Tag Archives: jazz

Toronto Jazz Festival 30th Anniversary starts tomorrow

Toronto Jazz festival

the 2016 edition is the 30th Anniversary of the Toronto Jazz Festival which is promising to be a great one! Headliners at the Main Stage at Nathan Philips Square start with a free show with KC and the Sunshine Band, Saturday it’s Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Sunday has a double bill with Lee Fields / Allen Stone.

Nathan Philips Square Jazz Festival

Later in the week, Grace Potter, Gregory Porter, Robert Glasper, Michael Franti and closing the main stage week off on July 2nd will be Joe Jackson!

Toronto Jazz festival

Of course there are 100’s of other venues with all variety of Jazz, Blues and Soul artists performing throughout the week. Check out torontojazz.com for a complete listing of dates and times.

Shuffle Demons

 

Booker T, Al Di Meola, Shakura S’aida and more from the Toronto Jazz Festival

Some more hi-lights from the 2015 Toronto Jazz Festival. The Afterwork series on the Outdoor Stage at Nathan Philips Square has had some amazing bands to help you unwind after a hard day at the office. Unwinding things on Wednesday was Brooklyn based horn-driven funksters ‘Ikebe Shakedown’. Some really cool grooves from these guys.

Ikebe Shakedown

Ikebe Shakedown

The Main Stage show started off with local favorite Shakura S’aida and her amazing band.

Shakura S'aida

Shakura S'aida

Lance Anderson

Shakura S'aida

Headlining the main stage was Booker T. Jones, grooving out his most memorable hits from the MG days and a slew of other tunes he has collaborated on.

Booker T. Jones

Booker T. Jones

Booker T. Jones

Booker T. Jones

Booker T. Jones

 

Thursday night on the main stage at Nathan Philips Square, Al Di Meola brought his “Elegant Gypsy & More Electric Tour” thru Toronto. The place was packed, with a noticeable contingent of guitar players in the audience, myself included. This is the music I know best from Al, and despite a minor technical difficulties break, he demonstrated his mastery of the signature beautiful black Les Paul.

Al Di Meola

Al Di Meola

Al Di Meola

Al Di Meola

Al Di Meola

For more images from each show, check out these pages

2015 Toronto Jazz Festval

Shakura S’aida

Al Di Meola : 2015 Toronto Jazz Festival