1989–1990 – Maxwell’s Mix Jam Nights
Shortly after moving to Toronto in 1989, I discovered Maxwell’s Mix on Yonge Street, a popular restaurant and live-music venue that regularly hosted jam nights.
After leaving behind the Cape Town music scene I had been part of for so many years, Maxwell’s gave me an opportunity to start playing again and meet musicians in my new home. The jam nights brought together players from around Toronto, with different musicians sitting in and performing together in an informal setting.
I became a regular participant, playing bass with musicians including Mike McDonald and Frank Gardner, as well as many of the other players who came through the jam nights. I also befriended a singer/drummer, Jim Chefero, with whom I co-produced two CDs under the name Car Go Zoom in the next chapter of my musical life.
The recordings below were made during those sessions. They are rough live recordings rather than polished studio performances, but they capture an important moment in my musical journey — my first steps into the Toronto music scene and the beginning of a completely new chapter in Canada.
