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We’ve told you a few times now about remarkably energetic and adventurous songwriter and songwriting coach Signe Miranda and all that she’s accomplished in helping other artists to develop their talents, including writing a book on the topic that was formally launched a year ago this month.

Her history working with other musicians goes back some time to when her Concrete City Records company was a fledgling enterprise a dozen years ago when I first met her. She evolved into a role as one of the founders of the Music City North initiative, with which she’s no longer associated but that continues to thrive (despite being incredibly lame these days about publicizing the names of the artists who participate in its frequent showcases in downtown TO).

Building on those involvements and her own growth as a songwriter who has released a couple of lively, upbeat albums of Pop originals with her Signe Miranda’s Veranda band (which appears at Tranzac Club on Friday, btw) she started focusing on helping others develop their skills a few years ago and has steadily built her song-creation coaching activities into a cornerstone of her career.

It was those experiences and to facilitate her work in that area that led her to write her book, “The Song Creation Formula: Seven Easy Steps To Writing Your Song.” The how-to handbook is aimed both at people who’ve never written a song before but want to and songwriters looking for inspiration to break out of old patterns. It includes interviews with successful Canadian songwriters such as Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo, and members of Oh Susanna, Treble Charger and many more and is available through Long & McQuade Musical Instruments and online at amazon.

Of course while having a book on the topic is useful, getting schooled hands-on is a lot more effective for some people, so this afternoon at Free Times Café (where she also hosts the open mic afterwards this evening) Signe is putting on another edition of her Song Creation Workshop Series that artists can come to in order to hone their craft or those who haven’t written or are just starting can attend to explore their creativity.

At the two-hour session in the back room of the club at 320 College St., which also features acclaimed vocal coach Mary Michaela Weber, participants will discuss songwriting and do some actual in situ composition —and no doubt the book will be available as a take-away too.

Show up at 4:30 to register and mingle with other participants, with the hands-on portion running 5-6:30. Cost is just $15 and all you have to bring is a pen and paper —however you might also want to include an instrument in case you feel inspired to take your new song for a test drive by sticking around for the no-cover open stage she’s hosting there starting at 7.

-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Monday, March 14, 2022

Listings are organized by area in which the shows occur and within each area field shows are listed chronologically.

Listings preceded by an asterisk (*) are repeating weekly events. (Double asterisk indicates repeating event with different hosts/guest/etc.). Events preceded by question mark (?) usually take place but have not been confirmed. Admission prices followed by a slash and minus (/-) after the amount indicates door charge with availability of cheaper rates for some purchases. /+ indicates stated price is minimum.

Names of subscribers appear in bold, are underlined and, where applicable, include a live link to their websites. Advertisers’ listings are in larger highlighted type, include live link to website and also have ad icon included in listings.

On The Air / Online

*8:30> Songbird Mondays with Nicole “Songbird” Coward online live @ http://www.streetjelly.com ~Roots/Folk

416 - Toronto Central

4:30-6:30> Signe Miranda hosts Song Creation Workshop Series @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO ~$10/$15

6> Ariana Gillis @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

6:30> U of T Jazz Ensembles @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

*7> Balfolk Toronto @ May Café, 876 Dundas St. W., TO ~Folk music & dance

**7:30-1 (sign-up starts at 7)> open stage with Signe Miranda @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO ~eclectic

7:30> Happy Hour with Chris Banks @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

8> Ukulele jam @ Tranzac Lounge (Main Hall), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

8:30> Alt Dot Comedy Lounge @ Rivoli, 334 Queen St. W., TO; $5

8:40> Jaguar Stereoclypse Band; Stray Bullets; Wakus @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., TO ~indie; no cover

**9-1:30> jam with No Band Required @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO

*9> open mic @ Lou Dawgs Ryerson, 76 Gerrard St. E., TO ~ Rock, blues, hip-hop

*9:30> open mic with host Mark Villamor at Amsterdam Bicycle Club, 54 The Esplanade, TO

9:30> Humber College Jazz Ensembles @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

10> Jordan John @ The Orbit Room, 580 College St., TO ~R&B/Blues; $

**10> open mic with host Dave Lang and John Sladek @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

10> Mike Todd @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

10> Earthless; Biblical @ Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St. W., TO

10:30> Big Otter Creek Unplugged @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~Folk-country Rock

416 - Toronto East

7-10> Django Gypsy Jazz Band @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., Toronto East ~Bluegrass

**7:30> M Factor Mondays with host Elana Harte & featuring Lucio Agostini + features by Edward Sayers; Tennyson King @ The Old Nick, 123 Danforth Ave., TO East ~songwriters

8-12> open stage with Julian Taylor @ Dora Keogh, 141 Danforth Ave. TO East

8:30> Angie Gunn @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East ~ old time Country

*9:30-2> Sebastian Agnello & friends @ Black Swan (ground floor), 154 Danforth Ave., TO East

416 – Toronto Etobicoke

*8-12> Al Reilly’s Catalyst also featuring Anthony Cee host Rock jam @ Rockpile, 5555 Dundas St. W., Etobicoke

416 – Toronto Scarborough

*8-11> acoustic jam @ McGradie’s, 2167 Victoria Park Ave., Scarborough

416 – Toronto West

5-8> Robert Lee @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

8:30> David Simard & Jenny Birkel @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W., TO West ~modern Folk/dark Country; $10

*9-1> Hamstrung Stringband @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Bluegrass

*9-1> eclectic open mic with host Nelson Sobral @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West

9-1> Chris Staig Trio @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~indie Pop

705

*7> Rick & Gailie @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

10> The Holy Gasp @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough; $10

905 East

*8-12> open stage @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

*10> jam with host Emerson Ireland @ The Thirsty Monk, 21 Celina St., Oshawa

905 North

9:25-1:05> jam/open stage with backline @ Sneakers, 18025 Yonge St., Newmarket

905 West

*8-12> jam hosted by Redder featuring Michelle Deneault @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit

**8-12> BBQ & jam night with Catherine Harrison @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; ($8.95 with BBQ dinner special starts at 6)

*9:30-1> jam with Tom Barlow @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit

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