Complex and brilliant Noah Zacharin at C’est What today

/TORONTO/

A darling of the Toronto Folk scene for the past quarter-century, Montreal-born Noah Zacharin is a complex but immensely rewarding Roots songwriter with a knack for both confounding and inspiring his fans, who include highly regarded fellow musicians and critics alike. In December of 2012 a panoply of notable fellow artists honoured the 30^th anniversary of his first self-titled album by performing covers of his tunes at a packed event in the prestigious Free Times Café in Toronto.

His six albums recorded over the past 30 years, five of them since moving to Toronto in 1987, are all, like his live performances, distinctive and intensely personal, intricate and yet elemental. Drawing from influences across a wide range of genres that includes Blues, Country, Pop, Jazz, R&B and even Bluegrass, he crafts captivating six-string spells with his fingerstyle playing, accompanied by direct, simple but laconically pithy –even profound– lyrics delivered in an unadorned but quietly passionate voice.

Live on stage his guitar playing is captivating and even magical but delivered almost with a shrug, as if it were no big thing. He is also known for the fact that each performance is unique, because his approach to individual songs and even the instrumental solos he does in them can differ greatly from show to show, all in the service of living in the moment and performing a highly entertaining balancing act.

Between songs he allows a playful inner imp full rein, delivering one-liners and wry but often self-effacing observations that are born of his interaction with the specific audience and the unique experience being created with them. No wonder that whenever and wherever Noah Zacharin performs, there is always a clutch of dedicated fans on hand excited to discover yet another facet of this fascinating artist’s talent.

Likely that will also be the case this afternoon when he takes to the stage at hip C’est What at 67 Church St. at Front St. E. at 3 p.m. to iterate what is sure to be yet another memorable performance.

-Gary 17, www.torontomoon.ca

LISTINGS:

Listings preceded by an asterisk (*) are repeating weekly events. 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 and include a live link to their websites where applicable. Advertisers’ listings are in larger type, include live link to website and also have ad icon included in listings.

11-2> Jordan Glick & The Usual Suspects @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave. TO East ~Jazz

11am-2pm> Gypsoulogy for Jazz Brunch @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO ~Gypsy Jazz

*11am-3pm> Rockabilly Brunch with The Cosmotones @ Dominion On Queen, 500 Queen St. E., TO ~Rockabilly

*12-3> Julian Fauth’s Blues Brunch @ Axis, 3048 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Blues

Noon-4pm> celebration of 30th anniversary of Springsteen’s Born In The USA with Shawn Brady & Hervé Basset & more @ Hard Rock Café, 283 Yonge St. TO ~covers tribute

noon> Excelsior Dixieland Jazz Band @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

**1-5> Open Folk open stage season finale with Doc Higgins & feature SOOTARA @ 1 Wallace Drive, Barrie & live online @ http://justin.tv/openfolk

1> Toronto Improvisers Orchestra @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

*2-5> Jordana Talsky @ Morgan’s, 1282 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz

*2-5> acoustic jam with host Bill Black @ The Working Dog Saloon, 3676 St. Clair Ave. E., Scarborough

*3-7> Pat Perez & John Dickie band feat. Mike Sloski, Ian Desouza & Norman Brown @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave, TO East ~R&B

*3-6> open mic with Nicola Vaughan @ Hirut, 2050 Danforth Ave., TO East

*3-7> open mic @ Moskito + Bite, 423 College St. TO

3> Noah Zacharin @ C’est What, 69 Front St. E., TO ~

*3-6> Michael Brennan @ Graffiti’s, 170 Baldwin St. TO ~East Coast Rock/Blues Roots

*3-6> jam with host Buddy Love Band @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville

*3-7> jam at CJ Barleys, 213 The Queensway, Keswick

3 Chicken Pot Pie @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

3:30-6:30> Dr. Nick & The Rollercoasters @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

4> Whiskey Jack for Cadillac Lounge 14^th anniversary party @ Cadillac Lounge, 1296 Queen St. W., TO West ~Rootsy Blues

4-8> One King @ Blue Goose Tavern, 1 Blue Goose Rd., Etobicoke South

4> Lily Frost @ Castro’s Lounge, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East

*4:30-8> New Orleans Connection All Stars & guests @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO ~New Orleans Jazz

4> Doug Dale @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa ~Jazz

*4:30-8> Chuck Jackson’s All Stars @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Blues

*5-9> All ages open jam with Juggernaut Jam Band featuring Andy Narsingh @ West Shore Bar & Grill, 877 Bayly St., Pickering

**5-8> John Borra & Sam Ferrara w. guest @ The Communist’s Daughter, 1149 Dundas St. W. TO West ~Country

*5-9> Little Caesar & The Consuls @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Blvd., TO North ~vintage Rock/Top 40; $10

5-9> Telstars RocknRoll Band @ Legends On The Queensway, 1184 The Queensway, Etobicoke South ~Rock/R&B faves; $5

5-8> Chris Coole @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~old time Country

5> Max Layton @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~original Roots

5-8> Joshua Goodman Band @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

**5-8> The Stew @ Mulligan’s, 2458 Dundas St. W., Mississauga ~R&B/Pop Rock

5:30> Julian Taylor presents Undiscovered Artists Series with Clark Schlesinger; Rusty Brakes; Brain Juice @ Dora Keogh, 141 Danforth Ave., TO East ~original young songwriters

*7-1> open stage with hosts Steve York & Tony Rabalao (2 songs each -signup @ 7 or pre-sign online) @ The Supermarket, 268 Augusta St., TO

*7-11> Karaoke with Rob MacArthur @ The Edge, 250 Bayly St. W., Ajax

7> Uke 416 @ C’est What, 69 Front St. E., TO ~

7> Ori Dragan birthday show @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St., TO ~Jazz; $15/-

7> Lizzie Violet’s ‘Cabaret Noir’ with David Roche; Neil Traynor; Rando @ The Central, 603 Markham St., TO ~indie Pop

*7-9:30> Bud Powell tribute @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*7-11> open jam @ McGradie’s, 2167 Victoria Park Ave., Scarborough

**7-11> The Nomads with special guest Virgil Scott @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit

*7> open jam @ Black Swan Pub Burlington, 4040 Palladium Way, Burlington

*7> open mic with Bobby Slack @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

8> Folk night open stage season finale with Tom Miller @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; food bank donation admission

8> Zack Warner’s Idol School Recital with various performers @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO ~

*8:30-12:30> karaoke with The English Rose & The Mad Scotsman @ Gryphon Pub, 114 Dundas St. E., Whitby

8:30> Laura Smith with Tony Quarrington & Tony McManus @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~East Coast songwriter; $27.50

9-1> Roots ‘n Branches @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Roots

9> Los Cabelleros del Son @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Cuban traditional

*9-1> jam with Mike Roland and Lenny Vaccari @ Stewart Maguires Landing, 15 Allan Dr., Bolton

*9-1> jam @ Ivy Arms Pub, 201 Main Street East, Milton

*9:30-2> jam with the Stir It Up Band featuring Bryan Van Dusen & David Macmichael @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East

*9:30-1:30> jam with Rebecca Matiesen & Phoenix @ Southside Johnny’s, 3653 Lakeshore Blvd. W., Etobicoke South

9:45> Sammy Jackson Group @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*10> Horshack feat. Chris Caddell @ Orbit Room, 580 College St., TO ~Bluesy contemporary & classic Rock

10> The Lina Allemano Four @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~Jazz

*10> open mic/jam hosted by Phill Hood (with backline avail.) @ The Cage 292, 292 College St., TO

**10> Blues jam with Brian Cober, Bill Hedefine & guest bassist @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO

*10> jam with Groovestone feat. Dale Harrison @ Scruffy Murphy’s Uptown, 150 Eglinton Ave. E., TO North

10> Sean Pinchin’s Blues ‘n’ Beers @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Blues

10:30> Scott Baragar @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~Pop covers/indie Rock

*10:30> Screaming Idahos @ The Dickens, 423 Elizabeth St., Burlington ~contemporary & classic Pop Rock

Copyright © 2014 Toronto Moon Magazine. All Rights Reserved