Monday, January 30, 2023

Monday Roundup #107

Concert announcements:

A Josh Cole Trio + Strings [Lina Allemano/Josh Cole/Blake Howard/Aline Homzy/Nick Storring] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-02-08 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Ayal Senior and Friends (feat. Ayal Senior/Kurt Newman/Andrew Furlong / Greydini / Fuzzy Nibesh / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-02-12 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc. [FB event]

DAS RAD [first show in 6 1/2 years!] (Blue Light / Stella) / Owl's Club 2021-02-17 (Friday) [more info]

Dunge (SAP / Group Therapy) / Monarch Tavern 2023-02-18 (Saturday). $14, 19+. [FB event]

Wolf Eyes (Drainolith / Death Kneel) / The Garrison 2023-03-05 (Sunday). $24.19, 19+. [FB event]


Shows this week:

Mike DeiCont’s Northern Danger [Mike DeiCont/Rebecca Hennessy/Mack Longpre/Chris Pruden/Alexei Orechin/Brodie West] / The Rex Hotel 2023-01-29&30 (Sunday & Monday). $19. [FB event]

Burn Down The Capital & Nick Fraser Present (feat. Jessica Pavone & Tristan Kasten Krause / Lina Allemano Four / Jelly Ear) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-31 (Tuesday). $12 / pwyc. [FB event]

CMC Presents (feat. Yang Chen / Andrew Noseworthy) / Canadian Music Centre 2023-02-01 (Wednesday). $15 Advance / $20 at the door; CMC Members and Arts Workers: $12 Advance / $15 at the door; Students: $10 anytime. [FB event]

Icterus [Patrick O'Reilly/Robert Grieve/Mark Godfrey/Stefan Hegerat] (Future Proof [Bea Labikova/Raphael Roter/Yunjin Claire Lee] / Caleb Klager) / The Baby G 2023-02-02 (Thursday). $15. [FB event]

The Three Glutes (Miserable Weekend / Crying High) / Monarch Tavern 2023-02-02 (Thursday). $14, 19+. [FB event]

Stefan Hegerat Group feat. Jacob Sacks (Plastic Babies) / Annette Studios 2023-02-03 (Friday). $20/$15 (students)

Tania Gill Quartet [Tania Gill/Lina Allemano/Rob Clutton/Nick Fraser] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-02-03 (Friday – early). $pwyc. [FB event]

Harry Bartlett Group [Harry Bartlett/Aline Homzy/Michael Eckert/Andrew Furlong] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-02-03 (Friday)

Batuki Music Society presents (feat. Naxx Bitota) / Alliance Française 2021-02-04 (Saturday). $20.11 / $17.99 (Students & Seniors). [FB event]

Long Winter (feat. Jazz Dads / Loathing / J3M / By Divine Right / Heaven For Real / Ace of Wands / Jenn Nucum / Waxlimbs / Not A Band / No Frills) / The Tranzac 2023-02-04 (Saturday). $22.39, pwyc entry available at the door, all ages. [FB event]

Marker Starling [LP Release!] (Roy & Hieronymus Harry [acoustic duo!]) / The Monarch 2023-02-04 (Saturday). $17.50, 19+. [FB event]

landings: a night of electroacoustic harp [EP release!] [feat. Grace Scheele] / Annette Studios 2023-02-04 (Saturday). $22.63/$27.96, family-friendly. [FB event]

The Coltrane Sutras [Jonathan Kay/Andrew Kay/Pat LaBarbera/Roberto Occhipinti/Dhaivat Jani] / The Rex Hotel 2023-02-05&06 (Sunday & Monday) [FB event]


Bandcamp corner:

  • Bandcamp Friday returns this week (February 3rd), so it'll be a good time to support the musicians you admire! Here's a couple things on my list:

It happened this week...

  • ... on January 31, 2019 at Handlebar.

Invisible Out - [excerpt]

  • ... on February 3, 2019 at Array Space (Audiopollination 68).

Del Stephen/Michael Ramey/Rod Campbell - [excerpt]

[Do remember that you can click on the tags below to go back and find the original posts (and often, more stuff) from these artists.]

Monday, January 23, 2023

Monday Roundup #106

Community notes:

  • The first announcements from this year's (5rth anniversary!) Women From Space Festival are out — get ready for pairings of AACM's Nicole Mitchell and Coco Elysses, Gayle Young and Sarah Albu, and Karen Ng and Jasper Stadhouders... plus Bea Labikova's Mount Joy and an interdisciplinary collaboration from percussionist Aiyun Huang who with Seylon Stills, Bee Pallomina and Kristine White. That leaves half of the lineup still to be announced, but if that's enough to convince you (and it should!) early-bird passes are now available. Keep an eye on the festival's website for further dispatches.

Concert announcements:

Stranger Still / Sellers & Newel 2021-02-08 (Wednesday). Minimum donation $20. [more info]

Audiopollination (feat. Yoshi Maclear Wall/Rabia Agha / Holgar Schoorl/ Nilan Perera/Kayla Milmine / Dimitar Pentchev/Danny Sheahan/Piers Oolvai / 40 Story Monstrosity [Marilyn Yogarajah/Mickle32/Gitanjali Lena]) / Array Space 2023-02-10 (Friday). $10 or PWYC (cash or card), livestream available. [FB event]

VC2 with Stephanie Chua on piano and Amy Hillis [I and Thou album release party!] [world premieres of new works by Laura Sgroi and Andrew Staniland] / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2021-02-15 (Wednesday). $27.96 - $38.61. [FB event]

Cindy Lee (Dorothea Paas) / The Garrison 2023-03-23 (Thursday). $23.17, 19+. [FB event]


Shows this week:

Wenderly Park ft. Marilyn Yogarajah (Rod Campbell/FuZzy/%%30%30) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-24 (Tuesday – early!) [FB event]

Titanium Bloop [Lina Allemano/Mike Smith/Rob Clutton/Nick Fraser] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-24 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Joe Sorbara/Jay Hay/Dan Gooch/Pete Johnston / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-25 (Wednesday)

Brandon Davis [solo] [fourteen album release!] (Brandon Davis/Naomi McCarroll-Butler/Joe Sorbara) / Sellers & Newel 2021-01-26 (Thursday)

Michael Snow Memorial ["there will be a performance from the extended CCMC ensemble as well as other mementoes for Michael's life and career"] / The Music Gallery 2023-01-26 (Thursday). $free. [FB event]

oh my god yes! [Lina Allemano/Brodie West/Rob Clutton/Phil Melanson & Evan Cartwright] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-26 (Thursday) [FB event]

Aurochs with special guest Chris Pruden / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-27 (Friday – early!). $pwyc.

Ingredient [album release show!] (Uh Huh [f.k.a. Teenanger]) / BSMT 254 2023-01-27 (Friday). $16.93. [FB event]

Exit Points #34 (feat. Victor O/Jaz Tsui/Fuzzy/Colin Clark / Joyce To/Chibuzr/Raquel Skilich/Aidan McConnell/Michael Palumbo / “Switchemups”) / Array Space 2023-01-27 (Friday). $20. [FB event]

Joyful Joyful (Picastro / Loom) / Tibet Street Records 2023-01-27 (Friday). $22.63. [FB event]

The Ryan Driver Sextet featuring Tania Gill as Ryan Driver / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-27 (Friday) [FB event]

Posi Vibez presents Aquarius Vibez (feat. Bile Sister / Jodie Jodie Roger / Zoo Owl) / Handlebar 2023-01-28 (Saturday). $pwyc, suggested $10

Cosmic Homeostasis XVIII / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-29 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc. [FB event]

Mike DeiCont’s Northern Danger [Mike DeiCont/Rebecca Hennessy/Mack Longpre/Chris Pruden/Alexei Orechin/Brodie West] / The Rex Hotel 2023-01-29&30 (Sunday & Monday). $19. [FB event]


It happened this week...

  • ...on January 25, 2017 at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Piano Party 8).

Randy Gagne - unknown

  • ...on January 27, 2017 at The Silver Dollar Room.

Hooded Fang - Nene of The Light

[Do remember that you can click on the tags below to go back and find the original posts (and often, more stuff) from these artists.]

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Recording: Chapped Lips

Artist: Chapped Lips

Song: [first section]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #75), January 3, 2023.

Chapped Lips - [first section]

This seasonally-appropriate, pinterest-obsessed trio arose from a challenge I issued to guitarist Patrick O'Reilly, asking if he would be interested in bringing out some of the younger musicians he'd encountered in his work at U of T. He eagerly agreed, enlisting vocalist Annie Elgie and bassist PT Sandberg — and bringing along his guitar and his usual array of pedals. Sandberg showed a bassist's appreciation for repetition — something that can be daunting to commit to in an improvised context — while Elgie used a harmonizer pedal and some other tricks to pry her way in between the other sounds on stage.

You can check out some footage from this set over on the TCB youtube playlist:

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, February 7th, with sets from Xicada (Ilyse Krivel) and Adversarial Networks (Caleb Klager, Chris Pruden, Luan Phung, and David Lipson).]

Recording: Ambient Works

Artist: Ambient Works

Song: unknown* [composed by Alex Ven, arranged by Andrew Noseworthy]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #75), January 3, 2023.

Ambient Works - [first piece]

In these current times, it's unfortunately not a surprise that ocasionally a scheduled set has to be put off for healthier times. Luckily Andrew Noseworthy (who was slated to perform in a trio assembled by Sara Constant) was able to step up and present this project.

Based around some ambient pieces originally for electronic instruments by London's Alex Ven, the concept has been expanding (through Noseworthy's arrangements) to enable different musicians to find space in the pieces. The compositions are cellular and not for fixed instrumentation, allowing for experimentation with different timbres at every performance. This time out saw Ven on synths and Noseworthy on guitar joined by Yang Chen (percussion), Zain Solinski (keyboard and melodica) and Adrian Irvine (violin). They each found room to expand the soundfield, and over a continuously-played suite of several pieces this found some very nifty zones.

You can check out some footage from this set over on the TCB youtube playlist:

[Yang Chen and Andrew Noseworthy will be performing in a CMC Presents show at the Canadian Music Centre on Wednesday, February 1st. Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, February 7th, with sets from Xicada (Ilyse Krivel) and Adversarial Networks (Caleb Klager, Chris Pruden, Luan Phung, and David Lipson).]

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

Monday, January 16, 2023

Monday Roundup #105

Concert announcements:

Michael Snow Memorial ["there will be a performance from the extended CCMC ensemble as well as other mementoes for Michael's life and career"] / The Music Gallery 2023-01-26 (Thursday). $free. [FB event]

Aurochs with special guest Chris Pruden / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-27 (Friday – early!). $pwyc.

Joyful Joyful (Picastro / Loom) / Tibet Street Records 2023-01-27 (Friday). $22.63. [FB event]

The Ryan Driver Sextet featuring Tania Gill as Ryan Driver / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-27 (Friday) [FB event]

Posi Vibez presents Aquarius Vibez (feat. Bile Sister / Jodie Jodie Roger / Zoo Owl) / Handlebar 2023-01-28 (Saturday). $pwyc, suggested $10

Cosmic Homeostasis XVIII / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-29 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc. [FB event]

Mike DeiCont’s Northern Danger [Mike DeiCont/Rebecca Hennessy/Mack Longpre/Chris Pruden/Alexei Orechin/Brodie West] / The Rex Hotel 2023-01-29&30 (Sunday & Monday). $19. [FB event]

CMC Presents (feat. Yang Chen / Andrew Noseworthy) / Canadian Music Centre 2023-02-01 (Wednesday). $15 Advance / $20 at the door; CMC Members and Arts Workers: $12 Advance / $15 at the door; Students: $10 anytime. [FB event]

Icterus [Patrick O'Reilly/Robert Grieve/Mark Godfrey/Stefan Hegerat] (Future Proof [Bea Labikova/Raphael Roter/Yunjin Claire Lee] / Caleb Klager) / The Baby G 2023-02-02 (Thursday). $15. [FB event]

Long Winter (feat. Jazz Dads / Loathing / J3M / By Divine Right / Heaven For Real / Ace of Wands / Jenn Nucum / Waxlimbs / Not A Band / No Frills) / The Tranzac 2023-02-04 (Saturday). $22.39, pwyc entry available at the door, all ages. [FB event]

Marker Starling [LP Release!] (Roy & Hieronymus Harry [acoustic duo!]) / The Monarch 2023-02-04 (Saturday). $17.50, 19+. [FB event]

Track Could Bend #76 (feat. Xicada / Adversarial Networks [Caleb Klager/Chris Pruden/Luan Phung/David Lipson]) / Wenona Lodge 2023-02-07 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

U.S. Girls (Jane Inc.) / Velvet Underground 2023-04-27 & 28 (Thursday & Friday). $34.31. [FB event]


Shows this week:

Lula Music & Arts with Batuki Music Society present: Calefaction (feat. Butterfly Band / Lady Yetunde [album launch!]) / Lula Lounge 2023-01-18 (Wednesday). $free to $49.56 [FB event]

Only God Forgives (The Crime Family / Accelerant / Cootie Catcher) / Monarch Tavern 2023-01-19 (Thursday). $15, 19+. [FB event]

Drew Smith & Friends (Troglos) / The Dakota Tavern 2021-01-19 (Thursday) [FB event]

Portage / [George Koller/Diane Roblin/Bruce Cassidy] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-19 (Thursday) [FB event]

Rockabilly Birthday Bash! (feat. Ichi-Bons / The Trophies) / Monarch Tavern 2021-01-21 (Saturday). $16, 19+. [FB event]

Daniel Barnes Quartet [Daniel Barnes/Brodie West/Stacy McGregor/Marc Zubek] / Hirut Café 2023-01-21 (Saturday). $15

Spruce Needles (Dun Dun Man / Isabel Zaw-Tun / Asaf Gerchak) / Bar Orwell 2021-01-22 (Sunday) [FB event]


Livestream nation:

  • subsume, a new piece by Bekah Simms premieres on Sunday (January 22nd) as part of NMC's 50th Anniversary Commissions for Distanced Ensemble Digital Broadcast. The piece features visuals from artist Dan Tapper and sounds from (deep breath!) Leslie Newman, Anthony Thompson, Amahl Arulanandam, Tim Brady, Christopher Gongos, David Pell, Branko Džinović, Phil Albert, Rick Sacks, Alison Melville, Wesley Shen, Lina Cao, Njacko Backo, Gurpreet Chana, Demetrios Petsalakis. Keep an eye on the facebook event or the NMC website for a link to catch this.

It happened this week...

  • ...on January 16, 2015 at Array Space.

Meandering Streams of Consciousness - [excerpt from first set]

  • ...on January 19, 2015 at Smiling Buddha.

Weyes Blood - Ashes

[Do remember that you can click on the tags below to go back and find the original posts (and often, more stuff) from these artists.]

Sunday, January 15, 2023

Recording: The Ryan Driver Quintet

Artist: The Ryan Driver Quintet

Song: (How Little It Matters) How Little We Know [composers: Carolyn Leigh/Phillip Springer]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), December 30, 2022.

The Ryan Driver Quintet - (How Little It Matters) How Little We Know

A pretty good way to close out a year's show-going by spending an evening with one of the city's great bands — Ryan Driver's standards combo here in quintet mode, sans vibes for the night (and with Josh Cole effortlessly sitting in on bass). Featuring the customary languid drift and wobbly excursions across a couple sets, this covered a lot of the band's usual territory, ranging from "You'll Never Know" to "I Know Why".

You can check out a few more songs over on youtube:

[Tania Gill will be sitting int for Ryan Driver at the group's next appearance, Friday, January 27th at The Tranzac.]

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Recording: Aurochs with special guest Kurt Newman

Artist: Aurochs with special guest Kurt Newman

Song: [2nd set excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), December 30, 2022.

Aurochs with special guest Kurt Newman - [2nd set excerpt]

[before start of set]

Kurt Newman: Anything I should know?

Pete Johnston: We don't play very much... also, we're not a rhythm section.

Been a fair while since I'd caught up with Aurochs, in fact not at all since their significant shift earlier this year, which saw co-founder/pianist Ali Berkok depart from regular duties with the group on moving out of town. The remaining members (Pete Johnston, bass; Jake Oelrichs, percussion; and Mike Smith, processing) have continued on, with their monthly residency slots now featuring a rotating cast of guest performers.

Kurt Newman brought out his pedal steel for this instalment, gliding along for a couple sets and giving Smith an output so he could add some extra manipulations and spacializations to his sounds. To connect with the pedal steel's vibe, Johnston swapped double bass for bass VI, so there were some moments of minimal Nashville (though not quite Nashville Minimalist) sounds. Things actually got a little frisky — if not a gallop then nudging into a drunken waltz, but the back half of both sets found the musicians zoned in to some really pleasing flows.

Speaking of which, here's some sounds/visuals from the second half of the first set:

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Recording: A Josh Cole Quartet

Artist: A Josh Cole Quartet

Songs: [two excerpts]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Josh Cole presents), December 21, 2022.

A Josh Cole Quartet - [2nd set, 1st piece excerpt]

A Josh Cole Quartet - [2nd set, 2nd piece]

Another of those indefinite-article groupings that occasionally pop up at Josh Cole's residency shows, this combo offered both a chance to catch trumpeter Lina Allemano (back once more from Berlin) as well as Rob Clutton joining in for a rare double-double bass outing. Percussionist Blake Howard rounded things out in this celebration of the year's shortest day (in fact, Howard was doubly-celebrating, arriving from opening with Eucalyptus at Jennifer Castle's solstice celebration).

You can check out some footage from the first set here:

[Josh Cole will be holding the fort at Colin Fisher's regular Tranzac night on Friday (January 13th) with the return of another of his irregular quartets featuring Brodie West, Phil Melanson and Andrew Zukerman.]

Monday, January 9, 2023

Monday Roundup #104

Concert announcements:

Lula Music & Arts with Batuki Music Society present: Calefaction (feat. Butterfly Band / Lady Yetunde [album launch!]) / Lula Lounge 2023-01-18 (Wednesday). $free to $49.56 [FB event]

Drew Smith & Friends (Troglos) / The Dakota Tavern 2021-01-19 (Thursday) [FB event]

Daniel Barnes Quartet [Daniel Barnes/Brodie West/Stacy McGregor/Marc Zubek] / Hirut Café 2023-01-21 (Saturday). $15

Exit Points #34 (feat. Victor O/Jaz Tsui/Fuzzy/Colin Clark / Joyce To/Chibuzr/Raquel Skilich/Aidan McConnell/Michael Palumbo / “Switchemups”) / Array Space 2023-01-27 (Friday). $20. [FB event]

Burn Down The Capital & Nick Fraser Present (feat. Jessica Pavone & Tristan Kasten Krause / Lina Allemano Four / Jelly Ear) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-31 (Tuesday). $12 / pwyc. [FB event]

Batuki Music Society presents (feat. Naxx Bitota) / Alliance Française 2021-02-04 (Saturday). $20.11 / $17.99 (Students & Seniors). [FB event]


Shows this week:

Machaut Ballads / (feat. Jelly Ear [Cory Harper-Latkovich/Allison Cameron/Sara Constant/Kurt Newman]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-09 (Monday) [FB event]

Dun-Dun Land Night 3 (feat. Dun-Dun Man / Nick Flanagan / Catholic Wilt) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-10 (Tuesday – early!)

Donna Lee Quintet with Marilyn Lerner [Brodie West/Josh Cole/Nick Fraser/Evan Cartwright/Marilyn Lerner] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-11 (Wednesday – early!)

Cosmic Country for Communists (feat. The Hell Drivers [Kurt Newman/Andrew Furlong/Jake Oelrichs] / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-12 (Thursday). $pwyc.

Audiopollination (feat. Mike Barber/Daisy Betlej/Tegan Dietsch Kousha Nakhaei/Owen Kurtz / Jamie Eriksen/Adrian Russouw/Bri Clarke / Kimberly Ivany/Katheryn Merriam) / Arraymusic 2023-01-13 (Friday). $10 or PWYC. [FB event]

Brodie West/Josh Cole/Phil Melanson/Andrew Zukerman / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-13 (Friday). $PWYC, suggested $10. [FB event]

Class of 2023 (feat. Cinder / Bonnie Trash / Not A Band / Motorists) / Monarch Tavern 2023-01-13 (Friday). $17.50, 19+. [FB event]

Thunder Glove (The Great Octopus / Banananananana / Esther Splett) / Handlebar 2023-01-14 (Saturday). $pwyc. [FB event]

AGUE [Michael Peter Olsen / Laura C. Bates / Julia Seager Scott / Charles Spearin] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-14 (Saturday). $pwyw.


It happened this week...

  • ...on January 10, 2014 at The Great Hall (Long Winter: Year 2, Volume 3).

Weaves - Take a Dip

  • ...on January 14, 2014 at Array Space (Audiopollination #14.1).

Michael Keith and cheryl o - [excerpt from first piece]

[Do remember that you can click on the tags below to go back and find the original posts (and often, more stuff) from these artists.]

Sunday, January 8, 2023

Recording: Nidus

Artist: Nidus

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Living Room), December 20, 2022.

Nidus - [excerpt]

Interested, as always, in slow-moving continuous sonic expansion, Nidus settled down amongst the strings of christmas lights to create some sonic zones, wheezes and microtonal lurches keeping things just across the border of the uncanny valley.

Speaking of continuous expansion, you can catch some video from this set over on youtube:

Recording: Wenderly Park

Artist: Wenderly Park

Song: [last section]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Living Room), December 20, 2022.

Wenderly Park - [last section]

Settling into the darkest part of the year, Wenderly Park brought some new drone zones, adding e-bow and theremin to its oscillating bricabrac.

You can catch some video from this set over on youtube:

Thursday, January 5, 2023

Recording: The Electronoise Orchestra

Artist: The Electronoise Orchestra + Mike Hansen & Heraclitus Akimbo + Connor Bennett & William Davison

Songs: [two group excerpts] + [two duo excerpts]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (SynCirSundays), December 11, 2022.

The Electronoise Orchestra - [set 2, excerpt 1]

The Electronoise Orchestra - [set 2, excerpt 2]

Mike Hansen & Heraclitus Akimbo - [excerpt]

Connor Bennett & William Davison - [excerpt]

Nilan Perera curated this assembly of electroacoustic soundmakers, each with some non-standard instrumentations, including: Mike Hansen with his turntables; Connor Bennet with his soprano sax and some hidden gear in his briefcase (which might be rendered more comprehensible by pondering on this); William Davison's variety of amplied objects; and Heralitus Akimbo with ukulele, Sound Urchin, Speak & Spell and sundry pedals. Between two quartet encounters, exploring a variety of textures, the group also bifurcated for some smaller-scale tête-à-têtes.

With a new cycle of residencies beginning, the Synaptic Circus will not be at the Tranzac this Sunday, but keep an eye out for the next thing from one of the busiest minds in Toronto's creative music ferment. And kudos to Nilan Perera for all the cool sht that came together under his watchful eye.

They don't seem to be embeddable, but there is some sweet video of the whole night available: the first quartet set, the duos, and the second quartet set.

[still taken from the video linked above]

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Recording: Mad's Happy Music

Artist: Mad's Happy Music

Songs: Plan D + Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder) [Beach Boys cover]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #74), December 6, 2022.

Mad's Happy Music - Plan D

Mad's Happy Music - Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)

I've seen trumpeter Madeleine Ertel enlisted for quite a few noteworthy local ensembles and was pleasantly surprised to see her also enjoying a sideline in piano pop, so when offered a chance to bring something to TCB I was happy to see her vision combining those threads. Emerging as something of a chamber pop ensemble, this group (with Aline Homzy on violin, Beth Silver on cello, and Alexa Belgrave on keys) played some of Ertel's instumental pieces, but also incorporated her singing as well. Covering Brian Wilson and Antônio Carlos Jobim gives a sense of her ambitions, and her arrangements of self-penned material like "Giving Up Again", which offered some Bacharach vibes, shows she's willing to take on the challenge. Hopefully we'll get more chances to hear further developments in this vein.

You an check out some video from this set over on the TCB youtube playlist:

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona tonight (January 3rd) with music from Alex Ven's Ambient Works (featuring Andrew Noseworthy/Alex Ven/Yang Chen/Zain Solinski/Adrian Irvine) and Chapped Lips (Annie Elgie/Patrick O'Reilly/PT Sandberg)]

Recording: Ecotone

Artist: Ecotone

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #74), December 6, 2022.

Ecotone - [excerpt]

Soren Brothers (who runs the fab ur audio visual label) and and Guelph's M. Mucci have been off-and-on collaborators for quite some time, as evidenced by the description on their joint tape as Ecotone that the pieces were crafted over a six-year period dating back to 2016. Guitar ambience accented by microloop textures, there's a sense of lansdcape in their work, and of changes taking place on a geologic timescale. Even as some fussy cables forced Mucci to re-wire and strip back on the spot, this set found space to drift, like smoke rising toward a full moon in the sky.

You an check out some video from this set over on the TCB youtube playlist:

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona tonight (January 3rd) with music from Alex Ven's Ambient Works (featuring Andrew Noseworthy/Alex Ven/Yang Chen/Zain Solinski/Adrian Irvine) and Chapped Lips (Annie Elgie/Patrick O'Reilly/PT Sandberg)]

Monday, January 2, 2023

Monday Roundup #103

Concert announcements:

Thunder Glove (The Great Octopus / Banananananana / Esther Splett) / Handlebar 2023-01-14 (Saturday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Rockabilly Birthday Bash! (feat. Ichi-Bons / The Trophies) / Monarch Tavern 2021-01-21 (Saturday). $16, 19+. [FB event]


Shows this week:

Track Could Bend #75 (feat. Chapped Lips [Annie Elgie/Patrick O'Reilly/PT Sandberg] / Ambient Works [by Alex Ven and arranged by Andrew Noseworthy] [Alex Ven/Andrew Noseworthy/Yang Chen/Zain Solinski/Adrian Irvine]) / Wenona Lodge 2023-01-03 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Lina Allemano Four / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-04 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Lineweaver (Martian Crisis Unit / Esther Splett / Terrible Numbers) / The Baby G 2023-01-06 (Friday). $15, 19+. [FB event]

Wax Mannequin (Anna Mērnieks / Carla Luna White) / Bar Orwell 2021-01-06 (Friday). $15 / PWYC. [FB event]

Life Force [Diane Roblin/Bruce Cassidy/George Koller/Kevin Turcotte/Jeff LaRochelle/Tim Shia] / La Rev 2023-01-07 (Saturday)

Long Winter (feat. New Tendencies / Stoylov / Gossamer Blue / King.https / Mother Tongues / Lee Paradise / Rosina Kazi / Bad Gateway / A secret special guest) / The Tranzac 2023-01-07 (Saturday). $pwyc, all ages. [FB event]

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior/Kurt Newman/Andrew Furlong/Blake Howard / Family Ravine / Aaron Knight / Nick Flanagan / Bruce Lee's Sister) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-01-08 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). @pwyc. [FB event]


In the mix:

  • New year, new drone mix! Do you wish Satie had more sine waves? Or that Morton Feldman was "more modular"? Then I've got something for you! Plus tracks by Udo Kasemets, Charlemagne Palestine, Laraaji, Music For Sleep, Quiet Clapping, and Ayal Senior.

It happened this week...

  • ...on January 4, 2013 at Polyhaus (Feast in the East 21).

Yacht Club - Can't Leave the Castle

  • ...on January 6, 2013 at The Drake Underground.

Donlands + Mortimer - Too Much

[Do remember that you can click on the tags below to go back and find the original posts (and often, more stuff) from these artists.]

Sunday, January 1, 2023

2022 Gig List

Cosmic Country for Communists (feat. Country Phasers / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-03-10 (Thursday)

Audiopollination (feat. Mickle32/Thispatcher / Paul Newman/Sarah Albu/Elizabeth Lima / KARLA) / Array Space 2022-03-11 (Friday)

Sweater Vest Bauble Noggin / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-03-12 (Saturday)

Kind Mind / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-03-16 (Wednesday)

Music by Harry and Furlong (feat. Andrew Furlong/Chris Pruden/Yang Chen / Colin Fisher / Fahmid Nibesh) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-03-23 (Wednesday)

Small Chaos / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-03-24 (Thursday)

Del Stephen & Friends: "a song, a sound, a birthday" (feat. Del Stephen / Del Stephen & Yunjin Claire Lee / Liz Lima/Jeff Sinibaldi/Andrew Finlay Stewart/ Del Stephen/Yunjin Claire Lee/Liz Lima/Jeff Sinibaldi/Andrew Finlay Stewart/Joe Strutt) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-03-30 (Wednesday)

Ayal Senior's Monthly (feat. Ayal Senior / Kurt Newman & Karsten Stryker / Living Water Assembly) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-04-10 (Sunday)

SynCirSundays (feat. William Davison/Mike Hansen/Alex Fournier / Alex Fournier) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-04-10 (Sunday)

Never Was / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-04-13 (Wednesday)

A Josh Cole Quintet [Jim Lewis/Ryan Driver/Rob Clutton/Josh Cole/Blake Howard] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-04-20 (Wednesday)

Eldritch Priest/Ryan Driver/Rob Clutton / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-04-22 (Friday)

Joe's birthday show! (feat. Paul Newman & Heraclitus Akimbo / Wenderly Park) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-04-25 (Monday)

Women From Space Festival 2022 (feat. Lisa Conway/Emma Ongman / Neema Bickersteth/Jessica McMann/Dot Starkey / Sara Constant / Lori Freedman/Scott Thomson) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2022-04-29 (Friday)

Women From Space Festival 2022 (feat. Aisha Sasha John/Brenda Joy Lem / Kayla Milmine/Geordie Haley/Peter Morin / Ronley Teper & The Lipliners / TUSH) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2022-04-30 (Saturday)

Women From Space Festival 2022 (feat. Kathryn Merriam/Isabelle Clermont/Elysha Vorstenbosch / Marilyn Lerner / PIQSIQ / Sook-Yin Lee) / 918 Bathurst 2022-05-01 (Sunday)

Ayal Senior presents (feat. Ayal Senior / Del Stephen / Aaron Knight / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-05-08 (Sunday)

Mechanical Forest Sound@SynCirSundays (feat. David Parker / LordAUK) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-05-08 (Sunday)

Cosmic Country and Comedy for Communists (feat. Country Phasers / Nick Flanagan / Nour Hadidi) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-05-12 (Thursday)

TONE Presents (feat. LUGE / CLJ [Chris Pitsiokos/Luke Stewart//Jason Nazary] / Colin Fisher Trio) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-05-13 (Friday)

Cosmic Homeostasis XV / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-05-29 (Sunday)

TONE Festival (feat. Kee Avil / KARLA / Output 1:1:1) / Cinecycle 2022-06-10 (Friday)

Ayal Senior presents (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Jonathan Adjemian / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-06-12 (Sunday)

SynCirSundays (feat. Luan Phung/Julian Anderson Bowes/Ian Wright / Nilan Perera/Alex Fournier/Rick Sacks) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-06-12 (Sunday)

Most Popular Mic Touching Sounds (feat. François Houle/Joe Sorbara/Tania Gill/Naomi McCarrol-Butler) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-06-14 (Tuesday)

Allison Cameron / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-06-15 (Wednesday)

Titus Abbott/Josh Cole/Nick Fraser/Marilyn Lerner / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-06-15 (Wednesday)

TONE Festival (feat. Sick Boss with Peggy Lee, JP Carter and Josh Zubot / members of Sick Boss with Tania Gill/Cheldon Patterson/Samuel Hall) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-06-16 (Thursday)

Ornate Presents: The Remembrancer album release show (feat. Patrick O'Reilly/Andrew Downing/Nick Fraser) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-06-21 (Tuesday)

Reverb (feat. Thin Edge New Music Collective) / 918 Bathurst 2022-06-23 (Thursday)

TONE Festival (feat. Gord Grdina's Nomad Trio / Brodie West Quintet / BLOOP) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2022-06-24 (Friday)

And With: a sound walk as dreamed up by Germaine Liu (feat. The Imaginary Percussion Ensemble & The Element Choir) / The Bentway 2022-06-25 (Saturday)

TONE Festival/The Music Gallery’s Departures Series (feat. Mary Halvorson's Code Girl / Bernice) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2022-06-26 (Sunday)

Naomi McCarroll-Butler: CHRYSALIS (feat. Anh Phung/Kae Murphy/Nebyu Yohannes/Colin Fisher/Naomi McCarroll-Butler/Aysel Taghi-Zada/Kel Mansaray/Amahl Arulanandam/Adrian Russouw/Roa Lee/Yang Chen/Racha Moukalled/Stefan Hegerat) / Toronto Jazz Festival, [corporate brand name] Main Stage - [corporate brand name] Grove 2022-07-02 (Saturday)

TONE Festival (feat. FIRE! / Völur / Brian Ruryk) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2022-07-03 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #69 (feat. evelyn charlotte joe + friends / Bea Labikova & Vennie Tu) / Wenona Lodge 2022-07-05 (Tuesday)

Brittany Pitt & Dan Pitt (Madelein Ertel & Abbey Ertel) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-07-12 (Tuesday – early!)

Most Popular Mic Touching Sounds (feat. Prince Nifty with Colin Fisher) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-07-12 (Tuesday)

Departures Series (feat. Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp / Sam Shalabi) / The Music Gallery 2022-07-15 (Friday)

Lina Allemano/Dan Peter Sundland/Phil Malanson / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-07-19 (Tuesday)

Allison Cameron presents (feat. Wenderly Park) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-07-20 (Wednesday)

A Josh Cole Quartet [Brodie West/Andrew Zukerman/Phil Melanson/Josh Cole] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-07-20 (Wednesday)

Ornate Presents: Dark Matter Tapes double release celebration (feat. Michael Lynn / Kayla Milmine) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-07-22 (Friday)

Cots (Ways Lain) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-07-24 (Sunday)

Joyful Joyful (Joni Void / Hsien) / 918 Bathurst 2022-07-26 (Tuesday)

Mark Segger/Aretha Tillotson/Karen Ng / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-07-31 (Sunday)

Cosmic Homeostasis XVI / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-07-31 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #70 (feat. Dan Pitt / Matt Nish-Lapidus) / Wenona Lodge 2022-08-02 (Tuesday)

Birthday Bash! (feat. Greydini / Man Made Hill / Bbomit / Sourpussy / Banananananana) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2022-08-06 (Saturday)

Musica Universalis (feat. Colin Fisher Quartet [Mark Hundevad/Naomi McCarroll-Butler/Andrew Furlong/Colin Fisher]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-12 (Friday)

Toronto Improvisor's Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-14 (Sunday)

Ayal Senior and Friends (feat. Kurt Newman / Nick Flanagan / bUDi) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-14 (Sunday)

Audiopollination presents Sandy Ewen (feat. Wenderly Park / Sandy Ewen/Kurt Newman/Kieran Maraj / Sandy Ewen/Allison Cameron) / Array Space 2022-08-14 (Sunday)

Dark Matter presents (feat. Naomi McCarroll-Butler / Wenderly Park) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-23 (Tuesday)

Music By Harry and Furlong (feat. Kurt Newman/Karen Ng/Andrew Furlong/Mark Hundevad) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-24 (Wednesday)

Karen Ng presents / (feat. Double Double Teams / Jeremy Young / Colin Fisher) / 2022-08-11 (Thursday)

The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-26 (Friday)

Del Stephen's New Moon Unit (The Northern Arm) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-27 (Saturday)

Estonian Music Week presents (feat. Kristjan Kannukene / Christine Duncan & Patrick O'Reilly / Fuzzy Nibesh/Bea Labikova/Heraclitus Akimbo) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-31 (Wednesday)

Intersection Festival: A More Beautiful Journey Launch Event (feat. Nick Storring & Allison Cameron / Debashis Sinha / Brodie West/Naomi McCarroll-Butler/Patrick O'Reilly / Kind Mind / Felipe Sena) / Humber Loop 2022-09-01 (Thursday)

Intersection Festival: Marathon Concert and Marketplace Event (feat. The Dead Are Those Who Have Died / Kristina Guison / Nihilist Spasm Band / Marc Edwards & Colin Fisher / Joyfultalk / BPD Trio [Steve Baczkowski/Ravi Padmanabha/Brian DeJesus] / Joseph Shabason / Labyrinth Ensemble) / Yonge-Dundas Square 2022-09-03 (Saturday)

Track Could Bend #71 (feat. Jelly Ear / Tania Gill & Victor Bateman) / Wenona Lodge 2022-09-06 (Tuesday)

Ghostlight / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-07 (Wednesday)

Cosmic Country For Communists (feat. Janet MacPherson/Kurt Newman/Blake Howard/Chris Adriaanse / Nick Flanagan / Cassie Cao) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-08 (Thursday)

Musica Universalis (feat. Colin Fisher/Mike Gennaro / Patrick Smith/Andrew Furlong) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-09 (Friday)

Ayal Senior presents (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / The Sympathetic String Band / Nick Flanagan / Floatation Device) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-11 (Sunday)

Richard Laviolette (Rich Burnett) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-11 (Sunday)

SynCirSundays (feat. Alex Fournier/Nilan Perera/Rick Sacks / Robin Buckley/Jay Hay/Alex Fournier/Nilan Perera) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-11 (Sunday)

Icterus / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-11 (Sunday)

Josh Cole presents (feat. Dun-Dun Band) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-21 (Wednesday)

Karen Ng Presents (feat. LCON / Isla Craig) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-22 (Thursday)

FutureStops Festival (feat. Charlemagne Palestine / Matthew Larkin / Sarah Davachi) / Metropolitan United Church 2021-10-01 (Saturday)

Track Could Bend #72 (feat. Kayla Milmine/Mike Gennaro / Stranger Still / Jonas Olesen) / Wenona Lodge 2022-10-04 (Tuesday)

Toronto Improvisor's Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-10-09 (Sunday)

Ayal Senior's monthly (feat. Country Phasers / Nick Flanagan / Electroacoustic Autumn Ensemble) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-10-09 (Sunday)

SynCirSundays (feat. Mike Hansen/Gary Barwin/Connor Bennett/Chris Palmer / Rob Clutton & Nilan Perera) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-10-09 (Sunday)

Holy Oak Family Singers (Isla Craig / Eliza Neimi) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-10-09 (Sunday)

PiNG POP-UP PiCNiC 3 (feat. synþ / Heraclitus Akimbo) / Earlscourt Park 2022-10-23 (Sunday)

Karen Ng Presents: Many People (feat. Mark Ballyk/Ted Crosby/Madeleine Ertel/Colin Fisher/Andrew Furlong/Naomi McCarroll-Butler/Kaelin Murphy/Karen Ng/Jay Hay) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-10-27 (Thursday)

Cosmic Homeostasis XVII / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-11-30 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #73: Splendid Industries Presents (feat. Erin Corbett/Michael Palumbo/Sinéad Bermingham/Tyson Headon/Paul Geldart/Curtis Whittaker) / Wenona Lodge 2022-11-01 (Tuesday)

Cosmic Country for Communists (feat. WaPaMaKu / Sima Sepehri) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-11-10 (Thursday)

Joy Guidry (Chivengi) / The Music Gallery 2021-11-12 (Saturday)

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior/Kurt Newman/Andrew Furlong / NEWOLD GROUP / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-11-13 (Sunday)

SynCirSundays (feat. Jeff Burke/Mira Martin-Gray/Ben Grossman/ Tilman Lewis/Nilan Perera/Rick Sacks) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-11-13 (Sunday)

Today Versions presents: Last Place (feat. Del Stephen / Defne / Garden of Magic / Del Stephen & The Heart Loft Group) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-11-13 (Sunday)

Isla Craig (Sarah Good & The Bads) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2022-11-15 (Tuesday)

Audiopollination (feat. Isabelle Clermont/mkl32/Bea Labikova / Mira-Martin Gray/Fahmid Nibesh/Bea Labikova / Raphael Roter/Del Stephen/Piers Oolvai / Heraclitus Akimbo/William Davison/Daria Morgacheva / Victor O and friends) / Array Space 2021-11-25 (Friday)

Nick Fraser Presents (feat. Imaginary Brass Band) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-11-29 (Tuesday)

Audiopollination 10th Anniversary Bash (feat. Jessica Houghton/Kathryn Merriam / Bob Vespaziani/Brian Abbott / Diane Roblin/Ryan Kinney/James Erickson / Sarah Peebles/David Story/Saba Saneinejad / Killer Quartet / Double Group Continuous Improvisation / Cosmic Homeostasis) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-12-04 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #74 (feat. Mad's Happy Music / Ecotone) / Wenona Lodge 2021-12-06 (Tuesday)

DMA Recital: Patrick O'Reilly (feat. Patrick O'Reilly/Annie Elgie/Laura Swankey/Madeleine Ertel/Bea Labikova/Mira Martin‐Gray/Joe Strutt/Andrew Furlong/Joe Sorbara) / Walter Hall 2022-12-08 (Thursday)

SynCirSundays (feat. The Electronoise Orchestra [Connor Bennett/William Davison/Mike Hansen/Heraclitus Akimbo]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-12-11 (Sunday)

Nidus (Wenderly Park) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2022-12-20 (Tuesday)

A Josh Cole Quartet [Lina Allemano/Rob Clutton/Josh Cole/Blake Howard] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-12-21 (Wednesday)

Aurochs with special guest Kurt Newman / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-12-30 (Friday)

The Ryan Driver Quintet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-12-30 (Friday)