Toronto, Ontario
Water’s Edge Promenade: Walked south on Sugar Beach arriving just in time to see #JudyChicago start A Tribute To Toronto @TorontoBiennial performance. Barge with flashing light released purple smoke first, drifting east. After 5 minutes, the wind shifted north, forboding us to retreat back to a grassy knoll minutes before the crowd majority turned to follow. (Water’s Edge Promenade, East Bayfront, Toronto, Ontario) 20220604Yonge-Dundas Square: Facing southwest @YDSquare, four of 12+ screens @EdwardBurtynsky (2022) In the Wake of Progress @Luminato Festival with 360-degree immersion and booming sound. Plaza occupied by small groups of viewers looking upwards at images captured over 40 years. Second evening of two, arrived at dusk. (Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario) 20220612Congee Queen Agincourt: Weekday lunch becoming more normal, yet restaurant running below capacity. Comfort food with Cantonese fried noodles, grouper with tofu hotpot, bok choy. Day of meetings for community programs, lab tests. (Congee Queen Agincourt, Sheppard Avenue East, Scarborough, Ontario) 20220615Very Fair Seafood Cuisine: Reservation made for table of seven, for first family dim sum after years of takeout. No cart service, so ordered way too much food off the menu. Leftovers packed up for three destinations. (Very Fair Seafood Cuisine, Milliken Boulevard, Scarborough, Ontario) 20220618Pre-Fathers Day: Two sons still in town, so Saturday lunch uptown to meet with grandfather. Summer schedules are getting complicated, hard to find a day not already booked. Life is good, lots of changes on the domestic fronts. (Very Fair Seafood Cuisine, Millken Boulevard, Scarborough, Ontario) 20220618Little Italy: Street corner @TOLittleItaly trio @micheldequevedo hand drum, @ericstlaurent guitar @composer_jordan bass. Lyrics in Spanish appreciated by Mexicans and Venezuelans audience members, rhythms encouraged couples to dance. On break, Eric said this was only the second performance under Michel’s leadership, the non-Latin licks in guitar and bass give a freshe feeling. (College Street at Euclid Avenue, Little italy, Toronto, Ontario) 2020619Village of Yorkville Park: Tetrahedron @TorontoJazzFest @ernestocervini drums, @nirfelder guitar, @Richthealgoritm bass, @luisdenizsax alto. Performance delayed from CD release in March 2020, unfortunate timing at pandemic. Attentive audience under shade of trees in late afternoon, stage facing west. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario) 20200624House of Gourmet: Neighbourhood seafood dinner, casual occasion for introductions as our family network expands. Talked about summer travel plans, eastbound, westbound, overseas. Walked back to apartment for first look after many months of renovations, street life is now more active with the warm weather. (House of Gourmet, Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20220625Victoria University Quad: Trio @robocchipinti bass, @adreanf piano, #MarkKelso drums @torontojazzfest . Live music changeup in program, in respect of recent societal changes, to play Somewhere (West Side Story, Leonard Bernstein) followed by Is This America (Pat Metheny). Emotion in music sometimes doesn’t need words. (Victoria College Quadrangle, University of Toronto) 20220626Victoria University Quad: ES:MO duo @eshepherdmusic piano @Occhipintimusic guitar expanded for @torontojazzfest with @robocchipinti bass #NickFraser drums. Stories of the two travelling across Canada together borne out by long introduction to Riverman programmed live into loops with guitar, voice and keyboard bass. Performers are well-known in town, a large crowd was gathered on the lawn before they took the stage. (Victora College Quadrangle, University of Toronto) 20220626Village of Yorkville Park: From Montreal, #CODEQuartet @TorontoJazzFest @cjensenmusic sax, @lexfrenchmusic trumpet, #AdrianVedady bass, @jimdoxas drums. Behavior consistent with self-description as a collective, as each player called out the rhythm at the start of their composition. More openness and lightness in the chordless ensemble, without a guitar or keyboard to fill in space. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20220627Victoria University Quad: Singer-songwriter @sammyjacksonxo @torontojazzfest backed by @IanWrightMusic drums, @markgodfreybass . Wide stage with #TomFleming guitar, #ChrisPruden keys. Languid melodies and family back stories on a warm summer late afternoon. (Victoria College Quadrangle, Uniersity of Toronto) 20220628Village of Yorkville Park: Quintet @markgodfreybass @toronojazzfest with @IanWrightMusic drums, @mattworoshyl sax, #ChrisPruden keys, #KaeMurphy trumpet. Recognized by @TOArtsFdn as Emerging Jazz Artist of 2019, released album in Feburary 2020 just in time for pandemic shutdown. First live performance of the original group reformed for this day. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20220629Village of Yorkville Park: Bridges @jesseryansax @torontojazzfest with #DanielAnthony drums, #JulianAndersonBowes bass, #EwenFarncombe piano, @andrewmarzotto guitar, offstage @alexjazztrumpet. Emerging Jazz Artist @TOArtsFdn was Jesse in 2020, now Andrew in 2022 announced minutes before taking stage. Trinidadian heritage in compositions, updating into contemporary jazz with Caribbean and South American influences. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20220629
Market Street: Shaded patio table on pedestrian mall was the venue for the Systems Changes Learning Circle core members. First occasion for a face-to-face meeting, after over 2 years online due to pandemic. With rhythmic shifts having become central to our approach, we reminded ourselves that some emerging subgroups may similarly experience years of disordered thinking before reaching a convergence. (Market Street, St. Lawrence Market, Old Town, Toronto, Ontario) 20220630
