Centre for Social Innovation, Spadina:: Innovator drinks @csiTO with special #AbbyLitchfield performance at website launch for #FLARE #FinancialLeadershipForArtistsAndRisingEntrepreneurs professional corporation. Music a new original composition on concerns with climate change. Met some old friends, made some new connections. (Centre for Social Innovation, Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20240801
Mackenzie House: Noontime solo electric violin performance of “Farewell”, by @victoriayeh for @downtownyonge summer series. albeit a winter feel. In small courtyard, focusing on the music masked the construction noise of the building being erected directly north. Instrument has a low C string, plus an octaver setting for play low notes, all run through effects pedals including a looper. (Mackenzie House, Bond Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240802
Trillium Park: Dusk short set @wavelengthmusic by alt jazz fusion #LavenderTown band, named in reference to Pokemon. Specialists in reworking video game music, “Song of Storms” is from The Legend of Zelda. Casual event with mostly millennials sprawled out on the lawn, bike parking overfull with security guards prowling. (Trillium Park, Lake Shore Boulevard West, Toronto, Ontario) 20240810
Varley Art Gallery of Markham: Solos @ChrisDonnelly99 piano, #TaraDavidson sax, #LaurenFalls bass, @ErnestoCervini drums, on Nowhere Girl @nickyschrire @markhamjazzfest. A few famous musicians in the audience, alumni of Toronto who now live in the USA. Performance moved inside, with rain cancellation the two open air venues down the street. (Varley Art Gallery of Markham, Main Street Unionville, Ontario) 20240817
Varley Art Gallery of Markham: Composition of “A Little Louder Please” #LaurenFall bass, with #TaraDavidson sax doubled by @NickySchrire on wordless voice, accompanied by @ChrisDonnelly99 piano, @ErnestoCervini drums @markhamjazzfest. Vocalist and bass player knew each other in graduate school in NYC, now both in Toronto. Rain re-asserted with thunder, glad to be inside the only one of three festival venues under cover. (Varley Art Gallery of Markham, Main Street Unionville, Ontario) 20240817
Varley Art Gallery of Markham: Still yet unrecorded Daffodil @RobertLeeMusic bass, #RoaLee @roa_gayageum, @AllisonAu sax, @jay.myoo guitar, #Jen.Lo piano, #AndrewMccarthy drums, @markhamjazzfest. Larger ensemble than first performance I saw at Distillery District in May. Fortunate to have an indoor venue, the rain squashed the possibility of playing on the patio. (Varley Art Gallery of Markham, Main Street, Unionville, Ontario) 20240817
Varley Art Gallery of Markham: Introduction by #Roa’Lee gayageum on composition about Korean mountain and drumming pattern @RobertLeeMusic bass, accompanied by @AllisonAu sax, @jay.m.yoo, #JenLo piano, #AndrewMcCarthy drums, @markhamjazzfest. Bandleader filled in with patter about growing up in Markham not speaking Korean, now getting language help from bandmates. Korean zither took a few minutes between songs for tuning, and then more adjustments while other players took lead. (Varley Art Gallery of Markham, Main Street, Unionville, Ontario) 20240817
Village of Yorkville Park: Relaxed afternoon “Paradise” @kublamusic_boi guitar, with #CameronTinklenberg keyboards and #AustinGembora drums on Sunday @BloorYorkville . Trio configuration in daytime, will have 6-piece band at upcoming nightclub date. Sunny break, but bank was watching clouds overhead, for heavy rainfall warning. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240818
Village of Yorkville Park: Audience requested “Changes” @kublamusic_boi guiar, with #CameronTinklenberg keyboards and #AustinGembora on Sunday @BloorYorkville . Song was one of the earliest official releases by the band. Trio configuration in daytime, will have 6-piece band at upcoming nightclub date. Also call outs for some other covers, but maybe too obscure for a casual gig. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240818
Toronto Music Garden: Outdoor performance of Kyoto by @UofTMusic Percussion Ensemble quintet, mostly uninterrupted by boat engines roaring in the Inner Harbour. Premiered in 2011 by New Zealander #JohnPsathas , the music was inspired by a 1976 improvisation by Keith Jarrett in that city in Japan. Full audience, appreciative on a Sunday afternoon. (Toronto Music Garden, Queens Quay West, Toronto, Ontario) 20240825
Toronto Botanical Garden: Flowers in full bloom with @alexisbaro at Edwards Summer Music Series as dusk. Single woman up front, dancing as if no one is watching. Full audience, parking lot full. (Toronto Botanical Garden, Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario) 20240829
Village of Yorkville Park: Noontime gig @BloorYorkville dropping into #BennettYoung bass solo, with #ChrisPlatt guitar and #RobinClaxton drums, a challenge to name that tune extends to minutes. Trio discussed the standards to be played a few minutes before each, to check if each might remember playing it recently. Other tunes were interrupted by roars of jets overhead, rehearsing for the Canadian International Air Show officially starting tomorrow. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240830
Mel Lastman Square: First act on Saturday @tujazzfest stage, #leocodiga and the #SouthwestCorridor playing “True”. Band of university studies left Montreal at 5:30am to attend this festival. Audience in bright August sun, from the bleacher concrete steps. (Mel Lastman Square, Yonge Street, North York, Ontario) 20240831
Mel Lastman Square: Saturday afternoon @tujazzfest #EmmettHodgins Coast Group playing tunes with strange titles like Dingle bop? Concluding an album release and touring as a band, composed new music on the road. Folding chairs put under tents for shade, clearer view of raised stage still from the concrete bleachers. (Mel Lastman Square, Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240831