As I write, I’m listening to a hard-swingin’ recording of the great pianist, Mr Oliver Jones. I heard him play years ago in Toronto at the now-closed Montreal Bistro Jazz Club, and I can’t wait to re-live the swing here at the TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival! The wonderful Oliver Theophilus Jones was born in […]

Winnipeg’s good musical fortune continues in March when the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra hosts one of Canada’s foremost jazz musicians, jazz trumpet player Brad Turner. Brad has shared the bandstand or recorded with the musical likes of Joe Lovano, Kenny Wheeler, John Scofield, Michael Moore, Renee Rosnes, Jimmy Greene, Ingrid Jensen, Dylan van der Schyff, Mike […]

One of my favourite piano players is the brilliant jazz pianist, Benny Green. If you haven’t checked out Mr Green, go listen to him. Wait—maybe read this first! Born in 1963 in New York City, Benny Green grew up in Berkeley, California where he started taking piano lessons at seven years old. He moved back […]