East Danforth Sunday afternoons are like weekly festival

/TORONTO EAST/

It may not be a festival by name, but the concatenation of fine musical events that take place every Sunday afternoon along Danforth Ave. between Pape and Woodbine in TO’s East York area gives it that feel, especially this time of year. And today is a particularly good one to explore that scene.

You can get a jump on things, if you’re an early bird, by going a block east of Woodbine to Relish tapas eatery and live entertainment emporium at 2152 Danforth Ave., where there’s a weekly 11-2 Jazz brunch show. This year the cozy tapas restaurant is part of the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival and in conjunction with that today presents The Max Foster Jazz Duo.

Starting at 2 and running till 5, you can catch more weekly Jazz at Morgan’s (which is also part of this year’s TDJF) a pleasant upscale bistro at 1282 Danforth Ave. around the corner from the Greenwood subway station that also has a nice little patio outside of the window against which the performers set up. This would be a very good day to check this place out, because the featured act is a corker: gorgeous, talented Jazz singer Carin Redman (former owner of the Ten Feet Tall restaurant that was seminal in making this area a hip place to be for live music fans) appears with her trio for the no-cover show.

While you’re in that neighbourhood at that time of day you can also amble a couple of storefronts away to the east and check out a truly great R&B all-star band at Linsmore Tavern at 1298 Danforth Ave.  Consisting of singer John Dickie backed by Pat Perez on saxes, Norman Brown on the keys, Ian de Souza on bass and Mike Sloski on drums, this band is truly a treasure –all of them are acknowledged giants on their instruments. Once again, no cover for this spectacular show, that runs 3-7.

 

Just west of Woodbine you’ll find another free show starting at 3 and that’s scheduled to end at 6 but never does. Nicola Vaughan hosts the weekly Sunday open stage at Hirut, at 2050 Danforth, that has now been running over two years since I first kicked it off following the cancellation of a similar event at Sarah’s Café further west on the Danny. She’s been there for about 18 months now and the event not only attracts all the old Sarah’s regulars and others I introduced to the room but a whole passel of people who also follow Nicola to her various shows, which also include a weekly Wed. open stage at Black Swan Tavern.

West of The Linsmore just east of Pape Ave., the Eton House also usually has a 5-8 matinee show going on, but they’re not very good at promoting it so who is featured is pretty much anybody’s guess except when George Pliakes does his monthly last-Sunday jam there, happening next week.

This particular Sunday, of course, there is also an actual festival-in-name taking place along this strip as well, as the five-day EXEE (East By East East) series at Only Café, 972 Danforth at Donlands, wraps up with a 4-10 cavalcade with several fine performers such as six-string instrumental wizard Gary LaRocca at 7 p.m.

If you visit some or all of these events (and the latter option is quite possible to do) and still have an appetite for more live music, you can make your way from The Only back over to Relish just in time for the start of their famous and always excellent weekly 9:30-1:30 open jam! If all that doesn’t leave you feeling like you’ve attended a street-based festival then it’s likely you just stayed home and watched tv instead!

-Gary 17, www.torontomoon.ca

LISTINGS:

Listings preceded by an asterisk (*) are repeating weekly events. (Double asterisk indicates repeating event with different hosts/guest/etc.). 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 are underlined and where applicable include a live link to their websites. Advertisers’ listings are in larger type, include live link to website and also have ad icon included in listings.

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

11-2> Max Foster Jazz Duo @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave. TO East ~Jazz

11am-2pm> Kiki’s Klezmer Trio for Jazz Brunch @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO

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

noon> TDJF: Odessa/Havana; Lorraine Klaasen for open air concert series @ Shops at Don Mills, 1090 Don Mills Rd., TO East ~Jazz

2> Steve Raiken @ Full Of Beans, 1348 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Roots Pop originals

*2-5> Carin Redman Trio @ 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

2:30-6> Megan Boni’s Music Mix young songwriters showcase @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville ~$5

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

*3-7> open jam with Tommy Rocker’s Classic Rock Show @ Centro Pizza, 3406 Kingston Rd., Scarborough

3-5> Michael Laderoute & Rob Fenton @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~original Roots

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

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

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

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

3 > Bluzone @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

3:30-6:30> TDJF: Red Hot Ramble @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

4-10> East By East East (EXEE) Festival with Ewen Framconbe Band; Catfish; Peter James Project; Gary LaRocca; (7pm) Akasha Five @ The Only Café, 972 Danforth Ave., TO East

4> Art Fusion SteamPunk Festival with jam, art displays and workshops, fire spinners, bellydancing, face painting, nude body painting performance & more @ Evergreen Brickworks, 550 Bayview Ave., TO East

*4-8> Danny B Blues Band @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke ~Pop

4> Sugar Brown @ 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

*4:30-8> 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> Durham Region Music Society presents Bobby Watson & Durham All Stars featuring Frank Woodcock & Eric Lambier @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa ~Blues/pwyc

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

*5-9> Little Peter & The Elegants @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Blvd., TO North ~vintage Rock/R&B; $5

5-9> Fiddlestix @ Legends On The Queensway, 1184 The Queensway, Etobicoke South ~fiddle-Rock; $5

5> Girard & Fraser @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~Roots

5-8> Christopher Simmons Trio @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

**5-8> The Stew with guest tba @ Mulligan’s, 2458 Dundas St. W., Mississauga

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

7> Etobicoke School of the Arts showcase with various artists @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~$25/$15

**7-11> The Nomads with special guests Stacie Tabb & Gary Hill @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit

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

7> NXNE: The Black Diamond Express; WinnieBrave; Grand Lark; Hospital @ Tranzac Club (Main Hall), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~Roots

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

7:30> Gathering Sparks Roots singalong with Eve Goldberg @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~Beatles theme tonight

8> NXNE: comedy showcase, followed by Nashville Bound songwriters showcase with Glen Hornblast; Ruth Jenkins; Tony Hanik; Emily Reid; Clela Errington; The Curries @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO ~original Roots; $5/pwyc

8> TDJF: @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

8> Russell Edward Williams with Eli Eisenberg & Owen Tennyson @ Encore Rehearsal Studios, 76 Geary Ave., TO West ~SRV tribute

8> Iain Leslie Band @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; $10/-

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

9-1> Brownman Akoustic Trio @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

9> The Sinners Choir @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West

9> Arthur Renwick @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Rootsy Blues

*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

*9:30-1> 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

10> TDJF: Jeff Coffin Group @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Nashville Jazz

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

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

10> Calin Furlong & The Old Fashioned Trash Band with Steve Gleason @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., 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 ~indie Rock

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

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