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 Benny Green?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Wed Jun 13 3:42pm
Artist: 
Benny Green

A quick look at Benny Green's bio sheds some light on why he is one of the most respected pianists on the scene: he's either played with or lists as influences musicians who cover a huge range of styles within jazz. No wonder his playing is so interesting - his earliest exposure was to Charlie Parker and Thelonius Monk; he also lists pianists like Erroll Garner, Ahmad Jamal Bud Powell and Oscar Peterson as influences.

What's so good about Natalie Cole?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Thu May 24 4:03pm
Artist: 
Natalie Cole

Natalie Cole is probably best known in the jazz world for her 1991 release Unforgettable...With Love on which she created a powerful duet by singing along and interacting with a track of her father's performance of "Unforgettable". The album provided Natalie with a dramatic break from what had been a career based primarily in the R&B world (a world in which she had immense success), earned six Grammy Awards, and sold more than 14 million copies worldwide. In case you need a refresher, here's the video:

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 Peter Appleyard?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Wed May 16 4:46pm
Artist: 
Peter Appleyard

It's not too often that I get to use the words "Canadian" "jazz" and "legend" in one sentence. But when it comes to Peter Appleyard, it's a most apt description.

Peter Appleyard has toured the world, sharing stages with Benny Goodman’s world class band, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Tony Bennett and Mel Tormé. He's an Officer of the Order of Canada and will be named an Oscar Peterson Lifetime Achievement honoree at this year's Montreal Jazz Festival (2012). He's released over 20 albums under his own name and has performed on countless others.

What's so good about the Count Basie Orchestra?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Wed Jun 15 2:19pm
Artist: 
Legendary Count Basie Orchestra directed by Dennis Mackrel

I've mused in past Artistic Director's Guide entries on the concept of swing, and how it's difficult to explain - it's really more of a feeling. Or, in the case of the Count Basie Orchestra, it's everything that happens between the beginning and ending of every performance of every tune.

What's so good about Laila Biali?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Wed Oct 20 2:08pm
Artist: 
Laila Biali

I've had the good fortune to meet, book and perform with a wide variety of musicians and it's always a treat to work with someone who is talented as a musician but also a wonderful person. Laila Biali is one of those people: an outstanding talent and possibly one of the most modest, down-to-earth people you could meet.

What's so good about Dick Hyman?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Wed Oct 6 2:32pm
Artist: 
Dick Hyman

Over the past one hundred years, the style of jazz piano playing has changed immensely: ragtime, stride, swing, bebop, free jazz and more...and Dick Hyman can play them all.

What's so good about Oliver Jones?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Thu Sep 9 1:31pm
Artist: 
Oliver Jones Trio

It shouldn't be a surprise that Oliver Jones - who grew up only a few blocks away from Oscar Peterson, used to hang out on the Peterson stoop listening to Oscar practice, and took lessons from Oscar's sister Daisy - swings so hard. But Oliver Jones is more than just an Oscar Peterson contemporary - over a career spanning more than six decades Oliver has developed a well-deserved reputation as one of Canada's jazz treasures.

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