Recording: Kris Davis & Ingrid Laubrock

Artist: Kris Davis & Ingrid Laubrock

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at 918 Bathurst (Women From Space Festival – Night 4), March 8, 2020.

Kris Davis & Ingrid Laubrock - unknown

After spending three nights at the cozier Burdock, Women From Space wrapped up its second festival on International Women's Day, moving to the more expansive surroundings at 918 Bathurst — and it packed the place out for a triumphant conclusion. In retrospect, this was for many of us "the last big night out", the last night when hugs and handshakes were exchanged without reserve. The words "social distancing" had been uttered, but they were still an abstraction, compared to say, sharing a piece of cake or lingering with a group of friends. It is possible that these things might be thinkable again when International Women's Day rolls around again next year — one can only hope that Kayla Milmine and Bea Labikova get a chance to build upon the success of this year's festival.

The festival closed out with some big-name internationally touring headliners, although pianist Kris Davis and saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock have plenty of local Toronto connections. Their duo pieces moved from dense clusters to slowly-building harmonies, but I was most mesmerized by the beguiling drone, featuring some e-bowed piano string work from Davis.

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