This LP, a promotional item for the city of Toronto, was commissioned by the Toronto Star and released by World Records of Oshawa. The liner notes on the back cover extol Toronto's virtues ("By luck, planning and the indefinable qualities of "good neighbouring," Toronto has avoided many of the problems that exist today in most large North American cities...the homes, trees, parks, cleanliness, and generally attractive environment in Toronto's neighbourhoods contribute a basic essence to this city's character, which in turn has motivated a living condition remarkable for its low level of urban stress. In other words, it's a good place to live!"), while the LP itself tells the story of Toronto's history. The spoken-word bits (which I've cut out of the posted samples) alternate between a straight man narrator and a grizzled old character named "The Rural Resident," who argues with the narrator and tosses off ironic asides about Toronto's supposed attributes.

Toronto... was recorded at Manta Sound in Toronto by engineer and mixer Dave Greene, with arrangements by Rudy Toth. Pretty much every session musician in Toronto played on it, including (but not limited to) Ian MacDougall (trombone), Peter Magadini (drums), Peter Appleyard (percussion), Ed Bickert and Bobby Edwards (guitar), and Moe Koffman (flute). "Lizzie Simcoe," a funky track with a country flavour by singer Cal Dodd, is a retelling of the story of Elizabeth Simcoe, wife of Upper Canada's first Lieutenant Governor and a writer whose diary provided a lot of information regarding colonial life at the time. Apparently she was also a butterfly enthusiast. "This Train" is a bluesy lounge number (sung by Terry Blue) about Toronto's history as a railway hub, while "Hogtown Hoe-Down" is an instrumental jig by fiddler Al Cherny. And "Episode 7-Oh!" (by trumpeter Guido Basso, saxophonist Gene Amaro and pianist Gary Gross) is my favourite track on the LP, a jazzy instrumental with a '70s tv show theme song feel.

Lizzie Simcoe - Cal Dodd
This Train - Terry Blue
Hogtown Hoe-Down - Al Cherny
Episode 7-Oh! - Guido Basso, Gene Amaro & Gary Gross