Club Bass and The Rex -- Toronto, ON

[_Sweet Willie_]

Yo.

 

I'm happily on vacation. Part of this vacation included a trip to Toronto. I liked Toronto quite a bit. Nice city. Easy to get around. Some cool museums, nice parks.

 

Two spots I hit while there might be of interest to my fellow low enders here on the LDL.

 

First, I spent about an hour at Club Bass: Click me!.

 

Lovely bass-centric shop west of downtown. It is clear that the owner is careful about gear selection -- the goal is not to provide everything under the sun, but rather specific lines of gear.

 

Examples: Rob Allen, Sadowsky, Roscoe, Pedulla, Bergantino, MarkBass, t.c. electronic.

 

While there I played a Roscoe, a used MTD, a Rob Allen short-scale fretless, and a Flea Bass. The Rob Allen "Mouse" was killer. Really nice sound. Beautifully made. It was the stand-out of the group. The Flea Bass was a solid bass. Playable, well-constructed, simple (vol/tone), and I dug the bright colors. Totally useable instrument, but not the greatest sound. I continue to be impressed by what Michael Tobias builds. The Roscoe was my first. Good bass, but I preferred the MTD. I played them all through a t.c. electronic head into a Berg 1x12. That's a nice compact, toneful rig right there!

 

The owner (I believe I was there with Dave, the owner) was gracious and patient. He tries to bring in some special instruments when they're available -- for example, he's had some unique Ritter basses hanging on his walls, and he tries to get in Roscoes with unique featuers (e.g., particular figured tops, wood combinations, etc.).

 

I did come home with a Club Bass baseball cap. Given the number of USA basses Club Bass sells and the relative weakness of the US dollar in Canada right now, purchasing basses (even if I had the scratch for a nice, high-end fish) wouldn't have made much sense. I'll probably keep my eye on the website, however, to see what unique instruments come through the shop.

 

Second, I sought to support the local Toronto music scene by hitting a local club. Dave at Club Bass recommended The Rex Jazz and Blues Club, so that's where I went. I liked the palpable history of the place (well-worn wood throughout), even if I thought the lighting could've been lower away from the stage.

 

The Julia Cleveland Quintet was playing that night. Ms. Cleveland is a drummer, and given what I see as a dearth of female jazz drummers on the scene, I was somewhat excited to see what she had. She was a good player, but I didn't think such a great band leader -- that is, while she provided the beat, she didn't really seem to be on top of controlling the band and how they flowed through the arrangements. They played a number of her original tunes...the one I dug the most was "The Watershed" (I think). Brian Davis played bass, and provided solid groove underneath all night long. Took one solo, which I thought was strong. I also liked the pianist quite a bit, although I can't now remember his name.

 

Anyway, I'd recommend the venue to someone visiting Toronto. It also seems like there are other clubs for other kinds of music around the city, so you can get your fix on the live stuff if there.

 

That's the brief story...otherwise...the Bata Shoe Museum was fun and the Royal Ontario Museum cool. The Toronto Islands are also a pleasant place to be to walk around on a nice day.

 

Peace.

--SW

 

 

 

[jeremy c]

Going to the top of the CN Tower and walking on the glass floor looking straight down 148 stories is always the highlight of Toronto for me.

[_Sweet Willie_]

I didn't make it there this trip. I hope to return to Toronto to do some other stuff, the CN Tower included.

 

Peace.

--SW

 

[rumpelstiltskin.]

hockey hall of fame? eaton center? i liked the CN tower.

 

robb.

[_Sweet Willie_]

DIdn't do Hockey Hall of Fame. Shame that. Eaton Center...nope.

 

Royal Ontario Museum -- cool.

 

Bata Shoe Museum -- surprisingly fun.

 

University of Toronto campus -- nice.

 

Kensington -- funky little 'hood.

 

St. Lawrence Market -- got some great fresh eats on the cheap.

 

C'est What Pub -- killer craft beers; the #9 IPA is superb.

 

Humber River Park -- had a great run

 

Toronto Islands -- short ferry ride and a nice place to walk around on a sunny afternoon

 

Sooooo...didn't do all the tourist stuff, but felt like we did some solid citying. Word.

 

Peace.

--s-uu

 

[Mark Zeger]

Wish I knew you were in TO, SW. It's a short drive from Rochester via Niagara Falls. My wife and I used to go there 3-4 times a year for a weekend. Great city, excellent restaurants. There's plenty to do on your next visit. We like walking around in Yorkville and the all ethnic neighborhoods (TO has a major Chinatown). Shopping at Roots is a must whenever in Toronto. Their clothes, especially the sweatshirts, are indestructible. It's usually easy to get game day tickets for the Blue Jays and the prices are reasonable for MLB.

 

And if you drive there next time via I90, stop in Rochester for a beer.

[_Sweet Willie_]

I should've thought of that, Mark. When I go back, I will indeed let you know.

 

Visited Chinatown as well. Just walked around a bit one morning.

 

Peace.

--s-uu