February, 2026

By Matt Silver

KSDS's inaugural Jazz Olympiads continues, and today it’s Canada versus Germany. North of the border, Oscar Peterson, Gil Evans, and Renee Rosnes carry the Maple Leaf flag. And in Deutschland, it’s a combination of big names — like trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff — and bigger institutions — like the WDR Big Band — that do the heavy lifting.

London or Amsterdam? Ronnie Scott’s or BIMHUIS? Dave Holland or the sovereign nation of the same name? Whose contributions to jazz, both classic and contemporary, hew most closely to your tastes? Vote now at jazz88.org as we celebrate the inaugural Jazz Olympiad!

By Matt Silver

It’s only fitting that the English delegation, with bassist Dave Holland as a key flag bearer, should open match play against the nation that, for years, competed internationally as Holland.