Curtis Nowosad, how do I let myself be? | Interview
On emotions, healing, ADHD, fatherhood, Joey Landreth & Joanna Majoko, and pacing the tracklist with instrumentals & songs
Latest
Jessica Hawkes: Songwriter, Vocalist, Engineer, Nashville
From Winfield, BC, the vocalist, songwriter, and engineer has split her time between Vancouver, New York, and Nashville
Caity Gyorgy interview: Asking for Trouble & With Strings
One album came out in April, featuring Frank Loesser songs; and a different, much more massive project is on the way
Maybe Multiverse | Across Canada, Spring 2025
Jacob Do Octet, l'Oumigmag, Kelly Jefferson & Jon Cowherd, Laura Anglade, Sam Dickinson solo, Nicolas Ferron Trio
Musical first dates with chemistry | 10 Things, May 2025
Norma, Astoria, Kingsway Club, Infidels records, Bruno Mars with cymbals, and several pointers toward the coming jazzfest
Fresh Five | May 2025
Leizel "Last Words"; Shorties "17"; Mary Ancheta & Kimmortal "Minokawa"; David Hodgson "Purpose"; Jonny Tobin Smash Bros.
Julia Úlehla interview: Dálava, Understories album release
Dálava’s third album Understories with Aram Bajakian, Josh Zubot, & Peggy Lee is out now on Pi Recordings
Inlet Music Series 2025/26 preview
Directed by Bill Sample and Darlene Cooper, the 4th season in Port Moody starts Sep. 20 and brings vocal jazz and folk
Plan your jazzfest with me
A special print, one month in advance, of the June gig list from June 19 to July 1
Dean Thiessen: Composer, Piano, Stranger Friends Orchestra
Dean's large ensemble plays the Fox May 31 and will release a live EP on the Infidels Jazz label; he also plays the jazzfest
An interview with Steve Holt on the Jazz Impact Quintet
The veteran pianist on his new album and quintet, dropping “O Canada”, “The Cup Bearers”, Larry Coryell, and James Moody
Alvaro Rojas on covering a whole album track-by-track
The guitarist is in the Strange Worlds Trio, who play Tyrant tomorrow; together they recorded an entire Reid Anderson album
Canadian albums
"We're all accompanying each other": The Norma Winstone interview
"I've never felt like a leader. I've always felt as if I was cooperating with people." She plays the BlueShore May 10
Canadian albums
Heather Ferguson: Found
With mostly originals, the vocalist leads a strong cast of Vancouver Island jazz talent through shuffles and longings
10 Things
Opposite postures | 10 Things, April 2025
Grdina / Lillinger, Mariner, Collage Trad, cello, more school budget cut proposals, paid Instagram posts
Fresh Songs
Fresh Four | April 2025
Elisa Thorn "My Moon"; Steph Wall "Gusher"; SIESKI & Connor Roff "Untethered"; Teighan Couch "A Gal in Calico"
Canadian albums
Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra: Connections
The WJO often features Vancouver composers; their 8th album brings together Fred Stride with Quebec’s Jean-Nicolas Trottier
Podcast
Biboye Onanuga: "It's happening here, it's cool."
Biboye just played Monk at the VIFF Centre and an After Dark, billed as "Low and Slow". He'll return around jazzfest time
Vancouver albums
Ostara Project: Roots
Each artist brings at least one piece to the table, and she embeds each piece with something of herself or her culture
Outside the Changes
Dancing with Salt | Outside the Changes, Q1 2025
My favourite new creative music from the rest of the world
Canadian albums
stef.in: Icterus II
Rock-funky band led by drummer Stefan Hegerat with guitarists Robyn Gray and Patrick O'Reilly, plus bassist Mark Godfrey
Subscriber Fridays
Renee Rosnes late-80s early-90s YouTube dive
It starts in 1987 and it's all before I was born
Expat musicians
Aaron Shragge: Cosmic Cliffs
In his Whispering Worlds project, he plays special trumpet and shakuhachi in a quartet
Vancouver albums
Matthew Ariaratnam & Adrian Avendaño: Novel Echopath
The live album captures their guitar-drums duo, one half recorded professionally at the jazzfest and the other at Tyrant