The Manhattan Transfer celebrate 50 years together
Back in 1969 when Tim Hauser first had the idea for a vocal group that could perform jazz, blues, swing, a cappella,...
Vocalist Melissa Stylianou is living in the moment on new album Dream Dancing
Several years ago, I met a young vocalist from Toronto who was pursuing a concentration in vocal jazz. From the moment I...
Kurt Elling on SuperBlue, his favourite moments and more
Renowned for his singular combination of robust swing and poetic insight, two-time Grammy winner Kurt Elling has secured his place among the...
Micah Barnes on signing with Alma Records, working in TV and more
Micah Barnes has been entertaining us for decades. He began in the cabarets and jazz clubs of Toronto before he joined the...
Kahil El’Zabar on his love of John Coltrane
Multi-percussionist Kahil El’Zabar has been at the forefront of the spiritual, avant-garde jazz scene since the 1970s. Throughout his career, he’s performed...
Joy Lapps and Larnell Lewis on the nature of rhythm
For Joy Lapps and Larnell Lewis, rhythm is a way of life. Lapps is a steelpannist, composer and educator who recently released...
Latin jazz star Dafnis Prieto on his creative process and new album Cantar
For nearly 30 years, Dafnis Prieto’s revolutionary drumming techniques and compositions have been making a powerful impact on jazz and Latin music...
Bobby Rush looks back on 50 years of Chicken Heads
Bobby Rush has been making records for nearly 70 years and has more than 400 recordings, 75 career releases, and now 27...
Ghost-Note are making their most honest music yet
I’ve you’ve heard the music of Ghost-Note, you’ll know how great they are at fusing jazz with funk, hip-hop and other styles....
What would soul guitar be without Steve Cropper?
If Chuck Berry forever defined the sound of rock ‘n’ roll with his guitar and Chet Atkins did the same for country,...
Pat Metheny keeps delving further into the music: ‘How deep can I go?’
Pat Metheny has been sharing his artistry with us for almost 50 years. A 20-time Grammy winner in 10 different categories and...
Jamison Ross on becoming a better musician — and a better man
Jamison Ross is an incredibly talented vocalist, drummer, composer and producer. Over the past decade, he’s been charting his own path by...
Bebel Gilberto talks latest album Agora and her enchanting life in music
World-renowned singer-songwriter Bebel Gilberto has been enchanting fans and critics since 1986. The multiple Grammy-nominated artist catapulted onto the global music scene...
Cory Henry on the timeless messages of music
Cory Henry is a Grammy Award-winning composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and all-around keyboard master. Henry began touring in 2006, when he was 19...
How Ranee Lee was inspired by Snarky Puppy to put a jazz spin on Céline Dion
Ranee Lee isn’t exactly an artist you’d describe as predictable. Lee has always stretched the creative boundaries of her artistry, experimenting in...
Saxophonist Jesse Ryan shares moving new single The Night Before She Passed
Jesse Ryan is a saxophonist, composer and educator who has a keen interest in the links between jazz and Afro-Caribbean musical traditions....
For Jay Douglas, there ain’t nothin’ without the blues
Jay Douglas was first bitten by the performance bug when he was a child in Jamaica. It was there in Montego Bay...
How reggae legend Shaggy teamed with Sting to sing the Frank Sinatra songbook
Following the Grammy Award for their collaborative album 44/876, Sting and Shaggy have joined forces again for Come Fly Wid Mi. This new...
With their latest album, Monkey House are grooving through the end times
Toronto jazz group Monkey House are getting ready to release their new album Remember the Audio. It’s the followup to their Juno-winning...
Jocelyn Gould talks new album Golden Hour and jazz guitar: ‘I’m always trying to sing on the instrument’
Juno-winning guitarist, vocalist and composer Jocelyn Gould is getting ready to release her second album Golden Hour. The new recording marks the...
Smokey Robinson on his early days, Motown years and musical gifts
Smokey Robinson is a man whose work is synonymous with love — undying love, unrequited love, passionate love. His name is also...
Luis Deniz talks musical influences, Cuban roots and debut album El Tinajón
Grammy-nominated and Juno-winning saxophonist Luis Deniz has just released his debut album El Tinajón. Born and raised in Camaguey, Cuba and arriving in...
Filmmaker Martin Shore talks new documentary Take Me to the River: New Orleans
Filmmaker Martin Shore explored the music of the Big Easy for the spirited followup to his 2014 documentary Take Me to the River....