When NXNE organizers announced the first round of artists set to play this year’s festival, something unusual leapt out from the list of names: a jazz artist was headlining the series of club shows.
Los Angeles saxophonist and composer Kamasi Washington has become a major star in both jazz and mainstream music circles since his debut studio album, The Epic, came out via Flying Lotus’s Brainfeeder label last May, but until now a local date on his world tour had eluded Toronto- fans.
But there’s another reason the 35-year-old rocketed to prominence last year: along with Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Ambrose Akinmusire and Thundercat, Washington helped craft the urgent, atmospheric jazz on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly album – a sound that partly inspired David Bowie to experiment with wild and skronking jazz sounds on his elegaic Blackstar.
A sax player since childhood, Washington has moved between the worlds of jazz, hip-hop and R&B in his work with Lauryn Hill, Chaka Khan, Raphael Saadiq, Gerald Wilson and Kenny Burrell, among others.
All that in mind, The Epic is a jazz album and an ambitious one. In 172 minutes he gives listeners an overview of his formative influences, with help from a 10-piece band, 32-piece orchestra and 20-voice choir. When he plays the Danforth Music Hall on June 17, fans will finally get a chance to see whether the show lives up to the album title.
At the Danforth Music Hall (147 Danforth), doors 7 pm. $29.50-$49.50. On sale now. ticketfly.com.
EUPHORIA SHOWCASE FEAT. MATHEMATIC, SAVY, AGNO3 & MDRN The Hoxton doors 10 pm. $10. ticketweb.ca. April 22.
TY DOLLA $IGN, KEITA JUMA, NASTY NIGEL, SHAQISDOPE Adelaide Hall Manifesto’s 10-year anniversary. 8 pm. $15. redbull.ca/soundselect. April 29.
LUCA LOZANO, ANDREW ROSS Secret Location It’s Not U It’s Me: Skeleton Crew, doors 10 pm. $10. itsnotuits.me/skeleton-crew. April 29.
THE SHEEPDOGS, HUMANS, AMIR OBE, BLACKJACK BILLY, HANNAH GEORGAS, MAX FROST Various venues Canadian Music Week. 7-day VIP festival wristband $150, 7-day festival wristband $75. cmw.net. May 2-8.
GREYS, TV FREAKS, CASPER SKULLS The Garrison doors 9 pm. $12, adv $10. May 13.
BIF NAKED, JON & ROY Adelaide Hall doors 8 pm. $25. On sale now. rotate.com, playderecord.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. May 17.
BASECAMP Adelaide Hall doors 8 pm. $15. On sale now. playderecord.com, rotate.com, ticketfly.com, soundscapesmusic.com. May 20.
JEFF HEALEY: A 50TH CELEBRATION Massey Hall Tribute concert and benefit for World Eye Cancer Hope. $29.50-$99.50. On sale April 15. livenation.com, ticketmaster.ca, masseyhall.com. May 27.
(HED)PE, THE VEER UNION, FINAL TRIGGER Opera House 7 pm. $19.50. rotate.com, ticketfly.com. May 29.
ROTTEN SOUND, RAMMING SPEED Hard Luck Bar 7:30 pm. $16. rotate.com, ticketfly.com. June 2.
DAMIEN DUBROVNIK, CROATIAN ARMOR, VARG, E-SAGGILA, EMPIRE LINE Faith/Void doors 7:30 pm. $12.50. On sale April 20. soundscapesmusic.com, rotate.com, ticketfly.com. June 2.
BOB MARLEY ALL-STAR SHOW Opera House with former Wailer Lazo. $25-$30. On sale April 14. ticketfly.com. June 4.
MEAT LOAF Massey Hall 8 pm, all ages. $59.50-$199.50. ticketmaster.ca. June 4.
MAXENCE CYRIN Adelaide Hall doors 7 pm. $22.50. On sale now. playderecord.com, rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. June 8.
YUMI ZOUMA The Garrison doors 9 pm. $15. On sale now. soundscapesmusic.com, rotate.com, ticketfly.com. June 11.
KAMASI WASHINGTON, THE JOY FORMIDABLE, COLD SPECKS, PERE UBU, SCREAMING FEMALES, THE SO SO GLOS, EAGULLS, BIONIC, DIANA, STONEFIELD AND MORE Various Venues NXNE, $13.50-$59.50. ticketfly.com. June 13-18.
ANDY BLACK, COLOURS Opera House doors 7 pm, all ages. $31.50. On sale now. ticketfly.com. June 15.
AZIZ GIBSON Revival Bar doors 9:30 pm. $25, adv $18. universe.com/azizito. June 16.
MAGIC GIANT, A FELLOW SHIP The Garrison doors 8 pm. $13.50. On sale now. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. June 22.
ART BERGMANN Horseshoe doors 8:30 pm. $15. On sale April 14. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. June 23.
MINOR VICTORIES Opera House doors 8 pm. $23.50. On sale now. soundscapesmusic.com, rotate.com, ticketfly.com. June 24.
KING PARROT, PSYCROPTIC, CHILD BITE Hard Luck Bar 7:30 pm. $16 adv, $20 at the door. ticketfly.com. June 24.
KC ROBERTS & THE LIVE REVOLUTION Horseshoe doors 9 pm. $10. On sale April 15. horseshoetavern.com, ticketfly.com, rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com. June 24.
CLAPTONE The Hoxton doors 10 pm. $15. ticketweb.ca. June 25.
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS Koerner Hall Toronto Jazz Fest. 8 pm. $84.50 and up. On sale now. performance.rcmusic.ca. June 28.
CHICK COREA TRIO W/ CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE AND BRIAN BLADE Koerner Hall Toronto Jazz Fest. 8 pm. $74.50 and up. On sale now. performance.rcmusic.ca. June 29.
RAMSEY LEWIS QUARTET AND THE JOEY ALEXANDER TRIO Koerner Hall Toronto Jazz Fest. 8 pm. $64 and up. On sale now. performance.rcmusic.ca. June 30.
INSANE CLOWN POSSE, JAY RENO, BRAD SHANK Opera House 8 pm. $20-$25. soundscapesmusic.com, ticketweb.ca. June 30.
SWANS Danforth Music Hall doors 7 pm. $22.50-$39.50. On sale now. ticketfly.com, soundscapesmusic.com, rotate.com. July 10.
JERRY FOLK The Hoxton doors 10 pm. $15. ticketweb.ca. July 15.
PAUL MCCARTNEY First Ontario Centre (Hamilton) 8 pm. $39.50-$295. On sale April 15. livenation.com, ticketmaster.ca. July 21.
THE CAT EMPIRE Danforth Music Hall doors 7 pm. $35-$45. On sale April 15. ticketmaster.ca. July 27.
COUNTING CROWS, ROB THOMAS Molson Amphitheatre doors 5:30 pm. $26-$80.50. On sale April 15. ticketmaster.ca. August 26.
ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN Phoenix Concert Theatre 8 pm. $42-$52. On sale now. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketmaster.ca. September 13.
DONOVAN Danforth Music Hall 50th Anniversary Sunshine Superman Tour. $TBA. October 20.
DARK TRANQUILITY, SWALLOW THE SUN, ENFORCER, STARKILL Mod Club 7 pm. $27.50-$59. ticketfly.com. November 12.
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