Tara Kannangara and the ‘beautiful energy’ between artist and audience
Brad Barker is JAZZ.FM91’s music director and host of Afternoon Drive. With a sound that melds jazz, synth-pop, electronic, musical theatre and whatever else, Tara...
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...
Two dozen singers come together for a superb night of vocal jazz at Lula Lounge
Last month, Jaymz Bee returned to host the most renowned vocal showcase in Canada — and what a show it was. Two...
Barbra Lica brings her ‘outlaw jazz’ to an intimate live audience
It’s always a good time when Barbra Lica comes around the JAZZ.FM91 studios. After an incredible performance at JAZZ LIVES, we had...
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...
In memory of Dr. John: An archival interview with the New Orleans music legend
Bill King is a jazz columnist and co-host of Soul Nation on JAZZ.FM91. Born in New Orleans in 1940 as Malcolm John Rebennack, Dr....
JV’s Boogaloo Squad puts on a funky, groovy live show
There’s a new generation of exciting acts in Toronto’s thriving jazz scene, and JV’s Boogaloo Squad is among the leaders of the...
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...
‘My identity is a fusion’: How Vernon Reid found his sound
Brad Barker is the music director and host of Afternoon Drive at JAZZ.FM91. Vernon Reid is one of the great guitarists of his generation. From...
11 jazz nicknames and the history behind them
For jazz artists, being given a nickname is virtually a rite of passage. We know the obvious ones. Louis Armstrong was called...
Kenny Garrett is taking jazz audiences on a journey that never ends
Kenny Garrett has quite the resumé. From his beginnings with the Duke Ellington Orchestra and Miles Davis up until today, the Grammy...
Meet the four new NEA Jazz Masters who will be honoured in 2020
Seasoned musicians Bobby McFerrin, Roscoe Mitchell and Reggie Workman along with broadcaster and advocate Dorthaan Kirk have received the United States’ highest...
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...
10 perfect jazz tunes for the long weekend
Another day added to your weekend means one more day of relaxing with some great jazz — and we’ve got you covered....
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...
Bloor Street closing down for TD Toronto Jazz Festival’s opening weekend
Canadian rapper Shad, gospel singer Shirley Caesar and the legendary Downchild Blues Band with special guest Dan Aykroyd are headlining the TD...
Remembering Doris Day, the last great vocalist of the big band years
Doris Day, one of the most acclaimed singers of the 20th century and an icon of 1950s and ’60s cinema, has died....
Aretha Franklin, Count Basie and more inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame
The Blues Hall of Fame just added several legends to its ranks. Aretha Franklin, Count Basie and Booker T. & the M.G.’s...
Why the genius of jazz guitarist Lenny Breau needs to be remembered
If you’re a guitar enthusiast and you don’t know about Lenny Breau, you should learn about him. Why? Because he’s one of...
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...