Danny Marks
2023-04-08 17:00 - 19:00, 2023-05-06 17:00 - 19:00 (America/Toronto)
This iconic rocker’s roots go back to the sixties as a founding member of Capitol Records’ group, Edward Bear. After a span as a journey man session musician throughout the seventies, Danny settled in to the club scene, establishing a cult following as a genre bender in music and humor.
A house band gig at Toronto’s famed Albert’s Hall led him to host his own nation-wide TV show, Stormy Monday. Through the eighties, Danny starred in CBC radio’s hit series the Hum Line.
Most recently, Danny Marks recorded two original music albums, Guitarchaeology and True, before paying tribute to Toronto’s R&B roots with Big Town Boy in 2005.
Danny’s in his thirteenth year as the radio host of JAZZ.FM91’s Saturday night blues show, bluz.fm.
As a child, young Danny would lock himself in his room with a stack of 45’s, an old Seabreeze record player, and a fantasy of having his own radio show. More than a few years later this pre-pubescent propensity paid off.

Little Magic Sam
2023-04-14 17:30 - 19:30, 2023-04-28 17:30 - 19:30, 2023-05-12 17:30 - 19:30
When the world gets down on Little Magic Sam, he gets down on a Les Paul. Hailing from St.Thomas, ON, Sam Taylor is a born entertainer with a penchant for raw blues and soul music and lyrics that bely someone much older than his 29 years. With an enormous stage presence, it comes as no surprise that this multi-talented singer/songwriter has been performing internationally since the age of 7.

catl.
2023-04-15 19:00 - 21:00
catl. are probably one of the last rock n’ roll bands from Toronto. The duo have released five full-length records to critical acclaim and have been touring both North America and Europe for a decade. You know that feeling of walking into a space knowing that you’re looking good, have that swagger, and everything you say is going to be cool? That’s exactly what catl inspires. If you need a boost of self-confidence during this time of insecurity, sport a leather jacket, pour yourself a whiskey, and mouth the lyrics with a stiff upper lip.

Helen Stewart
2023-04-16 15:00 - 18:00

The 501 East With Kyle Sullivan
2023-04-17 20:00 - 22:00, 2023-05-22 18:00 - 20:00

Mike Daley & Jesse Whiteley
2023-04-20 18:00 - 20:00
Mike Daley is a guitarist and singer based in Toronto. A professional musician for over 30 years, Mike has toured Canada, the United States and England and has recorded extensively in a variety of musical styles. He is a longtime member of Fraser/Daley with bassist Alec Fraser and is also proud to work with a variety of bands around Toronto including the Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation, the Travellers and others.
Toronto native Jesse Whiteley is a passionate and multi-talented pianist/keyboardist, singer, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He comes from a third generation of one of Canada’s most renowned musical families, the Whiteley family. Throughout his diverse musical life, Jesse has performed the gamut of musical genres from blues, jazz, swing, boogie woogie, rhythm and blues, to roots, and country.
Jesse began working professionally at age 17 with the Toronto All-Star Big Band. Throughout his years with the Big Band, he has worked as both a pianist and conductor and has shared the stage with such luminaries from the blues and jazz world as Clark Terry, Jackie Richardson, Oliver Jones, Cleo Laine and John Dankworth, and Doc Severinsen. Jesse conducted the band full-time from 2018 to 2022.
Another one of Jesse’s projects is the jazz duo Blue Standard, featuring the vocal stylings of Maple Blues Award winner and acclaimed actor Raoul Bhaneja, accompanied by Jesse on piano. Their debut album “A Good Thing” was released worldwide in January of 2019. Matthew Wright of Jazz Journal writes that the album “benefits from the presence of pianist Jesse Whiteley, a competent and expressive pianist who not only accompanies thoughtfully, but has the ability to vary his approach, from boogie-woogie/stride to swing and modern styles. His solos are brief but effective.”
From 2014 to 2017, Jesse toured and recorded as a member of The 24th Street Wailers, playing across Canada and The United States. He has also recorded and toured throughout Canada, The United States, and Europe with Ottawa’s JW-Jones. He has appeared on recordings with legendary blues musicians Curley Bridges, Little Charlie Baty, Hubert Sumlin, Charlie Musselwhite, dad, Chris Whiteley and uncle, Ken Whiteley.
After graduating with honours from the Contemporary Music Program at Toronto’s Humber College, Jesse completed a Masters Degree at York University in Music Composition.
Jesse can be seen performing under his own name and accompanying many different artists and groups around the Toronto music scene, and anywhere else the music takes him.

Fraser / Daley
2023-04-21 17:30 - 19:30, 2023-05-05 17:30 - 19:30, 2023-05-19 17:30 - 19:30
A popular concert and recording act for over 14 years, Toronto-based Fraser/Daley has released three CDs of original music and performed widely, consistently entertaining audiences with their large and varied repertoire, big sound and spontaneous sense of fun. Alec Fraser hails from Glasgow, Scotland and is a respected bassist and Juno and Maple Blues Award winner. Mike Daley was dubbed by Jeff Healey ‘one of Canada’s finest guitarists’ and has a long list of live and studio credits. Alec and Mike met while working in Healey’s touring band in the mid-2000s and found that they enjoyed singing together after the gig. In 2008 they began playing together regularly in Toronto as Alec perfected a unique bass-drums combination instrument that gives this duo the unmistakable sound of a trio. Their three albums, Fraser/Daley, The Whole Fam Damily and Fifty Miles of Elbow Room have garnered steady sales and strong airplay on blues and folk radio, and Alec and Mike have become sought after for their versatile performances, playing everything from intimate house concerts to street dances. Learn more at fraserdaley.com.

Thelonious Hank
2023-04-22 15:00 - 17:00, 2023-04-29 17:00 - 19:00, 2023-05-13 17:00 - 19:00
Thelonious Hank plays your father’s country, rock n’ roll, and jazz. They don’t use set lists and they take requests all day long

Fraser Melvin
2023-04-22 19:00 - 21:00
Fraser Melvin is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, arranger, composer, and bandleader. He plays guitar, lap steel, mandolin, ukulele, bass, keys, trombone, and sings. Fraser has been performing in and around Toronto and Southern Ontario since 2006 with his own group, The Fraser Melvin Band, as well as numerous other bands including Bad Luck Woman & Her Misfortunes, Sam Polley And The Old Tomorrows, and The Jenie Thai Band. With over 15 years experience in the music business, Fraser has performed at the Toronto Jazz Festival, the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Tremblant International Blues Festival, and the Kitchener Blues Festival as well as opened for Johnny Winter, Jim Cuddy, and Chilliwack.

The Del-Fis
2023-04-23 15:00 - 18:00
I don’t know what The Del Fi’s are; the more I think about it, the more I don’t know what to say. But I know it’s right, and I know it’s good. I know it works. I mean, it’s Jerry Leger’s thing, but when I asked him what he would say The Del Fi’s are, all he would tell me is that I (meaning me) am The Del Fi’s, just as you (meaning you) are The Del Fi’s. And because you are you, you understand. Don’t you?
Okay, maybe we should try this again. Jerry Leger is a Toronto singer/songwriter, and one of the best in the world, as far as I’m concerned. If you haven’t heard him, you have no right to be one of these people constantly moaning about how music was so much better when people actually played instruments, blah, blah, blah.
Jerry loves Bob Dylan, Neil Young and John Lennon. Sometimes it sounds as though all three are fighting for space in his songs. But those songs are his own, the product of a natural born storyteller with a sense of rhythm that would make Little Richard’s big toe shoot up in his boot.
Jerry’s songs hit deep in your soul, but he also often loves just making music with folks just to flex some of his old time rock and roll muscles, and explore some of the paths his songwriting normally doesn’t take. That’s kinda where The Del Fi’s come in.
It’s rock and roll that we all care about right? I’m sure you wouldn’t still be reading this if you didn’t agree. So I guess that does make you a Del Fi. Welcome aboard and grab an instrument, we’ve got a show to do.

Mike Daley & Wendell Ferguson
2023-04-27 18:00 - 20:00
Mike Daley is a guitarist and singer based in Toronto. A professional musician for over 30 years, Mike has toured Canada, the United States and England and has recorded extensively in a variety of musical styles. He is a longtime member of Fraser/Daley with bassist Alec Fraser and is also proud to work with a variety of bands around Toronto including the Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation, the Travellers and others.
Born and still residing in Streetsville (Mississauga), Ontario, Wendell became fixated on being a guitar player after hearing Chet Atkins play the instrument. Although he took several years of formal guitar lessons, Wendell was off-and-running as a guitar player, fueled more by listening to and emulating the recordings of some of his guitar idols: Chet Atkins, Les Paul, The Ventures and other guitar gods. Fast forward to 1998 and we find Wendell Ferguson releasing the first in what would be a series of solo albums, mixing his guitar strengths with his off-the-cuff songwriting and his distinctive vocal styling. The first album, “I Pick Therefore I Jam”, was loaded with truly innovative work; not the least of which being a duet offering, “If You’re Gonna Be A Cowboy”, with Russell deCarle of Prairie Oyster fame – their effort earning a nomination for Collaboration of the Year at the 1999 CCMA Awards. Meanwhile Wendell’s guitar work was much in-demand, and he was often called upon to tour in support of top-level Canadian artists, including: Shania Twain, George Fox, Duane Steele, Tommy Hunter, Michelle Wright, etc. Wendell Ferguson’s work has not gone unrewarded. He was nominated for a Juno Award (in 1995, for Group of the Year with Coda The West) and he has been named the CCMA’s All-Star Band Guitar Player of the Year so many times that he is deemed no longer eligible. Wendell Ferguson was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2014.

Sugar Rush
2023-04-30 15:00 - 18:00
Sugar Rush is the ultimate party band, playing really fun, upbeat covers spanning different genres from classic rock, funk, soul, blues, country, jazz, disco, 80s, motown, hard rock, reggae, oldies, R&B, and folk! Get ready for a full evening of dancing, singalongs and just really good music!
Sugar Rush has been a GTA staple since 2007, returning to the circuit after a brief hiatus, familiar to many a musician and music fan for their jam nights at the Curzon, their Friday night residency at the Loaded Dog, beach parties and corporate events. Anchored by Frankie Dee and Tony Carpino with a rotation of top notch players with special surprise guests and currently featuring Gary Lee Hill. This dynamic crew brings all the best classic rock, funk, soul, blues and much more to keep the floor filled. Always guaranteed sweet sounds with Sugar Rush.

Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation
2023-05-01 19:30 - 22:00
The Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation (TWAC) comprise of some of the best musicians in all of Toronto coming together for their love of Tom Waits and paying Tribute to him and his music!

Mike Daley & Greg Wyard
2023-05-04 18:00 - 20:00
Mike Daley is a guitarist and singer based in Toronto. A professional musician for over 30 years, Mike has toured Canada, the United States and England and has recorded extensively in a variety of musical styles. He is a longtime member of Fraser/Daley with bassist Alec Fraser and is also proud to work with a variety of bands around Toronto including the Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation, the Travellers and others.
An extraordinary singer, bassist, guitarist, and songwriter, Greg Wyard is the premier solo performer in the GTA, with thousands of gigs under his belt. He has toured and performed the music of the Beatles at some of the most prestigious theatres in North America and is a successful singer and songwriter in his own right, with four albums of original material.

DJ Rob
2023-05-05 22:00 - 2023-05-06 02:00

Po' Boy Jeffreys & Calamity Jane
2023-05-07 15:00 - 18:00
Po’Boy & Calamity are a folk music duo who revitalize roots music through their energetic performance and unique style, whilst maintaining integrity and nostalgia through their use of traditional instruments.

Mike Daley & Eric Schenkman
2023-05-11 18:00 - 20:00
Mike Daley is a guitarist and singer based in Toronto. A professional musician for over 30 years, Mike has toured Canada, the United States and England and has recorded extensively in a variety of musical styles. He is a longtime member of Fraser/Daley with bassist Alec Fraser and is also proud to work with a variety of bands around Toronto including the Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation, the Travellers and others.
You may have seen Eric Schenkman onstage before thousands of fans worldwide with the Spin Doctors. He is one of the band’s not-so-secret weapons — a vital songwriter and virtuoso
guitarist who crafted the ‘90s band and co-wrote all five of their Top 100 hits. He also worked with Chico Hamilton, Carly Simon, Natalie Merchant, Noel Redding, Phoebe Snow and Corky Laing, among many other notable musicians.

Will Whitwham
2023-05-14 15:00 - 18:00
Will Whitwham is one of Canada’s most prolific and talented singer/songwriters. As a founding member of the Wilderness of Manitoba, he has written and recorded five albums and three EPs. The group was nominated for a JUNO award. The Wilderness of Manitoba toured Canada, the US, the UK, the Netherlands and Germany including performances at the End of the Road Festival, WOMAD, SXSW and the Reeperbahn Festival.
He has also written and recorded two albums as Lake Forest, an EP for the Whateverly Brothers, an album for Pyramid Tropic, and collaborated with recording artists Martha Johnson, Eamon McGrath and Delhi 2 Dublin. The Wilderness of Manitoba was nominated for Sync Artist or Songwriter of the Year at the first Canadian Sync Awards during Canadian Music Week. Their songs (written by Whitwham) have appeared in such US television series as This Is Us, Elementary, Parenthood and No Tomorrow among others. Whitwham’s next project is an EP under his own name called End of Dreams.

Mike Daley & Charlotte McAfee-Brunner
2023-05-18 18:00 - 20:00
Mike Daley is a guitarist and singer based in Toronto. A professional musician for over 30 years, Mike has toured Canada, the United States and England and has recorded extensively in a variety of musical styles. He is a longtime member of Fraser/Daley with bassist Alec Fraser and is also proud to work with a variety of bands around Toronto including the Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation, the Travellers and others.
Charlotte McAfee-Brunner is an award-winning trombonist, bandleader and vocalist Charlotte McAfee-Brunner has been making waves on the Toronto music scene recently. Her bands include: Charlotte McAfee-Brunner and her Fireflies, Grapevine and Trombone charlotte’s Tiger Band. Accomplished in several musical styles, she continues to perform as a sideman with many other excellent groups in Toronto, infusing any room with an undeniable energy. She is a part of the Happy Pals, Combo Royale, Thomas Steele’s 10tet, Dennis Kwok Jazz Orchestra, The Magnolia Brass Band and has been featured with many other groups. With her heart-stopping vocals and compelling trombone solos, Charlotte McAfee-Brunner is a jazz musician and performer you won’t forget and is regularly featured in some of the hottest venues in town.

Yukon Cigar
2023-05-20 15:00 - 18:00
Yukon Cigar was lit in 2005. The idea? To take an earthy, hushed songwriting style and set it on fire. Now, after years on the Toronto club circuit (playing the likes of Cameron House, Castro’s Lounge, C’est What, El Mocambo, Rancho Relaxo, and the NXNE festival), mainstays Craig and Peter have taken to backyard parties and neighbourhood pubs, just two acoustics and a growing list of standards. With countless songs in the fire, here lies the promise of sweet sing-alongs to come.

Morgan Davis
2023-05-21 15:00 - 18:00
For nearly four decades Morgan Davis has been on the road travelling across Canada, the United States and Europe. His performances draw from a rich tradition of country blues, as well as his own contemporary songs infused with wit and a large dose of humour.

Mike Daley & Bazil Donovan
2023-05-25 18:00 - 20:00
Mike Daley is a guitarist and singer based in Toronto. A professional musician for over 30 years, Mike has toured Canada, the United States and England and has recorded extensively in a variety of musical styles. He is a longtime member of Fraser/Daley with bassist Alec Fraser and is also proud to work with a variety of bands around Toronto including the Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation, the Travellers and others.
Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia — but raised in Toronto — Bazil “Baz” Donovan gained fame as the longtime bassist for Blue Rodeo. Though traditionally associated with country music (especially hardcore old-time country classics), he is adept at every genre he attempts. He first picked up a guitar at nine and the bass at 13, and started playing professionally at 17. His first group — composed of friends from high school — was a covers band called Demons. His first touring gig was the All-Star Bar Band, a country covers outfit that Donovan describes as “a human jukebox.” In 1980, Donovan joined the Sharks (a new wave-funk combo) with Blue Rodeo’s original drummer Cleave Anderson, David Baxter, and vocalist Sherry Kean, before joining up with two Toronto groups, Strike One (a reggae-ska band) and Scab (a punk outfit).
In 1984, Donovan answered the now-famous ad in NOW magazine that read, “If you’ve dropped acid at least 20 times, lost 3 or 4 years to booze and are looking good and can still manage to keep time, call Jim or Greg.” At a friend’s suggestion, Donovan answered the ad, leaving a message with Jim’s wife, Rena. By serendipity, Greg Keelor, Jim Cuddy, and Donovan’s old friend Cleave Anderson (who had just joined the band) were sitting around the Bamboo discussing who they could get for bass. Since they all knew one another from the circuit, Donovan’s name came up and Cuddy recalled seeing his name in response to the ad. The threesome called from the restaurant and Donovan was rehearsing with Blue Rodeo the next day. Their first gig came six months later at Toronto’s Rivoli.
Donovan has continued to play with other artists despite remaining one of the three founding members of Blue Rodeo, playing with artists like Oh Susanna (co-writing two songs on her Sleepy Little Sailor album) and Justin Rutledge. His unique relationship with Greg Keelor is chronicled in the song, “Me & Baz” on Blue Rodeo’s Tremolo album. His predilection toward country music is ironic in that, in his own words, “I did not love country music (when I started playing it) — it was my parents’ music — but I had my Jimi Hendrix and King Crimson records at home to rock my world.” Bazil Donovan’s ability to pick up a guitar and bass and launch into a song from any genre — he performs an impromptu version of Randy Travis’ “Diggin’ Up Bones” on Blue Rodeo’s 2008 documentary, Blue Road — is what makes him the ultimate musician’s musician. He can play with any artists and make whatever style of music they may be delving into literally “rock.”
Donovan’s “solo” country career actually began when he was still in high school, playing on the country music circuit in Toronto. At the time, his girlfriend was a singer who was performing to make extra money to put herself through school. One night at one of her gigs, the band’s bassist — who was also an ambulance driver — got an emergency call just as the gig was starting. Donovan filled in for what became the first of many shows — soon after, he was working Queen Street regularly: three weeks at the Winchester Hotel, two weeks at the Claremont Tavern, a month at the Drake Hotel, and a month at the Parkdale Tavern. Eventually, for matinee shows, lead vocalists wouldn’t show up because of hangovers and Donovan began singing the cover songs, leading him to title his first solo album Matinee (a set of his best-loved cover versions).
