Music at Rosetta McClain Gdns

By Hedy Korbee

People strolling through Rosetta McClain Gardens enjoying the sunshine and spectacular views of Lake Ontario stumbled into a little bit of magic on Sunday when when they heard strains of music wafting from the gazebo at the northeast corner of the park.

As they wandered over to investigate, they found the Rosetta McClain Song Circle, an informal group of amateur acoustic musicians and singers enjoying an afternoon of fellowship through the music and lyrics of The Beatles, David Bowie, Johnny Cash and more.

“I love the fact that a random group of people can come together and make very beautiful music together,” said Lana Rottenberg, a singer who’s become a song circle regular. “They say that everyone can sing. There are some, obviously, who are better and they’re in the Opera House. But here everyone can sing.”

“It’s a bit magical,” said Erin Mackie who was attending the song circle for the first time. “The things that they recommend for improved mental health and life expectancy is being outdoors, singing and community engagement. And this encapsulates all three.”

This was the sixth session of the Rosetta McClain Song Circle and the playlist was eclectic but rooted in folk music and reminiscent of coffee houses in the 50s and 60s. 

Songs included Stand By Me by Ben. E. King, Four Strong Winds by Ian and Sylvia Tyson, Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison Blues and Leaving on a Jet Plane by Peter Paul and Mary. There were also rousing renditions of The Beatles’ Twist and Shout and Eight Days a Week, as well as David Bowie’s Heroes.

One of the musicians is Skip Fox, who adds depth to the song circle with his harmonica and string bass, which he learned to play in the 9th grade at R.H. King Collegiate in 1957.

Fox was in a dance band back in the 60s called Studio 12 Sextet, played with a folk group called the Loyalists and also spent a year with the Irish Rovers.

“The idea of a song circle is everyone has their favourite songs and they come here and we just go around the circle and say ‘OK, what do you want to play next? It’s your turn.’ Now, a lot of people are too shy to speak up. You see, there’s quite a few musicians here who are self-taught. They play for their own pleasure. And for many of them this is the first time they’ve ever played in a group setting. And it’s just so much fun,” Fox said.

Brainchild of Ed McAskill

Holding a regular song circle in the park was the brainchild of Ed McAskill, a retired TTC driver who’s been playing guitar since he was 20 but hadn’t jammed in years until recently.

Ed McAskill, left.

“There was a gentleman who used to walk around the park with long, long hair and carry guitar with him all the time. And I saw him in the gazebo by himself playing and I sat down and played with him for a while. And that’s where the idea came. It was to just to get a bunch of people that play guitar… to come and play for two hours at the gazebo. And it worked,” McAskill said.

McAskill applied for a permit from the City of Toronto to hold the first song circle but was denied when he applied for a second time because the city only allows individuals one permit per year.  

Scarborough Bluffs Community Association sponsorship

Hector Catre of the Scarborough Bluffs Community Association, a passionate guitar player and singer, stepped in to save the day because non profit organizations such as the SBCA can book multiple permits.  

“It’s beautiful music for people in the community BY the people in the community,” Catre said. “Our goal for the SBCA has always been to create scenarios for people in the community to get together and do things together and get people out of our homes and houses and build a really strong, unique and common identity. And this is establishes this beautifully.”

The song circle began at 1pm and lasted three hours.  People who were already walking the park stopped to sing along for a few songs and others brought lawn chairs, blankets and picnic lunches and stayed for the duration.

“Sometimes the simple ideas are the best, said Lana Rottenberg.  “I think it’s lovely because we see everyone, all kinds of people young, old, every nationality. It’s truly a Canadian moment in a beautiful park.”

The next song circle at Rosetta McClain Gardens will be held on Sunday, Aug. 18 from 1 – 4 P.M.