Volume 25 Issue 2 - October 2019
Long promised, Vivian Fellegi takes a look at Relaxed Performance practice and how it is bringing concert-going barriers down across the spectrum; Andrew Timar looks at curatorial changes afoot at the Music Gallery; David Jaeger investigates the trumpets of October; the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution (and the 20th Anniversary of our October Blue Pages Presenter profiles) in our Editor's Opener; the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir at 125; Tapestry at 40 and Against the Grain at 10; ringing in the changing season across our features and columns; all this and more, now available in Flip Through format here, and on the stands commencing this coming Friday September 27, 2019. Enjoy.
Long promised, Vivian Fellegi takes a look at Relaxed Performance practice and how it is bringing concert-going barriers down across the spectrum; Andrew Timar looks at curatorial changes afoot at the Music Gallery; David Jaeger investigates the trumpets of October; the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution (and the 20th Anniversary of our October Blue Pages Presenter profiles) in our Editor's Opener; the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir at 125; Tapestry at 40 and Against the Grain at 10; ringing in the changing season across our features and columns; all this and more, now available in Flip Through format here, and on the stands commencing this coming Friday September 27, 2019. Enjoy.
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Beat by Beat | Mainly Clubs, Mostly Jazz!<br />
Top Talent,<br />
Standout Shows<br />
COLIN STORY<br />
It is <strong>October</strong>, and summer – which clung on so tenaciously<br />
throughout September – is officially over. In many ways, this month<br />
is a hopeful one: after a perpetually hot, sticky and undignified<br />
period, the prospect of wearing a sweater and coat has become<br />
almost thrilling. In other ways, however, this month is frightening:<br />
the weather will get ever colder, the evenings ever darker, and, no<br />
matter how you’re planning on voting, the federal election will bring a<br />
certain amount of anxiety (<strong>October</strong> 21: don’t forget!). But regardless of<br />
the coming changes, rest assured that there are a number of standout<br />
shows coming your way, and multiple opportunities to hear excellent<br />
musicians in action.<br />
Coltrane Tribute at The Rex<br />
On <strong>October</strong> 10, 11 and 12, saxophonists Kirk MacDonald and Pat<br />
LaBarbera present their annual John Coltrane Tribute at The Rex,<br />
with pianist Brian Dickinson, bassist Neil Swainson and drummer<br />
Joe LaBarbera. This yearly run of shows has become an institution<br />
unto itself, a tradition that serves to highlight the Toronto jazz scene’s<br />
appreciation and respect for Coltrane’s invaluable musical legacy. It is<br />
also an opportunity, of course, to delight in the prowess of MacDonald<br />
and Pat LaBarbera, both of whom are leading voices on the saxophone,<br />
as well as being conscientious stewards of the modern tenor<br />
tradition inaugurated by Coltrane. The rhythm section is equally<br />
impressive: Dickinson, Swainson and Joe LaBarbera bring their own<br />
set of experiences to Coltrane’s music. (Though he and Pat are indeed<br />
brothers, Joe LaBarbera is the only non-Torontonian in the group; he<br />
is based in California, where is he a faculty member at the California<br />
Kirk MacDonald and Pat LaBarbera<br />
Institute of the Arts, in Santa Clarita.) In addition to their careers as<br />
performers, MacDonald, Pat LaBarbera, Dickinson and Swainson<br />
are also faculty members at Humber College, and it is normal to see<br />
a large cohort of jazz students from Humber, U of T, and York at any<br />
show that they play.<br />
The Coltrane shows are happening a bit later in the year than is<br />
usual – they typically take place around September 23, on Coltrane’s<br />
birthday – but it’s likely that they will still generate a strong back-toschool<br />
sensation, an inspiration to budding jazz musicians as well as<br />
an opportunity to experience a sense of musical community. Head<br />
down to The Rex to hear it all: masterful playing, the music of one of<br />
the 20th century’s greatest musical innovators, and sporting-eventstyle<br />
cheering when students recognize the changes to Giant Steps<br />
being superimposed on a blues.<br />
Rexcetera!<br />
While the Coltrane Tribute will be a major highlight, The Rex’s<br />
<strong>October</strong> schedule is replete with notable concerts. On <strong>October</strong> 23 and<br />
24, pianist Florian Hoefner celebrates the release of his new album<br />
First Spring. Hoefner is one of Canada’s most interesting young jazz<br />
pianists, and his path here has been somewhat unconventional.<br />
Originally from Germany, he went to school both in Berlin and in<br />
D. In the Clubs (Mostly Jazz)<br />
120 Diner<br />
120 Church St. 416-792-77<strong>25</strong><br />
120diner.com (full schedule)<br />
Most shows $10-$20<br />
All shows: PWYC ($10-$20 suggested)<br />
Alleycatz<br />
2409 Yonge St. 416-481-6865<br />
alleycatz.ca<br />
All shows: Call for cover charge info.<br />
Mon 8:30pm Salsa Night with DJ Romantico<br />
with free lessons.<br />
Tues 8:30pm Bachata Night with Weekly<br />
Guest DJ with free lessons.<br />
Wed 7pm Midtown Blues Jam hosted by<br />
Andrew “Voodoo” Walters.<br />
Thurs 7pm Spotlight Thursdays.<br />
Fri & Sat 9:30pm Funk, Soul, R&B Top 40 $10<br />
cover after 9pm.<br />
Sat 3pm-6pm Matinee Jazz.<br />
Sun 4pm Blues in The Alley w/ Big Groove.<br />
Oct 3 Johnny Cox & Magnetic Line.<br />
Oct 4 Von. Oct 5 URequest. Oct 10 Where<br />
it Zat. Oct 11 Red Velvet. Oct 12 Lady<br />
Kane. Oct 17 Mark Harding. Oct 18 North<br />
of 7. Oct 19 Disco Night w/ Escapade.<br />
Oct 24 Johnny Cox & Magnetic Line.<br />
Oct <strong>25</strong> Gyles. Oct 26 York Jazz Ensemble<br />
(matinee), Halloween Party w/ URequest<br />
(eve). Oct 31 Halloween Party w/ DJ Marlon.<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-<strong>25</strong>5-2442<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 />
Oct 1 9pm Jom Comyn w/ Sam Tudor. Oct 2<br />
6:30pm Kaili Kinnon, 9:30pm Field Guide &<br />
Georgia Harmer. Oct 3 9:30pm David Krystal.<br />
Oct 4 6:15pm Fintan, 9:30pm Silver Pools w/<br />
Leucrocuta and Bazarian. Oct 5 6:30pm Matthew<br />
Byrne, 9:30pm Burhan Berken. Oct 6<br />
6:30pm Jennis, 9:30pm Louise Landes Levi.<br />
Oct 7 9:30pm Burrows and Company w/ Graham<br />
Young. Oct 8 9pm Above Ground Pool.<br />
Oct 9 9:30pm Field Guide & Dani Nash. Oct 10<br />
8:30pm Café Counterculture. Oct 12 3pm<br />
Manus McGuire and Emily Flack, 6:30pm Diar.<br />
Oct 12 9:30pm Emma Frank w/ Thom Gill and<br />
Ryan Driver. Oct 15 6:30pm Mike Evin. Oct 16<br />
9:30pm Laurent Bourque. Oct 17 9:30pm Li’l<br />
Andy. Oct 18 9:30pm Blonde Elvis and Lake<br />
Versions. Oct 19 6:30pm Darling Cora w/ La<br />
Faute, 9:30pm Rebecca Binnendyk. Oct 21<br />
6:30pm Rob McLaren, 9:30pm Dan Pitt Trio<br />
w/ SALT. Oct 22 9:30pm Paris Pick & The<br />
Pricks. Oct 23 8:30pm Maintoba Music Showcase.<br />
Oct <strong>25</strong> 9:30pm Most People w/ Crystal<br />
Light Collective. Oct 26 9:30pm Dylan<br />
Perkons, Animal Parts, James Irwin. Oct 29<br />
9:30pm Bernice. Oct 30 6:15pm Eybler<br />
Quartet.<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 />
Oct 4 9pm Fraser Melvin Band. Oct 5 3pm The<br />
Hot Five Jazzmakers. Oct 6 7pm The ReCaps.<br />
Oct 10 9pm VETS Canada. Oct 12 3pm The<br />
Boxcar Boys. Oct 13 6pm Too Dumb To Quit!<br />
Oct 19 3pm The Hot Five Jazzmakers. Oct 26<br />
3pm Kristin Lindell w/ Jesse Whiteley. Oct 27<br />
5pm Too Dumb To Quit!.<br />
Emmet Ray, The<br />
924 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 />
Jazz Jam. Every Sun 4:30pm New Orleans<br />
Connection All Star Band; 10pm Sunday Jam<br />
with Bill Hedefine. Every Wed 10pm Action<br />
Sound Band w/ Leo Valvassori.<br />
Hirut Cafe and Restaurant<br />
2050 Danforth Ave. 416-551-7560<br />
hirut.ca<br />
Every Sunday 3pm Hirut Sundays Open Mic.<br />
First and Third Tuesday 8pm Fingerstyle Guitar<br />
Association.<br />
Oct 5 8:30pm Tanya Wills Quartet.<br />
thewholenote.com <strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 57
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