Jazz - my/maSCENA

Browsing: Jazz

Hugo Blouin and Julie Hamelin. Photo: Vitor Munoz

Hugo Blouin’s “Sport National”

By Félix-Antoine Hamel on 31 March 2025 City, Jazz, La Scena Online, Montreal, Scena Jazz

Hockey stories for voice(s) and jazz ensemble Last February, at the Prix Opus gala, double bassist and composer Hugo Blouin was awarded the prize for best jazz concert of the year by the Conseil québécois de la musique for his project Sport national. Most music lovers first encountered Blouin in 2018 with Charbonneau ou les valeurs à’ bonne place, his tour de force musical adaptation of the famous public inquiry into corruption vis-à-vis contracts in the construction business. In it, the bassist transformed some of the most memorable (and often hilarious) quotes from testimonies into some remarkably challenging, refreshing and…

The 2025 Juno Awards: Classical and Jazz Categories

By Madeline Boldt on 30 March 2025 Arts Industry, Canadian Music, Classical, Classical Music, Jazz, Music Competition, Vancouver

The 2025 Juno Awards, hosted on March 29th 2025, featured a number of prestigious awards in both classical music and jazz. Below are the recipients of each category. Classical Awards: Classical Album of the Year (Solo Artist) / Album Classique de l’Année (Solo) Freezing – Emily D’Angelo Deutsche Grammophon*Universal Classical Album of the Year (Small Ensemble) / Album Classique de l’Année (Petit Ensemble) Rituæls – collectif9 Analekta*Naxos/The Orchard Classical Album of the Year (Large Ensemble) / Album Classique de l’Année (Grand Ensemble) Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie – Toronto Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gustavo Gimeno featuring Marc-André Hamelin and Nathalie Forget Harmonia Mundi…

Festival de la Voix: A Celebration of Cultural Diversity

By Adrian Rodriguez on 20 March 2025 Arts Industry, Folk, Indigenous, Interviews, Jazz, Montreal, Popular Music, Vocal, World Music

Since its inception, Le Festival de la Voix has been dedicated to showcasing the beauty of the human voice, offering audiences a rich variety of vocal music from classical to jazz, folk, and world music. For its 12th edition, the festival continues to spotlight artistic diversity and meaningful cultural collaborations. One of its highlights is Nikamu Mamuitun (Songs That Unite Us), a project uniting Indigenous and Quebecer singer-songwriters to explore shared histories and musical traditions by blending French and Innu lyrics to reinforce connection and reconciliation. Eight emerging artists will present the results of their work at the Beaconsfield High…

Byron Stripling with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Photo: Madeline Boldt

Review | Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Rhythms of Harlem

By Madeline Boldt on 17 March 2025 Concert Reviews, Dance, Jazz, Orchestral, Vancouver, Vocal Jazz

With Uptown Nights (seen March 8), the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra paid tribute to the world of jazz as it was founded on the talents of Harlem era musicians. The rise of jazz coincided with the emergence of incredible musicians like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Ella Fitzgerald. As it became increasingly popular throughout the Roaring Twenties, jazz served as an outlet for expression and freedom, with its unpredictability and syncopation resonating with audiences for generations to come. Beyond all else, jazz is a living, breathing thing, and trumpeter Byron Stripling embodies this. Stripling has a presence like no other, with…

New Release: Triptych – A compelling bridge between jazz and classical music

By Newswire on 7 March 2025 Arts Industry, Classical Music, Jazz, Newswire, Piano, Vancouver

Duo Fedorova & Takser, piano duo The work was composed by Nikolai Kapustin in 2012 and published by Schott this year (2024). This recording is the first official release. Kapustin was a well-known insider tip as a composer of notated jazz music that sounds improvised when performed correctly. 2025 marks the fifth anniversary of Kapustin’s death, who would have turned 88. Even five years after the death of the ingenious composer Nikolai Kapustin, his music, as an artist who bridged musical worlds, is unfortunately still an insider tip. How fortunate that musicians like the renowned Vancouver based piano duo Fedorova…

Soloist Paul Merkelo, conductor Adam Johnson, and the OCM. Photo: Tam Lan Truong

Review | OCM Unable to Swing for Stellar Jazz Soloists

By Heather Weinreb on 28 February 2025 Concert Reviews, Jazz, Montreal, Orchestral, Piano

On Feb. 25, Orchestre Classique de Montréal (OCM) presented Jazz & Jeans in Montreal’s Pierre Mercure Hall. A program of great symphonic jazz repertoire—from Gershwin to Ellington to arrangements by Miles Davis—was played by an orchestra of jeaned musicians. Jeans are worn on casual days at work. For many, especially classically trained musicians, jazz is thought to be a more casual, laid-back style of music. Yet jazz has its own set of rules. Chord changes, swinging eighth notes, improvisation … the aspects that distinguish jazz from classical music demand serious study. Though they may have worn jeans, soloists Paul Merkelo…

Marc-André Hamelin (piano) and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal conducted by Rafael Payare. Photo: Antoine Saito

Review | Marc-André Hamelin & OSM Swing in The Roaring Twenties

By Amanda Wong on 24 February 2025 Canadian Music, Concert Reviews, Jazz, Montreal, Orchestral

The Roaring Twenties was an age of dramatic social and economic change, fabulous fashion, and of course, great music. A century onwards, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal celebrated the 1920s with Montreal native Marc-André Hamelin on keys and Rafael Payare conducting in an evening of jazz, swing, and ragtime tunes popularized by the era. What you missed Hamelin’s dapper white jacket stood out in the spotlight as he played Edward Elzear “Zez” Confrey’s Kitten on the Keys solo on a small upright piano to the right of the stage, the program opener. The piece’s jaunty and ragtime feel imitated a cat…

Bourgie Hall. Photo: Julia Marois.

Jazz: Bourgie Hall

By Félix-Antoine Hamel on 31 January 2025 City, Jazz, La Scena Online, Montreal, Scena Jazz

A Chick Corea Rarity Since its opening in 2011, Bourgie Hall has become an indispensable venue for Montreal concertgoers. Situated within the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the concert hall—a beautiful, converted 19th-century Romanesque Revival-style church—has presented, within its walls, such renowned performers as Víkingur Ólafsson, Alexandre Tharaud, The Tallis Scholars and Andreas Scholl. While such a setting is ideal for chamber music and singers, jazz also plays a growing part in the hall’s programming. In the 2024-25 season, no fewer than nine jazz concerts are featured. For Olivier Godin, the venue’s artistic director for three seasons, the hall’s added…

La Nef: Montréal la magnifique

By Arnaud G. Veydarier on 31 January 2025 Jazz, Montreal, Quebec Music, Strings, Winds

Although few traces remain of Montreal’s Roaring Twenties era, the city was once renowned as an oasis of pleasure and transgression—where cabarets, illegal gambling and prostitution drew crowds in search of daring theatrical presentations and clandestine parties. This cultural and social ferment shaped the city’s nocturnal imagination, an era that La Nef intends to bring back to life with its concert Montréal la magnifique. Presented on April 2 under the direction of singer-songwriter and accordionist Steve Normandin, the show will bring together the talents of Guillaume Bourque (clarinet), Serge Lavoie (guitar), Clinton Ryder (double bass) and Catherine Meunier (percussion). “Sin…

École de musique Vincent-d’Indy’s Open House

By Newswire on 7 January 2025 Classical Music, Education, Jazz, Montreal, Newswire

On February 4th, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., École de musique Vincent-Indy opens its doors! During this lively evening, visitors will be able to learn about the pre-university programs in classical and jazz music (501.A0) and the double DEC offered in collaboration with Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf (Musique et Sciences de la nature (200.11), Musique et Sciences humaines (300.11) et Musique et Arts, lettres et communication (500.11)). Teachers and students will be on hand to present the four profiles offered to : Perfect your playing techniques: Interprétation profile (classical – jazz); Deepen an interest in musical composition: Création profile (classical -…

Current Issue

PDF HTML

Next Issue : June/July

Ad Deadline : May 23, 2025

Past Issues, Subscriptions, Advertising