History Charlie Biddle Trio

Charlie Biddle otherwise known as Charles Reed Biddle (July 28, 1926 – February 4, 2003) was a Canadian jazz bassist.

He was an important supporter and promoter of Jazz music in Montreal. He frequently organized outdoor festivals of local jazz musicians, particularly Jazz Chez Nous, a 3-day Jazz Festival in 1979 and another in 1983 which laid the foundation for the Montreal International Jazz Festival, now the world's largest jazz festival.

In 1981 he lent his name to a Jazz club in downtown Montreal on Aylmer Street (corner President Kennedy), which became known as Biddle's (now known as House of Jazz) and was featured in the Bruce Willis film The Whole Nine Yards. Biddle's club remained at the heart of jazz culture in Montreal during his lifetime. When performing at the club he would use the title, 'Biddle on the fiddle', and led trios at the club on a regular basis, along with pianists Oliver Jones, Wray Downes, and Jon Ballantyne. He played at the club weekly up until the last months before his death, on February 4, 2003, in his Montreal home surrounded by his family. He did not become a Canadian citizen until the year 2000.

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