Montreal Cultural Calendar

See the full After Jazz at PHONO schedule

Following in the footsteps of his father, Dewey Redman, Joshua Redman has established himself as one of the most prominent saxophonists of his generation. With a new album released on Blue Note last year, the saxophonist is stopping by l'Academie to chat with Mark Ruffin
The discussion will be held in English. The festival will provide access to an AI-powered simultaneous translation application available on mobile devices, offering translation into all languages.

Best known for his work with Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Victor Wooten is considered one of the top ten bassists of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. The musician—who has won five GRAMMYs over the course of his career—takes us through the creative process behind their music.
The discussion will be held in English. The festival will provide access to an AI-powered simultaneous translation application available on mobile devices, offering translation into all languages.

Curtis Nowosad is a JUNO-nominated, NYC-based jazz drummer, composer, educator, and recording artist originally from Winnipeg, Canada. Based in New York for over a decade, he has become an active figure on both the NYC and international jazz scenes as a bandleader and sideman.
He has performed with a wide range of leading jazz artists across generations, including Jazzmeia Horn, Jane Monheit, Marc Cary, Braxton Cook, and many others, touring extensively across North America, Europe, and Asia. He has also shared the stage with jazz legends such as Ron Carter, Dave Liebman, Jimmy Owens, and Candido Camero, and regularly performs at major venues and festivals.
As a leader, he has released several projects exploring jazz, social themes, and experimentation, including
Dialectics
(JUNO-nominated),
If I Had
, and
PRIMORDIAL
. His upcoming album
I Am Doing My Best
features all-original music and reflects themes of healing and self-reflection.
Nowosad also maintains an active educational career, holding a Master of Music from Manhattan School of Music, where he teaches on the Precollege jazz faculty, alongside an ongoing international performing and recording career.

Award-winning guitarist-singer-songwriter Cécile Doo-Kingué is rapidly earning a stellar reputation and a place amongst Canada’s current roster of great guitarists. Powerful and raw, the NYC-born Montrealer is a force of nature whose lyrics, sound and exceptional stage presence make for an enthralling and intimate experience. The 5-time Maple Blues Awards nominee has released four albums to critical acclaim, has opened for, shared a stage and/or recorded with Montreal Jubilation Choir, Bernard Purdie, John Prine, Blind Boys of Alabama, Canned Heat, Angelique Kidjo, and Eric Andersen amongst many.

Raised in the wilds of Vancouver Island, 25-year-old Elysia Biro (pronounced Eh-lee-sha Bee-row) is a technically gifted singer, songwriter, and pianist. A student of classical piano at age 4, Biro began writing her own music at 13 while teaching herself how to play jazz by ear after being inspired by the genre’s improvisational free form. After receiving her diploma in classical piano from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto and graduating high school at age 16, Biro earned her Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies for piano and voice before moving to England to complete her Master’s of Music degree at the University of York. 

Crafting her unique sound from an expansive fusion of genres, Elysia Biro’s songwriting blends modern pop form and classical technique with jazz sensibilities. An expressive and introspective songwriter, her warm, soulful vocals reflect her journey through self-discovery, love, and introspection, painting a compelling portrait of life as she knows it right now, blossoming between seasons. Biro has quickly amassed a dedicated audience on social media through her captivating vocals and virtuosic transcriptions of jazz solos. Now based in Los Angeles where she writes, records and produces, Elysia Biro continues to combine worlds, creating sonic sanctuaries all her own.

"Dans les airs" is CHOQ.ca's cultural magazine, offering a fresh perspective on culture. We take you all over the city to show a different side of Montreal. Episode hosted by Renaud Vaillancourt and Tomy Tanguay.

Curtis Nowosad is a JUNO-nominated, NYC-based jazz drummer, composer, educator, and recording artist originally from Winnipeg, Canada. Based in New York for over a decade, he has become an active figure on both the NYC and international jazz scenes as a bandleader and sideman.
He has performed with a wide range of leading jazz artists across generations, including Jazzmeia Horn, Jane Monheit, Marc Cary, Braxton Cook, and many others, touring extensively across North America, Europe, and Asia. He has also shared the stage with jazz legends such as Ron Carter, Dave Liebman, Jimmy Owens, and Candido Camero, and regularly performs at major venues and festivals.
As a leader, he has released several projects exploring jazz, social themes, and experimentation, including
Dialectics
(JUNO-nominated),
If I Had
, and
PRIMORDIAL
. His upcoming album
I Am Doing My Best
features all-original music and reflects themes of healing and self-reflection.
Nowosad also maintains an active educational career, holding a Master of Music from Manhattan School of Music, where he teaches on the Precollege jazz faculty, alongside an ongoing international performing and recording career.

Award-winning guitarist-singer-songwriter Cécile Doo-Kingué is rapidly earning a stellar reputation and a place amongst Canada’s current roster of great guitarists. Powerful and raw, the NYC-born Montrealer is a force of nature whose lyrics, sound and exceptional stage presence make for an enthralling and intimate experience. The 5-time Maple Blues Awards nominee has released four albums to critical acclaim, has opened for, shared a stage and/or recorded with Montreal Jubilation Choir, Bernard Purdie, John Prine, Blind Boys of Alabama, Canned Heat, Angelique Kidjo, and Eric Andersen amongst many.

Originally from Rouyn-Noranda, Zach Zoya grew up at the crossroads of South African rhythms and North American soul and pop sounds, shaping a rich and eclectic musical identity.
The first English-speaking artist signed to the French-language label 7ième Ciel Records, he quickly gained attention with his EP Spectrum, critically acclaimed and nominated for several awards, including the ADISQ. His EP No Love Is Ever Wasted (2022) has accumulated millions of streams and includes the radio hits Start Over and Upper Hand.
In 2023, he received multiple awards, including at the Gala Dynastie and from the SOCAN Foundation. His sound has since evolved toward a blend of R&B, melodic rap, and alternative pop, notably on his EP It’s Always Sunny in Glendale (2024), inspired by his life experience in California.
He is now working on Misstape 2, a new collaboration with Montreal producer High Klassified, following their first project Misstape (2018), which marked the beginning of his career.

High Klassified is a multi-platinum producer known for his bold, experimental approach and distinctive sound, blending complex rhythms, ethereal melodies, and avant-garde textures. Active since 2011, he has become one of the most innovative figures in modern music production.
He has collaborated with major artists including A-Trak, Damso, Future, Hamza, The Weeknd, and Zach Zoya, moving fluidly between Francophone and Anglophone scenes. His work has taken him across the world, with projects in cities such as Los Angeles, Paris, London, Berlin, Seoul, New York, and Shanghai.
In 2025, he marks a pivotal year with a European tour, multiple festival appearances in Quebec, and the release of RAVARU, a French-language project featuring key artists from the current scene. He also launches the first single from Misstape, a new collaboration with Zach Zoya.
Based in Laval, he continues to refine his sound and shape the future of contemporary music production through constant creative exploration.

See the full After Jazz at PHONO schedule