Canadian jazz pianist Wray Downes dies at 89
The pianist and educator Wray Downes, considered an “elder jazz statesman” of Canada, has died. He was 89. “Wray was a powerhouse,...
Blue Note to release lost Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers album Just Coolin’
The year 1959 is well-known in jazz. Miles Davis and Kind of Blue. Dave Brubeck and Time Out. John Coltrane and Giant Steps. Charles Mingus and Mingus Ah Um. These...
Tierney Sutton on music: ‘Look for the thing that’s moving you’
It’s hard to determine which part of Tierney Sutton’s career is the most admirable: her celebrated recordings, her multiple Grammy nominations, her...
How jazz musicians are coping with COVID-19
Despite her concerts being cancelled, Cécile McLorin Salvant decided to play anyway — to an empty room. With people across the globe...
Juno Awards cancelled amid concerns over coronavirus
The Juno Awards in Saskatoon this weekend have been cancelled as the global spread of the novel coronavirus causes increasing concerns over...
See the 2020 lineup for the TD Toronto Jazz Festival
Motown legend Smokey Robinson and the enduringly influential David Crosby are among the headliners for the 34th edition of the TD Toronto...
For Jeff “Tain” Watts, it’s all about the purity in music
Sometimes all you have to do is mention a nickname, and others will know exactly who you’re talking about — starting with...
Behind the creative process of McCoy Tyner
Our listening experiences are teaching moments, especially when you are a 16-year-old finding your way around an instrument. I’m thinking back to...
Iconic jazz pianist McCoy Tyner dies at 81
McCoy Tyner, the legendary pianist who first came to prominence with John Coltrane’s quartet in the 1960s, has died. He was 81....
Hugh’s Room Live is looking for a new home
Toronto’s beloved Hugh’s Room Live will be leaving its current location at the end of the month, the music venue’s board of...
Ernesto Cervini trio Tetrahedron releases debut album with Nir Felder
You’re probably familiar with Ernesto Cervini’s name, whether we’re talking about Turboprop, Myriad3 or TuneTown. And there’s even more from the dynamic,...
Kat Edmonson dares to dream with whimsical new record Dreamers Do
Vocalist Kat Edmonson wants to dream and to explore the process of dreaming. So, cue her new recording Dreamers Do, the fifth...
With Verve debut Warna, Joey Alexander proves he’s the real deal
What does it feel like to have the world tell you you’re a one-of-a-kind musical wonder at the age of 11? For...
Jazz Sabbath to release ‘long-lost’ album
In 1968 in Birmingham, U.K., Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, Geezer Butler and Ozzy Osbourne formed the band that would become internationally known...
In Toronto, Archie Alleyne worked to lift up black Canadian jazz musicians
This archival interview is from Bill King’s upcoming book of interviews, Talk! Conversations in All Keys. In June of 2015, my good...
Nina Simone album Fodder on My Wings gets long-awaited reissue
One of Nine Simone’s favourite but most obscure albums will finally be reissued this spring after being only sporadically available since its...
Terri Lyne Carrington to give showcase at Humber College
Grammy-winning drummer, composer, vocalist and producer Terri Lyne Carrington is joining students at Humber College for an artist-in-residence showcase next month. Carrington...
James Hill of Local Talent plumbs the depths of creativity
Pianist and composer James Hill is hard to put into a musical box. He’s an artist who’s always moving and reinventing. In...
Family of jazz drummer Jimmy Cobb raising funds for medical treatment
The daughter of Jimmy Cobb has launched an online fundraiser to help her father with medical issues that have caused physical and...
In photos: Jaymz Bee hosts another extravaganza of vocal jazz
Jaymz Bee brought another stellar lineup of singers to Lula Lounge in Toronto last week for another edition of the most renowned...
Lyle Mays, co-founder of Pat Metheny Group, dies at 66
Lyle Mays, the Grammy-winning jazz keyboardist best known for his work with the Pat Metheny Group, has died. He was 66. Born...
How Kirk Douglas captured the struggles of a jazz musician
This month saw the passing, at the astonishing age of 103, of the last of the iconic actors of Hollywood’s Golden Age....
Jazz singer Jane Monheit lets life guide her voice
Over the last 20 years, Grammy-nominated vocalist Jane Monheit has been one of jazz music’s great singers. Lush and nimble with an...