Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Toronto-based jazz guitarist, composer, and storyteller David Riddel, also known as Dr. Purgatory. We explore his hauntingly creative new 2025 album, The Consumption: A Tragic Folktale in Six Parts—a conceptual jazz work that blends folklore, emotion, and deep musical storytelling.

Since graduating from the University of Toronto’s Jazz Studies program in 2016, David has made waves across Canada and internationally, performing and recording with some of the country’s top musicians. His unique sound and vision have earned him multiple grants from the Ontario Arts Council, helping him bring ambitious projects like this one to life.

We dive into his musical evolution, the origins of his alter ego Dr. Purgatory, and the creative force behind this new release. It’s a fascinating and layered conversation with one of Canada’s rising jazz voices.

🎶 Learn more & stream the new album: Dr. Purgatory – The Consumption

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Joe Dimino Podcaster/Artist

Joe Dimino has been writing & creating in a variety of capacities since his college days at the University of Missouri-Kansas City somewhere around 1993. If you are keeping score, that would be about 29 years+. It all began at UMKCs University News as a Sports Writer & turned into a myriad of expressive avenues. Inventing poems, art, video & audio has always been in the proverbial cards.