July 2nd was a busy albeit fulfilling evening at the 2019 Montreal International Jazz Festival, beginning with a BIGYUKI and Nate Smith + KINFOLK double-bill at the Monument National and extending to the Gesù for Butcher Brown's late-night set without the slightest opportunity for us to catch our breath in between. But this is exactly the kind of nights we've come to expect … [Read more...]
Makaya McCraven Performs at the 2019 Montreal International Jazz Festival
Drummer Makaya McCraven is the only musician to receive Nextbop’s Album of the Year on two separate occasions, first in 2015 for his sophomore effort In the Moment then again in 2018 for the highly praised Universal Beings. An exploit made the more remarkable considering the honor has only been awarded a total of nine times since our 2009 launch. On June 30th, McCraven, amidst … [Read more...]
Linda May Han Oh Performs at the 2019 Montreal International Jazz Festival
Linda May Han Oh's prolific career never ceases to amaze, and her ability to keep raising the bar every step of the way is nothing short of remarkable. Widely regarded as one of the luminaries of the current New York City jazz scene, which, let's face it, serves as the de facto gold standard for the rest of the world, Oh has been on a rapid ascent which has shown no sign of … [Read more...]
Yaron Herman Performs at the 2019 Montreal International Jazz Festival
When we first launched our humble little website, way back in 2009, a shortlist of artists served as our main inspiration to bring jazz music to the masses, notably to the younger generation to which we belonged. Prominent among them was the Israeli pianist Yaron Herman, whose 2007 album, A Time for Everything, featuring Matt Brewer on bass and Gerald Cleaver on drums, was … [Read more...]
Our Top Picks at the 2019 Montreal International Jazz Festival
The Montreal International Jazz Festival kicks off its 40th edition this week, starting June 26th, with a line-up sure to delight the most diverse of musical tastes. Often jazz festivals can be criticized for not showcasing enough jazz per se, but this year’s Montreal edition is particularly fruitful and ripe with a great selection of actual jazz artists. We’ve highlighted a … [Read more...]