A Midsummer Night's MUSE with The Tiki Collective

Everything that there was to shake was shaken, and everything that could be stirred was stirred at the launch for the MUSE CD by Toronto's The Tiki Collective on a recent balmy August night. Florid songstresses and torrid musicians (the always exploratory Ernie Tollar, above, was especially smooth) generated a lounge-y tropical atmosphere under a waxing moon in an air-conditioned harbour of song, courtesy of Vesuvius Records and host Jaymz Bee.

 Jocelyn Barth (left) brought her subtle skills to bear on the classic "All Too Soon", then came back to add elegance and impromptu choreography to Genevieve Marentette's "I've Never Left Your Arms".

 In true Tiki tradition, a musical torch was lit and brandished wantonly when Irene Torres stepped out of bounds to blaze through "Quizas Quizas Quizas" and brought the dance floor into the center aisle.

Fashion summits were being maintained all night throughout Berkeley Church Field House, amongst guests and performers alike, but Jessica Lalonde significantly rocked a garden of cotton colour as she performed "I'll Be Seeing You" (above, with special guest John MacMurchy), and Lily Frost's slit mini-kimono shone roses through her rendition of "Mountain High Valley Low".

 Recent outstanding top-of-the-class grad, Mingjia Chen (left), already making waves in the real world, brought an emotional brilliance to Billy Strayhorn's "Chelsea Bridge" without singing a word. The real lowdown was provided by bassist George Koller, (right, above) who spent his evening alternating between the doghouse and a vintage Hofner Beatle bass.

Tyra Jutai (below) ignited a pulsing Ellingtonian swing on her darkly inflammatory pass at "Mood Indigo"  

The ever-harmonious Willows were in high demand, contributing a swoon factor to Paget's Sade homage, "Sweetest Taboo" (above), and Heather Luckhart's dreamy "Hypnotized" (middle above), as well as adding honey to the mix on Melissa Lauren's mellowed out makeover of "Don't Fear The Reaper" (top) and ended up going above and beyond to bring the "Caravan / Bali Hai" finale across the goal line.

As this soirée trés soignée drew to a close, Denielle Bassels, had a "Happy Birthday" sung to her in three-part harmony by the audience (including brother Jay, above). She was in a sufficiently celebratory mood by then to deliver album closer "The Wanderer", an original tune with a contagious bounce that affected the dancers like a windstorm in a flower garden (see evidence below).

 The album "MUSE" by The Tiki Collective will be available at Vesuvius Records and on all platforms on August 31st.

info at:

www.thetikicollective.com