Jazz FM 91.1

Hi everybody! I’m Davide from Italy. This is one of my favorite radio station and guess what… I’m in Toronto right now so I’ll be definitely going to the radio station to catch a glimpse of the magic!

Do I love every single piece of music they play? No, but this is still a world-​class jazz radio station and Toronto is lucky to have it! The personalities are great, from Heather to Jaymz, Brad, Ross and others, and for the most part they play seriously terrific jazz. FYI: as a «member supported» station they rely on donations in order to do-​do that voodoo they they-​do so well… so if you listen, throw them some dough why dontcha.
For more jazz on the airwaves, check out the Quebec station 90.3 which occasionally plays jazz (when they do, it’s excellent) and also the fabulous «Some Experiences in Jazz» program on Fridays from 10pm to midnight on 105.5FM (also available on Rogers digital 945, Bell Fibe 973 or
)…I never miss that one.
Jazz lovers unite! :)

How I hate jazz, let me count the ways.
1. I hate the way it’s pronounced. Every letter pronounced with its own specific jazziness. The pursed-​lipped J, the undulating A, and the buzzy Zs are horrible, horrible, horrible.
2. Improvised solos aren’t that cool. It’s the musical equivalent of stepping on to an oil drum and masturbating. People shouldn’t applaud in the middle of a tune, nine times. What the fuck.
3. Watching people close their eyes and snap their fingers and twitch as though approaching an epileptic fit is excruciating to watch.
4. There’s, like, way too much saxophone.
5. The holier-​than-​thou attitude of jazz afficionados is laughable. Please don’t tell me to «listen to that bass.» The notes they didn’t play? Fuck off.
6. Avant-​garde jazz is fiercely maddening. I’m all for experimental music, but this stuff might as well be called «You wouldn’t understand, jack!»
Turn that dial.
Obligatory Title Pun: JAZZ lovers? EFF EM.
Menu Readability: 911 is right. If I’m listening to jazz, It’s some kind of emergency.
Need to mention: I wrote this while listening to Lee Morgan. Not half bad.
What this place teaches me about myself: Hate it. I fucking hate it.

You wouldn’t know that I’m a Jazz listener based on my Looks alone.
In fact, I do not have the Cultural Appreciation that other Jazz fans have.
I started listening to Jazz more than usual since Jazz FM 91.1 started.
Do note that my usual was NEVER.
Originally, I started listening to this FM Radio Station in my car.
It helped curb Road-​rage on a downward trend. Blood-​pressure normal.
Same basis as TTC stations putting on Soft-​Music to ease violence.
So I began listening at work to lower my tone from Roaring to a Mild Yell.
With benefits come the associated cost…
DO NOT listen to the cultural-​educational rant when they detail the songs.
The one-​tone bass of their speech is never-​ending and bores you do death.
Imagine, exhaustion after work driving Highway 401 with Eyes Wide Shut.

I’m a jazz junky, I listen, the music gets me high.
If I don’t get my jazz fix my body starts to quiver, I can’t sleep: tossing and turning.
During the day if there’s no Jazz FM I’ll need a dozen Snickers, or else I’ll be crying like a baby.
I have Jazz FM on all the time, I love this radio station. If there’s one thing that Torontonians should be proud of it’s Jazz FM. Hell, I was listening to this station via internet during the Saddam days while I was in Dubai, and I’ll tell you it’s on the map for quality jazz music. People around the world listen to Jazz FM, I’m not kidding.
Even my cat Jizz (not jazz) loves to listen to Jazz FM. I have it on for him ²⁴⁄₇ when I’m not around, and he really digs it.
In fact I encourage Unilocal to get themselves involved with Jazz FM, it would be a great partnership.
Jazz FM, always with my cup of coffee.

I have this station on at home almost all the time. I find the announcers very informative, and the music blissful. As someone who is just getting into jazz, this is perfect. I get to hear classics from Frank, and new stuff from Cassandra Wilson.
When I am driving and feeling tense, I just put this station on, and literally a wave of serenity washes over me.
Check it out.

Ahh, the dulcet tones of Jazz FM. Listening to these guys while driving around town (especially during «Afternoon Drive» with the incomparable Larry Green) has seriously tempered my road rage.
Maybe what I like most about Jazz FM is the mix (vital for any radio station, really). They balance the classics with a fair amount of new music, which is great for me because I like listening to the newer stuff (about which I don’t know so much), but have no energy to track it down.
I even heard a jazz arrangement of the theme from Sesame Street on Jazz FM not too long ago. I don’t know what magic of syncopation or nostalgia was at work there, but it definitely brightened my day.