Bumping into... Bill Gilliam

Bumping Into... is a series of mini-chats with a variety of peeps that you might run into in some of our local music communities. (There's a bit of an intro and my thoughts behind the series here.)

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How are you? Where are you?

Overall pretty good thanks, still living in Toronto. Like most people I'm finding this period quite challenging especially when the weather got colder.

What have you been up to since March or so?

I did some remote online improv with Coexisdance, hosted by Rapheal Roter, with dancer Yvonne Ng which was great.

I performed online with Doug Van Nort, Glen Hall & Joe Sorbara as well as with Michael Palumbo in his Exit Points Series and also did some jamming online with Kayla Milmine & Ambrose Pottie and others.

In the summer I recorded my spoken word piece called “Vigil” online with Toronto Improvisors Orchestra players. These poems are about different people's perspectives on COVID and the recording is now on Bandcamp. One of these tracks was played on CIUT Electric Sense and BBC 3 heard it and played it later on a show called “Freeness”.

I also had a chance to record some improv tracks for an album together with Bill McBirnie (flute) & Eugene Martynec (laptop) in a studio in September which we are now working on to release sometime next year which we are excited about.

Have you found any new ways to do old things? How are you feeling about the shifts in how music is being made/shared/listened to?

In 2020 I've been more focused on writing graphic scores as a new way for me to do old things (such as structured improv). My piece “Vigil” was a fun way to explore this type of score by arranging my poems spoken text as a guide to be accompanied by players using written instructions and some notation to improvise.

I'm working on some new pieces that use more graphic score type notations, symbols and images to be performed by improvising ensembles.

Any works of art that have been a light for you in these times? Anything that's just been a good diversion?

Kris Davis is a pianist who really stood out for me in recent months. I saw her perform with Ingrid Laubrock (sax) at the Women From Space Festival in Toronto just before the lockdown in March. It was one of the most inspiring performances I've seen in many years. I've been listening and following her performances online. She is such a wonderful Canadian talent who plays with top level international musicians.

For diversions this summer I visited the outdoor Zim Art collection near Rice Lake, Ontario which had wonderful soapstone sculptures by artists from Zimbabwe and also visited a number of conservation areas around Toronto in the summer to relax in nature.

How are you feeling about 2021?

More optimistic now than earlier in 2020. Despite all the challenges and tragedy, so many people are doing interesting and creative things to cope and adjust to the pandemic. With the virus vaccines now starting to be rolled out I think people will start to feel more encouraged about meeting and going out to concerts and we'll all have a chance to perform again. It'll be great to experience live music again when it is safe.

Anything else we'd chat about if we bumped into each other?

I'd like to say how great it is we had a chance to catch up and hear what you are doing and how much I appreciate all the work you've been doing to support our Toronto improv scene. Thanks Joe!