Butterflies and Banjo

This creature was of course feeding on one of the butterfly bushes at the Toronto Music Garden where I went to hear Jamie Stone and his group last night - always a lovely experience listening to music down there.

Last night it was dance music from around the world.....so there were ladies who got up to dance to some Eastern European music I believe...Jamie joked that they had a couple more gigs if the ladies were available....that's Andrew Downing on bass....

And now my pretties - what is going on jazz wise...of course it's the Beaches International Jazz Festival taking over Queen Street East this weekend, also tomorrow night at the Cabaret series at the Young Centre - Miss Heather Bambrick - who enjoyed the chocolate zucchini bread I brought to Jazz FM yesterday...Dan and the boys at Azure...Julia Cleveland and her band at the Rex's late show on Monday and a series I just heard about on Wednesday evenings at the Coxwell Parkette on the Danforth - "Mosaic does Jazz" - I'm looking forward to July 28th and Sundar Viswanathan...visit http://www.danforthmosaicbia.com/ for more details on upcoming performers.

Someday I will venture north from my downtown lair and check out China House's jazz offerings on Thursdays - the perfect start time of 7:30 and Chinese food - what could be better. This week's guest was Lenny Solomon and Mark Eisenmann usually holds court there - a little bird tells me Larry Green is doing the booking - and that man knows his stuff....do I get brownie points, boss?

I am finally caught up on "Mad Men" - got my Don Draper fix and now will have to comfort myself with that...since I don't have AMC - dying to know what's next for Sterling - Cooper, Draper, Pryce and especially thrilled that Joan is back....I am thinking Sal will come onboard soon as well....