Cosmic Homeostasis is an artistic collective that gathers for the purpose of creating large-ensemble improvised drone-based music. Mixing performers with diverse musical backgrounds and experience levels, performances create space to develop improvisatory skills through listening while constructing unique sonic environments. This is not an "open jam", but newcomers are always welcome: email Joe (mechanicalforestsound@gmail.com) for […]
Casey McGlynn paints and Nilan Perera plays Guitar. They are both fans of each other's work so they decided to do a live painting/music improve performance And since they are Dads and like kids, they also wanted to set up an art table for then to jam along (BYOMaterials)
JOUST: John Oswald (alto saxophono) & Scott Thomson (trombone) Jim Lewis (trumpet), Androw Downing (bass), Joan Martin (drums & olectronics) Tranzac Southorn Cross Loungo, 292 Brunswick Avo Toronto, Sunday 30 July 2023, 7:30pm, pay-what-you-wish
Holger has assembled a group of wonderful musicians to play some joyful tunes. There will be beautiful melody, free improvisation and a congenial atmosphere. We would like for things to be serious and mysterious but we would like to enjoy ourselves also.
The Tranzac open stage is every Monday in the Southern Cross room. All are welcome! Start: 7pm Sign up: 6:30pm 8 minute slots (or two songs) The open stage is a safe space in accordance with the Tranzac code of conduct.
Probably Poetry is a bi-monthly performance series hosted by Probably Theatre Collective. Each event features around eight interdisciplinary artists and writers presenting new work inspired by a shared prompt. Check out our instagram @probablytheatre or our website probablytheatre.com for more info.
Holy Oak Family Singers present "Songs of Summer" featuring Caitlin Woelfle-O'Brien, Luka Kuplowsky, Ben Gunning, Madelyn Kirby, Evan Cartwright, Justin Orok, Sarah Ruba, Joëlle Westman ** Thom Gill and Luka Kuplowsky head up a rotating crew of Toronto artists for eclectic and intimate tribute nights. Reimagining the songbooks of lumaniraries (Arthur Russell, Judee Sill, Roches, […]
Ladyfinger with Diane Roblin (piano, keyboards) and Kayla Milmine (soprano sax) is an ensemble of two distinguished players within Toronto’s creative music scene. They are composers of original music and interpreters of compositions by jazz greats like McCoy Tyner and Carla Bley. Jazz music is all about improvisation and interpretation, and it's clear that Ladyfinger […]
In Barbara’s music you can hear echoes of jazz, folk, blues, barrel-house boogie and old-time-religion hymns. She writes story telling songs, offering up intimate portraits of people's lives played in the old blues style on a parlour guitar or upright piano. A singer songwriter and interpreter, Clela’s vibrant blend of folk and jazz creates the […]
LuA (Maryem Tollar and Shameema Soni) have been recording at Canterbury Music Company with Ernie Tollar, Waleed Abdulhamid and Naghmeh Farahmand. Come and check out their original songs at the intimate Southern Cross at The Tranzac (Toronto) that will be on their debut recording to be released in 2024 PWYC
Join Dennis and Ross as they celebrate the timeless collaborations of Paul Desmond and Jim Hall. Featuring Hiro Tanaka on bass and Jackson Haynes on drums.
Howard Gladstone is a singer/songwriter with a residency on the “first Sunday of every month” in the Southern Cross Room. He performs original material in the folk, roots, jazz, vein along with stellar accompanists Tony Quarrington (guitar) and Bob Cohen (bass). Most months also feature a Special guest performer to add spice and interest and […]
Bill Wood’s songs have been described as “what happens when 30 years of songwriting, honed over decades of hard life experiences, meet the craftsmanship of a career musician who doesn’t know what it means to compromise.” Bill Wood and Shelley Coopersmith perform original songs that range from heartbreaking ballads to classic country shuffle. You’ll swear […]
Dave Clark Presents! showcases fantastic local artists who perform their original music. Each event is a surprise gift of sonic goodies for you to behold. See upcoming brilliance and veteran magic perform for your pleasure.
Fortunato Durutti Marinetti is the poetic jazz rock project of Daniel Colussi. Within is weird folk by Chris, Judith and Stefan. What could go wrong?
If you ever wanted Dun-Dun Land without the Dun-Dun, you're in luck this month--less lucky was the Dun-Dun Man himself, who has to undergo emerg dental surgery earlier that same day, but in his stead is his old friend Matt Collins, a.k.a. Spruce Needles, whose batch of slide-blues tunes should be a great complement to […]
jazz and improvised music Josh Cole - double bass Rob Clutton - double bass Ryan Driver - synth Blake Howard - percussion
A note from Brodie West: For my monthly at the Tranzac I will often schedule my quintet called The Brodie West Quintet which is Tania Gill piano, Josh Cole bass, Nick Fraser drums, Evan Cartwright drums and myself. Sometimes the drummers are substituted up and in that case it's usually Phil Melanson who is there […]
Never Was is a quartet named after a curious sentence from The You Train by science fiction and fantasy writer, N.K. Jemisin. Featuring Madeleine Ertel on trumpet, Naomi McCarroll-Butler on alto saxophone and clarinets, Patrick O'Reilly on guitar, and Joe Sorbara on drums and percussion, the group explores original music in the Black American Creative […]
Hosted by Kurt Newman, this monthly series creates a space for experiments in country and folk music forms, which can range from more or less straight-ahead to more or less psychedelic. Between sets: comedy from the best of Toronto's left-of-center comedians.
With her palette of acoustic folk instruments, Collette whittles out of her imagination beautiful song gems. She brings them to you wrapped in the exciting package of her band of seasoned masters, The Savants: Rebecca Campbell(Jane Siberry, Ian Tamblyn...),John Switzer John Switzer(Jane Siberry, Vance Gilbert, Katherine Wheatley etc.³) Martin Worthy (Joe Hall, Paul Quarrington), Tim […]
Musica Universalis southern cross tranzac monthly This month features two sets with the lovely trio C'est la fête (Adrian Russouw, William Hunt and Mateos Labbé Phelan) with Mark Hundevad and Colin Fisher as special guests 930 pm Suggested donation 10$
Song Experiment is a monthly song lab hosted by singer-songwriter/violinist Cassie Norton to provide songwriters a venue for explorations into different approaches to song-writing, instrumentation, arrangement or all three. Each month, a different artist and approach is featured welcoming surprise and collaboration. Drawing/colouring supplies and big banner paper will be provided for all doodlers, so […]
Michael Palumbo and Quasimodo Presents: A Visual Music Exquisite Corpse Featuring a chain of live feeds, one influencing the other, and looping in on itself. A technique invented by artists in the surrealist movement, Exquisite corpse is a method by which a collection of words or images is collectively assembled. Each collaborator adds to a […]
A regularly featured performer at a number of clubs in Toronto and across Ontario, Sean has played at Winterfolk, The Stewart Park Festival, Eaglewood Folk Festival & The Quinte Spirit Festival. From folk-rock to soul to country to rocksteady, his willingness to serve the song first & foremost results in a voice that can be lending […]
Portage is a trio of accomplished creative musicians who take you on a journey through spontaneous and improvised arrangements. With their music as the vessel, they transport you through lands, forests, rivers, and even other dimensions. Each performance is a unique experience, as they expertly navigate through a variety of genres and styles. They explore […]
The Tranzac open stage is every Monday in the Southern Cross room. All are welcome! Start: 7pm Sign up: 6:30pm 8 minute slots (or two songs) The open stage is a safe space in accordance with the Tranzac code of conduct.
bridge of sand. returns to play some mostly unreleased sound collage infused pop and trip hop songs. He will be joined by the the instrumental hip hop group HATE GENERATION opening with some ambient trap tunes.
Ecstatic Echidna is a fun-loving, playful trio creatively taking you through a circus of genres and moods: from jazz inflections to strenuous ballads and rocking jazz-grunge free styling peaks. The spiky and squeaky echidnas are: Glen Hall (winds), Liz Lima (clarinet-voice), Diane Roblin (keys).
Join folk darlings Sarah Frank and Luke Fraser — The Bombadils — for a night of poetic lyrics and picturesque bluegrass instrumentation. Their new and original album "Dear Friend" is a series of love letters of a certain kind—to family and friends, to strangers and neighbors, to cities and landscapes, to each other. They will […]
Tabiba means female doctor or healer in Arabic. Tabiba is a brand new multi-generational Arab women’s drum and vocal ensemble made up of world music artists Leen Hamo (Syria/Canada), Maryem Hassan Tollar (Egypt/Canada), Roula Said (Palestine/Canada), and Tara Moneka (Iraq/Canada). Tabiba mixes the colours of their voices, traditions and inspirations to make music medicine.
Bellbird is a collective of Montreal-based musicians. Their unique instrumentation of two woodwinds, bass, and drums allows them to explore sonic landscapes that allude to harmony without being restricted by it. Bellbird’s music is inspired by the sounds of nature and the shared experience between humans and non-humans. Original compositions by each band member showcase […]
An evening of live experimental/ambient/drone sounds. Hosted by Malasuca, featuring Hymns57 from Guelph, Ontario.
Fergus Hambleton appears in the Southern Cross the third Sunday of every month... 2:30- 4:30. Fergus is a veteran of the Canadian music scene, having played a wide variety of music since 1967. A member of the Juno award winning Sattalites Fergus has played reggae, folk, jazz and rock over his career and has released […]
With lyrical guitar players, Bob Cohen and David Hines plus wild Mary Hanson on piano, Robert Priest digs into his eclectic catalogue of song/poems. Tuneful poetic, heavy, and light, with always a special guest.
Our Way to Fall's fifth anniversary celebration! Five years ago, we accidentally started a band when I (Joe Strutt) asked Liz and Del to join me to open up a show I had put together with the redoubtable Nidus. Playing together was fun and easy, and we eventually got around to doing some more of […]
The Tranzac open stage is every Monday in the Southern Cross room. All are welcome! Start: 7pm Sign up: 6:30pm 8 minute slots (or two songs) The open stage is a safe space in accordance with the Tranzac code of conduct.
Michael Davidson’s Adjacent Spheres, is a quartet of sound painters that will touch on compositions by Thelonious Monk, Mary Lou Williams, & Michael. It features Michael on vibraphone, Adrian Russouw on Double Bass, Aidan McConnell on Drums, & David Hodgson on Tenor Saxophone. Please come and explore the texture of time and timbre with us.
Marmalade Duplex -- bunk rock/clog-prog/hypnowobble/proto-proton band -- 9.30 Fortunato Durutti Marinetti -- 6 piece ensemble performs poetic jazz rock -- 10.30
the SPECIAL INTEREST group brings a new rhythm to songs of hope & struggle …. Infusing songs from civil rights, gospel, folk and protest movements with elements of folk, blues, rock, R&B, jazz, reggae & ska. Songs of social change, from picket lines and protest marches, addressing contemporary issues from peace to climate change to […]
Featuring Karl Silveira, Don Scott, Michael Herring and Nico Dann. We will be performing music by Paul Motian and other great composers.
BONANZA is a show by Adrian Russouw, Aidan McConnell and Steven Noronha. They've been rehearsing for weeks for a dance performance. This show is not that dance performance, it is them improvising on bass, drums and piano, but they will be moving, as will the music, and it will move you if you choose to […]
All-Set! Presents features music based around the trio of Mike Smith (electronics), Pete Johnston (bass) and Jake Oelrichs (drums). The music made in this monthly residency is largely improvised in a subtly-propulsive way that mixes jazz, minimalism and progressive rock. A rotating cast of guests drawn from the roster of Smith and Johnston’s recording imprint […]
The Ryan Driver Sextet specializes in the psychedelification of popular American songs from the 1920's through 1960's. They have been engaging in this task monthly since 1999, when they started playing as a quartet at Graffiti's in Kensington Market. The sextet plays only ballads, and almost always very slowly. That said, the interpretations are wildly […]
Join host Phillip Vonesh on the 4th Saturday of every month, from 7:00 - 9:30 for an intimate night of music. Vonesh and two other songwriters will share songs, and chat about the process of writing, creating and making a life in music. Toronto-born Phillip Vonesh is an artist who follows his heart wherever it […]
As the fall season approaches slowly, we invite you to join us for soothing jazz music, perfectly paired with afternoon coffee and brunch. Immerse yourself in the comforting melodies of the Minhee Seo Trio, creating a warm and relaxed atmosphere for your afternoons!
Precious Little Presents: Round the table we turn Contraptions and shenanigans. Storage and porridge, song-title geography. Improvisation and Omni-visualation. We're out in the workshop, hammer and saw, Phonometers in hand we measure and draw. Erasing the borders, the box opens wide. Where is the door? Turn it all on its side. David Woodhead / electric […]
A lifetime member and Columbia recording artist with the Perth County Conspiracy, Terry Jones has played innumerable concerts over 50 years, with various versions of this band, at small venues, concert halls and universities. In 1970 Terry played lead guitar in a musical, "The Line of Least Existence", alongside Danny Devito, Judd Hirsch, and members of The […]
In 2021, trombonist Scott Thomson asked Martin Arnold to compose a solo for him. The result, “Enamel,” is a long piece that comprises numerous not-quite-repeating melodic cells that unfold slowly but propose no development, thus creating a feeling of perpetuity. Key to “Enamel” is Martin’s invitation for Scott to ornament the material differently every time, […]
The Tranzac open stage is every Monday in the Southern Cross room. All are welcome! Start: 7pm Sign up: 6:30pm 8 minute slots (or two songs) The open stage is a safe space in accordance with the Tranzac code of conduct.
Join this trio of performers for an eclectic evening of music and the written word in the Southern Cross Room. Listen to the sounds of To The Fields, featuring Seth Feldman on guitar and vocals, playing songs from his album Distance and more; singer-songwriter Ben Walker offering up a mix of folk, pop, and jazz […]
The (sadly departing to Saskatoon) Ian Sinclair - piano, compositions Nick Fraser - drums Mark Godfrey - bass Harley Card - guitar Alex Samaras - voice ** NICK FRASER PRESENTS (JAZZ, IMPROVISED MUSIC): Nick Fraser has been an active and engaging presence in the Toronto new jazz and improvised music community since he moved there […]
The original band, back together for one night only! Spontaneous electroacoustic spatter wrangled by organic percussive clatter. Allison Cameron - electronics Stephen Parkinson - guitar Germaine Liu - percussion Mark Zurawinski - percussion
Come out to see two unique Toronto performers play original and quirky sounds! Craig Dunsmuir is a mainstay at the Tranzac with his various configurations of Dun Dun (solo or with a large ensemble). With Dun Dun Man, a solo guitar departure, he uses riffs, loops and repetitive motifs to drive his rhythmic playing. This […]
Early American fiddle music from Texas and the Appalachian mountains, Early classical ragtime and turn of the century Jazz.
Join Tania Gill (piano and compositions) with Rob Clutton (bass), and specially joining us for this night: Brodie West (alto and clarinet) and Nick Fraser (drums). Original compositions with improvisation. Influenced by jazz, avante-garde, folk, classical music... "Gill's compositions have a rare breadth" -Wholenote Magazine "Her subtly coruscating second release as leader is a revelation.” […]
Join us for a night of jazz standards and originals by members of the band. Madeleine Ertel (trumpet, voice) Michael Davidson (vibraphone) Dan Fortin (bass) Evan Cartwright (drums)
In Barbara’s music you can hear echoes of jazz, folk, blues, barrel-house boogie and old-time-religion hymns. She writes story telling songs, offering up intimate portraits of people's lives played in the old blues style on a parlour guitar or upright piano. A singer songwriter and interpreter, Clela’s vibrant blend of folk and jazz creates the […]
Improvised music - we hope to make some magic for you! Tilman Lewis, cello | Nilan Perera, guitar | Laura Swankey, voice
Experience Discovering Dinosaurs, a Toronto based Jazz fusion band playing tunes inspired by creatures long gone. Featuring synths,didgeridoo, odd meters, microtones and nonsense.
The Tranzac event calendar is updated regularly. Some events (such as private rehearsals, parties, and tentative events that are being contracted) are not displayed in the calendar. As such the calendar is not a comprehensive representation of venue availability. If you do not see your event in the calendar, please review our Event Promotion & Style Guide
This calendar was established in May 2023. To view an archived calendar with basic event information, please click here.
