Singer songwriter Chris Rawlings is celebrating the launch of his most recent CD, Under Saturn’s Wheel, with a concert at Clinton’s Tavern, 693 Bloor St. W., May 8, beginning at 8 p.m.
Under Saturn’s Wheel is a 15-song collection of original songs drawing from many years of Rawlings’ life. In fact, these songs are really an autobiographical journey for the musician. Rawlings has done a lot over his musical career, from busking at Expo ‘67 to winning a gold medal at the Bulgarian Folk Festival, from “crossing swords with Stan Rogers” to hanging out with Ron Sexsmith. His gentle bardic voice and talented guitar work is expertly complemented by such well-know Toronto musicians as Anne Lederman, Chris Whitely and Daisy DeBolt.
Joining Chris on this CD launch concert will be Henry Helig, bass; Jorn Anderson, drums; and Michael Pinsonneault, flute and sax. For more information, or to listen to samples from and order a copy of Under Saturn’s Wheel, visit www.chrisrawlings.ca.
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Also on May 8, at the Free Times Cafe, 320 College St., singer songwriter Ian White will be performing. Ian’s latest CD Wonder Grows which has been enjoying critical acclaim. Joining White will be Bill MacLean, bass; and Aldo Missio, mandolin. For more information visit www.ianwhite.org.
Opening for Ian White will be Beach Metro’s Bill MacLean, performing songs from his CD A Frame of Time. For more information on Bill’s CD visit www.MySpace.com/billmaclean. Admission is $5 or pay-what-you-can.
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Pink Cocktails – the team of Hildegard Sausik who owns H.E.S. Designs, and Patti Rooke who used to own Gater Wader Baby Wear – presents a fashion show in celebration of its spring collection, and company launch, May 10, at H.E.S. Design, 982 Kingston Rd, just west of Victoria Park. Pink Cocktails is a nonprofit retail company that specializes in benefitting women living with cancer. The inspiration for this venture came from a mutual friend, Diane Verity, an Upper Beach resident who has been living with breast cancer for the past three years.
“I’ve had a close up look at the effect cancer has had on Diane’s life, and we want to do what we can to help,” said Rooke. “What I can do is make things, and sell them... the profits are going to our project.” The project involves funding retreat weekends to Rosehill House in Collingwood for Toronto women living with cancer, as well as starting a support network for women in Collingwood. Diane Verity will be on hand as the guest of honour.
The event starts with cocktails at 11 and the fashion show following at noon. Also on hand will be handmade soaps and bath products, local pottery, jewelry, art and handmade cards and notepaper. There is no charge for this meet and greet event, and everyone is invited to attend. Just look for the pink awning! For more information call 416-686-8096.
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Murphy’s Law, Queen and Kingston Road, presents An Afternoon on the Patio, May 10 from 1 to 7 p.m. It is a charity benefit with live music from The Dirty Dogs, Dale K. Jones, and Fraser McDougall & Friends, as well as a barbecue. All proceeds from the afternoon will be going towards sponsoring a team of cyclists who are participating in the Benefit Tour for Kids.
The Benefit Tour for Kids is a 831 km. cycling tour held over four days in August. Cyclists will ride up from Toronto and through cottage country all in an effort to raise money for three camps for special needs children: Camp Quality, Camp Oochigeas, and Camp Trillium. For more information visit www.tourforkids.com, or www.murphyslaw.ca
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Notre Dame High School, 12 Malvern Ave., will celebrate Canada’s diversity on May 10 with a Culture Jam from noon to 5 p.m.
Take this opportunity to sample tasty traditional food from various cultures, learn more about customs and history and be entertained by their music and dance.
Tickets for Culture Jam are $5 each or $20 for a family pass. For more information contact the school at 416-393-5501
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If you are a fan of fine fingerpicking, then Ten Feet Tall will soon be the place to head when the Toronto Fingerstyle Guitar Association takes over its open stage. Hosted by veteran picker Dunstan Morey, the open stage will run the second and fourth Monday of every month at this popular restaurant at 1381 Danforth (just west of Coxwell) – already a favourite jazz and R’nB venue.
The Toronto Fingerstyle Guitar Association is a network of some of the city’s finest solo guitarists. Over the years it has sponsored many workshops, open stages and small venue concerts. The next featured performer will be Ewan Dobson, who will take the stage on May 12. There is no cover charge, and everyone is welcome. For more information visit www.torontofingerstyleguitar.com, or www.tenfeettall.ca.
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Beach musician Frank Wilks invites you to join him May 15, at 9 p.m., at the Black Swan Tavern, 154 Danforth Ave. near Broadview, for a sneak preview of his new project I Am Not Neil Young, a musical he co-wrote with Don Lamoreaux.
I Am Not Neil Young is a three-act musical performance tracing Wilk’s life as a touring musician with the band Buffalo Springfield Revisited in which he and some of Buffalo Springfield’s original players kept alive the music following the departure of their legendary frontmen Neil Young and Steven Stills. The band played such venues as the L.A. Forum, the Jerry Lewis Telethon and the 30th Anniversary of Rock and Roll Tour during the 1980s. It’s a play about the insane serendipity of becoming a rock star, the descent into drugs and alcohol while living that life – especially as Wilks was really performing covers of Young’s famous songs – and finally the redemption of crawling out of that hole and becoming the real musician he knew he could be. Wilks will be joined by Al Duffy, bass, and Kid Carson on drums.
I Am Not Neil Young will eventually tour Fringe Festivals across the country this summer, eventually coming back to Toronto in September. Tickets are $8 in advance, or $10 at the door. For more information call 416-698-0018.
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Acoustic Harvest presents Tasa, May 17, at 8 p.m., at St. Nicholas Anglican Church, 1512 Kingston Rd. Tasa is a world music ensemble that performs original repertoire inspired by the traditions of India as well as contemporary versions of traditional songs from the Indian diaspora. Tasa was created in 1999 by tabla player and composer Ravi Naimpally, an Indian born Canadian musician deeply committed to studying the music of North India. Blending instruments and musical motifs from several world traditions, Tasa is able to create a rich and seamless tapestry of sound.
Tasa won an urban Music Award for Best World Music Album for their debut release, Bhakti. And the band has toured Europe as a part of the Canada Council for the Arts SonicWeave initiative. Their third CD, Urban Turban, was released in 2005.
Tickets for Tasa are $15 and are available at the door. For more information call 416-264-2235.
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That Son of a Beach, Frank Domagala, is inviting all his musical friends to band together for a big benefit concert May 22, at the old Massey Mansion (Children’s Peace Theatre) 305 Dawes Rd. Charlene Conn, the wife of his old friend and musical colleague Dennis Conn, has been battling cancer, and has recently had to stop work to take time to have treatment. Frank is hoping to raise enough money through this event to perhaps send Charlene and Dennis on a trip or something to lift their spirits.
The event is called Jam Nite at the Massey Mansion and will feature a Main Stage – the Electric Marmalade Jam – with numerous Toronto musicians plugged in and cranking it, and an Acoustic Toe Jam – a back room set aside for the gentler, mellower sounds of acoustic music. So bring your guitar, or horn, or just your ears, and pitch in for a very worthwhile cause.
Tickets for Jam Nite are $15 at the door (and include one bar token). For more information call Frank at 647-402-9626.
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Following the success of its Christmas Social, Ballroom in the Beaches is holding a Spring Dance Social May 23, at 8 p.m., at Main Street Cardio, 21 Swanwick Ave. This is an excellent opportunity to enjoy participating in beautiful ballroom dancing, as well as a chance to pick up some pointers from the instructors and students at Ballroom in the Beaches.
Ballroom in the Beaches is run by Juan Alberto, a two-time Blackpool finalist in Theatre Arts, Cabaret and Showdance divisions. He teaches group classes for both adults and children, as well as private lessons in Ballroom and Latin dancing. These seasonal socials are a chance for the students to practise in a fun and public setting, and a chance for the public to mix and learn from the pros and their students.
Tickets for the Spring Dance Social are just $10 at the door and include refreshments. For more information call Juan Alberto at Ballroom in the Beaches at 647-888-1346, or e-mail jabor2002@hotmail.com.
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Members of the congregation of Kingston Road United Church, 975 Kingston Rd. ,will be performing selections from several popular Broadway musicals May 24 at 7 p.m. This is part of the church’s celebration of a Century of Entertainment. You will hear tunes from such favoutires as Phantom of the Opera, Rent, Sweeney Todd, Gigi, Cats, plus many more.
Tickets are only $10, and all proceeds are going toward Kingston Road UC’s Centennial Fund. Tickets are available by calling 416-699-6091, or by e-mail at tickets@kruc.ca.