By Phil MV

Beginning Friday and running until July 1st, the TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival is smoothly bringing over 60 swingin’ musicians to play in venues all across town in what apparently is Canada’s best jazz festival. Take that, Montreal!
So, catch up on some free music downtown at Nathan Phillips Square, or go chill at joints like The Rex and Lolita’s Lust, open with an extended liquor license until 4 a.m. (which Torontoist thinks is a pretty sweet deal).
Here are a handful of picks, but be sure to check out their full schedule:
Friday, June 22: David “Fathead” Newman @ The Pilot (22 Cumberland), 9:00 p.m., $20
Saturday, June 23: Chris Botti plus Kellylee Evans @ Nathan Phillips Square, 8:00 p.m., $40
Sunday, June 24: Mike Stern featuring Alain Caron and Lionel Cordew @ Live@Courthouse (57 Adelaide St. E.), 9:00 p.m., $27.50
Monday, June 25: Dave Brubeck Quartet plus Laila Biali Trio @ Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts (145 Queen Street West), 8:00 p.m., $40-$150
Tuesday, June 26: Herbie Hancock Quartet plus The Yamaha School of Music Students @ Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts (145 Queen Street West), 8:00 p.m., $45-$135
Wednesday, June 27: Jeff Healey’s Jazz Band Ball @ Palais Royale (1601 Lakeshore Blvd), 7:00 p.m., $40 ($70 w/New Orleans meal)
Friday, June 29: Antibalas @ Opera House (735 Queen St. East), $25 ($20 advance)
Photo by sevennine from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.