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 John McLaughlin?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Wed May 15 3:16pm
Artist: 
John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension

John McLaughlin is, quite simply, one of the most important guitarists to have contributed to the jazz scene in the past fifty years.

What's so good about Kurt Rosenwinkel?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Thu May 31 3:06pm
Artist: 
Kurt Rosenwinkel

Kurt Rosenwinkel is, in my mind, quite simply one of the most exciting musicians on the current international modern jazz scene.

What's so good about Matt Andersen?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Fri May 11 8:12am
Artist: 
Matt Andersen

Some artists must be experienced live in order to get a true appreciation of their talent. Matt Andersen is one of those artists.

That's not to say Matt's musical ability does not, somehow, come across on record or on YouTube. He is a powerhouse musician - a huge voice, an excellent guitarist, and a passionate performer - and that becomes clear no matter how his music is being heard. But to truly understand why Matt's such an incredible performer, you need to be there in person.

What's so good about The Robert Cray Band?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Thu May 26 3:31pm
Artist: 
Robert Cray Band

As Artistic Director of the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, I get to listen to all kinds of great, progressive, contemporary jazz - music and musicians who are taking jazz into the future. But one of the great joys of the job is also the opportunity to revel in the classic sounds of artists who have been making outstanding music for decades. Robert Cray falls squarely into this "classic" category.

What's so good about John Scofield?

Submitted by Josh Grossman on Tue Jun 8 5:02pm
Artist: 
John Scofield and the Piety Street Band

When I was in university, we used to joke around about the musicians we enjoyed. If someone would say, for example, "Hey, do you like Miles Davis?", we would respond by saying "Yeah, he's not bad if you like that amazing melodies, innovating composing and forward-thinking stuff." Well, John Scofield is not bad if you like that amazing guitar player thing.

John's bio speaks for itself - stints with Charles Mingus, Gary Burton, and three years with Miles Davis; more than 30 albums as a leader; and collaborations with all of the biggest names on the international jazz scene.

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