Music, Art and Dining are paramount at Renee's Cafe in South River. Licensed under LLBO, they are open Thursdays 10am to 11pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 11pm. They are closed Sundays to Wednesdays. The café will also be closed for the Christmas Season Sunday December 20th and will re-open it’s doors on Thursday January 7th, 2010.

Call 705-386-0977 to make a reservation or take your chances by showing up.

Throughout the month of December, art on display will feature the works of Marg Cunningham and Jane Bonnell.


Friday December 4th David Crombie 8pm $10 cover

David is a Muskoka based guitar player with influences dating back well into the 50's, with the likes of Chet Atkins and Les Paul. More current influences like Dave Matthews, Eric Clapton, David Wilcox and most any genius axe-man to yield, are sure to be a part of most shows. Possessing an eclectic array of covers spanning 60+ years as well as a handy mix of acoustic and electric originals In all styles and genres of music.

Saturday December 5th Vince Andrushko 8pm $10 cover

Vince Andrushko's songs take you places. But, more than that, they give you a sense of all the history that went into making that place at that moment just so. He has an engaging voice overflowing with style and character that compels you to keep listening in a way that's becoming rare in these days of instant communication. Vince was raised where the open prairie and the big sky meet the big city, on the outskirts of the indomitable underdog of Canadian culture, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. When he's not treating you to one of his originals, it's not unusual to hear him play songs by AC/DC and Jimmie Rodgers back-to-back. Listening to him perform gives you a sense that maybe time doesn't behave exactly how you thought it did. Maybe it's a recognition of a common yearning we all have to make ourselves unreachable to the stresses of modern life and retreat to a cabin in the woods where we, not our cell phones and alarm clocks, can determine the pace of life. "Almost Home," Andrushko's second album, was released in 2009, and was recorded at the hotbed of roots/Canadiana, Beverland Studios in Winnipeg's West End. With his guitar and vocals at the core, the songs are deftly embellished and accentuated by some of the city's, and the country's, best players, including members of the D.Rangers, The Western States, and one of Canada's most under-appreciated musical legends: harmonica player Gord Kidder. Do yourself a favour and find a copy of this record. Or better yet, go see Vince perform live and get one straight from him.

Friday December 11th The Undesirables 8pm $17 cover
The Undesirables have been called 'the Coen Brothers meets Hank Williams'. That's a decent attempt, considering that The Undesirables are not so easy to describe. With one guitar and their two voices, they deliver an unbridled, narrative-driven performance that is beguiling, haunting, and infectiously entertaining in equal measure. If you stumbled upon a tavern where Tom Waits, Ray Bradbury, Jim Morrison, and Charles Dickens were huddled in a corner exchanging stories, perhaps eavesdropping on them would give you a better idea of what to expect from this Toronto duo.

Saturday December 12th Life Blown Open 8pm $10 cover

Life Blown Open’s focus is to capture audiences interested in a new style of music that is not confined to modern conventions – music without limits. It is mainly progressive, but is refined in that it has become more and more intellectual in nature. The philosophical lyrics are provocative and thoughtful. It is the bands hope that once people are exposed to this, they can begin opening their minds to the endless possibilities. The music is catchy, yet demonstrates a sophisticated level of composition, and requires a higher level of attention in order to really feel the full affect. Life Blown Open started in 2003, with band members, Justin Ross (drums), and Tanner Reinhardt (Guitar), and continues today with Paul Loewenburg on bass. The band has made two recordings, with several different members, and guest musicians: Goodbye Heart (2007), and the Industy (2008).

Friday December 18th Café closed for a private Christmas Party

Saturday December 19th Garry & Renee White with Shirantha Beddage 8pm $10 cover

The instrumental duo plays music from many musical eras, including popular jazz standards from the 30's & 40's, be-bop from the 50's, and soul jazz from the 60's. Their love songs are sweet and their blues funky. Folk, Beatles, pop and original compositions are also in the repertoire. Garry White is a veteran of the Toronto jazz scene and a versatile, gifted player who plays the guitar like no one else and is a treat to hear. He has played and toured North America and Europe with the Tommy Hunter Show, and later he played with The Platters. He went on to join Hagood Hardy, and also played with Guido Basso, Moe Koffman, Peter Appleyard, Ed Bickert, Norm Amadeo and many other jazz greats. His dynamic guitar sound shows many influences, ranging from Chet Atkins to Lennie Breau, Ed Bickert and Wes Montgomery. Bassist Renée White is from Toronto where she began her musical studies on clarinet, playing with various concert bands and orchestras. Moving on to the bass opened many musical doors and she soon began playing with jazz and dance bands around the North bay area. Shirantha Beddage is an emerging talent who is swiftly making his mark as an accomplished multi-reed instrumentalist, pianist, composer, instructor and bandleader. He is the new Director of Theory and Harmony at Humber College in Toronto, Canada, beginning Fall 2009. He was previously the Director of Jazz Studies at Columbus State University's Schwob School of Music (Columbus, GA), from 2006-2009. Originally from North Bay, Ontario, Canada, Mr. Beddage holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, a Master's degree in Jazz Performance from William Paterson University in New Jersey, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Toronto's Humber College. Shirantha's debut album, Roots and Branches, featuring his original compositions, was released in stores nationwide on January 23, 2007. CDs are available for ordering and downloading at Jazz Excursion Records, Itunes, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other fine music retailers.

The staff at Renee’s Café would like to thank it’s patrons for a great year in 2009. They wish everyone a safe and healthy Holiday Season.

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