In the middle of March, Winnipeg welcomes pianist Spike Wilner to headline the Izzy Asper Jazz Performances series. His prowess at the piano is highly respected in the jazz world. Whether it’s stride piano from the 1920s, the exhilarating and highly impressive bebop style from the 40s, or the more burning hard-bop style from the […]

What can I say about my good friend, Aaron Diehl? Well…I could mention that he’s been the recipient of numerous awards including the 2013 Jazz Journalists Association Award for Up-And-Coming Artist, the 2012 Prix du jazz Classique recipient for one of his first albums Live at the Players Club, and the 2011 Cole Porter Fellowship […]

There are many great drummers in the world but few great musicians who just happen to be drummers. Otis Brown III is one of those few drummers who is truly a wonderful musician. Raised by musical parents, Otis grew up playing many different styles of music including gospel, jazz, funk and rhythm and blues. His […]

When most people think of the violin, they think of a solo instrument in a concerto, or a lead in a small ensemble, or a whole section of ten or twenty violinists playing in perfect synchronicity in an orchestral setting. Other styles that often include violin—or fiddle, as it’s more likely to be called—are zydeco, […]

The club is dark, cramped and smoky, and other than the music radiating from the bandstand, silence is the only thing that can be heard. It’s so quiet, you might wonder whether the audience is enjoying themselves. But immediately following the last note of the set, they jump up and break into a roar of […]