Outlanders feature Richard Underhill at Orbit Room tonight, Aug. 17

A young band that deserves a much bigger following than what we've seen in recent turnouts at Toronto's Orbit Room when they play Mondays, The Outlanders are brilliant emerging players who remind me a lot of Kevin Breit and Sisters Euclid when they first started at the room nearly 15 years ago.

As their bio states: "the musicians unite diverse musical backgrounds to form the band's unique sound: Joel Schwartz (guitar), and Bret Higgins (bass) contribute jazz, folk and rock sensibilities, while Joanna Borromeo (keyboards) brings classical and R&B influences and drummer Josh Van Tassel experiments with electronic music."

The result is a sound that one critic calls "Desert Jazz", with elements of haunting danger and majestic beauty rubbing up against and over and under one another and coalescing like a couple of continental plates combining to form a new terra firma.

The band has the next three Monday nights to itself at the club, upstairs at 580 College St. a stone's throw east of Clinton St., and needs a good turnout to keep the vibe going into the fall.

Tonight they'll have one of Toronto's most revered sax players and inventive accompanists, Richard Underhill, joining them in what should be a landmark night in their evolution and one you'll remember for a long time to come. Show starts at 9 sharp, doors open at 8 and things are usually wrapped by 1 a.m. –though I'm sure if there's a packed house demanding more these future stars will comply!

See ya in Orbit!

The Canadian Music Scene presents The Concert To End Breast Cancer. Thursday
August 27 at The Oasis Convention Centre in Mississauga.

All proceeds are in support of The Campbell Family Institute at The Princess
Margaret Hospital. The funds allow continued research and treatment of all
Women's Cancers.

Long time Orbit Room performers, Planet Earth have joined the roster of great
local artists. Drummer Ben Riley has double duty as he also joins his wife,
Courtney Farquhar who will be presenting songs off her new CD.

The evening will be hosted by Juno award winner Cathy Young with special guest,
A-Team drummer Shamakah Ali.

Jazz enthusists will want to check out The Jive Bombers with special guest,
Downchild Blues singer, Chuck Jackson.

RUSH fans can also check out one of Terry Brown's new bands, crossbac. crossbac
is set to explode on the Canadian Music Scene.

Full details are available at:

www.thecanadianmsuicscene.com/concerttoendbreastcancer.html

If you can't make it out, you might consider sponsoring Paul Beaulieu, long time
Orbit Room patron as he will be doing the 60 km walk in September as part of The
Weekend to End Breast Cancer, details on this are on our home page:

www.thecanadianmusicscene.com

We hope to see many of our long time Orbit Room friends at the concert helping
us support thisa great cause.

You may discover you truly love Prog Rock with Druckfarben at Orbit tonight

The last time I went to see the Prog Rock band Druckfarben, who now appear at Orbit Room on the third Thursday of every month, (including tonight, Thurs. Aug. 20!) I was again, not surprisingly, impressed by a number of facets of their performance.

For one thing these guys are all superb players whose renditions of songs by 70s iconic bands such as Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant, ELO, King Crimson and Rush are as good as and in some cases, many of those who thronged to the club at 580 Clinton St. agreed, better than the originals.

And speaking of originals, last time out the group also played a couple of original Prog. Rock songs they've composed! Naturally that's led to some speculation about the possibility of an album and if that happens who knows, it could just lead to a bit of a revival of Prog. Rock among the mainstream.

The group is centred by frontman and lead singer Phil Naro, who's well known for his own bands (he's John of Phil & John and also teamed up with Sil Simone as a duo for some years) and as an amazing vocalist who does spot-on tribute shows of the band Foreigner. He's backed by Ed Bernard on guitar, William Hare on keys as well as a rhythm section comprised of Peter Murray (bass and vox) and Troy Feener on drums. If you think you like Prog Rock now, just wait till you hear them do it!

Interestingly, many people who like Progressive Rock may not even know it! Last time I went to see them I was chatting with a couple of women who were old friends, one a Prog Rock freak and another who'd become a kind of fan through exposure to it via her pal. But this night she was aglow with excited and blurted out that "I didn't realize how much I really love Progressive Rock until I actually heard it done live by these guys!" It could happen to you too!

And don't forget, Orbit Room has one of the neatest open air patios anywhere in the GTA, a nicely secluded back deck with vines, overhanging trees and cool patio lanterns. Show starts about 10 and get there early for a good seat. See ya in Orbit!

-Gary 17

Orbit Room patrons... we are happy to announce that one of the greatest Reggae
and Ska bands period, have joined the line up of exceptional entertainment this
Thursday, August 27 at The Concert To End Breast Cancer...

They join fellow Orbit Room artsits Planet Earth and Courtney Farquhar...

Also for RUSH fans, crossbac, one of Terry Brown's latest projects will also be
performing...

Info at www.thecanadianmusicscene.com

or contact Paul Beaulieu at paulbeaulieu@...

or 416-433-0894 or Ghost Rider Studios at 905-271-8238

Tickets available at the door... great cause, great artists, all for $20

Sorry pretty late, of course the greatest Reggae/Ska band are the
Arsenals... and artists



--- In orbitroom@yahoogroups.com, "nemesis_prb" <paulbeaulieu@...>
wrote:
>
> Orbit Room patrons... we are happy to announce that one of the
greatest Reggae and Ska bands period, have joined the line up of
exceptional entertainment this Thursday, August 27 at The Concert To End
Breast Cancer...
>
> They join fellow Orbit Room artsits Planet Earth and Courtney
Farquhar...
>
> Also for RUSH fans, crossbac, one of Terry Brown's latest projects
will also be performing...
>
> Info at www.thecanadianmusicscene.com
>
> or contact Paul Beaulieu at paulbeaulieu@...
>
> or 416-433-0894 or Ghost Rider Studios at 905-271-8238
>
> Tickets available at the door... great cause, great artists, all for
$20
>

Forget camping in the rain and cold. "Get away from it all" with great bands in Orbit!

The weather report for the weekend is far from encouraging if you were thinking of "getting away from it all" by going camping or to a cottage up north. Some fun, sitting indoors or in a tent watching the rain and playing cards and trying to get more heat out of a wood stove or electric heater!

Why not take the dough you were going to spend on gas and oil and all the other expenses involved in getting away and spend some serious fun time at TO's hip Orbit Room instead?! There are great bands tonight (Dave Muprhy Band delivers awesome Funk/Rock), Saturday (The A Team redefines R&B/Reggae Fusion) and Sunday (Stifler's Mom are one of the hottest young Rock bands in the GTA!) and if you want a little fresh air there is a beautiful, secluded partly covered patio deck out back with lush vines and vegetation overhanging.

And being inside this sonically superb room will definitely make you feel you're spending time in a place far away from your workaday life. No tvs to distract you, low, sexy lighting, babes and dudes with partying and dancing on their mind and some of the best music you'll ever hear live.

Shows all start at 10:30 but get there early to beat the lineups and ensure a good seat. See ya in Orbit!

Orbit closed tonight –LMT back Wed., double feature Saturday, Sept. 5!

Orbit Room is closed tonight, Monday Aug. 31, for some housekeeping and getting geared up for a fabulous month in September!

LMT Connection has been on tour but returns this Wednesday night to rock your world from bottom to top!

Thursday, as is usually the case the first week of the month, is Chris Caddell and his superb Blues/Rock band. Friday as almost always is the Dave Murphy Band and Saturday there's double feature planned, with a Jazz B3 player from Montreal doing an early set!

Vanessa Rodriguez was born in 1978 in Edmonton but now makes Montreal her home –when she's not touring the world playing at Jazz festivals and top-ranked venues. She's been playing piano for over a quarter of a century, having started when she was just 5, and is classically trained but driven these days by a mixture of Jazz-R&B-Funk-Soul fusion stylings.

After moving to Montreal in 1996 (where she graduated with a degree in Jazz performance piano from McGill University) she served as pianist with Orquestra Pambiche and started her own Tower Of Power-style 11-piece band, Groove Prophecy. She honed her B3 playing in 2002 by visiting and studying under Lonnie Smith as a live-in student for a month. She's gone on to play festivals and to host organ jam sessions at which some of her guests have included world-class B3 player Joey DeFrancesco, saxophonist Kenny Garrett, and late Canadian musical icons Doug Riley and Jeff Healey. She's also performed with Mike Murley, John Abercrombie and Dave Douglas among many other highly regarded talents. She's also a devotee of the pipe organ and in 2007 she was invited to Luxembourg to give a unique concert of jazz on the pipe organ for the 10th anniversary series of the Bridel Organ Festival.

You can read more about her at www.vanessarodriguez.com

Saturday she'll be performing 8-10 at the club upstairs at 580 College St. a few blocks west of Bathurst and will be accompanied by Ted Quinlan on guitar and Ben Riley on the skins.

See ya in Orbit!

Last five days to get an email subscription to my magazine for just $39

As I mentioned in a previous missive, I have sold the rights to the to-nite and T.O. Nite names to a group that, starting Sept. 8, will be producing a daily afternoon glossy newsmagazine in downtown Toronto with a circulation of 100,000 under the title t.o.night. As part of the deal I'll also be writing a column for them Thursdays (starting Sept. 10) and accordingly have also renamed my own weekly music magazine to: Gary 17's Toronto Moon Magazine. The first formal issue of that title gets released the same day as my column.

Like to-nite TNG, the Moon is available as weekly attachments delivered to your email inbox, in either jpg or pdf file format (your choice) for a very reasonable yearly subscription rate. As I've been doing since last year with to-nite, I'm financing it primarily through subscriber revenues. I've gotten rid of almost all my advertisers and have been gearing the magazine more and more toward reader-driven content, which means continuing to write about the people we actually know and new emerging talent –as well as being able to tell the truth about what's going on out there!

For the past couple of weeks I've been taking time to upgrade and reformat aspects of the magazine, mostly in the listings department, where I've continued to expand my coverage to include dozens of shows for each day. (I've continued to give subscribers free daily updates during this "hiatus" period.) Unlike listings in other publications, I actually make an effort to ensure mine are accurate and constantly scour Facebook and websites to get info to include at no charge.

Since I started the new program last October I've been charging just $39 per year (that's 75 cents a week!) to receive the magazine by email but starting Sept. 8 I'm raising it to $52 per year for new subscribers. If you've been thinking you should get an email subscription NOW is the time to actually do it before the price goes up!

Once you have one at the $39 charter rate you'll always be able to renew it for that lesser rate indefinitely! And you'll continue to get regular updates plus my regularly updated Master Venue Index with all the addresses and phone numbers of scores of clubs and plus special bulletins when listing information changes because of cancellation or last-minute announcements!

You can subscribe directly now by sending me an email transfer payment to: therealgaryseventeen@.... Just make sure the security question is one I can easily answer, like, say, my favourite number (17 of course!) or celestial body (Moon!). Alternatively, you can subscribe through PayPal at:  

If these options don't work for you, you can always make a direct deposit to my bank account (reply to me expressing interest and I'll send you the details) or, of course, if you see me out there I do accept cash and cheques as well.

I'm looking forward to an exciting fall season and some wonderful things in the future and hope you'll be part of all that by joining my "club" with an email subscription. The support makes a huge difference to me and I'll try to return the favour by giving you the most informative, hip and fun magazine you'll read anywhere every week!

Sincerely,

Gary 17

Reminder about special early show at Orbit tonight & closed Labour Day

It's a double feature tonight at Orbit Room as Vanessa Rodriguez Trio performs gymnastics on the B3 from 8-10 p.m. and then the usual Saturday feature, The A Team, takes over at 10:30. Tomorrow as every Sunday it's Stifler's Momhe club. The club will be closed on Monday for the Labour Day holiday then open as always on Tuesday with the Deep Roots team delivering world class Reggae/Fusion music.

A little background on tonight's special early-set headliner, who'll be accompanied by Ted Quinlan on guitar and Ben Riley on the skins when she appears 8-10 at the club upstairs at 580 College St. a few blocks west of Bathurst:

Vanessa Rodriguez was born in 1978 in Edmonton but now makes Montreal her home –when she's not touring the world playing at Jazz festivals and top-ranked venues. She's been playing piano for over a quarter of a century, having started when she was just 5, and is classically trained but driven these days by a mixture of Jazz-R&B-Funk-Soul fusion stylings.

After moving to Montreal in 1996 (where she graduated with a degree in Jazz performance piano from McGill University) she served as pianist with Orquestra Pambiche and started her own Tower Of Power-style 11-piece band, Groove Prophecy. She honed her B3 playing in 2002 by visiting and studying under Lonnie Smith as a live-in student for a month. She's gone on to play festivals and to host organ jam sessions at which some of her guests have included world-class B3 player Joey DeFrancesco, saxophonist Kenny Garrett, and late Canadian musical icons Doug Riley and Jeff Healey. She's also performed with Mike Murley, John Abercrombie and Dave Douglas among many other highly regarded talents. She's also a devotee of the pipe organ and in 2007 she was invited to Luxembourg to give a unique concert of jazz on the pipe organ for the 10th anniversary series of the Bridel Organ Festival.

You can read more about her at www.vanessarodriguez.com

See ya in Orbit!

Paige Armstrong's birthday at Orbit Thursday, Soul Stew Friday, The Code Monday

Regulars at TO's hippest club, Orbit Room at 580 College St., may know Paige Armstrong either as a server at the upstairs club or as a rockin' Blues/Rock guitarist and band leader –or as both!

He'll be wearing a third hat when his group appears there tomorrow, Thursday Sept. 10 –a birthday hat! It actually IS his birthday and he'll be making merry with lots of his young, attractive friends of both sexes. Party party people!!!

Friday night will be exciting too. Dave Murphy is off that night but the club has got one of Toronto's premier Soul/Funk/R&B outfits, Soul Stew, showcasing on the cozy stage with some of the best live band acoustics anywhere. Singer Al Dunston is rightly regarded by his peers and fans alike as one of the most charismatic, exciting vocalists in the city.

Saturday, as always, The A Team takes R&B, Soul and Rock to new places and Sunday the always energetic and exciting Stifler's Mom do their regular weekly classic/alternative Rock covers and originals repertoire to a crazed crowd of groovy guys and gals.

All those shows start at 10:30 and continue till closing time.

Monday there's a very special show and if you don't go to this one don't be surprised if you start feeling left out of the Jazz Fusion scene because people will be telling you about it for some time! Drummer Paul DeLong has reassembled his band The Code and last week they released a new cd of originals, Mianca, that's got a lot of people talking. The 6-piece group, which also features guitarist John Pelosi and singer Mike Ferfolia, has Eric Boucher on keys, Pat Kilbride on bass and "The Amazing Armando" on percussion.

That show will start promptly at 10 and run till 1 a.m. Get there early to get a seat and be part of the city's clued-in Jazz elite!

See ya in Orbit! –Gary 17

The Code is no longer broken –back together at Orbit Room Mon. Sept. 14 with new cd

When a musical giant like Paul DeLong describes a band as one of his favourite musical projects ever, you have to figure that this is one extraordinary project. And indeed The Code, which DeLong started along with world-renowned guitarist John Pelosi in 1995. has become one of those fabled outfits that helped to define the Canadian Jazz Fusion scene in the years bracketing the turn of the century. The group performed at Jazz clubs and festivals across North America and released a pair of highly regarded, collectable albums before dispersing under the pressure of various theatrical and recording projects for which the group's talented members were recruited.

Now the group has reunited and recently released a new album, Mianca, which is bound to become yet another must-have for serious Jazz aficionados. Monday Sept. 14 the 6-piece, which, in addition to DeLong and Pelosi, consists of singer Mike Ferfolia, Eric Boucher on keys, Pat Kilbride on bass and "The Amazing Armando" on percussion, assembles to perform and celebrate at TO's hip and acoustically damned-near-perfect Orbit Room. The show will run from 10 p.m. through 1 a.m. in the club located at 580 College St. just east of Clinton.

Druckfarben returns to Orbit tonight with Emmy winner Phil Naro

I`ve always regarded singer Phil Naro as a star since first hearing him sing with partner Sil Simone as a duo some 15 or more years ago. I've also seen him with his Foreigner tribute band and other projects, including his Phil & John duo that plays in rooms all across the province, always to packed houses.

So it didn't surprise me in the least that Phil, who's also, of course, the lead singer for Prog Rock band Druckfarben, recently won an Emmy Award for his singing. And I hope it makes him a million dollars —so long as he continues to perform regularly!

No matter how wealthy he gets, it's unlikely he'd give up singing with Druckfarben, which now appears at Orbit Room on the third Thursday of every month, (including tonight, Thurs. Sept. 17!) I know how much he loves the music of 70s iconic bands such as Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Emerson Lake & Palmer, King Crimson and Rush —so much so that recently he's even written some original Prog. Rock songs with the band! Can an album be far away? Wouldn't it be something if Prog. Rock hit the mainstream again?

Phil is backed in the band by Ed Bernard on guitar, William Hare on keys and a rhythm section comprised of Peter Murray (bass and vox) and Troy Feener on drums. These guys are as good as —and maybe even better, many of those who've seen them at the club at 580 Clinton St. agree— better than the originals.

Show starts about 10 and get there early for a good seat. See ya in Orbit!

-Gary 17

Orbit Room closed tonight for housekeeping; Arsenals return this Friday!

Yes you read it right Ska fans! The one and only Arsenals will be making their way overdue and much anticipated return to Orbit Room this coming Friday, September 25!!!

I know Dizzy and the guys are excited about this as much as are their legions of dedicated fans. Whatever plans you had, cancel them and be there for what's bound to be a superb show!

The club at 580 College St. will be closed tonight, Mon. Sept. 21, as the staff enjoys the autumn solstice and gets a little housekeeping done. Of course doors reopen Tuesday for the Deep Roots weekly showcase of Reggae Fusion, LMT Connection is back on Wednesday as usual, Pretzel Logic does their monthly Steely Dan tribute Thursday and Friday –well, you already know you're gonna be there for that show!

See ya in Orbit!

Pretzel Logic tonight, Arsenals Fri. Sept. 25 at Orbit Room

The weekend starts tonight at TO's hip Orbit Room as Steely Dan allstar tribute 10-piece Pretzel Logic does their monthly "last Thursday" show at the second-floor club at 580 College St. I've heard folks remark that Pretzel Logic "does Steely Dan better than Steely Dan" and I have to agree it's a fair observation.

Tomorrow, Fri. Sept. 25, it's the one and only masters of Ska, Arsenals, making their long overdue return to the funky showcase room where the only thing on everyone's mind is music (well, and also, I suppose, sometimes on the bodies that house the other minds!).

Arsenals are fully loaded with melody, rhythm and stage pizzazz (or should we call it Ska-zzazz?!). Ska music encompasses many different influences (New Orleans R&B, Mambo, Mento and Boogie-Woogie, all churned up with horns and a distinctive beat) and has in turn influenced many different styles. Indeed, almost anything done in 4/4 time with offbeat emphases could be considered Ska.

Thus the repertoire at an Arsenals show can include such Pop favourites as "You Really Got Me" from The Kinks, "Life Goes On" from The Beatles, "My Boy Lollipop", "Sugar", and "Red Red Wine", which they do as an audience singalong. One night they prompted me to call them "the worlds' first Surf Ska Skat band!" when they did a medley that included a Skat-vox take on "Wipeout" along with a medley involving "Barbara Ann", "Rock Around The Clock" and "Bird's The Word"! A desconstructionist take on "Shout" I saw them do as a finale at an Orbit show one night is a moment that I will long recall with a big smile. Another memory moment was the show at which they got the audience to participate in a note-holding competition that was like a community orgasm!

Group trombonist and vocalist Dizzy D heads up the Ska-ttack, often with guest vocalists accompanying and with guitarist Tony Barrett, keysman David (aka Stushie), bassist Roger Williams and drummer Anthony Simpson (and sometimes drummer Sun Ray also sitting in on percussion) backing the voices to keep the Ska-bombs raining down in bright bursts of musical and sexual energy.

Shows both nights start at 10:30. Get there early either or both nights to ensure yourself of a good seat! See ya in Orbit!

If you can read this message, you've figured out The Code is at Orbit Room tonight!

It's not rocket science but it is certainly a complex, highly sophisticated type of music that will be made tonight, Mon. Oct. 5, at TO's hip Orbit Room by Paul DeLong, John Pelosi and their Fusion Jazz band The Code!

The pair started the band in 1995 and went on to perform at Jazz clubs and festivals across North America and released a pair of highly regarded, seminal albums before dispersing under the pressure of various theatrical and recording projects for which its talented members were recruited.

Recently they reunited and released a new album, Mianca. Tonight the 6-piece, which, in addition to DeLong and Pelosi, consists of singer Mike Ferfolia, Eric Boucher on keys, Pat Kilbride on bass and "The Amazing Armando" on percussion, begins a series of "First Mondays"monthly shows at a room that is without a doubt one of the premier venues in the GTA for truly listening to and appreciating great music.

The show runs 10 p.m. sharp till 1 a.m. in the club located at 580 College St. just east of Clinton.

Orbit Room will be closed on Monday, October 12 so that staff can celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Something special is coming Mon. Oct. 19 and I'll tell you more about that in a couple of days.

Paige Armstrong at Orbit tonight, Thursday Oct. 15

It's always great to go to Orbit Room, upstairs at 580 College St. and see that the very efficient, friendly and babe-magnetic server Paige Armstrong is among the staff behind the bar. The only thing better is going to this hip room and seeing him up on stage doing his high-energy Rock/Blues combo thing and the place hoppin' and boppin' along to his dexterous guitar work and smooth, crisp vocals!

That's what in store tonight from 10:30 `til close as Paige returns with Jeff Eager on bass and Tony Rabalao on drums for what should be another night of great music in this room that was built for groovin' to tuneage.

See ya in Orbit! –Gary 17

Rick Morrison brings new combo to Orbit Room Monday Oct. 19

You may be familiar with Rick Morrison as one of the members of The Tuesday Club group that performs an amazing fusion of Reggae, Rock, Funk and other stylings to create a unique sound that keeps bringing out excited fans to the Orbit Room week after week. He's a sax player primarily but also does vocals and actually has a range of other musical skills, as you can find out when he brings his new Rick Morrison Aggregation sextet to the club on Monday, Oct. 19.

In addition to his work with The Tuesday Club, Morrison is a much in demand player with various other Soul/Funk combos and is a composer and studio mixer/producer. The repertoire you'll hear on Oct. 19 will be heavy on groove and soul –you can hear a video sample of a piece he wrote, recorded and mixed (as James Richard Morrison) called "The Hymn of the Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon" on You Tube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkyKeVqnFWU

The Rick Morrison Aggregation also includes Bruce Cassidy on trumpet and EVI, Steven Cole on guitar, Shelly Berger on bass, Josh Lane on drums and Doug Wilde on piano, and features Morrison on vocals, sax and also the in-house B3. Show runs 10-1 and doors open at 9.

-See ya in Orbit!

They're back: Arsenals at Orbit Room Friday Oct. 23!

Yes, the SKAmometer is gonna hit the top at Orbit Room on Friday, October 23, as Canada's premier Ska band, Arsenals, returns for another special showcase.

Group trombonist and vocalist Dizzy D heads up the SKAttack, with guitarist Tony Barrett, keysman David (aka Stushie), bassist Roger Williams and drummer Anthony Simpson (and sometimes drummer Sun Ray also sitting in on percussion) feeding a vibe of raw musical and sexual energy.

When they were there last month they featured some guest vocalists and Dizzy, who's the main singer as well as trombonist, also did a lot of mingling on the dance floor with the audience, even getting some members to sing along on some tunes through his mic! Those familiar with past performances will also recall him playing trombone as he walked along the bar countertop!

This group is fully loaded with melody, rhythm and stage pizzazz. Ska music encompasses many different influences (New Orleans R&B, Mambo, Mento and Boogie-Woogie, all churned up with horns and a distinctive beat) and has in turn influenced many different styles. Indeed, almost anything done in 4/4 time with offbeat emphases could be considered Ska.

Thus the repertoire at an Arsenals show can include such Pop favourites as "You Really Got Me" from The Kinks, "Life Goes On" from The Beatles, "My Boy Lollipop", "Sugar", and "Red Red Wine", which they do as an audience singalong. One night they prompted me to call them "the worlds' first Surf Ska Skat band!" when they did a medley that included a Skat-vox take on "Wipeout" along with a medley involving "Barbara Ann", "Rock Around The Clock" and "Bird's The Word"!

Doors at the second floor club at 580 College just east of Clinton open at 9 and the show should start between 10 and 10:30 and go right to close. See ya in Orbit!

Orbit will be closed for a private party Sat. Oct. 31.

The club is open as usual on Sunday with Stifler's Mom performing and
Monday features the Paul De Long Quintet doing Jazzy Funky Soulful
grooves.

Paul DeLong Quintet at Orbit Room Mon. Nov. 2

He's one of Canada's premier drummers not only in the sphere of Jazz and Fusion, but also a kick ass Rock drummer who often appears at Orbit Room as part of Pretzel Logic and other bands.

His Fusion Jazz band The Code, which recently reassembled, will be appearing again at the club in December and is regarded as a seminal group in its genre.

Monday, November 2, DeLong comes to the club with his Paul DeLong Quintet, which I haven't heard but which contains some very high quality players capable of doing some very inventive stuff. The otrher players are: Will Jarvis on bass; Eric Boucher on keys; Michael Stuart on saxes and Kim Ratcliffe on guitar.

Show starts at 10 at the club on the second floor at 580 College St., with doors opening at 9.

Yes it's nice out but it's Heavy Weather at Orbit Mon Nov. 9!

The weather report suggests another very unusually pleasant November evening is in store for Monday, Nov. 9. But the Weather Report indicates that tribute band Heavy Weather will be making the musical winds blow and whipping up currents of shivering and steaming excitement that night inside Toronto's Orbit Room, upstairs at 580 College St. a few blocks west of Bathurst St.

The Heavy Weather band totally recreates the sound and feel of 70s Jazz/Funk/Rock Fusion masters Weather Report, who pushed and pulled genre boundaries and opened up new musical vistas way ahead of their time.

Colleen Allen does the tenor sax à la Wayne Shorter, while Mark Hukezalic recreates the keyboard mastery of Joe Zawinul, Kevan McKenzie supplies drums, Art Avalos plays a bewildering and delightful array of percussion instruments and Steve Webster holds it all together with superb bass.

The patio will be open of course and this could seriously be the last really pleasant evening of the year, so come on out for the 10-1 show and make the most of a climate of exciting music, people and atmosphere!

See ya in Orbit!

Subject: R.A.R.E. tonight at Orbit with Paige Armstrong

"Paige Armstrong brings a new configuration to the Orbit Room tonight as
he presents R.A.R.E., doing Funk/Soul and Rock tunes for your enjoyment
from 10:30 p.m. on."

Druckfarben Prog Rock tonight (Nov. 19), 15th anniversary Sat. Nov. 21

Tonight see's the return after a bit of an absence of Druckfarben, a
stellar Progressive Rock band that does all the great songs from that
era along with some originals!

Saturday it's the big 15th anniversary bash with the original weekend
house band, The Dexters, reuniting to perform a marathone set from
9-10:30, followed by regular Sat. feature The A Team from 11 till close.

Doors open at 8 on Saturday, tickets are $20 and reservations are
strongly recommended. Call 416-535-0613 to guarantee your spot!

-Gary 17

New Open Season Episode 2.5 available to Moon subscribers

The newest episode of my "Open Season" radio show is now available for download by subscribers to my Toronto Moon magazine. Here's what's featured on this episode:

Open Season Episode 2.5 Playlist

Run time 36:49

January 04, 2010

1. "Mystic Caravan" 4:28 Peter Verity, `Sometimes A Journey', 2005, Plastic Bag Records, www.peterverity.com
2. "Bridges Of Queen Elizabeth HWY" 3:16 Ariana Gillis, `To Make It Make Sense', 2009; www.arianagillis.com and www.myspace.com/arianagillis
3. "A Mouse's Crumb" 2:12 David Gillis, `Peace Songs For A Better World', 2004; www.artistsforabetterworld.ca and www.davidgillis.com
4. "Let The Good Times Roll" 5:17 Al Lerman & Maple Blues Review, `Maple Blues Review at Twisted Pines Live', www.myspace.com/allerman
5. "The Mercy Of The Wind" 4:04 Howard Gladstone, `Roots & Rain' 2010; www.howardgladstone.com and www.myspace.com/howardgladstonemusic
6. "Are You Lonesome Tonight" (Elvis Presley) 1:42 Elvis Bossa Nova, `Hi! I'm Elvis Bossa Nova!" 2010; www.myspace.com/elvisbossanova
7. "The Earth Is Our Mother" 4:58 Firedance Drum Circle, `Nowhere' 2009

If you want to hear this episode as well as receive the most rockin' weekly magazine about live music in the GTA and beyond as jpg or pdf attachments delivered to you inbox, contact me for subscription payment details: therealgaryseventeen@...

New Open Season Episode 2.7 now available to Moon subscribers

The newest episode of my "Open Season" radio show is now available for download by subscribers to my Toronto Moon magazine. Here's what's featured on this episode:

Open Season Episode 2.7 Playlist

Run time 32:00

January 25, 2010

1. "The Log Driver's Waltz" 3:02 Kate & Anna McGarrigle (written by Wade Hemsworth), from "The Log Driver's Waltz" NFB short film by John Weldon, 1979; www.nfb.ca/film/log_drivers_waltz

2. "Gladstone Hotel" 3:52 Porkbelly Futures, 2010; www.myspace.com/porkbellys or www.porkbellys.com

3. "Happen Again" 4:47 Andy Kim, `I Forgot To Mention', 2009; www.myspace.com/andykimmisic and www.andykimmusic.com

4. "Don't You Wanna To Be There" 3:12 The Riverdale Kid, `Toasted Western' 2008; Riverdale Kid Music Publishing www.cdbaby.com/cd/toastedwestern

5. "Red Hot Mama" 3:00 Paul James, `La Vie En Bleu' 2003; www.pauljamesband.com

6. "House For Sale" 3:48 James Clark, `Home Is Where The Heart Attack Is', 2004; www.clarkinstitute.com

If you want to hear this episode as well as receive the most rockin' weekly magazine about live music in the GTA and beyond as jpg or pdf attachments delivered to your inbox, contact me for subscription payment details at:

therealgaryseventeen@...

-Gary 17

Passing this on from Tim Wilson:

This Sunday The Orbit Room is having a fundraiser for our good friend and long
time employee Jamie Tenorio. Jamie is not in good health and has been unable to
work for the past

12 Days Of Christmas `Toronto Moon' New Subscription & Gift Sub Special

Today (Dec. 15) begins, in my mind at least, the Twelve Days of Christmas,
since, including today up till Boxing Day, there are twelve days.

In the spirit of the season I'm offering a special deal on new subscriptions and
an opportunity to get a gift subscription to my `Toronto Moon Magazine' and all
its related services (Toronto Moon Radio and Toronto Moon TV, show listings,
etc.) at a very jolly price!

For those twelve days I'll be offering new subscriptions at just $40, instead of
the usual $52 (which will rising to $60 early in the new year). Also, anyone
buying a second subscription during that time (it makes a really nice gift for a
loved one who's a musician or live music fan) can purchase it for half the rate
they paid for their own subscription!

That means a new subscriber could get a subscription for themselves and a friend
(or bandmate, etc.) for as low as $60! That works out to just $2.50 per month
per subscription, which my existing subscribers will tell you is one heck of a
great value.

`Toronto Moon' subscribers receive full-colour pages on an ongoing basis (as
well as access to our web-archive of several years of back issues, complete with
an index that can help you zero in on articles about specific people or events)
that cover all genres of live music in the GTA.  Since early 1992, `Toronto
Moon' (known as `to-nite magazine' until Sept. 2009) has been writing about
artists you actually know and in many cases has been the first or only
publication to write about up-and-coming acts. Our listings calendar often
includes shows and open stages/jams that are listed nowhere else. Subscribers
also get access to our database of venue info on nearly 1300 clubs across
Ontario. Also, in addition to the videos now available free to anyone on my
Toronto Moon TV channel on YouTube, a new subscribers-only channel will also
soon be added that will give subscribers exclusive access to some killer moments
on the live music scene. Similarly, the full catalogue of my Toronto Moon Radio
shows featuring tunes by the artists I write about in the magazine is another
exclusive subscribers-only benefit. And more new benefits are coming in 2012!

Your subscription support makes it possible for me to continue being the ONLY
magazine to write (and produce video and audio shows) exclusively about the
entire music scene in the GTA.

You can contact me at therealgary17@... or at
therealgaryseventeen@... to make arrangements to subscribe!