Key www.jazzpiano.com into your browser and you’ll be in youtube heaven. By clicking backspace twice and adding an “eh” to produce www.jazzpiano.ca, you’ll be linked to one of Canada’s most treasured jazz pianists, Mark Eisenman. The New York native has been Toronto-based since 1972, and has previously worked with Lew Tabackin, Barney Kessell, Ed Bickert, Rob McConnell and Pat LaBarbera. A top-notch vocal accompanist and long time jazz educator at York University, he’s often found “in any situation where taste, feel, and a jazz sensibility are important.” 

The cruelest month finds Eisenman fairly busy: on April 9 he accompanies vocalist Arlene Smith at the Old Mill; on the 11th he’s part of a tribute to Louis Armstrong at Christ Church Deer Park; on the 15th he plays solo piano at the Palais Royal Ballroom for the Houselink charity Auction; on the 17th his trio headlines the Piano Masters Series at The Old Mill; on the 24th his trio plays Roy Thomson Hall as part of the “Spirit of Toronto Whiskey Show”; and on the 25th his trio is back at Christ Church Deer Park. See our concert listings and jazz club listings for more details.

Being busy is good for the uncompromising Eisenman, a pianistic purist who won’t settle for electronic keyboards. His passion for the acoustic pervades Pianos are Orphans, a spirited rant he wrote and sent to us about “the problem with pianos.” At the root of the problem, he says, is having to  hire “highly trained crafts-people to even tune the instrument.” He also details the neglect the instrument suffers: “Drinks have been spilled on it, it has been sitting near a heat source, without climate control … it has been treated like a piece of furniture, not a highly complex musical instrument. No one is responsible to it, and for it. The only people who can speak to its condition have a great incentive to keep their respective mouths shut. After all, managers don’t want to hear about something that will just cost them money, especially when they can’t hear the difference.” (You can read Eisenman’s entire text online at www.thewholenote.com.)

The following excerpt from Pianos are Orphans has haunted me for weeks now: “You can see the problem. A piano in a public venue is an orphan. It’s not just an orphan. It’s a poor, neglected, abused, fetal alcohol syndrome, crack baby that grows into one pathetic old beast that can break your heart.”

Is Eisenman overdramatizing just a little?  The sad truth is, not much. To echo Jim Galloway, Toronto today is not what it used to be, and this is certainly true in terms of piano rooms. It is sad to note that in the entire WholeNote jazz club directory which has now surpassed 60 locations in Toronto where you can regularly find live jazz, it’s hard to come up with a dozen of them that offer an acoustic piano that’s even remotely in tune.

Here then are ten recommended live music venues where you can find jazz played on an acoustic piano, accompanied by April highlights:

              Lula Lounge: Artist, musician, actor, and spectacular poet Don Francks (www.donfrancks.com) will wow with pianist Steve Hunter on Thursday April 15 starting at 8:00 pm. Priceless Francks will be followed by Word Jazz: original poetry set to music, performed by Dale Percy, Chris Hercules and Jaymz Bee. $20 general, $10 for students.

              Hugh’s Room: Legendary Danish harmonica player and manufacturer Lee Oskar (www.leeoskar.com) is showcased with the David Rotundo Band on Wednesday, April 21 starting at 8:30pm. Oskar is heralded as one of the world’s greatest rock-blues-soul harmonica players. This show will likely sell out at $25 in advance, $30 at the door.

              The Old Mill: “Mays at the Movies” starring legendary New York pianist Bill Mays (www.billmays.net) with bassist Neil Swainson and drummer Terry Clarke, as part of the new Thursday Night Jazz Club series at The Old Mill. April 22 at 7:30pm, $30 Cover, no minimum.

              Chalkers Pub, Billiards & Bistro: Shannon Gunn Quartet on Saturday, April 10, 6:00-9:00pm, featuring Brian Dickinson (piano), Neil Swainson (bass), Ethan Ardelli (drums), with the leader on voice. Originally from the West Coast, Gunn is a highly sought-after educator who understands and feels jazz in a profoundly deep manner. $10 Cover.

              Axis Gallery & Grill: Located in the Junction, this art hub is where you can find Juno-winning Blues singer/pianist Julian Fauth (www.julianfauth.com) with bassist James Thompson every Saturday and Sunday from 12:00-3:00pm. The piano’s far from faultless, but Fauth’s magic touch is formidable.

              N’Awlins: Live jazz nightly in this cozy, elegant King West spot where magnificent Stacey McGregor (www.staciemcgregor.com) plays solo piano every Tuesday from 7:00-11:00pm.

              The Rex Hotel, Jazz & Blues Bar: The Richard Whiteman Trio (www.myspace.com/therichardwhitemantrio) plays every Wednesday this month, 6:30pm. Whiteman is a great player who always solos with gusto. He’s also one of the charming Hogtown Syncopators who lighten up the Rex every Friday from 4:00-6:00pm. Pay what you can, generous people!

              The Pantages Martini Bar & Lounge: Fridays at the Pantages Hotel find the always impressive Robert Scott (www.robertscottmusic.com) paired with positively outrageous Great Bob Scott (www.myspace.com/greatbobscott). Now that’s entertainment!

              Gate 403: Dazzling songstress Gillian Margot (www.gillianmargot.com) delivers the goods at the Gate on Sunday April 11 at 9:00pm with Stu Harrison on piano and Jordan O’Connor on bass.

              Ellington’s Music & Café: Good mornings with Ben D’Cunha (www.bendcunha.com) playing piano and singing at this artsy St. Clair West hang, weekdays from 9:00-10:00am. Yup, you read right.

Have I left out a grand piano room? Send me a note by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and I’ll do my best to mention it next time.

Finally, still speaking of pianos, don’t miss out on what Jane Bunnett calls her “most important and exciting concert in 20 years” when Art of Jazz presents a very special event at Koerner Hall, April 17 at 8:00pm. Flutist and soprano saxophonist Bunnett will be joined by three generations of Cuban Piano Masters: Hilario Duran, Elio Villafranca and 83-years-young Guillermo Rubalcaba. Tickets range from $20-50 and are available at www.rcmusic.ca. For what promises to be a harmonious evening you can rest assured that those pianos will be in tune!

The tragic earthquake in Haiti inspired three highly spirited full houses at Hugh’s Room, thanks to the fundraiser’s organizer, three-time Juno Award winning jazz artist, Jane Bunnett. The January 12 disaster came just days shy of what would have been Haiti’s 4th Annual Jazz Festival, an event which would have brought Bunnett’s band Spirits of Havana to the country for concerts on stages and workshops in schools. Heartbroken over the devastating disaster, she worked prestissimo to arrange the fundraiser.

“January 28 was available, so we took it, and it sold out quickly, so we booked January 31 and when that sold out we got February 1. It was so fast - the poster never even went out! I felt funny asking the musicians if they were available for a third night.”

Artists who donated their talent include Don Thompson, Hilario Duran, Molly Johnson, Laura Hubert, Amanda Martinez, Telmary Diaz, Dionne Brand, Madagascar Slim, Bill King, Sophie Berkal-Sarbit, Big Rude Jake, Chris McKool, and Bunnett’s own Spirits of Havana.

“I was truly amazed by the generosity of the people. We raised $40,722 and when the Canadian government matched it, the total was over $80,000.” Notably, Mario Romano made a remarkable $25,000 contribution and several people wrote thousand-dollar cheques, all funds going to Doctors Without Borders.

Three days prior to these happenings, “Curtain Down for Haiti” was a tremendous success at the Pantages Hotel. The January 25^th fundraiser raised over $2000 for the Red Cross, most of it coming from the thin pockets of young musical theatre artists. The evening was co-produced by Jennifer Walls, Amy Smith and the multi-talented host of “Curtains Down”, Jenni Burke.

Affectionately nicknamed Jenni B, Miss Burke is a contagiously warm, funny and versatile stage presence. Her open mic “Curtains Down” is a weekly Monday night geared to singers of musical theatre, pop, jazz and cabaret, all of whom owe much to accompanist Michael Barber on the piano. By turns hilarious, dramatic, sweet, tragic and generally flamboyant, “Curtains Down” is an impromptu variety show that is consistently entertaining. Now held in the Pantages Hotel lobby, which is steps from Dundas subway station, and for a limited time every Monday: $5 martinis and wine! The latest updates about this event can be found on the “Curtains Down” Facebook Group or atwww.curtainsdown.com.

Speaking of open mics and community, one of the highlights at Lisa Particelli’s Girls Night Out vocalist-friendly jazz jam 5th anniversary show at Chalkers (www.gnojazz.com) was a performance by popular television personality Fred Penner, who delighted everyone present with “The Cat Came Back”. The beloved Mr. Penner comes back to Hugh’s Room on March 18^th. Kids of all ages absolutely must check out his website! www.fredpenner.com.

At 19 years of age, prodigious drummer Adam Arruda is set to take the jazz world by storm. Awarded the Zildjian Outstanding Young Drummer Award eight years in a row, he is reportedly working on relocating to New York City. While he’s still in town, check out astounding Arruda’s anticipated tributes to groundbreaking jazz composer and pianist Thelonious Monk, “The High Priest of Bop”, on the nights of March 4 at The Rex Hotel and March 25 at Tequila Bookworm. If anyone deserves two tributes in one month, it’s the man who was the opposite of square and whose middle name was Sphere! The two evenings will inevitably be very different, not only venue-wise but also in terms of instrumentation. Joining Arruda at the Rex will be none other than Dave Restivo on piano, Michael Davidson on vibes and Pat Reid on bass; at TB he’s hired Trevor Giancola on guitar, Michael Davidson on vibes and a pair of bass players: Dan Fortin and Devon Henderson. To sample Adam Arruda check out www.myspace.com/adamarrudamusic.

Seeking inspiration? Canada’s “Sweetheart of Swing” is a walking, singing miracle that sweetly swings from her great big heart. After years of fiercely battling cystic fibrosis, Alex Pangman recently underwent a successful double-lung transplant and is now singing with more air than ever before. Her musical style is rooted in the “trad” jazz singing of the 1920s and 30s, all her own but reminiscent of Mildred Bailey, Annette Hanshaw and Connee Boswell. Catch the tantalizing jazz of Alex & her Alleycats – Dr. Peter Hill on piano, Ross Wooldridge on clarinet, Chris Banks on bass and Chris Lamont on drums – at The Rex Hotel on Saturday, March 20 starting at 9:45pm. Pangman can also be heard every Sunday 7-9pm with hubby Tom Parker’s tasty country band Lickin’ Good Fried at the Dakota Tavern. www.alexpangman.com

On to a new and noteworthy house gig on the Danforth: Roberto Occhipinti’s trio now holds down a weekly Saturday matinee from 4-7pm at the Dora Keogh Irish Pub, just steps from the Broadview subway station at 141 Danforth Avenue. Occhipinti’s on bass, Hilario Duran on keys, Mark Kelso on drums and weekly special guests such as star saxophonist Pat LaBarbera. Priceless music, no cover charge, and no you can’t get a better deal than that! www.robertoocchipinti.com

The Brampton community has a brand new opportunity to embrace live jazz, with the fancy Fireside Jazz Series Brampton, Friday and Saturday nights at Aria Bistro & Lounge. This certainly isn’t a No Cover situation, but if you can treat yourself plus one to a romantic evening out, the menu and venue both look promising. Reservations are “a must” with seating limited to 40 patrons and “Dinner & Show” packages that start at $75: www.queen-b-events.com. Playing at Aria on March 5 and 6 is this reporter’s current favourite singer Laura Hubert with dependable Dr. Peter Hill on keys. Hubert’s band can also be found at the Rex Hotel on March 13 for their monthly Saturday matinee 3:30-6:30pm as well as every Monday night at the Cameron House for a 10-midnightish nightcap. www.laurahubert.com.

Ori Dagan (www.oridagan.com) is a Toronto-based jazz vocalist, voice actor and entertainment journalist. He can best be reached by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it