Murray Powell shares intimate, powerful ballads tonight at Old Nick

\ TORONTO EAST \

A big, barrel-chested man with a deep baritone voice and a heart to match to the imposing size of his torso, Murray Powell may not be a household name —but he deserves to be.

I regard him as a kind of hero, a many who’s triumphed over several of life’s adversities –any one of which would be enough to send a lesser soul spiralling into alcoholism and self-destruction.

Instead Powell responded to the challenges –including being blind from birth and losing a loved to a horrific tragedy— by rising above the chaos, using powerful, intimate ballads that resonate truth and honesty as part of his regimen of healing and triumph.

He sings about challenges, but also about the heartfelt glories of love, in Country-tinged tunes that are musically relatively simple but stirring and often quite amusing and cleverly insightful lyrically. His debut 2011 album Remedials is a keeper collection of such material, but he also has a lot of more recent tunes that also belong on record.

Tonight he’s in the spotlight with the music as the feature performer at the weekly M Factor Mondays showcase at The Old Nick, 123 Danforth a spit east of Broadview, hosted by Elana Harte and friends.

The evening gets underway early, at 7 and usually also includes a few musical surprises.

-Gary 17, www.torontomoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Monday, December 01, 2021:

Listings preceded by an asterisk (*) are repeating weekly events. (Double asterisk indicates repeating event with different hosts/guest/etc.). Admission prices followed by a slash and minus (/-) after the amount indicates door charge with availability of cheaper rates for some purchases. /+ indicates stated price is minimum.

Names of subscribers appear in bold, are underlined and, where applicable, include a live link to their websites. Advertisers’ listings are in larger type, include live link to website and also have ad icon included in listings.

5-8> Mike Daley Jazz Trio @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

*5> The Cosmotones @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East ~Rockabilly

6> Golden Country Classics @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

*6-9> Calliope’s Nest open stage/jam for women @ Lola Pub, 40 Kensington Ave., TO

6:30> U of T Jazz Ensembles @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*7> Hard Time Mondays with Rick & Gailie @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

**7:30> M Factor Mondays with host Elana Harte & feature Murray Powell, @ The Old Nick, 123 Danforth Ave., TO East

7:30> Advocats Big Band @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Road, TO North ~R&B/Swing

8-11> Bentroots feat. Michael Fonfara, Nick Balkou, Ed Roth & Robert Newman @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., Toronto East ~Swampy Southern Blues-Rock

8-12> open stage with Julian Taylor & 9:30 feature by Dora’s Explorers @ Dora Keogh, 141 Danforth Ave. TO East

**8-1> open stage with host Alex Zdravkovic @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO

*8-11> open stage @ McGradie’s, 2167 Victoria Park Ave., Scarborough

**8-12> BBQ & jam night with Mimico Bill @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; ($8.95 with BBQ dinner special starts at 6)

*8-12> open stage @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

*8:30> Songbird Mondays with Nicole “Songbird” Coward online live @ http://www.streetjelly.com ~Roots/Folk

8:30> Holly Days Christmas show with Luke McMaster, The Willows @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Pop; $25

**9-1:30> jam with No Band Required @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO

*9-1> Hamstrung Stringband @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Bluegrass

9> Jennah Barry @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

9-12> Chris Hawley @ The Roncy, 390 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~acoustic solo

9> blueVenus @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East ~original Pop

9-1> Chloe Watkinson Jazz Band @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

*9-1> eclectic open stage/jam @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West

*9-1> jam with Tom Barlow @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit

*9:30-2> Sebastian Agnello & friends @ Black Swan (ground floor), 154 Danforth Ave., TO East

9:30> NOJO (Neufeld Occhipinti Jazz Orchestra) @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

10> Jordan John @ The Orbit Room, 580 College St., TO ~R&B/Blues

*10> open mic (2 songs; signup starts 8p.m.) @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

10> J. Swinnerton Blues Band @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

*10-2>Danckosmith Duo @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore E., Port Credit ~Pop Rock

10:30> tba @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock

11-12> MWQ @ Amsterdam Bicycle Club, 54 The Esplanade, TO ~Rock

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