4 Musical Acts You Can Find On The Danforth

by Jordon Knoll and Maya Bajic

Wondering what the Danforth music scene can offer you? It turns out, plenty. From singer-songwriter, to smooth jazz and pop, there truly is something for everyone.

Jazz Response Unit

A frequent performer at Danforth’s The Only Café, Jazz Response Unit play a light-hearted and accessible form of smooth jazz.

This trio consists of a skilled pianist, bass player, and guitarist. Each player grooves and jives off the others well, creating an accessible yet nuanced sound, well within established genre norms.

The perfect complement to a relaxed night out, Jazz Response Unit will be performing February 16 and 23 at The Only Café.

Janet Whiteway

Drawing influence from the likes of Elvis Costello, Joni Mitchell, and Rufus Wainwright, Janet Whiteway’s sonic palette is an eclectic mix of styles from folk to pop to jazz. Uplifting and optimistic in tone, Janet Whiteway’s music could perhaps be best described as hopeful.

Well known to the Danforth community for her frequent performances, Whiteway and her band recently released their debut album Pure Sunshine. Look for her at The Only Café February 22.

David Celia

“Well, I never really thought I’d write a country song/Sing it with an accent and a Southern drawl/I was born in the ‘burbs and started on Judas Priest.” So goes the first verse of David Celia’s “I’m Not Texan” from his latest album I Tried. Equal parts parody and pastiche, Celia’s sound recalls Neil Young and The Beatles while also putting a sardonic twist on the folk-comedy form made popular by The Flight of the Conchords.

His latest music video for “Evidently True” is a case in point:  featuring Celia playing an empty venue with a lone corpse serving as his backup band. Toronto born and based, David Celia can be seen at the Dora Keogh on the Danforth February 16 as well as at the Winterfolk Festival on February 18.

Kathleen Gorman

Pianist-Vocalist-Composer Kathleen Gorman treads the fine line between jazz-indulgence and pop-accessibility. Adeptly maneuvering from the cool sensibility of the light jam evidenced in “Rialto”, to the boldly expressive pop-piano ballad of “The River is Wide”, Gorman is a rising talent.

Coming off the 2009 release of the self-produced debut album “Brand New Day”, Kathleen Gorman is in the midst of recording the much-anticipated follow-up. But she can’t spend all of her time in the studio, look for her upcoming performance at the Ten Feet Tall Bistro on the Danforth on February 19 at 8:30.