Here are 20 of our favourite Canadian jazz songs
Canada sure has done a pretty great job at this whole jazz thing. While the origins of jazz are to be found...
David Steinmetz brings a jazz drummer’s touch to Canada’s rising pop stars
David Steinmetz was still finishing up his last semester of jazz studies at Humber College when he was offered what you might...
More than just a great singer, Al Jarreau was a vessel of pure emotion
The Artistry of… Al Jarreau Great singers are great storytellers. Al Jarreau was an anomaly — truly a human musical instrument. His...
Getz at the Gate gives a glimpse of a critical moment in Stan Getz’s career
In 1956, tax problems compelled Stan Getz to move to Denmark. He wasn’t alone when it came to sizable tax bills and...
Ian McDougall is one of Canada’s greatest jazz ambassadors
The Artistry of… Ian McDougall Canada is home to some of the best trombone players in the world. Names like William Carn,...
Pride playlist: 14 classic songs that connect jazz and the LGBTQ experience
It has been more than 50 years since the riots at the Stonewall Inn in the West Village area of Manhattan beginning...
Judy Wexler takes a fresh approach to song selection with Crowded Heart
A large percentage of singers today have wonderful voices. But not all choose the best material. Too many pick tired songbook standards...
What is ‘retro’? For Tia Brazda, it’s about bringing the past into the present
The Artistry of… Tia Brazda What does it really mean when you can be described as having a retro style? I figure...
The essential Dr. John: 10 songs you need to know
Dr. John was that incredibly cool uncle you couldn’t wait to see at Christmas. You wanted to sit beside him and hear...
Five essential videos of Bobby Hutcherson, one of jazz’s finest vibraphonists
Bobby Hutcherson was one of the finest vibraphonists of the 1960s. His Blue Note albums remain an adventure in modal jazz and...
Blossom Dearie’s tiny voice reached around the world
The Artistry of… Blossom Dearie “She has a tiny voice,” said Whitney Balliett in The New Yorker. “Without a microphone it wouldn’t...
Why big bands will never die
Glen Woodcock is the host of The Big Band Show on jazz.fm91. Back in 1963, Duke Ellington recorded an album titled Will...
Five great jazz takes on West Side Story, a musical score like no other
I have the West Side Story score at home, and there are days when I’ll sit at the piano and slowly dig my...
With his staggering musical output, David Hazeltine takes us on countless adventures
The Artistry of… David Hazeltine He’s a modern-day jazz piano artist. His is an artistry built on a set of combined components...
Rare interview with Bill Evans recounts the story of Miles Davis and Kind of Blue
Bill King is a jazz columnist and co-host of Soul Nation on jazz.fm91. This piece was originally published by FYIMusicNews. It was through a cover...
6 young guitarists who reveal Jim Hall’s lasting influence
Guitarist Jim Hall had a way with notes. His improvisational style often involved taking a song apart and reassembling it in jagged...
With his music, Brad Mehldau stops you in time and takes a gentle hold
The Artistry of… Brad Mehldau He has performed as a trio-format player for many years. And although he’s at the piano as...
How Ray Charles became such an unforgettable icon
Bill King is a jazz columnist and co-host of Soul Nation on jazz.fm91. This column was originally published by FYIMusicNews. During the...
José James is at the forefront in jazz’s evolution
The Artistry of… José James Jose James’s centennial tribute album to Billie Holiday in 2015, Yesterday I Had the Blues, has been...
How bebop became big business in 1949
Bebop began to emerge in 1945, when Dizzy Gillespie recorded Be-Bop (also known as Dizzy’s Fingers) and Groovin’ High. The jazz press didn’t start using the...
Oliver Jones is a Canadian cultural and jazz treasure
He is one of the city of Montreal’s favourite sons. He is a Canadian cultural and jazz treasure. There were a few...
Curtis Fuller is a father of the trombone’s jazz odyssey
The Artistry of… Curtis Fuller Over the years I’ve had friends and met many players who were trombonists. It’s an instrument I...
In 1958, John Coltrane broke away from the pack
John Coltrane in 1958 was unnerving. If you were a tenor saxophonist back then, Coltrane’s playing in clubs and on albums must...