TD Toronto Jazz Festival

I get a really special feeling when I watch musicians perform live. My heart beats a little faster, my mind floats off to another realm and my body unconsciously moves to the rhythm of the music. For me, this experience is heightened when I attend music festivals. Something magical happens when a group of artists come together to celebrate music; the energy is unparalleled, the dynamic between musicians change and impromptu collaborations leave audiences feeling like they witnessed something truly special. There’s one festival in the city that has been delivering this kind of experience for 28 years: the TD Toronto Jazz Festival. Uniting over 1,500 musicians for ten, epic days of artistry, it’s one festival that I never miss.

Whether you want to take in the sounds of an international sensation (Chaka Khan, Keith Jarrett and Earth, Wind & Fire headlined the festival this year) or discover a new band, there are over 350 concerts across 50 locations in Toronto to choose from. Big band, blues, vocal jazz, funk – you name it, the festival offers it. I headed out on Monday night to watch two bands from New Orleans: Galactic and Big Sam’s Funky Nation. Unfamiliar with their music, I was blown away by their performances minutes into their sets.

My photog and I particularly liked Big Sam’s Funky Nation; they had so much passion and energy on the stage.

And MAN can they play! They had my heart with their rendition of Purple Haze (diehard Hendrix fan here). With elements of rock, jazz and big band funk, it was hard not to be energized by these incredible performers. I could really sense their passion for music (I thought we lost Chocolate MILK for a few minutes during his drum solo as he drifted into the abyss). And the notes that came out of Big Sam’s slide trombone were out of this world – the man is a powerhouse!

Remember those epic collaborations I mentioned above? Yup, that happened too. As we were bouncing to the funk tunes of Galactic, Big Sam Williams jumped back on stage and joined in the fun. Poof: we were whisked away to New Orleans as the musical conversations unfolded…

It’s no wonder that the festival attracts more than half a million music lovers; the talent I’ve seen over the years has been nothing short of world-class. I’m really excited to watch Bobby McFerrin perform on Friday! For those of you who still haven’t had a chance to check out the festival, you have until Saturday. There are also a few free lunchtime and evening concerts at Nathan Phillips Square! Happy festing.