JazzInToronto Community Celebration 2025

Toronto has a brand new jazz festival and it’s all about celebrating the city’s richly diverse local talent pool. 

The JazzInToronto Community Celebration took place throughout the downtown core May 30, 31 and June 1st. Produced by musicians Lina Welch and Ori Dagan – who collectively run JazzInToronto, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting live music – the festival is a young grassroots affair fueled by a passion for community. 

From Swing and Bebop to Soul and R&B, rising stars to veteran virtuosos, the weekend featured something for everyone. 

 

On Friday, May 30, the festival opened with FREE concerts presented by the St. Lawrence Market District on Market Street. Recently returned from a successful tour of New Orleans, young sensation Trombone Charlotte brought new life into early jazz classics to launch the festival at 5pm, followed at 7pm by the hot Afro-Cuban sounds of an exhilarating quartet led by Lady Son aka Yeti Ajasin on vocals and percussion. The evening concluded one block west with a Tap Dance Jazz Jam event at C’est What (67 Front St E) that featured an opening set by host Cori Giannotta.

On Saturday May 31st at 11:30am, the festival continued its showcasing of world music with the Ona Ensemble at The Rex Hotel (194 Queen St W); led by Olivia Esther, the unique Canadian-Brazilian chamber jazz ensemble features two French horns, bassoon, reeds and a rhythm section performing choro, samba and jazz. 

Moving slightly north to Yorkville’s Liss Gallery (112 Cumberland St), Saturday afternoon featured an intimate concert at 3:30pm by flamenco guitar master Roger Scannura.

At 8pm, the festival’s flagship concert, “Overjoyed: Celebrating 75 Years of Stevie Wonder” took place inside the TD Music Hall in the newly renovated Massey Hall (178 Victoria St). For this exciting evening honouring the iconic singer-songwriter, award- winning pianist Michael Shand led an 8-piece band with vocalists Selena Evangeline, Queen Mary the Artist, Robert Ball and Chris Rouse. The night concluded with a jam session led by University of Toronto jazz student Selena Savage who is already appearing regularly at venues around the city as bandleader, arranger, trombonist and vocalist.

The final day of the festival, Sunday June 1st started at 11am at The Rex Hotel with a masterclass by JUNO- nominated pianist Mark Eisenman who inspired young pianists by sharing some of his wisdom about the art accompanying vocalists.

In a nod to the beginning of Pride Month, from 2:00-4:30pm the same venue presented the album launch for “Alex Samaras Meets Judy Garland,” featuring the stunning vocals of Samaras in a heartfelt tribute to the iconic artist with the bare accompaniment of Steven Noronha on piano and David French on saxophone.

To conclude the festival, the elegant Jazz Bistro (251 Victoria Street) hosted a very special concert reuniting Order of Canada member and 5-time JUNO winner Jane Bunnett with her musical kindred spirit, acclaimed avant-garde pianist Marilyn Lerner. The two started their jazz journey as a duo in 1977 and although their careers have taken them in separate directions, they have remained close friends since then. For this special reunion, Bunnett and Lerner shared some classic Ellington, Strayhorn and Monk standards which they learned together nearly five decades ago, as well as original compositions.