Monday, July 31, 2023

Monday Roundup #133

Concert announcements:

Nora Kelly Band (Hobby) / Bar Orwell 2023-08-12 (Saturday). $22.47 advance, 19+. [FB event]

Fred Cracklin (Cootie Catcher / Westelaken) / Houndstooth 2023-08-17 (Thursday). $pwyc.

Our Way to Fall / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-20 (Sunday) [FB event]

$™ Presents: The Wrong Show (Ep. 3) (feat. Toys 'n' Dreb / Victor O / Astrolope / Everyone's Intestines) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-09-16 (Saturday) [FB event]

Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!


Shows this week:

Nico Paulo (Evan J Cartwright) / The Baby G 2023-07-31 (Monday). $20.05, 19+. [FB event]

Track Could Bend #82 (feat. Other Planes: Music for Ted Phillips [Glen Hall/Nilan Perera/Brian Abbott/Kieran Maraj] / Heather Saumer) / Wenona Lodge 2023-08-01 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

The Holy Oak Family Singers / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-02 (Wednesday – early). $pwyc.

Motorists (Cartwheel / So Perfect) / Monarch Tavern 2023-08-02 (Wednesday). $15, 19+. [FB event]

Ladyfinger (Ell Trio + 1 [Victor O/Bob Vespaziani/Eric Kinsella/Marilyn Yogarajah]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-02 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Summer Music in the Garden (feat. Aline Morales) / Toronto Music Garden 2023-08-03 (Thursday). $free, outdoors. [more info]

Spruce Needles (Lavender Bruisers / Cassie Cao / Michael Balazo) / Bar Orwell 2023-08-03 (Thursday – 7:30 p.m.). $pwyc.]

Eucalyptus / Hirut Café 2023-08-03&04 (Thursday & Friday)

catl. / Toronto Island Marina 2023-08-05 (Saturday). $free. [FB event]

Front Yard Fest (feat. Rae Spoon / Hiroki Tanaka) / Kingston Rd 2023-08-06 (Sunday – 4 p.m.). $pwyc, outdoors, family friendly. [FB event]

Dave Clark Presents (feat. The Three Glutes / Western Slang) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-06 (Sunday – early!)

Fortunato Durutti Marinetti (Within) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-06 (Sunday). $pwyc.


Bandcamp corner:

  • Bandcamp Friday is happening again this week! Support the musicians you want to hear more sounds from. Here's a couple things on my list:

It happened this week...

  • ...on August 3, 2019 at Flemingdon Park (Arts in the Park: Labyrinth Ontario)

Quraishi - unknown

[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.]

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Recording: Cole/Clutton/Driver/Melanson

Artist: Josh Cole/Rob Clutton/Ryan Driver/Phil Melanson

Song: [2nd set, in two parts]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Josh Cole Presents), July 11, 2023.

Josh Cole/Rob Clutton/Ryan Driver/Phil Melanson - [2nd set, part 1]

Josh Cole/Rob Clutton/Ryan Driver/Phil Melanson - [2nd set, part 2]

Joined for the evening by Rob Clutton, Josh Cole has experimented with the double-double bass format before, though this outing saw the pair joined by some different collaborators, including Ryan Driver (on analog synth) and Phil Melanson (on percussion). Those two left plenty of room to hear the various ways that Cole and Clutton found to complement and contrast each other.

You can check out some sounds from the first set over on youtube:

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Recording: Fleshtone Aura

Artist: Fleshtone Aura

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Dun-Dun Land, Night 9), July 11, 2023.

Fleshtone Aura - [excerpt]

Move over, date night. There were signs that this wasn't going to be an easy-listening zone — signs like Andrew Zukerman courteously setting out a large tub of earplugs before starting to play. And indeed, it turned out to be an "abrasive" set, with stereofied sputters leading to thrumming rhythmbursts leading to something like a sounds effects record left to skip on a turntable, all courtesy of Zukerman's modular rig.

[You can return to Dun-Dun Land (via The Tranzac) on Tuesday, August 8th.]

Recording: Dun-Dun Man

Artist: Dun-Dun Man

Songs: unknown* + Grubby

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Dun-Dun Land, Night 9), July 11, 2023.

Dun-Dun Man - unknown

Dun-Dun Man - Grubby

Dun-Dun Land, the terrain of Craig Dunsmuir's musical imagination, often includes performances by the mighty multi-headed Dun-Dun Band — but this night found Dunsmuir on his own. Playing a selection of his own intricate compositions, this was a chance to hear the bones and sinews at the core of the group's interlocking grooves.

[You can return to Dun-Dun Land (via The Tranzac) on Tuesday, August 8th.]

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

Monday, July 24, 2023

Monday Roundup #132

Concert announcements:

Ladyfinger (Ell Trio + 1 [Victor O/Bob Vespaziani/Eric Kinsella/Marilyn Yogarajah]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-02 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

catl. / Toronto Island Marina 2023-08-05 (Saturday). $free. [FB event]

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior/Kurt Newman/Andrew Furlong / Jonathan Adjemian / Patrick Joseph Grant / Nick Flanagan / Digital Gulag) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-13 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [FB event]

Dionne Warwick / CNE Bandshell Stage 2023-08-19 (Saturday). $free with admission to The Ex, outdoors, family-friendly. [more info]

Audiopollination: Fundraiser for Audiopollination Guelph (feat. 3M [Mira Martin-Gray/Mark Zurawinski/Mickle32] / Tegan Dietsch/Annie Elgie / Patrick O'Reilly/Elizabeth Lima/Christine Duncan / Rod Campbell/%%30%30/Gladys / Doomsday Glitter Posse [Emjay Wright/Kai Garant/Erin Corbett/Mickle32]) / Tranzac (Living Room) 2023-08-19 (Saturday). $pay whatever you want to donate. [FB event]

Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!


Shows this week:

Kaya Fraser (Shawn William Clarke) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-25 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc. [FB event]

Synth Syntax (feat. Messica Arson / Michael Palumbo / Pirarán / Rainbow Trash / The Endemics Collective) / Tail of the Junction 2023-07-25 (Tuesday). $17.31 advance, $20 or PWYC at door. [tickets/info]

Mdou Moctar / Phoenix Concert Theatre 2023-07-25 (Tuesday). $39.28, 19+. [FB event]

Nick Fraser Presents (feat. Living Things [Nicola Miller/Doug Tielli/Nick D'Amato/Nick Fraser]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-25 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Omhouse [Time in Dreaming album release show!] (feat. Blunt Chunks / Original Kick) / The Baby G 2023-07-26 (Wednesday). $20.61, 19+. [FB event]

Nick Fraser Quartet feat. Tony Malaby / The Rex 2023-07-26–29 (Wednesday–Saturday) [FB event]

Karen Ng presents (feat. Joe Moffett [solo trumpet] / Sandy Ewen [solo prepared guitar] / Karen Ng/Philippe Melanson/Joe Moffett) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-27 (Thursday) [more info]

Shannon Hoff/Tania Gill/Chris Banks/Nico Dann / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-28 (Friday – early) [FB event]

Nice Pals 008 (feat. By Divine Right / Shotgun Jimmie / Burs / Dave Schoonderbeek) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2023-07-28 (Friday). $20 adv, $25 doors. [FB event]

Exit Points #40 (feat. Xeynamay/Chibuzr/Subsume/Eye_Duh Kho/Diane Roblin / shn shn/Meghan Cheng/Madeleine Ertel/David Sait/Michael Palumbo / Switchemups) / Array Space 2023-07-28 (Friday). $20 at the door [cash/card/mobile]. [FB event]

The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-28 (Friday) [more info]

Dave Clark Presents (feat. The Western Slang Country Band [Dave Clark/Michael Herring/Paul Kolinski/Tania Gill/Nichol Robertson/Lowell Whitty]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-29 (Saturday – early!) [more info]

Liquid Architecture - an evening of solo acoustic music (feat. Kayla Milmine / Mira Riselli / Mike Lynn / Ryan Kinney) / Mischief Makers 2023-07-29 (Saturday). $10 in advance/$12 at the door. [FB event]

ZONES [Hits of Sunshine LP release!] (Breeze / Absolutely Free) / Monarch Tavern 2023-07-29 (Saturday). $17.31, 19+. [FB event]

The Tree Trio [Kayla Milmine/Alex Fournier/Paul Fitterer] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-29 (Saturday) [more info]

Cosmic Homeostasis XX / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-30 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [FB event]

Summer Music in the Garden (feat. Nick Fraser Quartet [Nick Fraser/Tony Malaby/Andrew Downing/Rob Clutton]) / Toronto Music Garden 2023-07-30 (Sunday – 4 p.m.). $free, outdoors. [more info]

Nilan Perera [guitar] & Casey McGlynn [live painting] [kids art table to join in!] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-30 (Sunday – 5 p.m.) [FB event]

Amber [Lori Freedman/Scott Thomson] (Jim Lewis/Jean Martin) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-30 (Sunday – early) [more info]

Happy Sundays (feat. Not A Band / Yound / Gaijin Smash) / The Baby G 2023-07-30 (Sunday). $free, 19+. [FB event]

Holger Schoorl Music (feat. Holger Schoorl/Kayla Milmine/Lori Freedman/Scott Thomson/Tania Gill/Mark Zurawinski) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-30 (Sunday) [FB event]

Bloodshot Bill (Bad Fortunes) / Monarch Tavern 2023-07-30 (Sunday). $16.50, 19+. [FB event]


It happened this week...

  • ...on July 26, 2018 at Lula Lounge.

Goosebump - She Don't Say Goodbye

  • ...on July 29, 2018 at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Synaptic Circus Sundays).

Rob Clutton/Nick Fraser/Nilan Perera/Dani Oore - [third 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, July 23, 2023

Recording: Marilyn Yogarajah

Artist: Marilyn Yogarajah with Del Stephen & Ayal Senior

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at July 9, 2023 at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior & Friends).

Marilyn Yogarajah with Del Stephen & Ayal Senior - [excerpt]

Closing out the afternoon with some hazy loopscapes for trumpet and Microcosm, Yogarajah then invited the days' other performers to join her to fill in some of the spaces in her abstract soundfield.

You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:

[Ayal Senior & Friends will be back in the Southern Cross on the afternoon of August 13th.]

Recording: Del Stephen's Wurld of Xo '42

Artist: Del Stephen's Wurld of Xo '42

Song: Starbright [composed by Pat Martino]

Recorded at July 9, 2023 at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior & Friends).

Del Stephen's Wurld of Xo '42 - Starbright

Celebrating the release of his Wurld of Xo '42 album (now available as a download or cassette!), Del Stephen brought his Wurlitzer WX 42 out of the loft for a few shows. This one found him in solo mode, exploring some of the wurlds that he discovered in making the album, as well as a few other excursions like this piece. Wringing City Pop sounds from the unlabelled banks of buttons, Stephen sometimes looked a bit like the Sorceror's Apprentice, magically evoking marching bands that would suddenly appear before melting back into the earth.

You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:

[Ayal Senior & Friends will be back in the Southern Cross on the afternoon of August 13th.]

Recording: Ayal Senior

Artist: Ayal Senior

Song: [new songs]*

Recorded at July 9, 2023 at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior & Friends).

Ayal Senior - [new songs]

Opening up another month of his ongoing Tranzac residency, this set from the host was doubly interesting: not only was it a now-rare solo turn from Ayal Senior, making a continuous set-long suite of pieces, it also featured the debut of a couple new songs. Coming just a month after taking his group into the studio to record the previous batch of tunes, it's a tsetament to Senior's solid work ethic and steady, patient development. Expect to hear more new ones to keep popping up over the next few months, and be prepared to witness the arrangements to blossom in real-time.

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

[Ayal Senior & Friends will be back in the Southern Cross on the afternoon of August 13th.]

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Recording: Del Stephen's Wurld Of Xo '42 Multivurse Melody Band

Artist: Del Stephen's Wurld Of Xo '42 Multivurse Melody Band

Songs: Wurld of Time Flying + Wurld Map

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #81), July 4, 2023.

Del Stephen's Wurld Of Xo '42 Multivurse Melody Band - Wurld of Time Flying

Del Stephen's Wurld Of Xo '42 Multivurse Melody Band - Wurld Map

Many cartographers have mixed art and science in filling in the blank spaces they're visiting. For Del Stephen, those blank spaces are on the (many!) buttons of his Wurlitzer WX 42, causing him to approach the instrument in a true spirit of exploration — and in so doing, he has discovered many wurlds. Those journeys of exploration are now published in an atlas album, but luckily the release has also been accompanied by a small series of varied shows presenting the music. Here, Stephen was joined by Erik Kinsella and Andrew Finlay Stewart (keybs), Liz Lima (clarinet and voice), plus Jeff Sinibaldi (percussion and dub effects), adding some extra layers to the tunes.

You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:

[Del Stephen (in the synth-tastic Electric Expansions Focus Group format) will be completing his Wurld Tour tonight (Thursday, June 20th) at Dundas Video's Hitplay series. Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, August 1st with music from Heather Saumer as well as a special set of sounds in memory of Ted Phillips, featuring Glen Hall, Nilan Perera, Brian Abbott, and Kieran Maraj.]

Recording: Brian Ruryk

Artist: Brian Ruryk

Song: unknown*

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #81), July 4, 2023.

Brian Ruryk - unknown

A real treat to have Brian Ruryk return to TCB, and this time in a solo capacity. Everything you'd expect was present, including some less-threatening confrontational tactics (throwing cotton balls at the crowd), and an aftermath that left the floor covered with detritus, but there were also some pleasing surprises, incuding background birdsongs and this opening number that had some deconstructed folk vibes.

You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, August 1st with music from Heather Saumer as well as a special set of sounds in memory of Ted Phillips, featuring Glen Hall, Nilan Perera, Brian Abbott, and Kieran Maraj.]

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

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Recording: Zoh Amba & Chris Corsano

Artist: Zoh Amba & Chris Corsano

Song: [1st piece]

Recorded at June 21, 2023 at The Tranzac's Main Hall (TONE Festival).

Zoh Amba & Chris Corsano - [1st piece]

Zoh Amba played from the gut, so to speak, sax blasting into orbit from this set's outset. She also took an uninhibited turn at the piano, playing note-clusters with fists and elbows and even — in a wonderful, vulnerable moment — played a song on the borrowed Southern Cross guitar, its quietness as forceful as the preceeding volume. The ever-reliable Chris Corsano tied all of that together on the drumkit, integrating (and disintegrating) the sounds as necessary.

Recording: Farida Amadou

Artist: Farida Amadou

Song: [4th piece]

Recorded at June 21, 2023 at The Tranzac's Main Hall (TONE Festival).

Farida Amadou - [4th piece]

Exciting stuff from Belgian bassist Farida Amadou, whose concept on her instrument included some percussive extended techniques (snare springs and mallets) and bracing noisebursts. There was a physicality both to the playing and the sounds produced that was completely compelling, as the audience reaction at the end of this piece demonstrates.

Recording: Ways

Artist: Ways

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at June 21, 2023 at The Tranzac's Main Hall (TONE Festival).

Ways - [excerpt]

Although on paper Brodie West and Evan Cartwright's duo for sax and percussion was cut from the same cloth as the evening's headliners, they were also the inversion of the headliners as well — for while Zoh Amba and Chris Corsano would start with an explosion of sound and pull back into quiet moments, Ways' ways are to start with the smallest, most fragile of gestures and build up from there.

Monday, July 17, 2023

Monday Roundup #131

Concert announcements:

Synth Syntax (feat. Messica Arson / Michael Palumbo / Pirarán / Rainbow Trash / The Endemics Collective) / Tail of the Junction 2023-07-25 (Tuesday). $17.31 advance, $20 or PWYC at door. [tickets/info]

Karen Ng presents (feat. Joe Moffett [solo trumpet] / Sandy Ewen [solo prepared guitar] / Karen Ng/Philippe Melanson/Joe Moffett) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-27 (Thursday) [more info]

Liquid Architecture - an evening of solo acoustic music (feat. Kayla Milmine / Mira Riselli / Mike Lynn / Ryan Kinney) / Mischief Makers 2023-07-29 (Saturday). $10 in advance/$12 at the door. [FB event]

Cosmic Homeostasis XX / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-30 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [FB event]

Holger Schoorl Music (feat. Holger Schoorl/Kayla Milmine/Lori Freedman/Scott Thomson/Tania Gill/Mark Zurawinski) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-30 (Sunday) [FB event]

Bloodshot Bill (Bad Fortunes) / Monarch Tavern 2023-07-30 (Sunday). $16.50, 19+. [FB event]

Track Could Bend #82 (feat. Other Planes: Music for Ted Phillips [Glen Hall/Nilan Perera/Brian Abbott/Kieran Maraj] / Heather Saumer) / Wenona Lodge 2023-08-01 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Motorists (Cartwheel / So Perfect) / Monarch Tavern 2023-08-02 (Wednesday). $15, 19+. [FB event]

Front Yard Fest (feat. Rae Spoon / Hiroki Tanaka) / Kingston Rd 2023-08-06 (Sunday – 4 p.m.). $pwyc, outdoors, family friendly. [FB event]

Batuki Music Society presents Habari Africa Festival (feat. Adama Daou / Kizaba / Chimurenga Revival featuring Mary Anibal) / Harbourfront Centre 2023-08-11 (Friday). $free, outdoors, family friendly. [more info]

Batuki Music Society presents Habari Africa Festival (feat. Njacko Backo & Kalimbas at Work / Haiba / Kady Diaby / Cheikh Ibra Fam / Rumba: Soul of Congo) / Harbourfront Centre 2023-08-12 (Saturday). $free, outdoors, family friendly. [more info]

Batuki Music Society presents Habari Africa Festival (feat. La Kora du Griot avec Sadio Sissokho / Alpha Rhythm Roots / DzePasi with Mary Anibal & Tich Maredza / Lorraine Klaasen / Sadaka) / Harbourfront Centre 2023-08-13 (Sunday). $free, outdoors, family friendly. [more info]

Wire Circus (Laura Swankey / Lazar Miric) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-15 (Tuesday)

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Thee Retail Simps / Puppet Wipes / Only God Forgives / Greydini) / See-Scape 2023-09-08 (Friday). $15/notaflof.

Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!


Shows this week:

Mourning [A] BLKstar (Jane Inc) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2023-07-18 (Tuesday). $20. [more info]

Sarah Greene Presents (feat. Justin Orok with Sarah Lounsbury / Sarah Greene with Paul Kolinski & Ally Corbett) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-19 (Wednesday – early!) [FB event]

Bo Ningen (Biblical) / Monarch Tavern 2023-07-19 (Wednesday). $19, 19+. [FB event]

Shoe Box Composer's Concert [featuring pieces by: Aidan McConnell, Alyssa Giammaria, Benjamin Gabbay, Lucas Schlotfeld, Madeleine Ertel, Mateos Labbe-Phelan, Max Donaldson, Rashaan Allwood, Sean Parker, Yu-Pin Lai] (feat. Jared Berger/Jahred Warkentin/Bien Carandang/Danielle Sum) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-19 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Picastro (Someone is Flying / Funeral Lakes) / The Dakota Tavern 2023-07-20 (Thursday – early show, 7 to 9 p.m.). $13.54, 19+. [FB event]

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Cumgirl8 / Nyssa / Kingdom Of Birds) / Nineteen Seventy Eight 2023-07-20 (Thursday). $22.30, 19+. [more info]

Ben Gunning Group (Animata) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2023-07-20 (Thursday). $15. [more info]

Life Force [Diane Roblin/Bruce Cassidy/Tim Shia/George Koller/Alexander Brown] / Hirut 2023-07-20&21 (Thursday & Friday). $15, reservations suggested.

The Listening Biennial (feat. Germaine Liu) / MOCA 2023-07-21 (Friday). $free. [more info]

Martian Crisis Unit (Communism) / Drom Taberna 2023-07-21 (Friday). $16.27. [FB event]

EyeDuh Kho presents: Live experimental electronic music (Michael Palumbo / Eyeduh Kho & Kieran Meraj / Pirarán) / Tibet Street Records 2023-07-22 (Saturday). $22.63. [tickets/more info]

De Pamela (Hank the Kid / Pizza Bush) / Toronto Style Bar & Grill 2023-07-22 (Saturday). $10/PWYC. [FB event]


In the mix:

  • New drone mix! Scientifically proven to be suitable for summer listening while cicada sounds drift in through your window. Featuring sounds from Charlatan, Macrogramma, Hiroshi Yoshimura, Phillip Wilkerson, Off World, Lorenzo Montanà, PJS, Robert Rich, Christopher H. M. Jacques, plus people from your neighbourhood like Kurt Newman and Del Stephen.

It happened this week...

  • ...on July 20, 2016 at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Wolf's Nacho Wednesdays)

Mas Aya + Khôra - [excerpt]

  • ...on July 23, 2016 at BIG on Bloor Festival – St. Clarens Stage

LAL - Find Safety

[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.]

Saturday, July 15, 2023

Recording: Unbleak Trio

Artist: Unbleak Trio

Songs: [two excerpts]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Living Room), June 20, 2023.

Unbleak Trio - [1st set, 1st piece excerpt]

Unbleak Trio - [1st set, 2nd piece excerpt]

Another example of pianist Ananya Ganesh's quick establishment of community connections, this trio managed to present a couple performances and even do some recording to hopefully document this coming-together. Mixing Ganesh's piano and vocals with Alex Fournier's double bass (here leaning more on his pedalboard to set some moods), and Raph Roter's drumkit and water percussion, there were several unbleak zones surveyed over two sets.

Friday, July 14, 2023

Recording: Jairus Sharif & Mustafa Rafiq

Artist: Jairus Sharif & Mustafa Rafiq

Song: unknown*

Recorded at The Music Gallery (Emergents Series), June 14, 2023.

Jairus Sharif & Mustafa Rafiq - unknown

This highly-anticipated set from Calgary saxophonist Jairus Sharif (who impressed with last year's Water & Tools album, issued by Telephone Explosion) saw him dive deeper into his sounds, stripping back much of the album's percussive drive in favour of surging spiritual explorations. Huge credit there to guitarist Mustafa Rafiq, who found joy in repetition, underpinning Sharif's sounds, especially in an expansive take on the album's "Humility", where his patient fuzzed-out bassline gave Sharif oodles of space to inhabit. Sharif also occupied physical space, falling to his knees and even laying down to play when not prowling around with bells and other hand percussion. A joyful release of energy, auguring further developments in the healing force of the universe.

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

Recording: Yogarajah/Miraj/Russouw

Artist: Marilyn Yogarajah/Kiran Miraj/Adrian Russouw

Song: [1st piece, excerpt]

Recorded at The Music Gallery (Emergents Series), June 14, 2023.

Marilyn Yogarajah/Kiran Miraj/Adrian Russouw - [1st piece, excerpt]

It brought me no small measure of joy to see this trio being assembled to open up this night closing out the season of the MG's Emergents shows. Marilyn Yogarajah (trumpet), Kiran Miraj (laptop), and Adrian Russouw (double bass) are all making their presence felt in a variety of settings, but here assembled as improvisers, creating a pleasing electroacoustic mix with Miraj adding tones'n'textures under the acoustic sounds.

Thursday, July 13, 2023

Recording: The New York Review of Cocksucking

Artist: The New York Review of Cocksucking

Song: [last section of set]

Recorded at Bar Orwell (TONE Festival), June 13, 2023.

The New York Review of Cocksucking - [last section of set]

The TONE Festival continued to do a nice job of mixing it up this year, presenting larger-scaled shows (including presenting the local return of the Sun Ra Arkestra) alongside smaller, more-experimental affairs such as this one in Bar Orwell's cozy livingroom-like space. Michael Foster (saxophones/electronics/etc) and Richard Kamerman (text/electronics/etc) have a certain amount of confrontation built into their project name, but also an attempt to attain — or mock — an intellectual distance from that confontation. In practice that saw them move from a (literal!) shaggy dog story told by Kamerman at the set's beginning into increasingly chaotic waves of noise, both performers busily working away at a tableful of gear that looked like it had been scavenged from Science Fair Day.

Recording: Laura Swankey & Patrick O'Reilly

Artist: Laura Swankey & Patrick O'Reilly

Song: Is there any such thing as a waste of time?

Recorded at Bar Orwell (TONE Festival), June 13, 2023.

Laura Swankey & Patrick O'Reilly - Is there any such thing as a waste of time?

The TONE Festival continued to do a nice job of mixing it up this year, presenting larger-scaled shows (including presenting the local return of the Sun Ra Arkestra) alongside smaller, more-experimental affairs such as this one in Bar Orwell's cozy livingroom-like space. The local openers at this one seemingly came prepared to get a little noisier than usual to get the crowd ready for the visiting headliners — Patrick O'Reilly's guitar effects were more spiky and distorted than they might be in this context. At one point I wasn't sure if one sound I was hearing was coming from the stage or if someone's car alarm was going off outside, although there was room for more shimmery, softer zones as well.

Recording: Del Stephen

Artist: Del Stephen

Song: unknown*

Recorded at Bar Orwell (TONE Festival), June 13, 2023.

Del Stephen - unknown

The TONE Festival continued to do a nice job of mixing it up this year, presenting larger-scaled shows (including presenting the local return of the Sun Ra Arkestra) alongside smaller, more-experimental affairs such as this one in Bar Orwell's cozy livingroom-like space. The local openers at this one seemingly came prepared to get a little noisier than usual to get the crowd ready for the visiting headliners — here Del Stephen explored some of the room's resonant frequencies with distorted sputters as an outgrowth of his loopscapes and poems.

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

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Recording: Jelly Ear

Artist: Jelly Ear

Song: two unknown songs*

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), June 12, 2023.

Jelly Ear - unknown #1

Jelly Ear - unknown #2

Closing out a half-year's residency at The Tranzac, Jelly Ear brought out a large version of its rotating ensemble, with Cory Harper-Latkovich (rebec) joined by Allison Cameron (organ), Yang Chen (percussion), Sara Constant (flutes), Andrew Noseworthy (guitar) and Seb Shinwell (guitar). Working, as usual, from the songbooks of Machaut and similar medieval composers, the group navigated the pieces' drones, drifts, dips and turns without ever worring about RenFaire "authenticity". Hopefully there will be more to hear from this group — some proper recordings of their repertoire would be most welcome indeed.

You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:

* Does anyone know the titles to either of these? Please leave a comment! My notes only tell me that the first one is about Theseus and the second about an angel with three wings.

Monday, July 10, 2023

Monday Roundup #130


In memoriam Ted Phillips:

  • Shortly after I had wrapped up this roundup last night, word came through about Ted Phillips' sudden and unexpected passing, so please forgive me for a few hastily-written words here. Ted was a sui generis figure in local music circles, seen most often at shows investigating curious sounds and novel ways of generating them. He was also a sound artist with a sneaky sense of humour in finding sound-sources to granulate and process in performance. Once, several years back, he gave me some very useful advice in wringing the best sound out of less-than-ideal field recordings, and I still think of one of my workflows for dealing with recordings of very quiet performances as the "Ted Phillips treatment".
    It is also weird and poignant for me to acknowledge Ted in this space, as when we'd cross paths, he'd almost inevitably give thanks and praise for these listings and in my mind he was always part of my perceived audience of people that would actually pay attention to these entries. Despite his particular ways, he'd never hesitate to offer a word of encouragement to those he felt deserved it.
    I am sure there will be opportunities for a proper sharing of memories, but while the city's bike lanes stay a little bit quieter this week, let's keep an eye out for each other.

Community notes:

  • Support emerging composers! Shoe Box Composers Concerts "was founded to create more opportunities for emerging composers to write pieces for diverse instrumentations and hear them played live." They have a show coming up at The Tranzac (see listings below), but to keep things moving + growing have also started a gofundme to keep things sustainable, so support them if you are able. Hat tip to Madeleine Ertel, who is doing the organizational legwork here.
  • DRONE:KLUB is returning to the Long & McQuade Clinic Hall this week (Thursday, July 13th) for their last event until the fall. "Droners, Friends and Audience are all welcome for this free indoor event. Masks are encouraged. Bring your instrument, wires and adapters."
  • Meanwhile, perhaps interestingly, my initiative to try get informed about some of the shows that I've been missing for my listings has had underwhelming results, so I'll mention this here once more: if you have a cool show coming up that I should know about, please fill out this form so I can add it when I'm putting a future roundup together!

Concert announcements:

Mourning [A] BLKstar (Jane Inc) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2023-07-18 (Tuesday). $20. [more info]

Shoe Box Composer's Concert [featuring pieces by: Aidan McConnell, Alyssa Giammaria, Benjamin Gabbay, Lucas Schlotfeld, Madeleine Ertel, Mateos Labbe-Phelan, Max Donaldson, Rashaan Allwood, Sean Parker, Yu-Pin Lai] (feat. Jared Berger/Jahred Warkentin/Bien Carandang/Danielle Sum) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-19 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Picastro (Someone is Flying / Funeral Lakes) / The Dakota Tavern 2023-07-20 (Thursday – early show, 7 to 9 p.m.). $13.54, 19+. [FB event]

Life Force [Diane Roblin/Bruce Cassidy/Tim Shia/George Koller/Alexander Brown] / Hirut 2023-07-20&21 (Thursday & Friday). $15, reservations suggested.

The Listening Biennial (feat. Germaine Liu) / MOCA 2023-07-21 (Friday). $free. [more info]

Nick Fraser Quartet feat. Tony Malaby / The Rex 2023-07-26–29 (Wednesday–Saturday) [FB event]

Nice Pals 008 (feat. By Divine Right / Shotgun Jimmie / Burs / Dave Schoonderbeek) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2023-07-28 (Friday). $20 adv, $25 doors. [FB event]

Nilan Perera [guitar] & Casey McGlynn [live painting] [kids art table to join in!] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-30 (Sunday – 5 p.m.).

Happy Sundays (feat. Not A Band / Yound / Gaijin Smash) / The Baby G 2023-07-30 (Sunday). $free, 19+. [FB event]

Nico Paulo (Evan J Cartwright) / The Baby G 2023-07-31 (Monday). $20.05, 19+. [FB event]

Luge [I Love it Here, I Live Here LP release] (Not A Band / Tago Mago) / The Garrison 2023-09-08 (Friday). $20.61, 19+. [FB event]

Burn Down the Capital, Venus Fest and the Music Gallery present (feat. Beverly Glenn-Copeland [The Ones Ahead album release!] / Teiya Kasahara) / Eastminster United Church 2023-10-15 (Sunday). $39.23, all ages. [FB event]

Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!


Shows this week:

Dun-Dun Land, Night 9 (feat. Dun-Dun Man / Fleshtone Aura) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-11 (Tuesday – early!). $pwyc.

Josh Cole Presents (feat. Rob Clutton/Josh Cole/Ryan Driver/Phil Melanson) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-11 (Tuesday) [more info]

Donna Lee Quartet [Brodie West/Marilyn Lerner/Josh Cole/Phil Melanson] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-12 (Wednesday – early)

Think of a Name [10-year anniversary reunion!] (Commander Goznales / Jane Ozkowski/Ken Brennan) / Array Space 2023-07-12 (Wednesday) [FB event]

The Listening Biennial (feat. Olivia Shortt) / MOCA 2023-07-14 (Friday). $free. [more info]

Musica Universalis (feat. Kyle Hutchins/Colin Fisher / Chiquita Magic) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-07-14 (Friday). $10 suggested donation. [FB event]


Video hits:

  • Some charming lo-fi animation for this new track by The Titillators, from the forthcoming album That's The Night, which will be seeing a vinyl release via Tin Angel Records.

It happened this week...

  • ...on July 10, 2014 at The Imperial Pub.

Ken Aldcroft + Mike Gennaro - [excerpt from first piece]

  • ...on July 11, 2014 at Double Double Land.

Zacht Automaat - A Whiter Shade of Pale

[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.]

Saturday, July 8, 2023

Recording: Ananya Ganesh

Artist: Ananya Ganesh

Song: You Go to My Head [composed by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior & Friends), June 11, 2023.

Ananya Ganesh - You Go to My Head

Asked to pinch-hit at Ayal Senior's monthly, by luck I programmed a pair of sets that dovetailed nicely, each with musicians mixing standards and originals in idiosyncratic ways. Ganesh was more focused in "song" territory here, but there was room for abstractions and asides within those parameters in a set that ranged from New England fields to Brooklyn thrift shops.

You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:

[Ayal Senior's monthly is back at the Tranzac tomorrow (Sunday, June 9th) and will see him playing with Kurt Newman, plus sounds from Marilyn Yogarajah and Del Stephen's Wurld of Xo '42, plus comedy from Nick Flanagan.]

Recording: Adrian Russouw & Max Donaldson

Artist: Adrian Russouw & Max Donaldson

Song: Someday My Prince Will Come [composed by Larry Morey & Frank Churchill]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior & Friends), June 11, 2023.

Adrian Russouw & Max Donaldson - Someday My Prince Will Come

Asked to pinch-hit at Ayal Senior's monthly, by luck I programmed a pair of sets that dovetailed nicely, each with musicians mixing standards and originals in idiosyncratic ways. In this set, bassist Adrian Russouw brought along pianist Max Donaldson, and the pair were sprightly and inquisitive both on Russouw's pieces and the older tunes they investigated. Looking forward to seing more of both these players in various local scenarios.

You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:

[Ayal Senior's monthly is back at the Tranzac tomorrow (Sunday, June 9th) and will see him playing with Kurt Newman, plus sounds from Marilyn Yogarajah and Del Stephen's Wurld of Xo '42, plus comedy from Nick Flanagan.]

Recording: Toronto Improvisors Orchestra

Artist: Toronto Improvisors Orchestra

Song: [2nd set, 2nd piece excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), June 11, 2023.

Toronto Improvisors Orchestra - [2nd set, 2nd piece excerpt]

Out in nonet strength this time, the TIO alternated between free group playing, duos/trios, and conducted pieces — here with Ryan Kinney guiding the ensemble.

[The TIO will be back in the Southern Cross on Sunday (July 9th) in their usual noon to two p.m. timeslot.]

Friday, July 7, 2023

Recording: Palumbo/Campbell/Biazar

Artist: Michael Palumbo/Rod Campbell/Roya Biazar

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Array Space (Audiopollination), June 9, 2023.

Michael Palumbo/Rod Campbell/Roya Biazar - [excerpt]

A classic Audiopollination combo here, electroacoustically mixing piano, acoustic bass and modular synth — and in this stretch finding some really sweet atmospherics.

[You can check out the full set on the archived livestream over at Audiopollination's youtube playlist.]

[Audiopollination is on summer break right now — it'll be back in September, and there are still some open slots in the self-curation sign-up sheet.]