I think hearing is a most difficult art form, and that’s largely because listening is a most difficult task. Ironically both functions are among the most essential aspects of social interaction. The toughest part about listening for me is hearing an external voice through a cacophony of internal voices. Whether I’m in a classroom or […]

I met Vincent Gardner in the 90s, and we played here and there on gigs and at jam sessions. I knew even then that he was unique—this bona fide world class jazz trombonist, a guy who had played with Count Basie and the Duke Ellington Band, was suddenly off touring with Grammy-winning hip hop artist, […]

Those of you who attended bassist Omer Avital’s 2013 performance at the Tarbut festival in Winnipeg will understand when I say that, hands down, my most disappointing music-related moment of this year was leaving New York City on the same evening that Omer Avital was at the Jazz Standard releasing his latest album, New Song. […]

One of the great joys about having a life in jazz is watching people you know and care about grow and make important contributions to this music. The Mike LeDonne Quartet, this year’s season opener of the Izzy Asper Jazz Performances, is a convergence of four musicians whose paths have connected with mine over the […]

We’re breaking with tradition here and putting the spotlight on a made-in-Winnipeg group rather than an individual artist. The Dirty Catfish Brass Band has been adding some spark to the local scene for the past three or four years, popping up on street corners and football fields (as well as festivals and concerts) and sharing […]

What is a masterclass? The Desautels Faculty of Music at the U of M has been hosting Masters of Jazz Masterclasses for the past few years. The idea is to grab some of the world-renowned artists performing here and give them a chance to share some of their experiences, their artistic concepts, their routines, and […]

Over the past couple of months, Steve Kirby’s Jazz on Wheels band entertained throngs of summer learning kids at the Sinclair Park Community Centre, and families soaking up the sun at a block party at Jacob Penner Park. For almost a decade now, Jazz on Wheels has been providing the sound track for summer in […]

New York-based Jonathan Kreisberg has carved out a place for himself in jazz guitar royalty, both as a leader and as an irreplaceable fixture in Dr Lonnie Smith’s working trio. (Lonnie Smith knows something about picking guitar players: he played on George Benson’s first two records…) Not only does Kreisberg have virtuoso technique, but he […]

If you’re of a certain age, you might not know about the on-line multi-player video game, League of Legends. I don’t have much of a clue about it, but Google informs me that 27 million people played it daily last year. I’m sure that number is higher now. On a recent drive with my son, […]