Jones Trio on the Governor-General's Tour of China, Japan and Korea. In 1996 he performed in Brazil and toured South Africa with the Canadian Jazz Giants. In April 2000, Barry’s quintet completed a groundbreaking tour of Chile. In the Fall of 2001 the quintet celebrated its tenth anniversary with a Canadian tour.

Recent projects include producing recordings for a variety of artists, recording and touring with jazz power trio D.E.W. East (Alex Dean, Barry Elmes, Steve Wallace), continuing to co-lead Time Warp, and presiding over Cornerstone Records Inc. In addition, Barry is Chair of the Music Department at York University, and is sought after for clinics and workshops.

Awards
2002 National Jazz Awards: Acoustic Jazz Group of the Year (Barry Elmes Quintet)
2000 Jazz Report Award: Drummer of the Year
1999 Jazz Report Award: Acoustic Jazz Group of the Year (Barry Elmes Quintet)
1998 Jazz Report Award: Drummer of the Year
1996 Jazz Report Award: Drummer of the Year
1995 Jazz Report Award: Drummer of the Year
1994 Jazz Report Award: Jazz Musician of the Year
1994 Jazz Report Award: Drummer of the Year
1993 Jazz Report Award: Jazz Musician of the Year