It's summer in the city, oh is it ever. Toronto is hot and everyone
has fully given themselves over to the throes of summer.

I am very lucky to have 20 month-old Sylas as a new fan, sporting a
sweet sticker at "Community to Stop the Quarry" in Orangeville this
afternoon!

Not only did I haul my ass out of bed to go for a morning run, AND bike 21k along Toronto's waterfront... I also made this!

Super Salad, featuring:
Chickpeas, green lentils, quinoa, green pepper, carrots, celery, radishes, green beans, flax seed meal, hemp seeds, poppy seeds, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and herbs/spices.

I would have added more vegetables, but that's all I had in the fridge. Still, a formidably filling salad. To be eaten alone or served over fresh spinach.

Videos from my CD release show at the Supermarket are now up! It was a
fantastic show, and I'm so glad it was filmed so I can share it with
y'all.

Both these videos feature special guest Colleen Allen (saxophone). My
fabulous band on that evening also included Will Bustin (drums), Kevin
Barrett (guitar), Chris Adriaanse (bass), Edwin Sheard
(saxophone/flute), Lauren Barnett (saxophone) and Julian Brindley
(trumpet).

You can also check out more videos and subscribe by visiting my YouTube channel!

 

It's been beautiful sunny days in Toronto, and the sky just opened up in a spectacular thunder and lightning storm. I've had an intense and wonderful and invigorating few weeks- several great concerts, my Toronto CD launch, two days of filming for Far From The Heart, some great interviews, some beautiful moments in the sun, and even playing piano during my cousin's lovely wedding.

You can catch me TODAY (Apr 8) on Mohawk College campus radio (INDI
101, 101.5 FM) at 2 pm. I'm also taping an interview for McMaster
campus radio (CFMU 93.3 FM) to be aired this week.

What's all the Hamilton buzz about? I'm doing an encore concert at the
Pearl Company, with Hamilton Music Awards Rising Star winners Dawn and
Marra (www.dawnandmarra.com). I'm unveiling a very exciting new band
configuration at this concert: Will Bustin on percussion/guitar, new
Renegade Jen Benton (The Cliks, Andy Kim) on upright and electric
bass, and a horn section featuring Karen Ng (Broken Social Scene, Do
Make Say Think, The Happiness Project), Edwin Sheard (Donlands and
Mortimer), and Aurora Cowie (Barbarella). That's right: horn section!

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=197127746993910

Can you tell how excited I am?

p.s. Because I just can't stay away from the Hammer... May 10. Artword Artbar, Hamilton. With Ann Vriend. Details to follow, but you heard it here first. I'm very excited about sharing the stage with Ann.

Prior to my gig at Maxwell's Music House in Waterloo, the folks from The Beat (CTV Southwestern Ontario) stopped by to do an interview, and got some footage of the show, too! You'll notice Will Bustin on guitar/percussion.

Part four.

http://swo.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110205/TheBeat2011-02-05/20110206/?hub=SWOTheBeat

Lovely shirt and hat provided by Anne Hopkins (annehopkins.ca)!

This song/video is not a new discovery, but it seems to keep popping up in my mind as something I want to show to all my favourite people.

I think what really kills me about this video is how the groove is so simple but still somehow slays you. The alternation between the vocal harmony loops (which for me are sort of hypnotizingly beautiful) and the kickass vocal delivery plus laid back lucsious beat+bass brings me back again and again to this track, it creates some kind of suspended reality of song-love for me. That, and I really dig how the video is shot.
The odd thing is that I'm not really familiar with Tune-Yards beyond this track. I sometimes experience songs I love as a one-special-moment instead of a delve-deeper, at least until I get my fix of the one particular song or moment I've discovered an artist, what really catches my eye and snags my heart. I can't get my mind off this song though, so I may be searching for more.

I'm leaving for Sault Ste. Marie tomorrow morning. Thursday night I play in Sault Ste. Marie at Loplops, Friday at Elliot Lake Secondary School (after an afternoon of workshops with the students!), Saturday at Rue Studio in Sheguindah (Manitoulin Island), and Sunday brings me back to Toronto to be part of the SPEAK music series at the Tranzac.

Today I had a great interview with Emma Ditchburn on CFMU, and I also
taped an interview with CTV's The Beat which will be aired on January
29th (southwestern ontario) and also available online. I have another
interview on Saturday (January 15th) on CFMU (93.3 or worldwide at
cfmu.mcmaster.ca) on the Freewheeling Folk Show which airs from 10 am
'till Noon.

I'm playing tonight in Waterloo, tomorrow in St. Catherine's, and
Saturday night in Hamilton! I have copies of Sticker Collection with
me, tea blends, chapbooks, buttons and a fabulous drummer/guitarist
(Will Bustin. He's not for sale, but everything else is)!

WATERLOO
Thursday January 13th, 2011 at 8:30 pm
Maxwell's Music House (220 King St. North)
$7 cover, $5 students

part Songwriter's Circle
with The Mountain's & The Trees, Zachary Lucky, and Richard Garvey

ST. CATHARINE'S
Friday January 14th at 8 pm
The Pan Cafe (120 St. Paul St.)
PWYC ($7 suggested)

with Bryson Waind

HAMILTON
Saturday January 15th at 8 pm
The Pearl Company (16 Steven St.)
$8 advance, $5 students
with Shelley Adams and Melissa Bel

Tune into the webcast at 8 pm tonight at www.laurenbest.com/webcast!

Advance tickets are still available at the Downtown Bookstore ($20
with CD, $10 without), or at the door ($25 with CD, $20 without).
Doors are at 7:30 pm.

It is going to be a great show. I'll have Tyler Wagler (bass) and Will
Bustin (drums and guitar) on stage with me- they are fantastic and I'm
very excited to be playing with them.
Brian Tannahill, who I wrote "Tangled Up With You" with, will be
making a special guest appearance!

I'll be wearing an Anne Hopkins original tonight (www.annehopkins.ca)-
her fabulous designs will be seen throughout my tour!