How long has it been since Juno-winning Blues songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Julian Fauth has been away from his weekly gigs at Axis Grill on Sundays for brunch and at Gate 403 doing a Blues night? Well, when I called the club last night to see if it were true that starting tonight he’s back in the saddle doing his ‘Blues Night’ (albeit on Wednesdays rather than Tuesdays), the server who answered the phone put me on hold while he checked. When he returned he told me, “Ya the new guy on Wednesday is good to go for the show.”

Obviously the employee answering the phone was new, since Julian has been a staple for a few years now at the cozy two-shows-a-night-seven-nights-a-week room on Roncesvalles Ave. south of Howard Park that has its own beautiful house piano.

But for almost exactly a year now winner of the 2009 Juno Award for “Blues Album Of The Year” for Ramblin’ Son has been out of action after contracting a particularly severe case of whooping cough  (it’s making a comeback, no doubt thanks to the anti-vaccine movement) that was complicated by being first misdiagnosed as pneumonia, resulting in doctors missing the window for treating the disease with antibiotics (it only works when done early).

The ailment produced frequent coughing fits set off by laughing, yawning and most sadly, singing. The paroxysms, which often also include passing out, were so violent that he actually broke ribs from the violent hacking, further complicating matters. He kept expecting it to go away, posting in June of last year that “it can’t last much longer” and in November that he hoped to “return soon”.

Coming on the heels of a previous seven-month hiatus in 2011, after he broke his arm the night before he was supposed to go on tour, you have to think this unique composer, who crafts songs that sound like they could have come out of Tin Pan Alley, these days has an even better understanding of what it means to have the blues. I happen to know he’s also been writing new stuff while he was off, so expect an exciting night for his 9-1 grand return show. -Gary 17, www.torontomoon.ca

LISTINGS:

noon> free Jazz show with tba @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

5-8> Bill MacLean & Brian Stevens @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO W. ~Bw/piano duo

6> Declan O’Donovan @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

6> League of Rock @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~ol-timers rockin’ it out

6:30> Morgan Childs Group @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*7-11> open jam with Wayne Buttery Band @ The Beacon, 146 45th St., Wasaga Beach

*7:30-10:30> Peter Griffin & BTBs @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO E. ~Jazz

7:30> Katie DuTemple & friends @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave. TO

*8-12> Girls Night Out Jazz singers jam with Lisa Particelli, Peter Hill et al @ Chalkers, 247 Marlee Ave., TO NW

8-1> The Lovelocks; Joe Hash @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville ~songwriters; $5

**8> open stage with 9 p.m. feature @ Fat Albert’s, 25 Cecil St. (Steelworkers Hall), TO ~Roots

9> Jennah Barry @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

*8-1> open jam with Wednesday’s Child feat. Johnny Bootz Hutt @ Lola, 40 Kensington Ave., TO

8> Laura Fernandez @ Monarchs Pub (Eaton Chelsea Hotel), 33 Gerrard St. W., TO ~Latin Jazz

8> Jamick acoustic jam with Gary LaRocca @ The Only Café, 972 Danforth Ave., TO East  ~eclectic Roots

*8-12> all-ages jam with The Brand New Low @ Sixth Line Pub, 1500 Sixth Line, Oakville

8-1> Marshall Dane @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~Country Pop

*8-11> open mic @ Frank’s Pasta, 426 King St. E., Cobourg

*8-11> Fraser-Daley @ Inter Steer, 357 Roncesvalles Ave. TO W. ~Roots/Blues

*8-11> jam with Juggernaut @ Black Bear, Ajax, 967 Westney Rd. S., Ajax

*8:30> open mic with Jenn Fiorentino @ Earl Of Whitchurch, 6204 Main St., Stouffville

*8:30> Crazy Strings host High Lonesome Wednesdays with opening acoustic act @ Silver Dollar 486 Spadina Ave., TO ~Bluegrass

*8:30> Something Country @ The Endzone, 1900 King St. E., Hamilton ~Country

*9> open jam with Tommy Rocker’s Classic Rock show featuring Jim Cornell & members of Still Sunday @ The Loaded Dog, 1921 Lawrence St. E., Scarborough

9-12> Blues Night with Julian Fauth & guests @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO W. ~original Jun0-winning Blues

9> Mr. Rick (Zolkower) & guests @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO W. ~Root/Rockabilly

9> Mary Simon; Blurred Vision @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO W. ~original Pop Rock

9> The Unseen Strangers @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO W.

*9-12> jam with Damage Control @ St. Louis Bar & Grill Ajax, 11 Harwood Ave. S., Ajax

*9?> jam with Michael Zane @ Shakers, 580 Kerr St., Oakville

*9-1> open mic jam with Whiskey Birds @ Sweetz Lounge, 5289 Hwy 7, Woodbridge-Vaughan

*9:30> open stage with Nicola Vaughan @ Black Swan (downstairs), 154 Danforth Ave., TO E.

9:30> Julien Dionne; Garage Baby @ C’est What, 67 Front St. E., TO ~comedy/variety; $10

9:30> Johnny Griffith @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*9:30-2> jam with Live Animals @ The Unicorn, 175 Eglinton Ave. E., TO N.

9:45> Wednesdays Go Pop showcase with Fifteen & A Half Scandals; The Corner; Hopeland @ Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave., TO ~indie

10-12> Mike Butler Band @ Rock ‘N Horse Saloon, 250 Adelaide St. W., TO ~original Country; $5

10> QuiQue Escamilla @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

10> Ronley Teper’s Lipliners @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave. TO

*10-2> Blues-Rock jam with Bruce Domoney @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave. TO

*10-2> Paul & Curtis @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Rock/Pop

10:30> Pat Wright @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock

*10:30> The LMT Connection @ Orbit Room, 580 College St. TO ~Funk/R&B; $

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