Almost Missed Little Miss @ The Dakota Tavern

Little Miss Higgins @ The Dakota with Foy Taylor

Foy Taylor & Miss Higgins

This is where perusing the local weekly entertainment rag is worth while. I had heard about this lady Little Miss Higgins and heard a few of her songs on CBC Radio2 and thought this is some pretty good guitar playing, I should check it out some time. Then I see in Now Magazine that she is playing a gig at the Dakota Tavern in the west end that very night. Starting early at 7pm! Okay then! lets go.

Little Miss Higgins

Miss Higgin's

 What a show! Little Miss Higgin’s along with Foy Taylor accompanying on guitar and harmonies put on a very entertaining set of country and blue’s songs.  Stories about small towns, touring, some undergarment references and life in general filled in with some good ol’ gutsy guitar playing  got people drinking it up, myself included.

Jamz Bee

Jamz Bee

 The Dakota was also privileged to be a stop on the Jamz Bee hosted Jazz Safari tour that evening. Jamz Bee, a social guru, hosts the JazzFM91.1 sponsored group trips to various clubs around town checking out live music.

 This gig took place Sept 25th, 2010. Shortly afterwards , Little Miss Higgin’s was part of the Women’s Blues Review at Massey Hall. I’m glad I had the chance to take pictures at the much smaller and intimite Dakota Tavern before the Massey Hall show.

Miss Higgin’s is currently on tour in England and Ireland, returning to Canada in May for a stop in Ottawa then out to the west coast for a few gigs.

my gallery from this show: Little Miss Higgin’s Live @ The Dakota Tavern

little miss higgin's

little miss higgin's

Photog notes: there was not a lot of light in the Dakota so for most of the shoot I had the ISO cranked up to 3200. I was also using a variable aperture zoom which was not too effective in this situation. It was the only lens I had at the time, this fact helped me understand what it was I was going to require to get better low-light shots in the future.

Preview : Frank Cosentino plays the Blue Goose March 27th,2011

Frank Cosentino

Frank Cosentino

My good friend Frank Cosentino will be a special guest with the ‘Pie Guys’ this coming March 27, 2011 at the Blue Goose Tavern in the west end of Toronto. This is an afternoon gig getting underway around 4:30pm.

I haven’t been out to the ‘Goose for a Sunday afternoon jam in a long time so this will be a blast. It’s also Frank’s birthday so we’ll  have a few toasts to that plus some humongous “Pig Wings”, the local favorite.

Frank is an amazing blues guitarist who can rip it out like the best of them, combining blues, rock, jazz and many other influences to establish his style.

Perhaps we will get a chance to hear some of his new material from the soon to be released CD. Should be a great Sunday afternoon of blues with Frank plus I am sure a few more guests. Check it out if your in town.

 Frank Cosentino Collection

Franks myspace page www.myspace.com/officialfrankcosentino

Frank Cosentino