Blue Note Epicurious

 Candlelight Jazz: Charlie Brown Christmas at Paradise Theatre It's a pretty easy sell isn't it? Vince Guaraldi, Christmas joy, melancholy, nostalgia, improv and intimate candlelight in a beautiful and historical art deco hall. But, it's also not something I'm running out of my way to recommend to everyone with an ear.  Mid-tier seats at 40ish dollars for just under an hour of music with good musicians and the super friendly ushers and staff is fine. Also a testament to how much we underpay for live jazz (I saw legendary Canadian guitar player Lorne Lofsky in a small intimate setting for a tenner stuffed into a pitcher!) I'm pretty skeptical about how much of a cut the musicians are actually getting out of this deal.  How much are we paying for Fevers’ “Candlelight Concert” brand? Do they add much value? Is it a win for musicians? It definitely seems to bring out a different crowd than say Hirut, the Rex, or the city's other go-to jazz venues.  It's a nice o...

  Letters To George    Jarasam: I first encountered George at the Jarasam Jazz festival in late 2023. Jarasam, being Korea's premiere jazz festival, had a stacked line up that year, including Julian Lage, Tigran Hamasayan,  Biréli Lagrène , Ulf Wakenius, Pasquale Grasso and more.  It had been a long day of travel up from Daegu to catch the Julian Lage masterclass in the morning.  When we did get settled down on the grass, we had a great time.  As the wine started to kick in and the sun came down, out came George.  I had no idea what to expect, and man they blew us away. Wild stuff!        Audience : I don’t think this is difficult to appreciate. It has groove and feeling but it’s just not what you are used to. I think this is accessible for jazz and non jazz fans, but it ain't your dad's jazz by any stretch of the imagination. For instrumentation, we have an awesome juxtaposition of tradition and modernity. Piano and elect...

  Nathan Hiltz - Tribute to Wes Montgomery There are few more storied establishments than the Pilot in Yorkville.  It has stood as an iconic symbol of Toronto’s cultural scene for years and was famously Hemingway’s haunt during his time writing for the Star in the 1940’s.  Their Saturday afternoon jazz, a popular local fixture is a great setting to see some great jazz.  I can’t think of a better setting for a tribute to one of Jazz’s most legendary guitarists.  His influence can be traced in the playing of countless guitarists since.  Perhaps most notably in the late Emily Reimler’s playing, who at times was harangued for being too similar to him (though to a fan she continues in his tradition while forging her own path).  There’s the clear influence on guys like Kenny Burrell and Pat Martino but also in modern players like Julian Lage who talks in deep reverence about his impact.  In a recent master class, I watched Lage break out into a spirited...