The Leo Mol Sculpture Garden at Assiniboine Park is one of the cultural treasures in this city, an elaborate maze of blooms leading a walker through an outdoor gallery of sculptures by the incomparable Leo Mol. Born Leonid Molodozhanyn in 1915 in present-day Ukraine, Mol studied sculpture in Leningrad, was deported to Germany during the […]

There are a few things that I believe very strongly: BBQ sauce isn’t an acceptable substitute for tomato sauce on pizza, stepping on a crack rarely breaks your mother’s back, and Christian McBride is an alien from a planet of omni-dimensional, hyper-swinging beings, who crash-landed on Earth about 40 years ago and is just keeping […]

With a voice that’s smooth like cherry wine and a personality bursting with charisma, Gregory Porter has been winning over the hearts of audiences across the globe. After high school, Porter injured his shoulder and was forced to give up a full football scholarship. His mother, one of his biggest influences, passed away shortly after […]

Mavis Staples has been rocking the blues and gospel scene since the early 1950s. In the early days, she performed with her family group, The Staple Singers, in local churches in the Chicago area. From the beginning, audiences were struck by the power and intent behind Staples’ voice. She always sounded more mature than her […]

Great musicians are surrounded by an air of mystery and respect. This perception can be daunting, especially to young high school musicians just starting to play their instruments. In this particular example, I’m talking about myself. When I first saw Jimmy Greene performing at the Jazz Festival a few years ago, he was a giant […]

Cinematheque, the spunky indie cinema just across from Old Market Square, is getting in on the jazz action during the TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival, offering a line-up of great films for jazz lovers. Mavis (2015) is a documentary about the soul legend and civil rights activist Mavis Staples, one of this year’s featured artists […]

Fans of Snarky Puppy will be excited to know that founder Michael League has kicked off a new project. Bokanté—which means “exchange” in Creole—is a gathering of eight dynamic musicians from several continents, all working at the top of their game. Two-time Grammy award-winning guitarists Michael League, Chris McQueen, and Bob Lanzetti, all from Snarky […]

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 […]

I think people may have forgotten what a chameleon Ray Charles was. He was an incredible singer, pianist, composer, arranger, and even an occasional saxophonist! He was also one of the first crossover artists, with hit recordings in jazz, blues, country, gospel, rock and roll, pop, and R&B. He had so many hits that you […]

On November 18, Winnipeggers packed the Park Theatre for Rent Party 7, a celebration of dig! magazine’s twelfth birthday! The lobby was alive with people getting their pictures taken, making strategic efforts to win prizes at the rainbow auction table, and enjoying music performed by Marc Tugby, Max Osawa, Chenoa McKelvey, and friends. This year, […]

Jazz Winnipeg is rolling out its tenth season of Nu Sounds, a lively series featuring Manitoba musicians venturing into new territory.  The season opens on Sunday, January 15, with a performance by guitarist, singer, and composer Marco Castillo. With countless performances in cafés and festivals, and a couple of CDs as a leader, Marco has […]

Last issue we shared some memories of Jazz Winnipeg’s long-time Executive Producer Paul Nolin. With this issue, we’re happy to introduce you to Michael Petkau Falk, the organization’s new Artistic Director. You might know Mike from his time fronting the popular Winnipeg indie band Les Jupes, or his period as Artistic Director of the West […]

One of the big concerts at this year’s Tarbut: Festival of Jewish Culture is David Buchbinder’s Odessa/Havana: Roots. Imagine Jewish folk music choosing Cuban jazz as a dance partner. The match is surprising but also somehow obvious when you hear it—the song forms, the energy, the mix of ache and joy… Odessa/Havana emerged from one […]

Many of you will know by now that Paul Nolin, the muscle behind Jazz Winnipeg for the last dozen years, has packed up his family and headed to Alberta where he has taken on the role of Senior Events Manager for Banff and Lake Louise Tourism. We wish you well, Paul! Moving forward, long-time Jazz […]

Singer Cyrille Aimée is taking over the jazz scene with her unique sounds, fresh ideas, exceptional precision, and incredible rhythm, and Winnipeggers are in for a treat when she returns to our city at the end of October. Born to a French father and a Dominican mother in the village of Samois-sur-Seine, France, Cyrille connected […]

When Jimmy Greene came to the University of Manitoba in 2009, a certain sound, a certain feel, a certain musical language came with him. It wasn’t here before he got here, and it left when he left a few years later. As his many fans in Winnipeg know, when Jimmy plays, he has a wonderful […]

The Summer Jazz Camp at the University of Manitoba is right around the corner, and this year we’re extra keen because the whole crew will be consolidated in Taché Hall, the brand new Desautels Faculty of Music building. The space is great, with easily accessible rehearsal and performances spaces. (Gone are the days when we […]

Concerts, recordings, and jam sessions are all important parts of the jazz culture, but to me the jam session is the truest representation of jazz. The pure spontaneity of the music is really brought to life at a jam session, where players will walk onto the bandstand without knowing what song they’ll be playing, who […]

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 […]

Amanda Tosoff is a BC-raised, Toronto-based pianist, composer, and bandleader. She has established herself in recent years as a rising star in the Canadian music scene, performing with such internationally-recognized artists as Phil Dwyer and Ingrid and Christine Jensen, and has opened for jazz legends including Bobby Hutcherson and Renee Rosnes. At the piano, Tosoff […]