Toronto, JULY 25, 2024: 

This summer marks the fifth anniversary of Sunset Cypher, a monthly free concert at Trinity Bellwoods Park, aiming to welcome and showcase talent from the city. Thursday’s lineup featured multiple open-mic performances, culminating in a soulful finale from headliner Syd Perry. 

Founded by realije in 2019, the cypher is an accessible way for MCs and other artists to showcase their talents in front of a live audience. Aspiring artists can sign up through a Google Form on the Sunset Cypher Instagram page.  

As the evening commenced over downtown Toronto, a grey folding table, propped up between two trees became the control panel for the Sunset Cypher team. Host Dran & The Land greeted guests as they approached, and welcomed Haf n’ Haf on the open mic. Haf n’ Haf’s performance was full of holistic bars and good vibes. Though his performance was short-lived due to technical difficulties, people visibly enjoyed the energy he brought to the mic. 

Withlovefromdeji took the mic up next. The lyrical rapper used his set to spit knowledge over live beatboxing by another member of the Sunset Cypher crew. He then performed some of his recent releases and gave the audience an exclusive listen to unreleased music. 

Once the open mic portion of the night had finished, the sun actually began setting in all its glory. More people crowded the patch of grass where the concert was happening, spreading blankets, cracking beers and lighting spliffs. The night’s first scheduled performance was by Fafiella, a passionate singer with a wide vocal range. She graced the mic for a short but ethereal performance that had the audience swaying with every word.

Mayne Ishu The Poet performed next, bringing woke revolutionary bars to the park. He was joined by his family, including his children, who melted hearts in the audience with their enthusiastic support for their dad on the mic. While Mayne Ishu’s words cut deep, echoing the essence of struggle and liberation, it was his intense energy that got the crowd moving. People danced and rocked, shouting various words of encouragement during the performance.

As the sun’s light faded from the sky and lights in the park turned on, it was finally time for the headliner. Syd Perry, known for his mastery of the 12-string guitar, switched things up, choosing to bring a six-string out instead. His soulful delivery combined with his Rastafari demeanour set the tone for what would go on to be a spiritual night of jamming. During the performance, ritual herbs were lit at Perry’s feet, adding to the hazy, dreamlike music emanating from the speakers. Perry showcased his talents, playing the harmonica while simultaneously singing and strumming his guitar. The reggae artist kept the audience engaged with touching harmonies and lyrics that inspired unity among the people. At one point, he gave the audience a choice between one or two more songs to finish his set. The popular response from the crowd was “five”. To finish the set though, Perry welcomed Peter to the mic, a musician with an entire arsenal of instruments at his disposal. The lights at the park had been switched off by then, but Peter kept things fresh by playing everything from baritone to a melodica. 

The night wrapped leaving everyone feeling more grounded and refreshed. A gentle and pleasant energy accompanied people home as they left the park satisfied. Sunset Cypher is one of the best examples of an organic music startup in the city, and there is great eagerness to see how it progresses.

JUNE 21: Toronto musician The CHMST hosted a hip-hop jazz freestyle jam at Sugar Beach for his birthday. The free event brought out a considerable crowd, with parkgoers naturally herding towards the music. The CHMST is the founder of Chmstry, a grassroots performance platform and artist collective aimed at putting on the most memorable shows with the most talented musicians across the city. Friday night at Sugar Beach was a testament to this goal, creating some immaculate vibes on the waterfront. 

After two hours of heavy rain during a heatwave, it was a muggy night in the city. The tent where the band was supposed to set up remained empty as people stood around talking. In what seemed like a sudden fashion, the drum machine started playing, and a few seconds later, musicians swarmed the tent, filling the park with jazz. The crowd froze initially, mesmerized by the sounds penetrating through the heavy air, but quickly embraced the moment, directing all their attention to the performance. 

The CHMST played trumpet throughout the night, while other musicians rotated in and out of their respective spots. His duo with Aubrey McGhee on saxophone made for some spectacular two-piece horn sections. Being a jam session, there was no set tracklist for the musicians to play. However, every instrument had its own section to improvise, with the drums and keys standing out. 

MCs and singers took the mic at various moments throughout the night for a mixed bag of performances. Matt Somber was brave enough to go first, warming the crowd up with some simple bars and call-and-response chants. He spun back for a better performance later when the crowd was warm. As the last bits of light disappeared from the sky and nighttime officially set in, phenomenal R&B performances complemented the jazz vibe. Estella Joan turned heads with her stunning vocals and upbeat personality. Her performance featured other young artists whose vocals left the crowd in awe. Toronto-St. Paul MPP ’s powerful voice stirred souls when she took a short but memorable stand on the mic. More rappers closed the night, delivering noteworthy bars, jokes, and vocal inflections. One of these MCs (not sure about his name) used turntable sound effects and a mouth trumpet to have the crowd bumping, distinguishing his performance as the most unique of the show.

Since bylaw starts enforcing noise infractions after 11 PM, the performance stopped then with a heartfelt message for The CHMST. Marijuana smoke occupied the air where the music once had, and people said their goodbyes. Overall, it was a great night and a reminder that community building needs public art and artists to hold that power in their hands.

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