Recording: Olive/Cameron/Davison

Artist: Tim Olive/Allison Cameron/William Davison

Song: [excerpt, in two parts]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Tiki Room (Audiopollination 72), June 1, 2019.

Tim Olive/Allison Cameron/William Davison - [excerpt, part 1]

Tim Olive/Allison Cameron/William Davison - [excerpt, part 2]

Audiopollination headed over to The Tranzac's cozy Tiki Room for this special encounter with some visiting guests bringing electroacoustic creaks and scratches. Canadian sound-experimenter Tim Olive is currently based in Kobe, Japan, so this was a rare opportunity to hear (and see!) his mad scientist sonics, sproinging, bowing and flossing strings to create eerie textures. He was well-complemented by locals Allison Cameron and William Davision, making a realtime concrète concerto (which transformed, in the end section heard here, to a deconstructed record party).

[Audiopollination returns to Array Space on Saturday (August 3rd) for an evening of random small groups playing improvised soundtracks to short films by Curtis Whittaker.]

Recording: Pedersen/Martin-Gray/Zurawinski

Artist: Craig Pedersen/Mira Martin-Gray/Mark Zurawinski

Songs: [two excerpts]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Tiki Room (Audiopollination 72), June 1, 2019.

Craig Pedersen/Mira Martin-Gray/Mark Zurawinski - [excerpt 1]

Craig Pedersen/Mira Martin-Gray/Mark Zurawinski - [excerpt 2]

Audiopollination headed over to The Tranzac's cozy Tiki Room for this special encounter with some visiting guests bringing electroacoustic creaks and scratches. This set featured more quiet noise from percussionist Mark Zurawiski and no-input mixer specialist Mira Martin-Gray creating a bed for some contact-mic'd instrument-body trumpet sounds from Montréal's Craig Pedersen.

[Audiopollination returns to Array Space on Saturday (August 3rd) for an evening of random small groups playing improvised soundtracks to short films by Curtis Whittaker. Craig Pedersen will be back in town for the X Avant Festival (Sunday, October 20th) where his duo Sound of the Mountain will be joined by Japanese improvisers Toshimaru Nakamura and Tetuzi Akiyama.]

Recording: MKL32/Anne-F Jacques/Elizabeth Millar

Artist: MKL32/Anne-F Jacques/Elizabeth Millar

Song: [excerpt, in two parts]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Tiki Room (Audiopollination 72), June 1, 2019.

MKL32/Anne-F Jacques/Elizabeth Millar - [excerpt, part 1]

MKL32/Anne-F Jacques/Elizabeth Millar - [excerpt, part 2]

Audiopollination headed over to The Tranzac's cozy Tiki Room for this special encounter with some visiting guests bringing electroacoustic creaks and scratches. Series host Mike Lynn was joined here by frequent visitor Elizabeth Millar (whose "no instrument" setup was augmented by clarinet) as well as special guest Anne-F Jacques' Rube Goldberg-esque devices (one of which involved rotating rods pulling sandpaper strips against a rock).

[Audiopollination returns to Array Space on Saturday (August 3rd) for an evening of random small groups playing improvised soundtracks to short films by Curtis Whittaker. Elizabeth Millar will be back in town for the X Avant Festival (Sunday, October 20th) where her duo Sound of the Mountain will be joined by Japanese improvisers Toshimaru Nakamura and Tetuzi Akiyama.]

Recording: Queasy Weasel

Artist: Queasy Weasel

Songs: [excerpt from first piece, in two parts]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Furniture Music), May 28, 2019.

Queasy Weasel - [excerpt from first piece, part 1]

Queasy Weasel - [excerpt from first piece, part 2]

The results were perhaps a little weasely but not so queasy from this quartet composed of Bea Labikova (alto sax), Ashley Urquhart (piano), Caleb Klager (double bass) and Stefan Hegerat (percussion), mixing quiet interludes (including some tasty chime-y plucked piano wires) with clomping gallops.

[Furniture Music will be back in the basement at Wenona on Tuesday, August 27th.]

Recording: The Lady and The Tramp

Artist: The Lady and The Tramp

Songs: Down by the Riverside + Medley: Tea for Two/Fly Me to The Moon/Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)/I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Furniture Music), May 28, 2019.

The Lady and The Tramp - Down by the Riverside

The Lady and The Tramp - Medley: Tea for Two/Fly Me to The Moon/Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)/I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face

This group, with Christine Duncan singing and a rhythm section of Jake Oelrichs and Alex Fournier, was originally put together and booked for this show by Justin Haynes; after his passing, the musicians decided to honour his artistic intention by going ahead with it, drafting in Jim Lewis to complete the group. As is perhaps a good way to proceed in the face of sad thoughts, the band played with fiercely-absurd joy. Taking a decidedly non-standard approach to some standards, Duncan would lurch into a song, the group catching the vibe and clattering and moaning behind her — an improvised hit parade filled with detours and asides.

This was also an appropriate night to formally unveil a commemorative plaque and painting on the piano that Justin Haynes donated to the space. Kudos to Ashley Urquhart and Alex Fournier for doing the legwork to make this happen — hopefully Justin's spirit will be remembered by all who get to play this piano.

[Furniture Music will be back in the basement at Wenona on Tuesday, August 27th.]

Concert Listings Roundup #312

You can read more about why I'm doing listings here. Long story short: This curated and decidedly non-comprehensive list contains nothin' but shows that I am going to/would go to if I had more time.

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Gig of the week:

Arts in the Park: Labyrinth Ontario (feat. Quraishi) / Flemingdon Park 2019-08-03 (Saturday – 3 to 5 p.m.! free! outdoors + family-friendly!) [FB event]

Summer is for picnics, so here's a delightful chance to get outside and hear some excellent music. Labyrinth Music is presenting concerts in Flemingdon Park (Don Mills, south of Eglinton) every Saturday this month, and if you don't immediately recognize the performers' names do not worry, as the organization is building a rock-solid reputation of presenting world-class music, with these shows including Afghan, Bengali, Iranian and Turkish sounds. Bring the kids, and if this part of the city isn't in your mental map, take some time to explore a bustling slice of Toronto away from the core.

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This week's noteworthy shows:

Faster Presents (feat. Kieran Maraj / FASTER / Cheryl O/Liz Lima/Bob Vespaziani) / Wenona Lodge 2019-07-30 (Tuesday) [FB event]

The Cluttertones (BLOOP) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-07-30 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Ben Gunning [Nature release party!] (Chiquita Magic) / Burdock Music Hall 2019-08-01 (Thursday) [FB event]

In-Between Sounds #100 (feat. Lorde Awesome) / The Only Café 2019-08-01 (Thursday) [FB event]

Venus Fest presents (feat. Ada Lea / Pantayo / Blunt Chunks) / The Drake Underground 2019-08-01 (Thursday) [FB event]

Victor Cirone/Colin Fisher / Pamenar Café 2019-08-01 (Thursday) [FB event]

Beams (Half Gringa) / The Dakota Tavern 2019-08-02 (Friday – early!) [FB event]

Audiopollination 74 ["a special AP where invited musicians are first forming random small groups to play to 9 short films by Curtis Whittaker, then forming a conducted ensemble"] (feat. Tyson Headon/Danielle Fernandes/Brent Probably/Kieran Miraj/Evan Harkai/Curtis Whittaker/Elizabeth Lima/Olivia Shortt/mkl32) / Array Space 2019-08-03 (Saturday) [FB event]

Handlebar Turns 7! (feat. Most People / Kira May / Weak Hands / Lavender Bruisers) / Handlebar 2019-08-03 (Saturday) [FB event]

Saint Dirt Elementary School / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-08-04 (Sunday – kid-friendly afternoon show, 3 to 5 p.m.!) [FB event]

Nite Comfort 70 (feat. Laura Swankey / Blunt Chunks) / Handlebar 2019-08-04 (Sunday – PWYC!) [FB event]

Alexei Orechin Quintet [Alexei Orechin/Tara Kannangara/Chris Pruden/Julian Anderson-Bowes/Eric West] / The Emmet Ray 2019-08-04 (Sunday – PWYC!) [more info]

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Add these to your calendar:

Reminder: This post only contains this week's updates — the full listings can always be found over on the right-hand sidebar!

Otterville Mondays: August residency! (feat. Andrew Downing's Otterville) / The Rex Hotel 2019-08-05 (Monday – early!) [FB event]

The Composer's Club (feat. Brian Abbott / Diane Roblin / Paul Newman) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-08-06 (Tuesday – extra-early event @ 5 p.m.!)

Clustered Keys ["works by Anna Thorvaldsdöttir, Monica Pearce, Elainie Lillios, Nicole Lizée, Keith Kirchoff, Phyllis Chen and a sneak peak of Cory Harper-Latkovich's collaborative project with both Megan and Justin"] (feat. Megan Thibeault and Justin Ortez) / Canadian Music Centre 2019-08-09 (Friday) [FB event]

Mauno (Fleece / For Jane / Bodywash) / The Horseshoe Tavern 2019-08-09 (Friday) [FB event]

Otterville Mondays: August residency! (feat. Andrew Downing's Otterville) / The Rex Hotel 2019-08-12 (Monday – early!) [FB event]

AMBiENT PiNG's 20th ANNiVERSARY (feat. Planet of the Loops [Andrew Aldridge/Wally Jericho/Steven Sauvé/Cheryl O/Kurt Swinghammer/Scott M2/Jamie Todd]) / Handlebar 2019-08-14 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Otterville Mondays: August residency! (feat. Andrew Downing's Otterville) / The Rex Hotel 2019-08-19 (Monday – early!) [FB event]

Lee Paradise (Scarlett Rose) / The White House 2019-08-23 (Friday) [FB event]

Otterville Mondays: August residency! (feat. Andrew Downing's Otterville) / The Rex Hotel 2019-08-26 (Monday – early!) [FB event]

Jessica Ackerley (McCormick/Swankey / Rob Grieve) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-08-28 (Wednesday) [FB event]

First Five Fest (feat. Dang Show / Moskitto Bar / Amely Zhou / Fethi Nadjem Ensemble / Han Han / Teke Teke) / Aga Khan Museum 2019-08-31 (Saturday – free! outside! all-ages and family friendly!) [FB event]

First Five Fest (feat. Kamancello x Gross Morne / Labyrinth Ontario Showcase / Late Night Conversations / Sina Bathaie Ensemble / Amely Zhou) / Aga Khan Museum 2019-09-01 (Sunday – free! outside! all-ages and family friendly!) [FB event]

The Music Gallery's X AVANT XIV: Forward – Germaine Liu's "Still Life" World Premiere (feat. Syreeta Hector/Susanna Hood/Tia Kushniruk/Heather MacPhail/Sahara Morimoto/Germaine Liu / Rebecca Hennessy/Bea Labikova/Karen Ng/Heather Saumer) / 918 Bathurst 2019-10-17 (Thursday) [FB event]

The Music Gallery's X AVANT XIV: Forward – Lido Pimienta’s "Miss Colombia" World Premiere (feat. Lido Pimienta / OKAN) / 918 Bathurst 2019-10-18 (Friday) [FB event]

The Music Gallery's X AVANT XIV: Forward (feat. Willi Williams and New Chance / Holy Hum) / 918 Bathurst 2019-10-19 (Saturday) [FB event]

The Music Gallery's X AVANT XIV: Forward (feat. Sarah Hennies / Sound Of The Mountain with Toshimaru Nakamura and Tetuzi Akiyama) / 918 Bathurst 2019-10-20 (Sunday) [FB event]

Secret Wars (The Mean) / Duggan's Basement 2019-10-25 (Friday – PWYC!) [FB event]

Recording: Blonde Elvis

Artist: Blonde Elvis

Songs: Brass Pendant + Monday is Red

Recorded at The Baby G, May 27, 2019.

Blonde Elvis - Brass Pendant

Blonde Elvis - Monday is Red

Returning from a bit of a hiatus, Blonde Elvis kicked back into action with a re-jigged lineup offering enough firepower on the back line to free Jesse Laderoute from guitar duties. Dishing out plenty world-weary bon mots (a banter style known, I believe, as "IRL shitposting") Laderoute was as entertaining as always while the band ranged through some old faves as well as a bunch from their storehouse of yet-unreleased songs. The middle of the set gleamed a little brighter with the addition of Colin Fisher on sax for a few tracks.

[Blonde Elvis will be playing, this time at the Big G, on Friday, August 16th alongside The Leanover, Johnny De Courcy and The Kommenden.]

Recording: Your 33 Black Angels

Artist: Your 33 Black Angels

Songs: Endless Gaze + Britpop Reveries

Recorded at The Baby G, May 27, 2019.

Your 33 Black Angels - Endless Gaze

Your 33 Black Angels - Britpop Reveries

Well, a bit of a Monday night treat to go check-in with some once-familiar faces. Some groups write, in essence, one song and spend their careers exploring repeated variations on it. Your 33 Black Angels is not one of those bands — always adapting and mutating, Y33BA have long been one step ahead of the curve in reclaiming edge-of-cheeze sounds from the past and repurposing them for the cause of proper rock'n'roll. (Current example: synth horns.) That gave this set a bit of a plastic groove feeling — glam rock for a world where Mariah Carey has existed. Teasing multiple generations of glammy influences, "Britpop Reveries" takes a bit of the Bowie-ish nostalgia of "Drive-In Saturday" or "All The Young Dudes", but looking back to the 90's. Never a "greatest hits" kind of band, most of the material came from this year's Eternities I.

Recording: Sarah Louise

Artist: Sarah Louise

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at Array Space (Invocation Presents), May 24, 2019.

Sarah Louise - unknown

Attracted by the excellent locals opening up the night, I came in not knowing anything much about this product of Asheville, North Carolina, so I was perhaps surprised to see a setup that mixed "folky" tools like a 12-string guitar with a sampler and keyboard. That would be a good tip-off to the mix of deep roots and modern techniques on display in this set, with heavy chops (like a spider-y fingerpicking style) augmented by contemporary sound-shaping skills. Louise has been prolific, making music on her own and as half of duo House and Land, using solemn vocals and ancient ballads fit right in to these uncertain times.

^* Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!

Recording: Eiyn Sof

Artist: Eiyn Sof

Song: The Heirophant

Recorded at Array Space (Invocation Presents), May 24, 2019.

Eiyn Sof - The Heirophant

Lights turned low, this was a succinct and hazy set of songs from Melissa Boraski, sneaking in a couple unfamiliar ones as well as a rare cover, creating a mood of spooky mystery for headliner Sarah Louise, and getting out of the way.

Recording: Nashville Minimalism Unit

Artist: Nashville Minimalism Unit

Song: May Two Four [excerpt]

Recorded at Array Space (Invocation Presents), May 24, 2019.

Nashville Minimalism Unit - May Two Four [excerpt]

This Invocation show saw the eight-piece band opening up for a couple solo sets, but sharing with them a certain exploratory rootsiness. As always, Kurt Newman's group drew from both the weird improvisation and bluegrass/roots scenes, with some new faces from each complementing previous unitistes. There was also even more of an underlying sense of minimalist formalism is this set than at past NMU encounters, as if the band was setting out to create a hoedown version of a Terry Riley piece, familiar licks repeating and interlocking, and musicians catching up with and falling behind each other until finding a new phrase.

[You can hear the band's own recordings from this set over at their bandcamp. You can also catch Kurt Newman digging deeper into bluegrass this summer with a series of Instrumental Spectaculars at the Tranzac on Saturday afternoons.]

Recording: Jon Langford & His Sadies

Artist: Jon Langford & His Sadies

Songs: Nashville Radio + Big Zombie [Mekons cover] + Are You an Entertainer? + Big River [Johnny Cash cover]

Recorded at The Horseshoe Tavern, May 23, 2019.

Jon Langford & His Sadies - Nashville Radio

Jon Langford & His Sadies - Big Zombie

Jon Langford & His Sadies - Are You an Entertainer?

Jon Langford & His Sadies - Big River

It's almost disconcerting to think that Mayors of The Moon, Langford's collaborative album with The Sadies, is almost twenty years old. ("We recorded it just after the Korean War," Langford commented when musing on that fact.) Reunions of band and singer are rare enough that the material from it always sparks with fresh energy, plus there's a lot of other shared material close at hand for the group to consider, including a handful of songs from The Mekons, Langford's "other" band. An hour-long set brought quiet reflections and several all-out rockers, as well as a return of the remnants of the opening set's choir.

Recording: Jon Langford & John Szymanski

Artist: Jon Langford & John Szymanski

Song: Snake Behind Glass

Recorded at The Horseshoe Tavern, May 23, 2019.

Jon Langford & John Szymanski - Snake Behind Glass

In between larger group sets, the ever-workmanlike Jon Langford threw in this third trip to the Horseshoe's stage, doing an acoustic duo with John Szymanski. Drawing several songs from the Four Lost Souls album, the pair also checked in to several other points of Langford's sprawling discography, closing out with a rootsy take on The Mekons' "Millionaire".

Recording: Eamon McGrath

Artist: Eamon McGrath

Song: Vancouver Bound

Recorded at The Horseshoe Tavern, May 23, 2019.

Eamon McGrath - Vancouver Bound

In the midst of playing three sets Jon Langford probably needed a breather, so the plum gig fell to local Eamon McGrath, whose heavy guitar leavened with pedal steel fit in nicely to the night's flow. Fresh off tour — and I think most of the times I've seen him playing he's been on his way out of or back into town — McGrath and his backing trio were in fine form even if they weren't entirely settled back into this time zone yet.

Recording: Jon Langford & The Skull Orchard Welsh Male Chorus

Artist: Jon Langford & The Skull Orchard Welsh Male Chorus

Songs: The Last Count/Oggie Song + Deep Sea Diver

Recorded at The Horseshoe Tavern, May 23, 2019.

Jon Langford & The Skull Orchard Welsh Male Chorus - The Last Count/Oggie Song

Jon Langford & The Skull Orchard Welsh Male Chorus - Deep Sea Diver

I'd been to this rodeo before, so I wasn't surprised on arrival to see the room filled with middle-aged gentlemen in white dress shirts. Jon Langford has been performing and recording with the Burlington Welsh Male Choir for more than a decade now, incorporating them into his redux version of his Skull Orchard album — although due to some unspecified complaint the choir isn't allowed to perform under their actual name, leading Langford to throw out a series of monikers and settling (for now) on this one.

With a couple dozen choirsters on stage (and guitar assistance from John Szymanski) the bulk of the set drew from the Skull Orchard material — although it was hinted that Langford was up in these parts to do some new recordings with the group. A series of mostly-affectionate reflections on Langford's native Wales ended with a big singalong of alternate national anthem "Delilah", and then the packed stage slowly emptied out.

Recording: Ruster Never Sleeps

Artist: Ruster Never Sleeps

Songs: Crazy Arms [Ray Price cover] + I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry [Hank Williams cover] + Silver Wings [Merle Haggard cover] + Sangria Wine [Jerry Jeff Walker cover]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Music hosted by Karen Ng), May 21, 2019.

Ruster Never Sleeps - Crazy Arms

Ruster Never Sleeps - I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry

Ruster Never Sleeps - Silver Wings

Ruster Never Sleeps - Sangria Wine

When my father passed away four years ago, I came back from Manitoba with some pedals, a couple fakebook binders of tabs as well as his genuine fender Starcaster guitar. I looked them over, said to myself that someday I'd play some of "his" songs on that guitar, and then put it away for awhile.

I don't totally know why, but something told me this spring was time. So I booked a show right around his birthday and put a band together. I am, truth be told, a rather ungraceful guitar player, and rather than hide behind it, my idea was to get some friends to play with me who were "playing out of position", bringing them down to me level. And thus this band saw Karen Ng on double bass, Sarah Greene on drums and Jason Doell on lead guitar. I tried to derail things as little as possible with my rhythm playing, fingers occasionally finding the strings less familiar than they should have seemed.

Anyways, we got through a full set, which is to say we played a bunch of songs and emerged with dignity more or less intact. A nice l'il celebration and a chance to raise a toast to those departed. It still boggles my mind that folks are willing to sign up for adventures like this, so I'll force myself to assume I'm doing something right in this life.

Recording: The Ex

Artist: The Ex

Song: Birth

Recorded at The Jam Factory, May 17, 2019.

The Ex - Birth

It's always an immense treat when these Dutch legends make their way to town, a party celebrating the notion that musical longevity can lead to transformations and delightful reinventions. Not content to crank out "the hits", the setlist leaned on last year's 27 passports album. The biggest downside here was the venue itself, the Jam Factory's stageless setup making it impossible for anyone more than a couple rows back to see the band — and watching the kineticism of guitarists Terry Ex and Andy Moor is one of the great joys of going to an Ex gig. And then, when Brodie West (a longtime associate of the band whose Eucalyptus helped open things up) came out at the end to add some sax to "Eoleyo" and "Lale guma", the PA on one side of the room was beset by demons, rendering things unlistenable. So more of a draw than an outright triumph, but one should take a page from the band's m.o. — soldier on and hope for some transcendence down the line.

Recording: New Fries

Artist: New Fries

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at The Jam Factory, May 17, 2019.

New Fries - unknown

New Fries had taken a bit of a break away from the stage, and it looks like that time was put towards some renewal and recalibration. This is a band that has pushed through inspired amateurism into accomplished technicianship and then inverted themselves, playing with both form and content on stage to defy audience expectations of how songs should be formed or sets should proceed. Currently, the group are playing as a three-piece again, swapping instruments and without keyboardist/disruptor Ryan Carley, and that seems to have tipped things back from "anti-band" to "band". Or perhaps the trio had been locked in a rehearsal space for a a few months with only an ESG comp, as the tunes here were all funky, minimalist groovers with Anni Spadafora now on bass to provide the infinite low-end chug, like a Pauline Oliveros tape loop stuck in party mode.

^* Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!

Recording: Abebe Fikade

Artist: Abebe Fikade

Songs: two unknown songs^*

Recorded at The Jam Factory, May 17, 2019.

Abebe Fikade - [track 4]

Abebe Fikade - [track 5]

No better way to start off this night with post-punk legends The Ex than with the sort of Ethiopian jams that have inspired their whole later-career arc. Rocking some raw Azmari grooves, the only ingredients here are voice, masenqo (single-stringed fiddle) and some touches of percussion — but it rocks like crazy and electrified the crowd, who cheered so heartily Fikade played an extra song after announcing the end of the set.

^* Does anyone know the titles to these? Please leave a comment!

Recording: Cole/Newman/Howard

Artist: Josh Cole/Kurt Newman/Blake Howard

Songs: [excerpt, in two parts]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), May 15, 2019.

Josh Cole/Kurt Newman/Blake Howard - [excerpt, part 1]

Josh Cole/Kurt Newman/Blake Howard - [excerpt, part 2]

Like many of Josh Cole's Wednesday Tranzac recombinations, this was mostly a musicians'-eyes-closed sort of set, exploring some latenight abstract groovulations. On the electric bass, Cole was joined by Blake Howard on percussion plus Kurt Newman on acoustic guitar/pedals. Playing a single long set, you can almost hear the music here finishing off its drink, wiping the tables and putting up the chairs on its way out the door, staggering home through the sleepy city.

Recording: Quintet

Artist: Quintet

Songs: [first set excerpt] + [second set excerpt, in two parts]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), May 15, 2019.

Quintet minus one - [first set excerpt]

Quintet - [second set excerpt, part 1]

Quintet - [second set excerpt, part 2]

On the one hand, this band assembled for Allison Cameron's Tranzac timeslot had a fairly generic name (at least for now... it may have been decided to call the group "Maybe Robin Will") but it was exceptional enough justify it. The group actually started out as a "quintet minus one" for the first set, with Cameron joined by Mark Zurawinski, Chris Willes and Felicity Williams. Behind some buzzing and crackling, they provided some improvised thrift-store hymns and the sound of janky cables. But everything fell right into focus with the addition of Robin Dann for the second set, pamphlet of found-sound lyrics in hand, pushing things into funhouse-mirror pop with gentle vocal hocketing and synthesized background foley.

Concert Listings Roundup #311

You can read more about why I'm doing listings here. Long story short: This curated and decidedly non-comprehensive list contains nothin' but shows that I am going to/would go to if I had more time.

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This week's noteworthy shows:

Noah Franche-Nolan Trio / The Emmet Ray 2019-07-22 (Monday – early! PWYC!) [more info]

Chris Pruden/Julian Anderson-Bowes/Mark Ballyk / The Emmet Ray 2019-07-22 (Monday – PWYC!) [more info]

Simultaneous Cassette Release (feat. C.R. Gillespie / Edmund Stay) / Grossman's Tavern 2019-07-22 (Monday) [FB event]

Furniture Music (feat. Triio [Alex Fournier/Bea Labikova/Aidan Sibley/Tom Fleming/Ashley Urquhart/Stefan Hegerat] / Dream Number [Alexei Orechin/Chris Pruden/Casey MQ]) / Wenona Lodge 2019-07-23 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Alex Whyte/Jonathan Luke/David Sait [improvisations revolving around Pauline Oliveros’ text scores] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-07-23 (Tuesday)

Music by Harry and Furlong S1E10 (feat. Andrew Furlong & Kurt Newman / Mike DeiCont/Alexei Orechin/Emily Steinwall/Eric West) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-07-24 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Summer Music in the Garden: Inner Journey V (feat. Rumi Canada) ["sacred music rooted in Sufi and Dervish traditions, using the poetry of Rumi and Hafiz as lyrics"] / Toronto Music Garden 2019-07-25 (Thursday – free! all-ages + family-friendly!) [more info]

Tara Kannangara (Omhouse / Illyin Pipes) / The Baby G 2019-07-25 (Thursday) [FB event]

Ryōkan Band [Luke Kuplowsky/Alex Lukashevsky/Josh Cole/Felicity Williams] / Josh Cole [solo bass] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-07-25 (Thursday) [FB event]

Aurochs / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-07-26 (Friday – early!)

The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-07-26 (Friday)

Context, NA (Mum's Garden ft. Night Choir / J. Pederson) / White House 2019-07-26 (Friday) [FB event]

"Road to Sappy" tour (feat. Julie Doiron / José Contreras / Apollo Ghosts) / Burdock Music Hall 2019-07-27 (Saturday – early + late shows!) [FB event]

Feast In The East 74 (feat. Mdou Moctar / Pantayo / Raf Reza) / Small Arms Inspection Building 2019-07-27 (Saturday – free! all ages! special far-west Mississauga show! shuttle bus available!) [FB event]

Pixel Grip (Poster Boy / Gaura Sange) / Handlebar 2019-07-27 (Saturday) [FB event]

DUST, the quietest big band in the known world / Oculus Pavillion 2019-07-28 (Sunday – special outdoor evening event @ 5 p.m.!) [FB event]

Jazz United Jam [live jazz + tap dancing!] / The Tranzac (Tiki Room) 2019-07-28 (Sunday)

Mark Hundevad/Daniel Pencer/Colin Fisher / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-07-28 (Sunday – early!)

Alexei Orechin/Brandon Davis/Rob Grieve/Nick Fraser / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-07-28 (Sunday)

Harriet Brown (New Chance / SWANES / Blip†or) / The Baby G 2018-07-28 (Sunday) [FB event]

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Add these to your calendar:

Reminder: This post only contains this week's updates — the full listings can always be found over on the right-hand sidebar!

In-Between Sounds #100 (feat. Lorde Awesome) / The Only Café 2019-08-01 (Thursday) [FB event]

Venus Fest presents (feat. Ada Lea / Pantayo / Blunt Chunks) / The Drake Underground 2019-08-01 (Thursday) [FB event]

Nite Comfort 70 (feat. Laura Swankey / Blunt Chunks) / Handlebar 2019-08-04 (Sunday – PWYC!) [FB event]

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Truth Cult / Best Wishes / Hesitate) / See-Scape 2019-08-06 (Tuesday) [FB event]

The Peanut Gallery Inaugural Ball (feat. Future Machines / Animatist / Yumster / DustBin) / Junction City Music Hall 2019-08-08 (Thursday) [FB event]

Ayal Senior Presents (feat. Stargoon) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-08-11 (Sunday – family-friendly afternoon show, 3 to 5 p.m.!) [FB event]

Summer Music in the Garden: Raags of Love and Devotion (feat. Ramneek Singh/Ravi Naimpally/Hardeep Chana) ["mesmerizing improvisations on afternoon raags from the Hindustani classical tradition"] / Toronto Music Garden 2019-08-11 (Sunday – afternoon show @ 4 p.m.! free! all-ages + family-friendly!) [more info]

Jack Name (Andre Ethier / Isla Craig with Colin Fisher) / The Tranzac (Tiki Room) 2019-08-12 (Monday) [FB event]

Hello Delaware (Moscow Apartment / Queen of Swords) / Horseshoe Tavern 2019-08-13 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Kriegshog / Skizophrenia / S.H.I.T. / Vaaska / Game / Absolut / Cell / Tashme) / The Velvet Underground 2019-08-16 (Friday) [FB event]

Summer Music in the Garden: Something Old, Something New (feat. VC2) / Toronto Music Garden 2019-08-22 (Thursday – free! all-ages + family-friendly!) [more info]

Leather Jacuzzi (Priors / Dates / LICE6) / The Baby G 2019-08-23 (Friday) [FB event]

Moor Mother (Jerusalem In My Heart) / The Music Gallery @ 918 Bathurst 2019-09-27 (Friday) [FB event]

Recording: Kerhachne

Artist: Kerhachne

Songs: [1st piece, in two parts]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #50), May 7, 2019.

Kerhachne - [1st piece, part 1]

Kerhachne - [1st piece, part 2]

I was adequately moved by this ensemble the first time I saw them to book 'em on the spot for TCB. Somewhere on the way to the basement, they acquired a name, but otherwise the mix of strings (from Nelson Moneo's viola and Cheryl O's cello) and interference (Kristian Fourier's piano and electronics), held together by Harry Vetro's percussion, continued the spell of swells and crashes that convinced me the first time.

[Track Could Bend is back in Wenona's basement on Tuesday, August 6th with performances from Hiroki Tanaka, Del Stephen's Today Versions and Liz Lima.]

Recording: Reknee Harrett + Josh Sinclair

Artist: Reknee Harrett + Josh Sinclair

Song: Grief Cycle

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #50), May 7, 2019.

Reknee Harrett + Josh Sinclair - Grief Cycle

Always radiating a deep sense of empathy and a dry sense of humour on stage, this piece (plus a couple covers) saw double bassist/composer Reknee Harrett joined by Josh Sinclair on piano. Harrett can add some pedal-based manipulations to her sound when called for, but with a rental bass and this brand-new composition in hand, things were stripped back for a raw and honest encounter with this "song for the dying and those who were left behind".

[Track Could Bend is back in Wenona's basement on Tuesday, August 6th with performances from Hiroki Tanaka, Del Stephen's Today Versions and Liz Lima.]

Recording: Primate Pyramid

Artist: Primate Pyramid

Songs: two unknown pieces^*

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #50), May 7, 2019.

Primate Pyramid - [track 4]

Primate Pyramid - [track 7]

Making music, and then performing it in front of other people, are two really different things. Sounds that are lithe and genteel in headphones or monitors at home become weirdly distorted in a random venue's PA, and carefully-constructed tracks become Frankenstein's monsters taking on lives of their own. It's a weird thing to navigate, and kudos to Paul M. for taking the plunge and bringing the live debut of his longstanding project to TCB. Collaging found sounds in both audio and visual forms, PP is most active on instagram right now, with new miniatures appearing regularly. This live set included some of those visuals, enhancing sounds that ranged from healing drones to mystery radio broadcasts.

[Track Could Bend is back in Wenona's basement on Tuesday, August 6th with performances from Hiroki Tanaka, Del Stephen's Today Versions and Liz Lima.]

^* Does anyone know the title to these? Please leave a comment!

Recording: Yoshimoto-Cameron-Lima

Artist: Yumiko Yoshimoto/Allison Cameron/Elizabeth Lima

Songs: [excerpt, in two parts]

Recorded at Array Space (Audiopollination 71), May 5, 2019.

Yumiko Yoshimoto/Allison Cameron/Elizabeth Lima - [excerpt, part 1]

Yumiko Yoshimoto/Allison Cameron/Elizabeth Lima - [excerpt, part 2]

The night concluded with this trio, Yoshimoto's daxophone and guitar matching well with Liz Lima's voice and clarinet and Allison Cameron's crackle synth/keyboard/string-plinking.

You can watch this whole set over on Audiopollination's youtube channel:

[Audiopollination returns to Array tonight (Saturday, July 20th) to introduce visiting Australian vocalist Sonya Holowell to some local musicians; there will also a night of randomly-drawn small groups live-soundtracking short films on Saturday, August 3rd.]

Recording: Pederson-styrofoamNosebleedPrincess-Maraj

Artist: Craig Pederson/styrofoamNosebleedPrincess/Kieran Maraj

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Array Space (Audiopollination 71), May 5, 2019.

Craig Pederson/styrofoamNosebleedPrincess/Kieran Maraj - [excerpt]

An intriguing mix here of styrofoamNosebleedPrincess' percussive micro-samples (something like a digitized version of popping bubble wrap), Maraj's laptop manipulations and Pederson's trumpet. The tableau looked a bit like a strange sci-fi trial scene, with styrofoamNosebleedPrincess as the court reporter, fingers hovering over dictaphone keys, Maraj the courtroom artist, light pen in hand, and the be-hatted Pederson perhaps the accused trying to play his way out of a not-fully-understood charge.

You can watch this whole set over on Audiopollination's youtube channel:

[Audiopollination returns to Array tonight (Saturday, July 20th) to introduce visiting Australian vocalist Sonya Holowell to some local musicians; there will also a night of randomly-drawn small groups live-soundtracking short films on Saturday, August 3rd.]

Recording: Elizabeth Millar & Mira Martin-Gray

Artist: Elizabeth Millar & Mira Martin-Gray

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Array Space (Audiopollination 71), May 5, 2019.

Elizabeth Millar & Mira Martin-Gray - [excerpt]

This set matched Montréal's Elizabeth Millar (who brought some small fans and other implements of her "no instrument machines") with Mira Martin-Gray, who forewent her usual no-input mixer explorations for some small-scale synthesis. The upshot was something like the sound of a fax coming in, slowed down to a soothing hum.

You can watch this whole set over on Audiopollination's youtube channel:

[Audiopollination returns to Array tonight (Saturday, July 20th) to introduce visiting Australian vocalist Sonya Holowell to some local musicians; there will also a night of randomly-drawn small groups live-soundtracking short films on Saturday, August 3rd.]

Recording: Yumiko Yoshimoto

Artist: Yumiko Yoshimoto

Songs: [two excerpts]

Recorded at Array Space (Audiopollination 71), May 5, 2019.

Yumiko Yoshimoto - [excerpt 1]

Yumiko Yoshimoto - [excerpt 2]

This evening of creative sounds was curated to introduce Japanese performer Yumiko Yoshimoto to a local crowd, and to give her a chance to have some musical encounters with Toronto sound-makers. Yoshimoto played some atmospheric guitar as well as the daxophone, a bowed instrument with a much closer relationship to the singing saw than the horn its name rhymes with. She opened the night with a solo set that was as striking as it was succinct, drawing animal sounds and otherwordly singing from the daxophone's tongues.

You can watch this whole set over on Audiopollination's youtube channel:

[Audiopollination returns to Array tonight (Saturday, July 20th) to introduce visiting Australian vocalist Sonya Holowell to some local musicians; there will also a night of randomly-drawn small groups live-soundtracking short films on Saturday, August 3rd.]

Recording: The Cosmic Range

Artist: The Cosmic Range

Songs: The Observers + Let the Sunshine In [from the musical "Hair"]

Recorded at The Garrison, May 3, 2019.

The Cosmic Range - The Observers

The Cosmic Range - Let the Sunshine In

Celebrating the release of The Gratitude Principle, Doc Dunn and The Cosmic Range filled the stage at the Big G with the usual large complement (including Mike Smith providing all the basslines this time 'round on Moog rather than four-string). Moving from spiritual planetarium drift to full-on wah-wah soul funk, the night ended in a familiar place, with a cover that used to show up quite frequently in Isla Craig's solo repertoire.

Recording: Man Made Hill

Artist: Man Made Hill

Song: Sick Rock

Recorded at The Garrison, May 3, 2019.

Man Made Hill - Sick Rock

Sporting some tape copies of his new "library music" collection, Randy Gagne brought a set of old songs, brand new songs, facepaint and drippin' sweat. Plus this observation on megalithic structures. Let's rock!

Recording: Brian Abbott & Leslie Ting

Artist: Brian Abbott & Leslie Ting

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Audiopollination 70.3), April 30, 2019.

Brian Abbott & Leslie Ting - [excerpt]

A fifth Tuesday of the month brought an extra slot for creative music in the basement at Wenona Lodge, with Audiopollination's Mike Lynn curating a night of exploratory sounds. The night closed out with this drone-zone juxtaposition of e-bow and violin bow.

[Brian Abbott will be back in Wenona's basement on the next fifth Tuesday (July 30th) performing and presenting as part of a "Faster Presents" evening. Meanwhile, there are a pair of equally intriguing and distinct Audiopollination events coming up: on Saturday (July 20th), Australian improvising vocalist Sonya Holowell pays a visit, where she'll play with s series of locals (including Tiina Kiik, Paul Newman, Laura Swankey, Alison Keery, Tomasz Krakowiak, Brian Abbott, Elizabeth Lima and Patrick O'Reilly) across four sets, while on Saturday, August 3rd, The Infinite Monotremes and special guests will be forming random small groups to play to short films by Curtis Whittaker.]

Recording: Lîla Fragments

Artist: Lîla Fragments

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Audiopollination 70.3), April 30, 2019.

Lîla Fragments - [excerpt]

A fifth Tuesday of the month brought an extra slot for creative music in the basement at Wenona Lodge, with Audiopollination's Mike Lynn curating a night of exploratory sounds. I've heard plenty of amazing rampaging roars from this mind-meld trio of Bea Labikova (sax), Raphael Roter (percussion), and Chris Adriaanse (double bass), but this spare end-game to their set was perhaps even more overflowing with quietly-surging potential, especially with Roter adding some cicada-buzzes on a pair of slide whistles.

[There are a pair of equally intriguing and distinct Audiopollination events coming up: on Saturday (July 20th), Australian improvising vocalist Sonya Holowell pays a visit, where she'll play with s series of locals (including Tiina Kiik, Paul Newman, Laura Swankey, Alison Keery, Tomasz Krakowiak, Brian Abbott, Elizabeth Lima and Patrick O'Reilly) across four sets, while on Saturday, August 3rd, The Infinite Monotremes and special guests will be forming random small groups to play to short films by Curtis Whittaker.]