Welcome to the Artistic Director's Guide

The Artistic Director's Guide is our way of taking you "beyond the bio". Here you'll find audio and video clips, and I'll describe what I like about each artist and suggest why he or she is important to the scene. So dive in—use the menu options above to find an artist, and let's seek to answer "What's so good about...?"

Josh Grossman, Artistic Director
Toronto Downtown Jazz

What's so good about Dr. Lonnie Smith?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Mon Jun 17 4:04pm
Artist: 
Dr. Lonnie Smith

When discussions about musicians take place, there is a tendency to talk about how many notes a musician can play, the speed with which those notes are played, and the force with which they are emitte

What's so good about Bettye LaVette?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Wed Jun 5 1:56pm
Artist: 
Bettye LaVette

What makes a singer stand out? When does it become clear that a particular singer has got the goods?

What's so good about David Sanborn, Bob James and Steve Gadd?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Mon Jun 3 4:16pm
Artist: 
David Sanborn

Let me start here, from the collective's bio:

What's so good about Trombone Shorty?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Thu May 30 3:18pm
Artist: 
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

Okay, I have to admit something. If I'm going to write about Trombone Shorty, it inevitably will be tinged somewhat with envy. Or jealousy.

What's so hip about Tower of Power?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Mon Jun 4 3:39pm
Artist: 
Tower of Power

I joined the Tower of Power party late. I had heard about them for years, but for whatever reason hadn't checked them out. Once I did, I was hooked. Their high-energy funk, soul and R&B recordings were impossible to resist. When I finally saw them live in Detroit in 2010, I was floored - they sounded even better in person.

Who is Spectrum Road?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Wed May 23 3:14pm
Artist: 
Spectrum Road

The short answer is this: Spectrum Road is an all-star quartet assembled to celebrate and pay tribute to the music of The Tony Williams Lifetime. The Lifetime, assembled by legendary drummer Tony Williams in 1969, performed a unique blend of jazz, rock and funk, and also traveled into the free jazz world heard on many recordings of that era.

And now, a bit more context.

What's so good about the Soul Rebels Brass Band?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Thu May 17 12:52pm
Artist: 
Soul Rebels

The Soul Rebels Brass Band is the real deal. When they talk about carrying on the marching band and New Orleans Brass Band traditions, they mean it - each of the eight members was born in New Orleans, and each spent years training in high school, university and professional marching and brass bands. So when they get on stage, they bring the choreography, calibre and energy of the best brass bands around. Check out this teaser:

What's so good about Roy Hargrove?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Thu May 3 7:59pm
Artist: 
Roy Hargrove's RH Factor

Before we begin, I must reveal my bias. I'm a trumpet player. And so any other trumpet player with outstanding sound and technique is going to rank fairly high on my list. But that's not all that's good about Roy Hargrove...

What's so good about Janelle Monae?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Mon Apr 23 3:55pm
Artist: 
Janelle Monae

I'll be perfectly honest. I have absolutely no idea what to expect when Janelle Monae takes the stage.

Okay, that's not entirely true. Based on her 2010 release The ArchAndroid, I expect an awesome blend of soul, funk, R&B, pop, disco and even punk - and an unstoppable energy evident in the smash single "Tightrope." If you haven't yet heard the tune, check it out:

What's so funky about Bootsy Collins?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Thu Jun 9 6:01pm
Artist: 
Bootsy Collins

I'm going to suggest that everything you need to know about Bootsy Collins' funk pedigree can be summed up in two words. Well, one name, really: James Brown. I would think that touring with the "hardest working man in show business" might teach a musician a thing or two about funk. But, in case more proof of Bootsy's funkiness is required, I point you to his multiple gold and platinum hit records with George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic.

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