ELIZABETH SHEPHERD @ PARKDALE CD LAUNCH
With DJs John Kong, Footprints residents. Fri, May 9. The Gladstone Hotel,1214 Queen W. $10 advance tickets at Play De Record, Soundscapes, Cosmos West, Slinky Music. $15 at door.
Toronto jazz pianist, songwriter and vocalist Elizabeth Shepherd is at the top of her game — and rising. She’s spent the last two years touring steadily and hitting international jazz hotspots including London’s famed Jazz Café and Tokyo’s Cotton Club, resulting in much acclaim and an emboldened vision. Shepherd now follows her lauded debut album, Start to Move, with Parkdale. Produced by British dancefloor jazz DJ/bandleader Ben Lamdin, a.k.a. Nostalgia 77, the album finds Shepherd and her quintet with more swing in their step and thicker grooves all around. All proceeds from this release party will go to the Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre.

KON & AMIR @ HEAVYWEIGHTS
With DJ Serious, Kaewonder, Footprints Crew. Sat, May 10. Revival, 783 College. $15 advance tickets at Play De Record, Soundscapes, Moog/Slinky, Live Stock.
Brooklyn-based DJs, diggers and meticulous compilers Kon and Amir have been making moves together since meeting — in a record shop, natch — back in ’95.  They began by releasing a mixtape (yes, cassettes) series of breaks, beats and rarities called On Track, and have gone on to compile stunningly deep and diverse collections of rare jazz, funk, disco, soul and early hip-hop. Their The Kings of Diggin’ and Off Track Vol. 1: The Bronx comps (both on BBE) have brought much joy to my life. This is their Canadian debut.

ALTON MILLER @ LEFT OF THE DIAL RELAUNCH
With DJs Basic Soul Unit, Jason Ulrich, Patrick Paredes. Sat, May 10. Arthur’s, 501 College. $5 before 11:30, $8 after.
Launched in ‘03 as a sub-label of John Kong’s Do Right Music, Left of the Dial is focused on the more ambiguous end of the dance music spectrum. Things were quiet on the LOTD front until local lads Stuart Li (a.k.a. Basic Soul Unit) and Jason Ulrich took over A&R duties to bring us two new EPs, including Alton Miller’s gorgeous release With the Dawn. Miller — a 15-year-strong producer who creates rich, warm tech-inflected house — steps in from Detroit for this celebration, joining the Vintage DJ crew at a relatively new College street venue.

PHEEK @ AVANT_MUTEK
With Mossa, JAP_.  Sat, May 10. The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen W. $5. Also Stephen Beaupré, Noah Pred on Sun, May 11. Drake Sky Yard. 5pm. $5.
As a prelude to the ninth annual Mutek Festival of “electronic music and digital creativity,” these related showcases feature a mix of Montreal and T.O. talent. Saturday evening’s affair features a live set by long-time Mutek affiliate Pheek, a.k.a. Jean-Patrice Rémillard, owner of the Archipel label and producer of much remarkable minimal techno. Sunday afternoon offers the opportunity to catch a DJ set by prolific micro-house head Stephen Beaupré who has releases on labels like ~scape and Musique Risquée. Mutek itself takes place in Montreal, May 28 to June 1, and features artists including Deadbeat, Modeselektor and Underground Resistance.

WORDBURGLAR @ HAND’SOLO MIXTAPE RELEASE
With Mr. Quibble, More or Les, Red Ants, Noah 23, Royce Birth, Brockway Biggs. Wed, May 14. The Rivoli, 334 Queen W. $5.
Local hip-hop label Hand’Solo has long been a home base for quirky, clever, metaphor-happy artists including Buck 65, Sixtoo, Tachichi and Moves and the quick-rhyming Wordburglar. The Halifax native has been making noise and critics’ lists over the past two years, with URB Magazine giving him a “Next 1000” nod in 2007 and including him in their “Next 100” this year. Here, the ‘Burglar hosts a release party for Hand’Solo’s first mixtape, Hokey Religions & Ancient Weapons. Visit Handsolorecords.com to download the mix for free.