St. John’s Catholic Church is holding its annual choir concert on Wednesday, June 18. On the program are sacred and popular songs, solo guest performers and a selection from Phantom of the Opera. There will be complimentary light refreshments after the concert. The show gets underway at 7:30 p.m. at the church, 794 Kingston Rd. A freewill offering will be collected.
Birchcliff Bluffs United Church is hosting Songs of the Heart, a showcase of music with personal significance to performers. The show takes place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 14. It is the third annual concert showcasing the talent in the congregation, following past events A Taste of Broadway and Imagine: Songs for Social Justice.
Proceeds from the show support the church, as well as its Churches by the Bluffs food bank. Performers interested in taking part should contact the church through birchcliffbluffsuc.org. For ticket info, email tickets@birchcliffbluffsuc.org.
Jazz in the Kitchen is back. Pianist Mark Eisenman will bring his longstanding trio to a Beach home for an intimate concert.
Eisenman has been playing with bandmates Steve Wallace on bass and John Sumner on drums for more than 30 years.
All three have played around the world, backing up superb musicians in all shape and size of venue.
The show, which takes place with a small audience of only 30 people in a private Beach home’s kitchen studio, is a rare chance to see some of Toronto’s finest jazz players in such an intimate setting. The show takes place the evening of Wednesday, June 18. For ticket information, see brownpapertickets.com.
Lazy Daisy’s Cafe, 1515 Gerrard St. E. just west of Coxwell, is hosting a number of events this month.
On Saturday, June 14, Linda Lavender and David Shilman will host the Woodshed Open Mic. Paul Irvine will be the featured performer. There is no cover and doors open at 8 p.m.
A Hawaiian Luau family dance party will take place on Friday, June 20. This popular event for parents and their children will feature a DJ, a magician and great food in between the dancing. Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for children and no charge for babes in arms, and include a light dinner buffet, cupcakes and a cool craft. There is limited space at the dance party, so call 647-278-3966 or email dawn@lazydaisyscafe.ca to reserve spots.
The Smash-mouth spoken word night will take place on Saturday, June 21. Steve Bowa will host, Tom Girling will provide music and slam artists Komi Olaf and Ian Keteku will be featured. Organizers say, “if you wrote it … we want to hear it!” Doors open at 6 p.m. and admission is pay what you can for the feature artists.
Gerrard Art Space will host Kinds of Dances on the afternoon of Sunday, June 22.
The performance is described as a meditation on the infinite ways in which dance can exist. The program was put together by dancer Dawne Carleton.
Aisha John is a dance improviser and poet whose expertise covers Caribbean, Congolese and Ethiopian dance. She will perform an unaccompanied dance.
Dust, “the quietest big band in the known world,” will perform a musical score. The group, originally formed by Abraham Dust, comprises some of Toronto’s finest improvising musicians appearing in varying combinations.
Carleton, a dancer and improvised dance instructor, will perform a piece with double bassist Rob Clutton.
Trish Beatty, a Toronto pioneer of modern dance, recipient of the Order of Canada, founding choreographer of the Toronto Dance Theatre and retired dancer and teacher, will read poetry from her second book, Slow Words Dancing.
The performance runs from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., and admission is pay what you can, with a suggested amount of $10.
Guitarist and poet Mark Battenberg presents A Leaf in the Wind: the Ryan Hicks Memorial Concert. Battenberg will be joined by musicians Mark Korven, Brent Crawford, Andrew Ascenzo and Marc Anthony Battenberg. Narration will be provided by voice artist Pep Duhaime.
Hicks, son of long-time Beachers Brian Hicks and Valerie Rhodes, died due to complications with an unnecessary oxycontin prescription in 2009. Proceeds from the show will go to an organization called Mindful.
A Leaf in the Wind takes place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 21 at Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. For more information see battenbergmusic.com.
Jazzy Sundays at Morgans on the Danforth continue. On Sunday, June 15, Steve Koven will take the stage. The following week, Carin Redman, Mark Kieswetter and Ross MacIntyre will perform.
Jazzy Sundays run from 2 to 5 p.m. at Morgans, 1282 Danforth Ave. just east of the Greenwood subway.
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