In the music world, consistency's a bitch. Sure, it helps you build a solid fan base and stack up a repertoire of tunes, but no one wants to write about how your ninth album is just as solid as the eight that preceded it. Such is the curse of many career singer-songwriters, including Jolie Holland, formerly of the Be Good Tanyas, who released her fifth solo album Pint of Blood just last week to unanimously polite reviews.

Thursday, June 30th at Gesù, lauded Canadian pianist François Bourassa proved that, without a doubt, Quebec is home to some of the finest jazz musicians on the planet.

Tuesday, June 28th's double billing of Trombone Shorty and Bootsy Collins at Metropolis promised to brand Montreal as "the funkiest place on earth". It did not disappoint. Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews and his group Orleans Avenue kicked off the night with their sizzling brand of funk infused with jazz, rock, hip hop and soul.