Volume 29 Issue 5 | April & May 2024

Bebop Joe’s Coffee

Bebop Joe’s Coffee House 960 Queen St W. 416-534-5298 A cozy spot with great vibes, Bebop Joe’s Coffee House is the place for Armenian coffee, collectible vinyl, and live jazz on Queen Street. BSMT 254 254 Lansdowne Ave. 416-801-6325 bsmt254.com A cozy music venue with an underground vibe, BSMT 254 has a wide variety of shows, from jazz to hip-hop to DJ nights. Burdock 1184 Bloor St. W. 416-546-4033 burdockto.com A sleek music hall with exceptional sound and ambience, featuring a draft list of housemade brews. Cameron House 408 Queen St. W. 416-703-0811 thecameron.com An intimate, bohemian bar with ceiling murals & nightly performances from local roots acts on 2 stages. Capone’s Cocktail Lounge 1573 Bloor St. W. 416-534-7911 caponestoronto.com A self-described perfect marriage of an intimate cocktail den and comfortable neighbourhood bar, with live music Wednesday through Sunday. Castro’s Lounge 2116 Queen St. E. 416-699-8272 castroslounge.com Featuring an ever-changing selection of specialty beers, Castro’s hosts a variety of local live music acts, including bluegrass, jazz, rockabilly, and alt-country. C’est What 67 Front St. E. 416-867-9499 cestwhat.com A haven for those who appreciate real cask ale, draught beer from local Ontario breweries, and live music. Drom Taberna 458 Queen St. W. 647-748-2099 dromtaberna.com A heartfelt homage to the lands that stretch from the Baltic to the Balkans to the Black Sea, with a wide variety of music. MAINLY CLUBS The Old Mill’s legacy - over a century of live music history - continues in The Old Mill Jazz Lounge, where the golden age of jazz is still alive and well. At 9 Old Mill Rd. in Etobicoke, steps from the Old Mill subway. Emmet Ray, The 924 College St. 416-792-4497 theemmetray.com A whisky bar with a great food menu, an everchanging draft list, and live jazz, funk, folk and more in the back room. Golden Pigeon Beer Hall, The 424 Parliament St. 416-392-1039 goldenpigeonbar.com A classic beer hall with sophisticated food offerings, Golden Pigeon features a weekly Tuesday jazz night, as well as other special events. Grossman’s Tavern 379 Spadina Ave. 416-977-7000 grossmanstavern.com One of the city’s longest-running live music venues, and Toronto’s self-described “Home of the Blues.” Hirut Cafe and Restaurant 2050 Danforth Ave. 416-551-7560 hirut.ca A major destination for delicious and nutritious Ethiopian cuisine, with monthly jazz residencies and jam sessions. Hugh’s Room 296 Broadview Ave. 647-960-2593 hughsroom.com A dedicated listening room with an intimate performing space, great acoustics, and an attentive audience, Hugh’s Room recently made the move to their new permanent home on Broadview Avenue. Jazz Bistro, The 251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299 jazzbistro.ca In an historic location, Jazz Bistro features great food, a stellar wine list, and world-class jazz musicians in airy club environs. Jazz Lounge – See Old Mill, The Jazz Room, The Located in the Huether Hotel, 59 King St. N., Waterloo. 226-476-1565 kwjazzroom.com A welcoming music venue dedicated to the best in jazz music presentations, and home to the Grand River Jazz Society, which presents regular series throughout the year. Lula Lounge 1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307 lula.ca Toronto’s mecca for salsa, jazz, afro-Cuban, and world music, with Latin dance classes and excellent food and drinks. Manhattans Pizza Bistro & Music Club 951 Gordon St., Guelph 519-767-2440 manhattans.ca An independently owned neighbourhood restaurant boasting a unique dining experience that features live music almost every night of the week. Mekan Toronto 817 Queen St. W. 647-901-6280 mekantoronto.com A new Queen St. spot with an emphasis on lively music, good times, and Turkish culture, Mekan features world music, jazz, swing, and more. Mezzetta Restaurant 681 St. Clair Ave. W. 416-658-5687 mezzettarestaurant.com With a cozy atmosphere and a menu of Middle-Eastern cuisine, Mezzetta hosts music on Wednesday evenings. Monarch Tavern 12 Clinton St. 416-531-5833 themonarchtavern.com With a café/cocktail bar on the main floor and a pub with microbrews upstairs, Monarch Tavern regularly hosts indie, rock, and other musical genres on its stage. Nice Bistro, The 117 Brock St. N., Whitby. 905-668-8839 nicebistro.com A French restaurant with Mediterranean flair, Nice Bistro hosts ticketed live music events once every month or so. Old Mill, The 21 Old Mill Rd. 416-236-2641 oldmilltoronto.com Jazz Lounge: An updated space in the Old Mill’s main dining room, the Jazz Lounge features an updated sound system, a new shareable menu, and listenable straightahead jazz. Oud and the Fuzz, The 21 Kensington Ave. 647-283-9136 With a focus on Armenian-inspired food and cocktails, The Oud and the Fuzz regularly presents a wide variety of musical genres, as well as poetry nights, themed Arabic events, and more. Pamenar 307 Augusta Ave. cafepamenar.com One of the city’s best third-wave coffee shops by day and bar by night, Pamenar hosts live music, DJs, comedy, and more. Pilot Tavern, The 22 Cumberland Ave. 416-923-5716 thepilot.ca With over 75 years around Yonge and Bloor, the Pilot is a multi-level bar that hosts live jazz on Saturday afternoons. Poetry Jazz Café 1078 Queen St W. 416-599-5299 poetryjazzcafe.com A sexy, clubby space, Poetry hosts live jazz, hip-hop, and DJs nightly on Queen St. West. Reposado Bar & Lounge 136 Ossington Ave. 416-532-6474 reposadobar.com A chic, low-light bar with top-shelf tequila, Mexican tapas, and live music. Reservoir Lounge, The 52 Wellington St. E. 416-955-0887 reservoirlounge.com Toronto’s self-professed original swingjazz bar and restaurant, located in a historic speakeasy near St. Lawrence Market, with live music four nights a week. Rev, La 2848 Dundas St. W. 416-766-0746 larev.ca La Rev offers their guests and authentic taste of comida casera (Mexican homestyle cooking), and a welcoming performance space featuring some of Toronto’s most talented musicians. Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar, The 194 Queen St. W. 416-598-2475 therex.ca With over 60 shows per month of Canadian and international groups, The Rex is Toronto’s longest-running jazz club, with full bar and kitchen menu. Sauce on Danforth 1376 Danforth Ave. 647-748-1376 sauceondanforth.com With Victorian lighting, cocktails, and an extensive tap and bottle list, Sauce on Danforth has live music Tuesday through Saturday (and sometimes Sunday). The Senator Winebar 249 Victoria St 416 364-7517 thesenator.com An intimate, upscale French-inspired bistro with live music serving hearty, delicious comfort food alongside a curated selection of wine and cocktails. Smokeshow BBQ and Brew 744 Mt. Pleasant Rd 416-901-7469 Smokeshowbbqandbrew.com A laid-back venue with an emphasis on barbecue and beer, Smokeshow hosts cover artists and original music Thursday through Sunday, with Bachata lessons on Tuesdays and Karaoke on Wednesdays. Tapestry 224 Augusta Ave. In the space formerly occupied by Poetry, Tapestry features jazz, electronic music, soul, and more. Tranzac 292 Brunswick Ave. 416-923-8137 tranzac.org A community arts venue dedicated to supporting, presenting, and promoting creative and cultural activity in Toronto, with live shows in multiple rooms every day of the week. 54 | April & May 2024 thewholenote.com

THE WHOLENOTE MUSICAL WHO’S WHO 2024 CHORAL DIRECTORY Our 22nd annual “Canary Pages” choral directory is now available online, for readers interested in choirs, and for choirs wanting to make themselves known to our readers! If you are looking for a choir to join, support or listen to, you will find choirs of all skill levels and genres in the directory, across the GTA and in other parts of Ontario. You’ll need to go online (thewholenote.com/canary) for detailed profiles, but we’ve provided some “teaser” information below to get you interested. We will continue adding profiles online as they come in, up till the end of June, so please check back periodically. And for choirs interested in joining our Canary Pages, please email canary@thewholenote.com Achill Choral Society “Love to sing choral music? Join our vibrant musical community lead by generous, knowledgeable professionals. We have been singing in the Caledon, Dufferin and South Simcoe areas for almost 40 years.” achill.ca Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto “Led by Kathleen Allan, the award-winning 90-voice Amadeus Choir has enlivened Toronto’s arts community for more than 50 years through an annual concert series, guest performances and special events.” amadeuschoir.com Bel Canto Singers “A four-part community choir whose repertoire includes classical masters, Broadway and movie tunes, opera choruses and pop songs.” belcantosingers.ca Canadian Celtic Choir “Canadian Celtic Choir sings “Songs To Touch Your Heart and Warm Your Spirit.” Our SATB auditioned choir has over 50 members and has been singing together since 1996.” celticchoir.ca Cantabile Chamber Singers “Cantabile Chamber Singers is a nonprofit, Toronto-based chamber choir, formed in 2006 by artistic director Cheryll Chung with the purpose of raising social awareness through music.” cantabilechambersingers.com Chorus York “A mixed voice community choir for adults of all ages, based in Richmond Hill, Ontario. We strive to inspire the growth and enjoyment of choral music in our community through the performance of repertoire from Bach to Broadway, Show Tunes to Classical.” chorusyork.ca City Choir “A non-auditioned SATB choir devoted to all types of choral singing.” citychoir.ca Common Thread Community Chorus “Common Thread Community Chorus is a non-audition chorus that promotes a sense of community by performing joyful and empowering music.” commonthreadchorus.ca Cummer Avenue United Church Choir “Cummer Ave United Church choir is a group of volunteer singers, supported by professional section-leads, that provides strong musical leadership for Sunday morning worship services throughout the year.” cummeravenueuc.ca Echo Women’s Choir “Echo is a 30-voice, non-auditioned community choir in the heart of downtown Toronto, with a strong, varied, and vibrant singing culture accessible to all.” echochoir.ca The Edison Singers “Ground-breaking, nostalgic, classical, spiritual... The Edison Singers is a fully professional chamber choir led by internationally-acclaimed Artistic Director and Conductor, Dr. Noel Edison.” theedisonsingers.com Elmer Iseler Singers “Elmer Iseler Singers is a 20-singer professional choir based in Toronto under the artistic direction of Lydia Adams.” elmeriselersingers.com Etobicoke Centennial Choir “Etobicoke Centennial Choir is dedicated to celebrating the art and joy of choral singing with vibrant and diverse musical performances to enrich and engage our community.” etobicokecentennialchoir.ca Exultate Chamber Singers “A welcoming group of skilled, musical singers with a wide-ranging repertoire and a commitment to the development of singers, composers, and conductors both within Exultate and in the larger choral community.” exultate.net Harbourfront Chorus “Friendly community choir.” facebook.com/harbourfrontchorus Healey Willan Singers “Friendly, fun and welcoming: A closeknit group of women that love to sing and make music together.” healeywillansingers.com Jubilate Singers “A mixed-voice auditioned choir specializing in world music sung in original languages, orchestral choral works and 20-21C choral pieces. Director: Isabel Bernaus.” jubilatesingers.ca Karen Schuessler Singers “MISSION: Enriching lives through choral excellence and community engagement… VISION: Creating an environment where hearts are lifted, souls are deepened and spirits are raised. VALUES: Excellence Integrity Innovative Audience-friendly.” kssingers.com/#/kss/2 Leaside United Church Choirs “Music is central to worship at Leaside United Church. The rich music program includes the Chancel Choir and the Junior Choir.” leasideunited.org London Pro Musica Choir “London Pro Musica Choir’s current season is titled “Taking Root,” a grateful acknowledgement of our London community, the natural world, ancient wisdom, and our choir’s rich history. We look forward to taking this musical journey together.” londonpromusica.ca Metropolitan United Choirs “We’re a fun-loving, semi-professional and family-like liturgical and concert choir, who sing rep from Lassus to Bach to Lady Gaga.” metunited.org Milton Choristers “A non auditioned Adult Community choir in Milton.” miltonchoristers.com Mississauga Chamber Singers “Mississauga Chamber Singers - a New Sound in the City!!” mcsingers.ca North Halton Community Singers “Formerly the Georgetown Choral Society, the NHCS now has a new name, logo and web site as well as a new approach to music selection to appeal to a broad audience.” northhaltonsingers.ca Open Voices Community Choir “Always fun, always quirky, occasionally beautiful”. openvoices.ca Oriana Singers “A focused, fun-loving choir working hard to develop musical knowledge and abilities, and deliver quality choral programs.” orianasingers.com Oriana Women’s Choir “Oriana explores the possibilities in choral music for upper voices, and fosters the creation of new Canadian choral music. New singers are welcome to join us at any rehearsal!” orianachoir.com Orpheus Choir of Toronto “Expect something different with the Orpheus Choir of Toronto.” orpheuschoirtoronto.com Pax Christi Chorale “Experience the deep joys of choral singing in a diverse and welcoming community.” paxchristichorale.org Peterborough Singers “In 2024/25 the Peterborough Singers will perform Yuletide Cheer, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, and the music of ABBA.” peterboroughsingers.com Serenata Singers “A friendly, welcoming group of retirees of all ages, singing a wide variety of choral music. Professional Music Leadership, rehearsing during the daytime. Auditions are of an informal nature. Check our Website and Facebook for more details.” serenatasingers.ca SoundCrowd “Are you a fan of Pitch Perfect? Does harmonizing with people bring you joy? Then this is the group for you!” soundcrowd.ca St. Elizabeth Scola Cantorum “A Hungarian choir whose repertoire ranges from early Baroque to contemporary choral music. Sight reading abilities and a knowledge of Hungarian are assets.” facebook.com/ StElizabethScolaCantorum Tafelmusik Chamber Choir “The Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, specializing in historically informed performances of baroque and classical repertoire, was formed in 1981 as a complement to the Tafelmusik Orchestra. Under the direction of its founder, Ivars Taurins, the choir has been praised for its clarity, nuance, and brilliance.” tafelmusik.org Toronto Beach Chorale “A vital musical presence in the Beach, Toronto Beach Chorale conducted by Mervin W Fick continues to enhance its reputation for artistic excellence, performing a growing and rich repertoire.” torontobeachchorale.com Toronto Chamber Choir “Toronto Chamber Choir: Bringing new light to early music.” torontochamberchoir.ca thewholenote.com April & May 2024 | 55