Josh Grossman's blog

I could think of no better title for this post than what appears above - and what happens to be the title of the third in our series of four TD Discovery Series Special Projects presentations. This Wednesday, March 8 at The Rex Hotel, an expanded Jazz Money (usually a trio, they'll be a sextet on Wednesday) takes the stage with three of their favourite MCs for an exploration of jazz and hip-hop. If the three tracks submitted with their application are any indication, this is going to be awesome.

When selecting each year's Special Projects, the panel does its best to choose projects which are well-spaced-out, so that there is time to build the marketing strategy for each show. Usually, it works; sometimes, less so. While the next two Special Projects are separated by just a few days, they are two very different events.

I didn't get the grant.

Having worked in the arts for twenty years, I've gotten used to rejection in various forms. Smaller audiences than expected. Fewer donations than required. Submissions ignored or turned down. And as a staff member for multiple organizations over the years, I have written - and have been turned down for - too many grants to count. That said, I've also had what I would call moderate success - on behalf of organizations and as an individual - with granting bodies at all three levels of government and with some private foundations.

It's taken me a few weeks, but I wanted to finally share with you a bit about my trip to New York at the beginning of January. I was there, as I am almost annually, to meet with agents and check out Winter Jazzfest. And, as is often the case, I came back to Toronto with my head spinning, wanting to book everything I saw and slightly envious of so many New York things. (The subway system really is great. Except the L line. I came to dislike the L line.)

Well, 2017, you're not wasting any time, are you?

After a whirl-wind Toronto-Winnipeg-Toronto-New York trip, it's already time to launch in to the first TD Discovery Series Special Project presentation, this Sunday, January 15 at Lula Lounge. And I think this one show will feature more musicians than the rest of the Special Projects shows combined.

Happy new year!

After a couple of weeks filled with friends, family and celebrations of various flavours, I'm ready to go on 2017 - refreshed, if not well-rested. I hope you had a great holiday season - between Christmas, Hanukkah, my birthday and travels to Winnipeg, my time off felt especially satisfying this year.

You know when you say "okay next week I'll start writing regular blog posts" and then suddenly it's two months later? Yeah well...

September and October have been absolutely jam packed. Happily, it's been busy for lots of what I feel are the right reasons, but it's meant having to carefully prioritize my daily to do list, and writing here has unfortunately fallen behind. And so, for your reading pleasure (?), here's a summary of what's kept me busy over these past several weeks.

Back in January - January 4, to be exact - I got an email completely out of the blue inviting me to be on the jury of the 2016 International Zbigniew Seifert Jazz Violin Competition in Poland. All expenses paid. The work would involve listening to and scoring competition submissions, then attending three days of concerts and, ultimately, helping to choose the 1st (10,000 Euro), 2nd (5,000 Euro) and 3rd (2,000 Euro) prize winners.

Um...yes?

My wife said to me this morning, "Looks like you've got more white hair." I looked in the mirror. She's kinda right. But if less sleep than usual and my #jazzfestdiet contributed to my new hair colour, I think it was worth it - these past ten days have been spectacular.

I'm sitting this morning in my home office, drinking a home made americano, looking at an empty schedule (for the next few hours, anyway). It's nice. But it's hard not to feel a bit sad.

And so here we are, on the last day of official programming at the 30th anniversary TD Toronto Jazz Festival. I've had a fantastic week, and look forward to wrapping things up today with some excellent music and one more late night jam...