The International Festival de Jazz de Montréal has announced a digital edition that will feature livestream concerts by Canadian artists and archival concerts by Oscar Peterson, Jaco Pastorius (pictured), Sarah Vaughan and Miles Davis.
As the music world adjusts to life in isolation, musicians and music fans have taken to the web to forge new connections. Livestreamed concerts, Zoom interviews, virtual masterclasses, online festivals — this is jazz in the present tense. That’s long been our motto, and that’s why we’ve put together these guides to the best jazz concerts taking place on the web each week. These concerts are handpicked by our editors. Perhaps we’ll “see” you there.
Monday, June 22
Emmet Cohen Trio, “Live from Emmet’s Place”
Pianist Emmet Cohen, a jazz original with a deep reverence for the tradition and an even deeper sense of swing, stages a weekly trio performance every Monday, live from his living room. (He’s lucky enough to be quarantining with his bandmates — bassist Russel Hall and drummer Kyle Poole.) “Live from Emmet’s Place” streams on Cohen’s Facebook page at 7:30 pm ET. Donations for the band are accepted, and 20% of proceeds go directly to the Heart to Heart, an international organization that strengthens communities through improving health access, providing humanitarian development and administering crisis relief worldwide. —Brian Zimmerman
Tuesday, June 23
Blue Note at Home: Yoko Miwa
Japanese-born pianist and Yamaha artist Yoko Miwa will perform on Tuesday, June 23, at 6 p.m. ET as part of the Blue Note at Home Livestream Series. Miwa, a player with an assured touch and a profound depth of swing, is the latest jazz star to perform for this exciting live series, joining a roster of past performers that includes the legendary Ron Carter, Joey DeFrancesco, Michel Camilo, Nicholas Payton, Wayne Escoffery, and Avishai Cohen. To watch the livestream, visit the Blue Note NYC Facbook page and click play on the stream, which will be visible on the main page. (And keep that browser tab open: The Luques & Zaccai Curtis Duo performs at 8 pm; Earl Brooks Jr. closes things out at 10 pm.) —Brian Zimmerman
Wednesday, June 24
DCJazzFest From Home: Randy Brecker & Ada Rovatti
Husband and wife team Randy Brecker (trumpet) and Ada Rovatti (saxophone) share the stage as part of the DCJazzFest From Home, which officially kicked off on June 21 and continues through June 29. Their concert begins at 7 pm ET. Brecker, a veteran of the New York loft and studio scene, started the fusion group The Brecker Brothers with his actual brother, Michael, on saxophone. His wife Ada Rovatti has performed and recorded with an impressive and diverse list of artists and bands such as Mike Stern, John McLaughlin, Anne Ducros, Bob Mintzer, Victor Bailey, Joanne Brackeen, Tony Levin, John McLaughlin, James Moody, Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath Patti Austin, Joe Bonamassa and many others. This musical pair’s latest album is Brecker Plays Rovatti, featuring original compositions by Ada. Their set will be followed by an 8:30 pm performance by saxophonist and bandleader Jane Bunnett. To watch, visit the DCJazzFest page on Live From Our Living Rooms. —Brian Zimmerman
Thursday, June 25
Clifford Brown Jazz Festival: Live Virtual Stream 2020
One longstanding musical tradition in the city of Wilmington, Delaware, is the annual Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, honoring the legacy of the titular jazz trumpeter and Wilmington native. This year, due to COVID=19 concerns, the city is converting the fest into a free virtual event with performances presented live stream from a local music studio on Thursday, June 25 through Saturday, June 27. The festival consists of 15 groups featuring 80 local and regional artists. Featured performers include the Jeff Bradshaw Band, Gerald Chavis, Korey Riker Band, Fostina Dixon and the Winds of Change, and Voices for Healing with Raye Jones Avery. Sets begin on Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. and on Saturday at 3 p.m. Live stream access will be available via Facebook, and YouTube.—Brian Zimmerman
Friday, June 26
Kansas Smitty’s Album Playback
Kansas Smitty’s celebrate the release of their new record “Things Happened Here” with a live broadcast of the record played straight through. It will air at 12 pm EDT. Led by American-Italian alto-saxophonist/clarinetist Giacomo Smith, and featuring a wide array of young and exciting British jazz talent, Kansas Smitty’s astutely bridge traditional and modern jazz forms in seamless and sublime fashion. Check it out via Bandsintown.com —Matt Micucci
Saturday, June 27
Joe Martin Quartet: Live at the Village Vanguard
Live streaming continues at the Village Vanguard with a performance by bassist Joe Martin, who will appear with his quartet featuring Mark Turner on saxophone, Kevin Hays on piano and Nasheet Waits on drums. The concert takes place Saturday, June 27 at 7 p.m. EDT, with an encore performance on Sunday, June 28 at 2 p.m. EDT. Tickets are $7 and available at villagevanguard.com. —Brian Zimmerman
Sunday, June 28
Montreal Jazz Festival: Live from L’Astral + Archival Concert from Jaco Pastorius
The world-famous Festival International de Jazz de Montreal has announced a special digital edition for this year, showcasing a mix of live-streamed performance and archived festival footage. The festival officially kicks off on June 27 and will run through June 30, and JAZZIZ fans might want to pay special attention to the festivities on Sunday, June 28. That day will feature live performances from the downtown club L’Astral, beginning with guitarist Jordan Officer and followed by concerts by Mateo, the Marianne Trudel Trio featuring Juno winner Morgan Moore and former Patrick Watson drummer Robbie Kuster, indigenous performer and musicologist Jeremy Dutcher, and Charlotte Cardin, one of Quebec’s most celebrated musical forces. An electrifying 1982 performance by inimitable bass virtuoso Jaco Pastorius’ from the Festival’s archives ends the evening. It all begins at 6 pm EDT on the Festival’s Facebook page. —Brian Zimmerman