Rusty & Maja

🌟 Dive into the world of Maja Bannerman as she effortlessly embraces a role that fits like a glove. Join us for the mesmerizing swing era tune 'Sandy Claus Saves The Day,' a homage to Marilyn Monroe. Let her screen talents shine in the video and experience the magic live at Cafe Mahtay on Thursday, December 7 at 7 PM!

📽️ Watch the mesmerizing Monroe tribute 'Sandy Claus Saves The Day' here: https://youtu.be/YGtGSbIoaGs

🎭 The evening will feature not only musical brilliance but also witty skits and special guest singers, including Mike Lynch, Brandon Agnew, Dave Norris, Steve Goldberg, and the dynamic duo Tony & Veronica. 🌟

HOLIDAY CABARET featuring ‘Christmas on the Island’
Yikes the HOLS as they say in jolly ol’ England, and time to head to the country house or the provinces or even Fiji. Not so for us. No, for us it’s more Dickens than Dubai, indoors with a turkey and fond memories. But, in our minds, we imagine all sorts of grandiose adventures. This little ditty was written in such a blizzard with a heart warming day dream.
‘Christmas on the Islands’.

https://youtu.be/VojZxcdJ5rI?si=pvd17oXZXDnJ48OM

We’ll be playing it live at our HOLIDAY CABARET Thursday December 7th 7PM at Cafe MAHTAY
St. Catharines. Check out the poster and, by all means, join us! Guests are Mike Lynch, Brandon Agnew, Malcolm MacQuarrie, Steve Goldberger's Music Page and Dave Norris.

Mahtay Café & Lounge
Niagara County Entertainment

Rusty and Maja came from music roots in Toronto, Ottawa and Sault Ste Marie and hadn’t played music together until 2015. When a fortuitous meeting set off Maja’s 1st recording ‘Signs of Life’ with Rusty as producer and she the singer songwriter. Later in 2018, for a brief moment, they donned the moniker Junk & Juice and started a duo together. This was short lived as it was pointed out to them Junk was he**in and Juice was booze and they had long left that behind them (if they ever really did indulge at all) Today, with their first album RUSTY & MAJA ‘Part Kitchen Party ~ Part Cabaret’ they have honed their entertaining Boomer tinged Cabaret show with regular gigs in St. Catharines and Toronto. They are presently in the studio recording their talented houseband, local legends, bassist Steve Goldberger and drummer Dave Norris.

One of the tracks slated to record is this timely seasonal ditty SPARKLE. Come and see HOLIDAY CABARET Mahtay Lounge Thursday Dec. 7th with guests Mike Lynch, Brandon Agnew, Tony & Veronica and Malcolm McQuarrie adding to the festivities. Come and join in on the fun!

https://youtu.be/I5A1d7WrJ6I?si=0pOfcyUAW5R4fJRF

THERE IS A SHIP THERE IS A SHIPMaja Bannerman's play THIS IS ANNE ~ Older & Wiser ~ (Based on LM Montgomery's Anne Of Green Gables book series ) has a touching scene near th...

RUSTY & MAJA Live at the TRANZAC T.O.

After an amazing full house performance at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum, I've packed my bag and am ready to head to the Big City. Tomorrow Rusty McCarthy and I have two performances of THIS IS ANNE ~ Older & Wiser ~ at Tollkeeper's Cottage Museum. My heart and head are full of all things Anne!
Photo: Lauren Garbutt on location at Woodbourne Inn
The Tollkeeper's Cottage


Rusty & Maja
Rusty Mccarthy

"I want to offer hope and showcase various kinds of love, and performing lets me by my best self. It feels like the best vehicle to demonstrate my love of life and people!"

Maja's musical inspirations have moved through Bob Dylan to Buffy Sainte Marie, Joni Mitchel and The Fugs (when her parents weren't around). Writing her own music has been a beautiful physical and emotional release and helped Maja express herself as someone on the shyer side.

✨SHOW TONIGHT✨
Wednesday, August 2nd @ Mahtay Café LIVE at 7PM

Rusty starts us off with Steve Goldberger, Dave Norris and Special Guest Marty Hopkins. Then, Rusty & Maja take to the stage!

This event is Pay What You Can

See you TONIGHT (July 28) at Maja's Cafe in Mindemoya, Manitoulin Island!

Rusty told me about Maja's Cafe in 2015. He had already played there a few times. I was very intrigued since I don't meet many people with the same name and I love a garden cafe and good food (who doesn't?)!

I performed there once on my own, presenting monologues and songs, and since becoming a couple, Rusty and I have performed here twice as a duo. We are looking forward to being back in this magical garden with incredible food again tonight!

Visit majas.ca to make a reservation and enjoy!

✨ Upcoming Shows August 2023 ✨

August 2: Mahtay Café & Lounge, St. Catharines
August 17-20: The MANSE, P.E.I.
August 25-26: Lockeport, Nova Scotia

This weekend July 21-23, we'll be at Wawa Music Festival 🎸
Rusty will be at Memorial Stage - Lions Beach at 3:30pm with Don Charbonneau for the Founders Set!

Head to the link in our stories 👉 for the Full Weekend Schedule

Rusty & Maja's "Part Kitchen Party, Part Cabaret" Show is happening tomorrow (July 20th) at Bondar Pavilion | We go on at 7PM!

Did you know the Bondar Tent is named after Sault Ste. Marie native, Astronaut Roberta Bondar?

We're heading to Mahtay Café & Lounge this evening with Special Guest Brandon Agnew joining Rusty on stage before the Kitchen Party Cabaret gets started. This event is Pay What You Can and starts at 7PM - see you there!

Here it is, our July Show Calendar!

July 5: Mahtay Lounge, St. Catharines

July 15: Watertower Inn, Sault Ste. Marie

July 20: Bondar Tent, Sault Ste. Marie

July 21-23: Wawa Music Fest

July 28: Maja's Garden Bistro, Manitoulin

Which show will you be joining us at?

Have you listened to Call Me On The Phone yet?

Maja first wrote this song in 1978, when her and Rusty had met up in Toronto after years apart, while pursuing their musical careers. They had known each other since they were mere teens and the last thing she expected at an after hours club was to fall in love with him [heart] She wrote Call Me on the Phone the next day as a sort of yearning and Rusty recorded the song a few days later - with no clue that it was about him!

It wasn't until 2020 that the story was let out of the bag when they began making an album together ✨ and to Maja's surprise and delight, Rusty suggested they make the song a duet.

Head to our instagram stories for the link to the music video!

MEET RUSTY
While the other kids were playing outside, Rusty was discovering the world of music through his piano. His mother was a pianist and school teacher, giving him the basics that would unlock his desire for more and ultimately, lead him to the guitar. From simple chords to parade books, old country to modern rock, it was British Rock Bands that were his absolute favourite!

When he's not playing 1/2 of Rusty & Maja, he's been working on a semi-classical, new-age album about reconnecting with Maja - take a listen: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUOEd7_AxE46FQjh7B3WPgzGI6zn_PRCy

You can also find him working on a new Blues collection and doing some acrylic painting - stay tuned for Art Show details in 2024!

📸: Lauren Garbutt Photography

We may have known each other since we were just a couple young teens in the Sault but, our lives went separate ways so much so, that we didn't see each other for years as our careers bloomed.

Did you know that Maja lived in Seattle for a while? Or, that Rusty played with Mary Margaret O'Hara for years? It wasn't until 2013 that we reconnected and toyed with the idea of being a duo.

Several Wawa Music Festival performances, Sunset Beach visits, Avondale Dairy Bar indulgences and 5 years later, Rusty was officially smitten with "Niagara" aka. Maja ❤️

P.S. We originally played around with the stage name Junk & Juice 😅 but Rusty & Maja sounded better!

Did you see Our Story in The Standard?!

"Decades in the making" "Full of banter and quirky detours"

Thank you St. Catharines Standard for taking the time to talk with us!

Head to the link in our stories to read the full article!

✨ SHOW TONIGHT ✨ Will we see you?

Who: Rusty & Maja
What: Part Kitchen Party, Part Cabaret
Where: The Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto
When: 7:30PM
Cost: Pay What You Can, $20 includes a CD

NOW STREAMING Call Me On The Phone on Spotify 📞
Be sure to follow us as we bring more music to this platform!

That's us! Come check us out this weekend!

RUSTY & MAJA perform two sets of their Part Kitchen Party, Part Cabaret show. Their performances are energetic blending a variety of musical styles, creative movement and a dash of audience participation. A musical merry go round of both original and classic pop songs delivered with delight and attitude! Joining Rusty & Maja are stellar musicians, Doug Wilde (keys) and David Woodhead (bass).

We are getting ready for the weekend!
Come join us at The Tranzac Club in Toronto this Saturday at 7:30PM
Address: 292 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto
This event is Pay What You Can!

MEET MAJA

Maja's house was always filled with music growing up. From classical to gospel, jazz and folk, her parents' eclectic taste mixed with her brothers' love for rock and blues, it's not surprising that she started writing her own songs at the early age of 10. Her inspiration comes from both the expected and unexpected, personal, professional and even political. Being able to contribute her voice through her performances means a lot to her.

When Maja isn't on stage with Rusty, you can find her working on her second book of poetry and performance, and performing as Anne Shirley Blythe (Anne of Green Gables) as she looks back on her life in her 60s. Stay Tuned for more details on the play coming to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum this Fall.

📸 Lauren Garbutt Photography

We think it's time we formally introduce ourselves!

HELLO 👋🏼 we are Rusty McCarthy & Maja Bannerman and we are a Canadian Music Duo blending a variety of musical styles with a snippet of skits, a bag of costumes, some creative dancing and a dash of audience participation.

We've known each other since we were teens in Sault Ste. Marie and though our paths crossed a few times in our early career years, it wasn't until 2018 that things shifted and we began working on what Rusty & Maja could be beyond our friendship and mutual love for the performing arts.

Today, we have created a Kitchen Party meets Cabaret show for the boomers, zoomers and anyone looking to add more humour, delight and attitude to their life! Thanks for following along - we are so grateful for all of your support!

📆 Find us this month at The Tranzac Club in Toronto

More shows coming your way so stay tuned here and check out our website for more details!

Great Lakes Nocturnes, by Rusty McCarthy 17 track album

So looking forward to whenever we can present Through Anne's Eyes again...
Here is a glimpse befitting Remembrance Day....

Through Anne's Eyes ( Excerpt) ~ A Remembrance of WW1 Anne of Green Gables, now age 53, has seen two sons, Jem and Walter, head to war. Here she reads the letter Walter sent from the front to his sister, Rilla.