Volume 24 Issue 4 - December 2018 / January 2019
When is a trumpet like a motorcycle in a dressage event? How many Brunhilde's does it take to change an Elektra? Just two of the many questions you've been dying to ask, to which you will find answers in a 24th annual combined December/January issue – in which our 11 beat columnists sift through what's on offer in the upcoming holiday month, and what they're already circling in their calendars for 2019. Oh, and features too: a klezmer violinist breathing new life into a very old film; two New Music festivals in January, 200 metres apart; a Music & Health story on the restorative powers of a grassroots exercise in collective music-making; even a good reason to go to Winnipeg in the dead of winter. All this and more in Vol 24 No 4, now available in flipthrough format here.
When is a trumpet like a motorcycle in a dressage event? How many Brunhilde's does it take to change an Elektra? Just two of the many questions you've been dying to ask, to which you will find answers in a 24th annual combined December/January issue – in which our 11 beat columnists sift through what's on offer in the upcoming holiday month, and what they're already circling in their calendars for 2019. Oh, and features too: a klezmer violinist breathing new life into a very old film; two New Music festivals in January, 200 metres apart; a Music & Health story on the restorative powers of a grassroots exercise in collective music-making; even a good reason to go to Winnipeg in the dead of winter. All this and more in Vol 24 No 4, now available in flipthrough format here.
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Kirk MacDonald<br />
and the bassist Geoff<br />
Kraly, whose effectsheavy<br />
playing fills<br />
out the middle in a<br />
way that has more in<br />
common with shoegaze-inspired<br />
electric<br />
guitar playing than it<br />
does with traditional<br />
electric bass playing.<br />
(Dion often plays bass<br />
lines on his keyboard.)<br />
Beyond their unique<br />
performance practice,<br />
however, it’s the music<br />
itself – a combination<br />
of rock, synthpop,<br />
and jazz fusion – that<br />
is at the heart of Paris<br />
Monster’s compelling<br />
project. Paris Monster<br />
plays two consecutive<br />
nights at The Rex, on<br />
<strong>December</strong> 8 and 9.<br />
The Rex will also be hosting a different two-night residency,<br />
on <strong>December</strong> 19 and 20, as Kirk MacDonald, one of Canada’s<br />
pre-eminent saxophonists, celebrates the release of his album<br />
Generations, his 15th as a bandleader. Generations features<br />
MacDonald’s contemporaries Neil Swainson and André White, as<br />
well as the American pianist Harold Mabern, who, at 82-years-old, is<br />
one of jazz’s prominent elder statesmen, and the clarinetist Virginia<br />
MacDonald, who, at 23, represents the next generation of jazz both<br />
figuratively and literally. (Kirk MacDonald is her father.)<br />
Virginia MacDonald, who is becoming an important presence on<br />
the Toronto jazz scene in her own right, will also be playing at The<br />
Rex on <strong>December</strong> 18, one evening before joining her father for his<br />
two-night stint. She is joined by the bassist Dan Fortin and, keeping<br />
the family theme intact, by the siblings Lucas Dann and Nico Dann, a<br />
pianist and drummer (respectively) who share a sister in Robin Dann,<br />
the aforementioned singer in the group Bernice.<br />
Burdock: While <strong>December</strong> is typically one of the best months of<br />
the year in which to see live music, <strong>January</strong> is one of the worst, for a<br />
variety of reasons. There is usually an expectation that people don’t go<br />
out as much, both for reasons financial (it’s time to start paying down<br />
that credit card) and caloric (those resolutions won’t keep themselves).<br />
The success of Burdock’s annual Piano Fest, however, has<br />
given both artists and audiences a reason to get back into the swing<br />
of things following the holidays. Taking place from <strong>January</strong> 21 to 28,<br />
this eight-day festival sees the temporary installation of a baby grand<br />
piano in Burdock’s Music Hall and, traditionally, double bills featuring<br />
complementary acts. Past performers include Joanna Majoko, Chelsey<br />
Bennett, Michelle Willis, Jeremy Dutcher and Tim Baker, amongst<br />
many others. While the full schedule has not yet been released, check<br />
out Burdock’s website for full listings when they become available.<br />
MAINLY CLUBS, MOSTLY JAZZ QUICK PICKS<br />
!!<br />
DEC 18, 9:30PM: Virginia MacDonald, The Rex. The night before she joins her father<br />
Kirk MacDonald on the same stage for his album release show, clarinetist Virginia<br />
MacDonald leads her own accomplished quartet at The Rex.<br />
!!<br />
DEC 16, 8PM: Venus Fest presents Bernice with Kith & Kin, Lula Lounge. As part of<br />
Venus Fest’s Winter Market, watch Kith & Kin perform before a very special holiday set<br />
by Bernice; followed by bingo.<br />
!!<br />
DEC 22, 9PM: Robi Botos and Hilario Durán, Jazz Bistro. Leading pianists Robi Botos<br />
and Hilario Duran present a holiday-themed show in a rare configuration.<br />
!!<br />
JAN 21 TO 28: Various performers, Burdock Piano Fest. Burdock Music Hall.<br />
Burdock presents its fourth-annual Piano Fest, featuring a variety of performers in<br />
complementary double bills that make good use of a beautiful (and well-tuned) baby<br />
grand piano.<br />
Colin Story is a jazz guitarist, writer and teacher based in Toronto. He<br />
can be reached at www.colinstory.com, on Instagram and on Twitter.<br />
D. In the Clubs (Mostly Jazz)<br />
120 Diner<br />
120 Church St. 416-792-7725<br />
120diner.com (full schedule)<br />
All shows: PWYC ($10-$20 suggested)<br />
Alleycatz<br />
<strong>24</strong>09 Yonge St. 416-481-6865<br />
alleycatz.ca<br />
All shows: Call for cover charge info.<br />
Mondays 8:30pm Salsa Night with DJ<br />
Romantico with free lessons No cover before<br />
10:00pm.<br />
Tuesdays 8:30pm Bachata Night with Weekly<br />
Guest DJ with free lessons Ladies free before<br />
10:30pm.<br />
Wednesdays 7pm Midtown Blues Jam hosted<br />
by Andrew “Voodoo” Walters.<br />
Thursdays 8pm Canadian Discovery Series.<br />
Fri & Sat 9:30pm Funk, Soul, R&B Top 40 $10<br />
cover after 9pm.<br />
Sat 3pm-6pm Matinee Jazz.<br />
Dec 1 Gyles Band. Dec 7 Lady Kane.<br />
Dec 8 Soular. Dec 14 Lady Kane.<br />
Dec 15 York Jazz Ensemble (matinee),<br />
Sound Parade (evening). Dec 21 Parkside<br />
Drive. Dec 22 Gyles Band. Dec 28 URequest<br />
Band. Dec 29 Gyles Band. Dec 31 New<br />
Year’s Party w/ Gyles Band. Jan 4 URequest<br />
Band. Jan 5 Lady Kane. Jan 11 Blonde<br />
Ambition. Jan 12 Soular. Jan 18 URequest<br />
Band. Jan 19 Soular. Jan 25 Graffiti Park.<br />
Jan 26 York Jazz Ensemble (matinee), Lady<br />
Kane (evening).<br />
Artword Artbar<br />
15 Colbourne St., Hamilton. 905-543-8512<br />
artword.net (full schedule)<br />
The Blue Goose Tavern<br />
1 Blue Goose St. 416-255-<strong>24</strong>42<br />
thebluegoosetavern.com (full schedule)<br />
Bloom<br />
2315 Bloor St. W. 416-767-1315<br />
bloomrestaurant.com (full schedule)<br />
All shows 7pm 19+. Call for reservations.<br />
Burdock<br />
1184 Bloor St. W. 416-546-4033<br />
burdockto.com<br />
Ticket prices vary by show, but typically<br />
$10-$20; check website for individual show<br />
prices.<br />
Dec 1 6:30pm Quirks, 9:30pm Big Lonely w/<br />
Huttch, The Bandicoots. Dec 2 6:30pm Jesse<br />
Parent w/ Lucas Stagg, 9pm On Healing – A<br />
With/out Pretend Event. Dec 3 6:30pm Elliot<br />
Maginot w/ LeRiche, 9:30pm The Hope State.<br />
Dec 5 7:30pm Confabulation presents: Family,<br />
9:30pm Eamon McGrath, Will Whitwham<br />
& Joyful Joyful. Dec 6 6:30pm Ben Rosenblum<br />
Trio feat. Sam Kirmayer, 9:30pm Jesse<br />
Matas. Dec 7 6:30pm David Krystal. Dec 8<br />
9pm Gabriel Kahane Dec 9 9:30pm LUKA &<br />
Jenny Berkel. Dec 10 9:30pm MONEYPHONE<br />
& Jonah Yano. Dec 12 9:30pm Vince Maccarone’s<br />
Los Variants. Dec 13 9:30pm The Lesters<br />
Holiday Show. Dec 14 9:30pm Jessica<br />
Moss, Völur & Qarafa. Dec 15 6:30pm Dumb<br />
Angel & Special Guests. Dec 16 6:30pm Stewart<br />
Legere & Kim Harris, 9:30pm Stefan<br />
Hegerat Album Release w/ Laura Swankey<br />
& Karen Ng. Dec 17 9:30pm The Old Salts.<br />
Dec 18 9:30pm Construction & Destruction /<br />
Steven Lambke. Dec 21 6:30pm Clara Engel,<br />
9:30pm Debi Botos Quintet. Dec 22 6:30pm<br />
Braden Lam & Brooklyn Doran, 9:30pm<br />
ELJAY. Jan 11 6:30pm Shanika Maria. Jan 12<br />
9:30pm Akage No Anne & TV SETS. Jan 13<br />
9:30pm Naomi Froese. Jan 15 9:30pm Chelsea<br />
and the Cityscape. Jan 23 6:30pm Alexandra<br />
Stréliski.<br />
Jan 21-28 Burdock Piano Fest <strong>2019</strong> – check<br />
Burdock website for complete listings when<br />
available.<br />
Cameron House<br />
408 Queen St. W. 416-703-0811<br />
thecameron.com<br />
Castro’s Lounge<br />
2116 Queen St. E. 416-699-8272<br />
castroslounge.com (full schedule)<br />
All shows: No cover/PWYC<br />
C’est What<br />
67 Front St. E. (416) 867-9499<br />
cestwhat.com (full schedule)<br />
All concerts are PWYC unless otherwise<br />
noted.<br />
Dec 1 3pm Thelonious Hank, 9pm Jacques<br />
Russell Trio. Dec 2 7pm Chris Bjorkquist,<br />
D.B. Buxton. Dec 7 9pm Big Rude Jake. Dec 8<br />
3pm The Hot Five Jazzmakers, 9pm Julia<br />
Tynes. Dec 9 7pm Kristin Lindell and Friends.<br />
Dec 14 9pm Metronome Chomsky. Dec 15<br />
3pm Victor Monsivais Trio, 9pm Richard Malouin.<br />
Dec 22 3pm The Hot Five Jazzmakers,<br />
9pm Jack Walker’s Festivus Miracle. Dec 29<br />
3pm Thelonious Hank. Jan 5 3pm The Hot<br />
Five Jazzmakers. Jan 12 9pm Julia Tynes.<br />
Jan 13 7pm Bob Wegner. Jan 19 3pm The<br />
Hot Five Jazzmakers. Jan 26 3pm The Boxcar<br />
Boys. Jan 31 9pm Shikha Sehgal, Bernadette<br />
Connors.<br />
Emmet Ray, The<br />
9<strong>24</strong> College St. 416-792-4497<br />
theemmetray.com (full schedule)<br />
All shows: No cover/PWYC<br />
Grossman’s Tavern<br />
379 Spadina Ave. 416-977-7000<br />
grossmanstavern.com (full schedule)<br />
All shows: No cover (unless otherwise noted).<br />
Every Sat 4:30pm The Happy Pals Dixieland<br />
thewholenote.com <strong>December</strong> 1, <strong>2018</strong> – February 7, <strong>2019</strong> | 73
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