the appletree cafe

Blog Has Moved!

2011-01-27T01:41:00.002-05:00

I've moved my blog to my website:

Please check there for updates! Wordpress has a stellar plugin that allows you to import your blogspot posts:)

New Year, New Beginnings...

2011-01-15T13:55:00.003-05:00

Everything in life has a rhythm and life continually brings us opportunities for fresh starts. A new morning, a new season, a new year, a new love – all times when we can choose to be more real, more authentic, more loving. I am inspired by each person in my life who chooses to make room for what nourishes them. - Victoria Pawlowski

Beautifully said. On January 3rd, Mike, Barbosh, Pemby and I decided to embark on a 12-day cleanse. Wild Rose without the supplements. An alkaline based detox that eliminates bread, pasta, dairy, sugar, and alcohol. An opportunity to detox the body, mind and spirit so there is space for new inspiration, ideas and insight (VP).

Eating is not about being good or bad. Nourishment is not about numbers. Healthy eating is about mindfully feeding ourselves good ‘clean’ food because we deserve to be nourished. And our biology responds to that intention. - VP

Lots of veggies, fruit, chicken, omega rich wild fish, brown rice, popcorn, etc., fill our daily diet. An exciting time to research and discover new recipes. Not only have we discovered some delicious meals, but the actual time and process in doing so has unveiled a moment to 'just be' together. Some favourite recipes include curried butternut squash carrot apple soup, home-style chili (made in the slow cooker), leek and asparagus soup, baked yam fries, grilled chicken w/cucumber salsa, tofu salad w/almond sauce, and lemon garlic salmon.

With a clean clear body, mind and spirit, we can better know what makes our body sing and our soul nourished. - VP

We also started a private fb discussion group amongst the four of us sharing support, inspiration, love, and recipes. It's been a tremendous source of encouragement and motivation. For me, it's been an awakening experience. Not only have I discovered a healthier lifestyle, but there's a renewed energy, awareness, and balance in my life that is more omnipresent than before. Mike and I have been buzzing like little bees in our studios late at night tackling more projects with less interruptions.... it's pretty awesome:) Yay natural body highs!

Congratulations Mike, Barbosh, and Pemby. We made it. Lets continue this journey. xo

When you recover or discover
something that nourishes your soul and brings joy,
care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.
- Jean Shinoda Bolen

Someone is very sweet...

2011-01-11T21:02:00.000-05:00

The Beauty of Snow

2011-01-10T23:56:00.005-05:00

The Beauty of Snow

The summer sedum slump, bedraggled by a bedlam of new snow,

snow so thick it bends the large lilacs and topples prairie grass.

At last, the city is perfectly quiet, its recent crime wave on hold,

snow a better antidote to violence than all the men with guns.

A blizzard brings out the best in neighbors. This minute Anthony,

snow still falling gently on his blue parka, shovels the driveway

of our oldest resident, here on our quaint street where maples hold snow on their bare limbs. Everything is closed. We settle in,

reconfiguring our day to meet the snow’s agenda. Today

snow is the Boss of Everything: school, traffic, appointments,

meetings, choirs, trysts, operations, helicopters, vacations obey

snow’s sweet command: Stop everything you are doing. Be still.

Adjust your entire day, so says the snow. Finish that book,

snow says. Be kind to your neighbors and pets. Fill the bird feeder.

Clear your desk. Call your mother. Write this poem. Learn to wait,

snow says. Listen to the glorious complete quiet of this day.

Tomorrow, when the city has done its best to rid the pestilence of

snow, when we’ve had enough of snowmen and hot chocolate,

tomorrow, when things get back to normal, whatever that may be,

snow’s sweet quiet will linger for a moment, then melt into

the day’s business as usual. But in your bones you know

snow transforms like a powerful meditation, a great reminder

that there’s something to be said for that slow silence

snow bestows on anyone who cares to listen to the snow.

~Christine Swanberg

My Etsy Shop Launch!

2011-01-07T09:17:00.001-05:00

Today I launched my shop on Etsy at 9am. It's taken me a couple weeks to get everything together, but I am happy with it all. As a grand opening special, I am offering a 2 for 1 special on my 5x7 prints until Jan.31st. Visit my shop here.

Woolly Bear

2011-01-06T10:06:00.001-05:00

I love Woolly Bear by Julia Pott.

Are You Happy?

2010-12-30T18:59:00.001-05:00

Inspiration: Gandhi's Fundamentals for Changing the World

2010-12-27T11:57:00.001-05:00

Fundamentals to abide by.
Found this pdf floating in the blogosphere. Exquisite. Mike and I premised our latest podcast around these fundamentals. You can check it here.

Song of the Day: Seu Jorge and Almaz - Everybody Loves the Sunshine (2010)

2010-12-24T11:29:00.001-05:00

Saw this on juslikemusic's wall. Soooo good:)

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-22T10:39:00.000-05:00

xo robyn

Photography: Anndreyah

2010-12-17T23:02:00.006-05:00

Here's some shots from my shoot with Anndreyah. A social artist with a heart for service, an inquisitive mind, and a spirit of play. It was such a fun shoot... please enjoy:)

appletreecafe photography

Volunteering: Hands of Hope Art Auction & Yonge Street Mission

2010-12-16T16:49:00.006-05:00

Yesterday I got the opportunity to help out with the Hands of Hope Art Auction at the Royal Conservatory of Music. It was super fun to assist Travis Shilling, the curator of the event. Here's a couple pics.

Tomorrow Mike and I are volunteering with the Yonge Street Mission. We're going to be delivering gifts for seniors over the next couple weeks. Looking forward to it:)

xo

Photography: NYC

2010-12-15T22:23:00.004-05:00

Some shots from my recent trip to NYC. Full blog post to come in a couple days.

appletreecafe photography

New Music: Slow Handed

2010-12-08T22:31:00.003-05:00

Slow Handed is Brandon Smith and Mike Ardagh, an instrumental duo from Canada. They love vintage keyboards and everything space echo. Their stuff is fresh and groovy. (I wanted to share this tune with you otherwise it'll just sit on Mikes hard drive.)

Check this track King Tubby Dog ft. Gavin Youngash on guitar. (wait for the organ outro...sooo good!)

Written, performed, produced, recorded and mixed by Slow Handed.
Slow Handed - King Tubby Dog by appletreecafe

Song of the Day: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - Inspiration Information

2010-12-07T00:45:00.001-05:00

M. Ward - Rollercoaster

2010-12-06T23:42:00.001-05:00

Inspiration. What Inspires You?

2010-12-05T03:41:00.006-05:00

As I reflect on almost two years of blogging, there are multiple channels that continue to be a source of inspiration for my creative muses (photography, painting, etc).

Firstly, my partner, Mike. He gives 110% in absolutely everything he does. I've never seen someone push themself so hard. When you see what he accomplishes it inspires you to work that much harder.

One of my best friends, Terra, continually challenges herself to evolve and grow. It's remarkable. I think that's what life is about. It's about change. It's about growth. It's about transformation. It's about evolution. She is a very intuitive being. I am very fortunate to have her in my life. Both her and Mike are truly genuine souls.

So how do they inspire me? Well you see, they're super supportive, encouraging individuals and we're all each others biggest fans. They're 'yes' people. We drive each other hard.

Our community of friends is cozy and small... salt of the earth kinds of people (as Mike would say). Raw and real. The important thing is surrounding yourself by good people, especially those that lift you higher.

• • •

I am also vastly inspired by all those incredible blogs out there! A network of inspiration stations (as Pemby states). Someone sharing something.. somewhere...it's a beautiful thing. I know when I come across something great, all I want to do is share...with everyone! It's contagious.

I follow a handful of blogs using Netvibes. It's a personalized homepage that enables me to organize my feeds into tabs (music, photography, world news, social media, design, travel, grants, ideas, tickle trunk, etc) the way I like it.

Netvibes is a modern version of the "portals" of the dot-com era, but this time, they can be completely custom and individual to each user. It is a service that allows users to set up their own customized start page composed of "modules" which can contain a wide variety of information from dozens and dozens of other sites accessible anywhere at anytime.

Modules include an RSS/Atom feed reader, local weather forecasts, a calendar supporting iCal, bookmarks, notes, to-do lists, multiple searches, support for POP3, IMAP4 email as well as several webmail providers including Gmail..., Box.net web storage, Delicious, Meebo, Flickr photos, podcast support with a built in audio player, and several others. A page can be personalized further through the use of existing themes or by creating your own theme.

Here's a couple screenshots from some of my tabs on Netvibes.

This tab is called 'hip blogs'... which are those blogs that inspire me.

This tab is for those music blogs that inspire...

This is my flickr tab... for those photogs I love

Netvibes is great. I've been using it now for over 3 years, and no complaints. I played around with google reader for a bit, but found Netvibes much more visually stimulating.

• • •

For the past three years I've worked at Harbourfront Centre organizing travel for artists and authors. It's a contract from May until the end of November. It's fabulous and inspiring. I love it because it's flex-time, which allows me to work at night or from home. I've discovered that I really thrive in unregimented scheduling. On top of it all, I get 5 months off to indulge in my own creative projects.

During the summer I work the weekly music festivals, and during the fall I help out with the authors festival. Two different departments (production and literary), and two different groups of artists (musicians and authors). The Int'l Festival of Authors is a massive 10-day festival compared to the 3-day summer fests. They also tour throughout Ontario for seven days after the 10-day festival.

But it's pretty impressive, I work with the most extraordinary team in Literary (around 15 of us, 96% women). People are just laid back and extremely hard-working. Inspiring.

That sums up my inspiration station, what inspires you?

I'd like to close with those inspirations I haven't mentioned and a song I love...

music
change
colour
travel
beautiful weather
nature

xo
robyn

Art: Resin

2010-12-04T19:17:00.002-05:00

I resined 2 new art pieces this weekend! I've been fascinated with this technique ever since Mike and I visited Matt Durant's studio. I watched this video here, then went to it. This is the product (the glossy shimmery outside layer)!

Sneak Peak: Anndreyah

2010-11-30T22:39:00.003-05:00

Here's a sneak peak of my shoot with Anndreyah the other day. More to come very soon.

Oatmeal Cranberry & Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

2010-11-23T13:26:00.003-05:00

by guest contributor RJ Lapierre

Maybe because Canadian Thanksgiving always falls on the same weekend as a local cranberry festival, but cranberries have always been a must have for me this time of year. And they have so many other uses than just for that traditional turkey side dish–cranberry sauce!

Like in these Oatmeal Cranberry & Chocolate Chip Cookies. Being packed full of oats and fruit, I’d serve these soft and chewy cookies up as a midday snack, or even for a day-after breakfast treat! There’s never a bad time for cookies! You could even serve them along with your Thanksgiving meal as an alternative to the ubiquitous pies.

Oatmeal Cranberry & Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

3 c. rolled oats
1 c. all-purpose flour
½ c. wheat germ
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 c. demerara brown sugar
1 1/3 c. dried cranberries
2/3 c. dark chocolate or carob chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.

2. In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. On low speed, stir into sugar mixture until just combined. Stir in cranberries and chocolate chips.

3. Place batter by heaping tablespoon onto parchment lined baking sheets, leaving aprox. 1-inch of space between each cookie. Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

4. Let cool on sheet for a minute or two before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes: If you don’t have wheat germ on hand you can substitute 1 ½ c. whole wheat flour for the all-purpose flour + wheat germ.

About the contributor: RJ Lapierre is a jewelry designer, avid cook and baker, and blogger. She lives in small-town Ontario, Canada with her husband Eric and is excited to be expanding her little family in January. RJ shares delicious, and usually healthy, recipes on her blog When in Season.

Reposted from Indie Fixx

Mama Ardagh

2010-11-11T11:08:00.003-05:00

This morning Mike & I woke up at 7 and found Momsie painting in the studio. So very precious. She's in town for a couple days visiting from Vancouver.

Sufjan Stevens - Vesuvius

2010-11-03T09:51:00.002-04:00

Pieta Brown - Faller

2010-10-25T23:52:00.002-04:00

Lacey Terrell - Butterfly Series

2010-10-18T18:13:00.003-04:00

This series blew me away. LA based artist, Lacey Terrell.

Seen here.

Thanksgiving Weekend

2010-10-14T00:59:00.008-04:00

M & I headed west on Sunday to Webster's Falls (part of the Niagara escarpment) in Hamilton. We hiked behind the curtain falls,and just stood there in awe... taking in all its beauty. We then trekked through the gorge to the top of the canyon where we lunched and took photos. All the trees were rich in fall colours. Breathtaking. appletreecafe photography

Pemby's Peppahs - Dirty Apples Podcast #5

2010-10-09T20:39:00.003-04:00

If you haven't checked out our latest podcast...you should. Good friends, Dawn Pemberton and Jason Oculto joined us in the living room to help churn out a cornucopia of tasty treats. Gobble gobble..

Pemby's Peppahs by Dirtyapples on Mixcloud

Track listing here.

Reifel Bird Sanctuary

2010-10-05T10:04:00.006-04:00

Mike's Ma took me to the Reifel Bird Sanctuary a couple weeks ago. An exquisite spot. We walked various paths in the wetlands observing the cranes, eagles, mallards, wood ducks, and chickadees (to name a small few). It's always nice to get out of the city to enjoy the finer things in life...nature.appletreecafe photography

Nuit Blanche '10

2010-10-03T21:23:00.007-04:00

Round midnight last night, we hopped on our bikes and gallivanted throughout the city for Nuit Blanche. So much fun despite the frigid air. Check out some of my photos:

appletreecafe photography

Ramsey Lewis - People Make The World Go Round

2010-09-29T09:42:00.002-04:00

This is my fav song to start my mornings with, People Make the World Go Round by Ramsey Lewis. We choose a different record each morning to start the day off..and this is my goto...Upendo Ni Pamoja (1971). I love the production.

Personnel: Ramsey Lewis (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Cleveland Eaton (acoustic & electric basses); Morris Jennings (drums, percussion).

Inspiration: Cute Little Abode

2010-09-27T17:06:00.005-04:00

This place really caught my eye on Casa Chaucha, a Spanish site I follow regularly. I love the colour combos, the placement of knick knacks, and lighting of rooms. Take a peek..

Engagement Session: Blair + Kate

2010-09-23T22:00:00.027-04:00

A couple weeks ago I shot engagement photos for my brother (Blair), and his fiancée (Kate) in White Rock (40 min outside of Vancouver). We woke up at dawn, and drove to 5 or 6 different spots following the sun, sometimes stopping in the middle of the road to catch a shot. Incredible light, and good times. I knew these two were the ones for each other the 1st time I saw them together. I just felt it. Love you guys! xo

appletreecafe photography

Escalator Piece

2010-09-22T12:06:00.005-04:00

Taken by Neale.

New Gear

2010-09-16T13:02:00.013-04:00

Last night I took the plunge and bought the Nikon D90(above). I've been watching this camera for the past 6 months (I researched many), and have been simultaneously saving for it. Apparently, it's one of the top 10 DSLRs. It was a big purchase for me, but I know it was the right one. I am thrilled to learn, explore, and discover new things with this cam.

For the past 2 years, I've been using the Panasonic LX3 (the lumix below); an incredible little device. I've had nothing but good times with the ol' girl. However, I needed to upgrade to evolve with my photography passion, and the d90 suites my needs perfectly. It feels real good to buy something you've been saving for.I was also just given the Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 (below) by my Nana. She recently moved into a home, and while she was cleaning house, she found my Gramps old manual cam. I am excited and very thankful for this cam. I'm going to explore it while taking some more darkroom courses this fall.

I also wanted to share this track of Mikes entitled Mario Kart. I love his drumming on it. I think it's from 3 or 4 years ago.
Personnel:
Mike Ardagh - drums
Gavin Youngash - guitar
Max Zipursky - keys
Nimish Parekh - bass
MarioKart - MGMN by appletreecafe

d90 pic: zhangjing..
lx3 pic: stock
minolta pic: marlinsgirl93

warhol says...

2010-09-10T22:12:00.001-04:00

Junip - Always

2010-09-09T16:13:00.000-04:00

Saw this on Yukimi's blog today...love love love it!

Love Rain Down

2010-09-08T12:17:00.005-04:00

For the past 3 weeks, Mike & I have had the pleasure of having Pemby stay with us. A ray of light and love she is. She left us with a tear this morning, and I wanted to share what she left with us. Come back soon y'heard? G'head now.

Visual Artist: Miso

2010-08-20T23:56:00.007-04:00

By 21 yr old street artist from Oz, Miso. Stunning.

Artist: Jonny Ruzzo

2010-08-16T20:31:00.005-04:00

An exceptional watercolour piece by NY artist Jonny Ruzzo

On a side note, I love this blog for its colours. It would be more enjoyable if I understood spanish.

Pia, I like!

2010-08-04T19:11:00.005-04:00

Below is a piece by Pia found on the Wooster Collective, a site "dedicated to showcasing and celebrating ephemeral art placed on streets in cities around the world". Fantastic!

On another note, this blog is about to evolve in the upcoming weeks. I've decided to expand beyond my love of music, and share with you those inspirations (in all realms of the art world) I encounter as well as my photography projects. Sound good? Stay tuned my friends:)

Maggot Brain - Funkadelic

2010-07-31T22:23:00.002-04:00

You, You're Awesome - Do Make Say Think

2010-07-15T21:17:00.003-04:00

Little Feat - Long Distance Love

2010-06-07T19:15:00.001-04:00

The Fabulous Three - The Odyssey Revised

2010-05-20T20:26:00.000-04:00

Sufjan Stevens - Ring Them Bells

2010-05-14T12:23:00.003-04:00

Dirty Apples Podcast #2 - Wilf's Treat

2010-05-06T15:32:00.002-04:00

Dirty Apples Podcast #2 by Mike Ardagh & I. Have a listen!

Wilf's Treat by Dirtyapples on Mixcloud

1) Me'shell Ndegeocello - Fellowship
2) The Stance Brothers - Capricorn
3) Lee Fields & the Expressions - Expressions Theme
4) J Dilla - Look of Love (Spring Reverb Instrumental)
5) Jackie Mittoo - Brain Mark
6) The Dayton Sidewinders - Slipping Into Darkness
7) The Black Keys - Do The Rump
8) Stevie Wonder - Do Yourself A Favor
9) The Budos Band - Origin of Man
10) Heaven - Deliverance Echoes
11) Otis Redding - Try A Little Tenderness
12) Gene Ammons - Papa Was A Rolling Stone
13) Ann Sexton - You're Losing Me
14) The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - Spreadin' Honey
15) The Beatles - I Want You (She's So Heavy)

Clutchy Hopkins - Verbal Headlock

2010-04-13T17:09:00.002-04:00

New Clutchy!

Dirty Apples Podcast #1 - Johnny's Apple Sauce

2010-04-08T15:25:00.002-04:00

Mike Ardagh(aka dirty grooves)and I (appletreecafe) have come together as Dirty Apples and collaborated on a podcast. Check it out!

Johnny's Apple Sauce by Dirtyapples on Mixcloud

1) Nina Simone - Baltimore
2) Dr. Dog - Say Something
3) Bon Iver - Brackett, W9
4) Marco Benevento - Record Book
5) Da Lata - Cores
6) Erykah Badu - Incense (ft. Kirsten Agnesta)
7) Lamb - I Cry
8) Patrick Watson - Tracy's Waters
9) Dntel - To A Fault (ft. Grizzly Bear)
10) Bon Iver - Lump Sum
11) Medeski Martin & Wood - Broken Mirror
12) Led Zeppelin - Since I've Been Loving You

Patrice Rushen - Haw-Right Now

2010-04-03T01:59:00.004-04:00

Erykah Badu - Honey (live)

2010-03-14T19:15:00.003-04:00

This is so fly...mmmhmmm.. wait til she breaks it down at 1.10.

David Myles - Cape Breton

2010-03-11T19:38:00.002-05:00

Solid.

http://www.myspace.com/davidmyles

Meshell Ndegeocello - Ecclesiastes: Free My Heart

2010-02-19T19:13:00.002-05:00

linked from here.

James Brown Gives You Dancing Lessons!

2010-02-07T19:20:00.002-05:00

Wait for the camel walk or the shimmie to the robot...shiiit!

MMW - Fly in a Bottle excerpt trailer

2010-02-06T16:30:00.003-05:00

WAIT for Medeski's solo (at 2.09 exactly). Gawd damn.

Nina Simone - I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free

2010-01-27T04:24:00.002-05:00

Muhsinah - Always

2010-01-26T21:58:00.009-05:00

http://www.myspace.com/muhsinah

Bobby Caldwell - Open Your Eyes

2010-01-25T08:53:00.000-05:00

Briskey - Le désir de l'autre

2010-01-18T00:44:00.000-05:00

Jimi Hendrix - My Friend (live)

2010-01-13T18:17:00.002-05:00

So so good.
My Friend (live) by appletreecafe

Top Live Shows of 2009

2010-01-11T16:05:00.003-05:00

Live music rocked the globe in 2009. You know how it is… the knees pulsate, the body follows, and soon your world is being coloured in a way unexplainable. Live music (if brilliant) permeates the soul, wrapping it tight like you’ve just received the best hug in the world. This is based on 3 binding elements:
- Energy (between musicians, between musicians and crowd)
- Space (venue/ambience)
- Sound (venue/band)

Drum roll...

1. Haggis Horns at Native (Bristol, UK) - Buttery & dirty 8 piece funk outfit.

Energy: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Space: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Sound: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

2. Little Dragon at Wrongbar (Toronto, ON) - Intoxicating grooves, brilliant musicianship...very charismatic.

Energy: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Space: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Sound: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

3. Briskey at Democrazy (Gent, Belgium) - 15-piece pulsating/atmospheric band w/horns, vocals, & strings.

Energy: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Space: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Sound: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

4. Alice Russell at the Supermarket (Toronto, ON) - Funky FUNKY lady with a tight-ass band.

Energy: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Space: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Sound: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

5. Mulatu Astatke & the Heliocentrics at Deomcrazy (Gent, Belgium) - One word: h e a v y.

Energy: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Space: ♥ ♥ ♥ ½ Sound: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

6. Patrick Watson at the Vogue (Vancouver, BC) - Compelling instrumentation. Organic & ethereal.

Energy: ♥ ♥ ♥ ½ Space: ♥ ♥ ♥ Sound: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

7. Lee Fields and the El Michels Affair at Revival (Toronto, ON) - Think James Brown. Dirty soul.

Energy: ♥ ♥ ♥ Space: ♥ ♥ ♥ Sound: ♥ ♥ ♥

8. Femi Kuti at Harbourfront Centre (Toronto, ON) - Polyrhythms. Horns. Dancers that shake it, hard. Groove.

Energy: ♥ ♥ ♥ ½ Space: ♥ ♥ ♥ Sound: ♥ ♥ ♥

9. Daedelus at Wrongbar (Toronto, ON) - Mesmerizing skills & beats.

Energy: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Space: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Sound: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

10. Gilles Peterson & Dom Servini at Life Bar (London, UK) - Guys that can spin, read a crowd, and entrance the soul.

Energy: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Space: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Sound: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

11. Beirut at the Phoenix (Toronto, ON) - Very unique indie balkan grooves.

Energy: ♥ ♥ ♥ Space: ♥ ♥ ½ Sound: ♥ ♥ ♥

12. Ronley Teper & her Lipliners at the Tranzac (Toronto, ON) - Eclectic songs with tasty instrumentation.

Energy: ♥ ♥ ♥ Space: ♥ ♥ ½ Sound: ♥ ♥ ♥

13. Rudder at the Rex (Toronto, ON) - Heavy heavy groove.

Energy: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Space: ♥ ♥ ♥ ½ Sound: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Honorable Mentions:

Bent by Elephants at C'est What (Toronto, ON)

Woodpigeon at the Horseshoe (Toronto, ON)

Terra Grimard at Raw Canvas (Vancouver, BC)

Chris Tarry Group at the Rex (Toronto, ON)

Miike Snow at the Sound Academy (Toronto, ON)

Gretchen Parlato at 55 Bar (NY, NY)

Star Captains at Anza Club (Vancouver, BC)

Shaolin Temple Defenders at La Bellevilloise (Paris, France)

Lettuce at Highline Ballroom (Brooklyn, NY)

Lykke Li at the Sound Academy (Toronto, ON)

All photos by the appletree cafe
Also posted on Snitchjunkie

Da Lata - Cores

2010-01-07T15:39:00.002-05:00

Exquisite.

Black Dub - I believe in you

2010-01-07T13:47:00.000-05:00

Love this... Trixie's got soul.

Dntel - The Distance (ft Arthur & Yu)

2010-01-04T19:29:00.002-05:00

Bill Evans - Blue Serge

2010-01-04T17:09:00.002-05:00

Heavy. Evans on rhodes(& piano). Gomez on bass.

Simon & Garfunkel: At the Zoo

2010-01-04T00:19:00.001-05:00

Can't get enough of this track.

Bon Iver - Re: Stacks

2009-12-31T19:35:00.000-05:00

My Sweet Lord (live) - King Curtis

2009-12-23T14:09:00.001-05:00

A lil soul for your day.
My Sweet Lord [Live] - King Curtis by appletreecafe

Bonobo - If You Stayed Over (feat Fink)

2009-12-21T21:57:00.000-05:00

JSBL - Der Mann mit den Schwankungen (Snippet)

2009-12-08T13:53:00.003-05:00

Heavy. Heard this on Dom Servini's Colourful Radio show... he always has the good shit.

JSBL - Der Mann mit den Schwankungen (Snippet) by affine records

Terra Grimard - Unconventional Shining

2009-12-01T23:59:00.012-05:00

Vancouver singer/songwriter, Terra Grimard releases her first full length album today! “Absolutley exquisite!” says juslikemusic.com. Touching on elements of love, new beginnings, life escapades…Grimard’s music entices the soul in a way unexplainable. Personally, her lyrics hit me in a way that John Mayers used to back in 2001 when Room for Squares was released: heartfelt and honest… makes you feel something. Grimard embarks on a west coast tour this week w/Noah Walker on guitar and dj appletree. Be sure to check her out!

Tour Dates

Dec 3: Kamloops - The Art We Are

Dec 4: Kelowna - The Streaming Cafe

Dec 5: Penticton - Voodoos

Dec 9 : Duncan - Duncan Garage Showroom

Dec 11: Vancouver - Raw Canvas

Dec 12: Wired Bean

Dec 12-13: Yaletown Craft Market

Listen to 'Running Home', a track off the new album.
Terra Grimard - Running Home by appletreecafe

--> Terra's Myspace
--> Terra's Fan Page

Little Dragon - Swimming

2009-11-27T23:06:00.005-05:00

Brilliant illustration above and in video (below) by Yukimi's father, Yusuke Nagano. Stunning work.

Sunday's @ WaaZuBee's w/dj appletree!

2009-11-27T14:11:00.004-05:00

El Perro Del Mar - Change of Heart

2009-11-13T11:31:00.001-05:00

Love the bass groove in this track from Swedish singer El Perro Del Mar.

Björk - Venus as a Boy

2009-11-09T13:16:00.002-05:00

His wicked sense of humour
Suggests exciting sex
His fingers focus on her
Touches, he's venus as a boy.

He believes in beauty
He's venus as a boy

He's exploring
The taste of her
Arousal
So accurate
He sets off
The beauty in her
He's venus as a boy

He believes in beauty
He's venus as a boy

Patrick Watson - Wooden Arms

2009-11-06T12:56:00.001-05:00

Patrick Watson : Wooden Arms
by LEXPRESS

lamb - i cry

2009-10-28T23:41:00.001-04:00

Beautiful.

Elektro Current & DJ Appletree - Nov.8th

2009-10-19T23:42:00.004-04:00

I'm doin a show with Elektro Current on Nov.8th...come chek it!
appletreecafe design

Junior Boys - Caught in a Wave

2009-10-18T15:30:00.001-04:00

Terra Grimard - FREE MP3!

2009-10-13T17:09:00.004-04:00

Get a free mp3 off of Terra's new album when you sign up for her mailing list here.
appletreecafe design

Feist on Gigs

2009-10-01T16:47:00.004-04:00

"I feel that gigs, what’s interesting about them is that they live in the moment. Four walls, all those individuals that came to make that room what it is, and then when everyone leaves at the end, it dissipates, everyone takes a little bit of the gig with them, stores it or drops it on the sidewalk on the way out. It’s gone, when it’s over. You don’t have this immortality concern."

Leslie Feist

Daedelus - Just Briefly

2009-09-23T11:21:00.000-04:00

Velvet Boogie II - Sunday, Sept. 27th!

2009-09-22T13:49:00.003-04:00

RC & I back at Harmony this Sunday!

redjive5 design

dntel - roll on ft. jenny lewis

2009-09-21T08:33:00.001-04:00

Arthur Russell - Lucky Cloud

2009-09-17T09:05:00.001-04:00

Velvet Boogie 2nite!

2009-09-13T19:18:00.001-04:00

redjive5 design

Femi Kuti - Inside Religion

2009-09-11T10:50:00.004-04:00

The myriad of polyrhythmic textures in this track blows my mind.
He tore the roof off at Harbourfront this summer...by far the best Kuti performance I've experienced (seen 4 in total).
femi kuti-inside religion by appletreecafe

McFerrin, Bona & Baptista

2009-08-27T09:22:00.000-04:00

Simply beautiful.

Phoenix - Fences

2009-08-25T12:03:00.001-04:00

Summer Sauce - Aug. 30th!

2009-08-19T09:14:00.002-04:00

RC & I back again at Harmony Lounge!

redjive5 design

Four Tet - As Serious As Your Life (Remix)

2009-08-16T19:28:00.001-04:00

ft. Dilla and Guilty Simpson "Tight like Murphy's leather in Delirious..."

Three Trapped Tigers - 1

2009-08-13T06:27:00.003-04:00

New vid by London based band, Three Trapped Tigers. Solid. Drives & unravels beauty. Whatever happens at .43 takes you somewhere else. My buddy, Adam Betts on drums,tears the shit outta this.

Quantic & His Combo Bárbaro - Un Canto A Mi Tierra

2009-08-08T13:02:00.003-04:00

Herbie Hancock - Driftin'

2009-08-07T09:53:00.003-04:00

One of my fav swingin' jazz tracks of all time. From the album 'Takin' Off', Herbie lays it down with such feel while Butch & Billy fiercely propel the groove. So very nice. I can just see all these dudes smilin while playin this..how could you not? This is definitely a Friday kinda love, and brings me back to my jazz days at Cap when I transcribed Freddie's solo for my jury. A thrill indeed. Enjoy:)
ps. Dexter colours it all!

Herbie Hancock - Driftin by appletreecafe

Yaw - Where Would You Be

2009-08-06T10:38:00.004-04:00

Now THIS is a horn section. Damn. So entirely full & intoxicating.

Yaw - Where Would you Be by appletreecafe

summer sauce @ harmony lounge w/rc & i

2009-08-04T21:27:00.000-04:00

emanative - turn your lights on

2009-08-01T23:06:00.000-04:00

heavy.

Turn Your Lights On by emanative

sofia pettersson - 59th street bridge song

2009-07-28T12:04:00.001-04:00

So groovy!

59th Street Bridge Song by appletreecafe

Jazzanova ft. Ben Westbeech - I Can See (Vaitaitau Rmx)

2009-07-19T14:12:00.000-04:00

Jazzanova - I Can See (vaitaitau remix) by Jazzanova Remix Contest

Zelwer - Soldier Tufaiew Gets Married

2009-07-16T09:54:00.003-04:00

Zelwer - Soldier Tufaiew Gets Married by appletreecafe

beirut

2009-07-10T19:18:00.004-04:00

Saw Beirut live at the Phoenix last nite. Quality show. Man, by the end of it, I was weak. From vocals to trumpet to uke, Zach loves to play, and that energy permeates the soul. Nothing more, nothing less.
Here's a pic(above) & vid(below) I took.

**he ended the night w/My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille. pure magic.

mister peterson...thank you.

2009-06-28T18:42:00.005-04:00