LMT Connection

We were lucky to see the awesome group

LMT Connection

They are thee epitome of funk/r&b/soul jazz.

They play jazz that just wraps warmly around you whiles you groove to the smooth funkified tunes.

This group has been together for 22 years, have played over 4500 shows

& have toured Europe eleven times over the past seven years.

They play at The Orbit Room in Toronto every Wednesday night.

Boy oh boy that's where you'd find me every Wednesday night if I still lived in the city! 

Leroy Emmanuel, the lead singer is one of my favourite jazz musicians to see live.

His voice is deep and rumbley and seductive...he really makes the music extra special.

He has preformed with the likes of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, BB King, John Lee Hooker, T-Bone Walker, Al Green, Funk Brothers & Dionne Warwick.

I really think even those who don't like jazz would find it really difficult not to dance & groove to these guys.

Anyhow, I just wanted to show my favourite photos from the concert.

Hope your having an excellent weekend.

Peter Gabriel

I saw him again...

my favourite all-time musician...brilliance & light & talent & beauty...

I just saw Peter Gabriel

AHHHHHH.....

This is the 2nd time seeing him in concert, last time was his 'Growing Up' tour.

I am feeling so so blessed.

This was Peter's 'SO...Back To Front' tour.

The concert we were at is the one that will make up the dvd/blue-ray for the tour. Cool.

We enjoyed spiced pumpkin lattes, excellent food, a sweet new hotel,
and the brand new super long subway cars.

It was so fun to scramble and play about the city with my honey.

And of course, 'Secret World' made me cry profusely, not because it's a sad song, but because it's incredibly beautiful & in the moments of that one song,
I realized exactly where I was and how lucky lucky lucky
I was to be there seeing Peter in person for a 2nd time
& to be standing next to the guy I was standing next too.
 

SO Happy...Back to Front.

Lemon Bucket Orkestra

We recently saw the amazing and awesome

Lemon Bucket Orkestra

They are a unique and highly energetic band of Balkan-Gypsy style.

I just have to share my favourite shots from the concert.

 In a rush to get to their performance on time we parked in a questionable spot and got a

$50 parking ticket, ha ha...but that's alright, I'd pay it all over again just to see them once more.



If you ever have a chance to check this group out, we highly highly recommend it.

It was such fabulous fun.

Jesse Cook

In October we saw the amazing Jesse Cook & his band.

We've seen them once before and they were just as great this time.

Let me share some of my favourite shots from the evening...

What beautiful & amazing artists these guys are & what a treat the concert was.

This was the Rumba Foundation Tour, if you have the chance to take it in, I highly suggest it.

(I'll be putting a few more shots that aren't posted here, into my flickr photo stream)

Thanks for hopping in lovelies.

XO Mandy, always inspired by music & often blasting Jesse Cook in the studio

p.s. The awesome Jesse Cook has granted me permission to sell these photos (Huge YAYYY!)
So if anyone is interested just email at MandySaile@BijousWhimsy.com

Drayton Blues Festival

The way we came about going to an excellent blues fest a couple months ago was kinda neat.

Jonathan took lots of video at the Jazzfest we went to in Toronto just a few weeks before...

Where an excellent blues group named Braithwaite & Whiteley played. 

Well Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whiteley saw the video that Jonathan took and cut together

and they were so pleased with it they asked Jonathan if they can use his video
and if we would be their guests to 'The Underground Railroad Blues Festival'.

Well, I LOVE the Blues and we've never really had the chance to enjoy it live so we shouted a resounding

'YES...Yes we would love to come'

So we hopped in the car one early Saturday morning and drove out to Drayton, Ontario and
unfamiliar countryside for an amazing unforgettable day.

Let me share my favourite shots from the day & show you who we felt very lucky to see/hear...

Curly Bridges was up first...he does this cool buzzing sound with his mouth, ha ha...

(Check out some video of Curley Bridges right here).

Than was my favourite, the super talented Harrison Kennedy,

his voice is so soulful and deep, seeing him live was such a treat...

(Check out some video of Harrison right here).

Up next was the sassy 'Miss Angel' who sure can shake her booty, ha ha...

(Check out video of Miss Angel right here).

Chris Whiteley and his son Jessie, who rocked the keyboard, were so so good...

(Check Chris & Jesse out in my honey's video, right here).

Up next was the talented Donovan Locke....

(Check out his vocal stylings right here).

Then all the way from The Mississippi was 'The Prepare A Table Ministry Choir'...
and a preacher who was very charismatic and who completely tuned us in...

We were surprised to find ourselves really enjoying pastor Tim Bailey's powerful message,
it wasn't the usual preachy stuff but it was all about a humans basic right to freedom and dignity and
the importance of fighting for those things, not just for our ourselves but for everyone planet wide...

Up next was the Douglas Watson band...   

(Check him out here).

Than another of my favs was Canadian Folk singer & Juno and Gemini award winner Kevin Breit...

(There is something so honest and gentle and fun about his music, check him out here).

And last but not least, the lovely Diana Braithwaite...
or otherwise known as Braithewaite & Whiteley...

(Check out Diana's gospel set right here and here).

It was a wonderful day with a really friendly and quaint atmosphere.

(The only negative was that there were no food options for us vegetarians, besides watermelon, ha ha,
so we were quite ravenous by the end of the night!)

The day and program ran so smoothly, we only had to wait 5 or 10 minutes at most in between sets.

...

Besides enjoying some great blues talent, the day was all about paying homage to the underground railroad and the people who made it, worked it and used it...
and to celebrate the freedom we in this country possess and enjoy today.

We are hoping the festival will take place again next year and that we'll be able to attend.

Thanks for having a look everyone....

Now let's go off and enjoy our freedom full day.

XO Mandy