Recording: C'est la fête with Mark Hundevad & Colin Fisher

Artist: C'est la fête with Mark Hundevad & Colin Fisher

Song: [set 2 excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Musica Universalis), August 11, 2023.

C'est la fête with Mark Hundevad & Colin Fisher - [set 2 excerpt]

Some excellent programming here from guitarist/saxophonist Colin Fisher, bringing himself and frequent sparring partner Mark Hundevad (vibes) together for two sets with C'est la fête, a trio of younger players Adrian Russouw (double bass), William Hunt (piano), and Mateos Labbé Phelan (drumkit). The trio-plus-guests format meant there were opportunities for some big crescendos, but also chances to find space in dropping down to solos and duos. The younger players here also very much held their own, and this was, to use a technical term, some "high-level shit", suitable for the stage of any jazz festival you could name.

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

[C'est La Fête are playing (alongside cnrkrtz/%%30%30 and Owen Kurtz) at Parkdale Provincial Park on Friday (September 1st). Keep an eye out for more music presented by Colin Fisher at the next Musical Universalis on Friday, September 8th.]

Recording: Kurt Newman Standards Trio

Artist: Kurt Newman Standards Trio

Song: Tangerine [composer: Victor Schertzinger/Johnny Mercer]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Cosmic Country for Communists), August 10, 2023.

Kurt Newman Standards Trio - Tangerine

Breau, do you even play standards? Things can take all kinds of strange turns at Kurt Newman's Cosmic Country for Communists series, but this time saw things ease into some tenderly-mellow zones, playing some "jazz guitar" renditions of Great American Songbook tunes, with Newman backed by Chris Banks (double bass) and Evan Cartwright (drumkit).

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

[There might be more of the same — or something completely different! — when CCC returns to the Southern Cross on September 15th]

Monday Roundup #137

Community notes:

• There was a fair amount of community organizing to make sure proper concerns were being considered when City Hall amended the noise bylaw back in 2019. It looks like that process is continuing with an "Implementation Review", so if you have any ideas or concerns with how the noise bylaw works (say, in the interactions between music venues and the outside world), you can make your voice heard against NIMBYs and nofunniks. There are specific meetings on Amplified Sound ("for example, music from bars") virtually (on Wednesday, September 13th) and in-person (Thursday, September 21st at Metro Hall). More info on the city's website.

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Concert announcements:

Amrita [Anita Katakkar & Kayla Milmine] / Drom Taberna 2023-09-04 (Monday – 6 p.m.) [FB event]

Body Help [Colin Fisher/Josh Cole/Allison Au/Ian Wright] / The Rex 2023-09-07 (Thursday – 5:30 p.m.). $10. [more info]

Masahiro Takahashi [Humid Sun release show, with Blake Howard, Bram Gielen, Brodie West, Joseph Shabason, Michael Davidson, and Ryan Driver] (Omar Bongo) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2023-09-12 (Tuesday). $20. [FB event]

Boyscott (Heaven For Real) / The Garrison 2023-09-13 (Wednesday). $20.61, 19+. [FB event]

Body Help [Colin Fisher/Josh Cole/Allison Au/Ian Wright] / The Rex 2023-09-14 (Thursday – 5:30 p.m.). $10. [more info]

Body Help [Colin Fisher/Josh Cole/Allison Au/Ian Wright] / The Rex 2023-09-21 (Thursday – 5:30 p.m.). $10. [more info]

Body Help [Colin Fisher/Josh Cole/Allison Au/Ian Wright] / The Rex 2023-09-28 (Thursday – 5:30 p.m.). $10. [more info]

Splendid Industries' Math Faire (feat. JazzTobacco / Hoarse Opera) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-09-30 (Saturday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Project Nowhere presents (feat. Mother Tongues [Love in a Vicious Way record release party!] / Jane Inc. / Roach) / The Garrison 2023-10-05 (Thursday). $17.31, 19+. [FB event]

Project Nowhere x RANGE presents (feat. Gloin / Grim Streaker / Only God Forgives) / The Baby G 2023-10-05 (Thursday). $17.31, 19+. [FB event]

Project Nowhere presents (feat. Not A Band / Corpusse / TFA) / Bar Orwell 2023-10-05 (Thursday). $17.31, 19+. [FB event]

Project Nowhere presents (feat. Moon King / Zones / Vespre / Lee Paradise) / The Baby G 2023-10-06 (Friday). $17.31, 19+. [FB event]

Project Nowhere presents (feat. Weird Nightmare / Breeze / Sham Family) / The Garrison 2023-10-07 (Saturday). $17.31, 19+. [FB event]

Only God Forgives (Dave Hill / Nick Flanagan) / Monarch Tavern 2023-10-19 (Thursday). $17.31. [FB event]

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

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Shows this week:

Utopia Ontario [Andrew Downing/Kevin Turcotte/Maggie Keogh/Justin Orok with guest Michael Davidson] / The Rex 2023-08-28 (Monday – 5:30 p.m.). [FB event]

No Octopus Dances [Allison Cameron/Stephen Parkinson/Germaine Liu/Mark Zurawinski] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-30 (Wednesday – early) [more info]

Jesse Levine (Dun Dun Man) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-30 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [more info]

Tania Gill Quartet [Tania Gill/Brodie West/Rob Clutton/Nick Fraser] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-09-01 (Friday – early) [FB event]

Intersection Festival, Day 1: "The Last Symphony" (feat. William Basinski / Kuuma) / St. Anne's Anglican Church 2023-09-01 (Friday). $39.02; $28.27 student/senior/arts worker. [FB event]

Madeleine Ertel Group [Madeleine Ertel/Michael Davidson/Dan Fortin/Evan Cartwright] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-09-01 (Friday). $pwyc. [more info]

Intersection Festival, Day 2: Marathon Concert and Marketplace (feat. Tiger Balme / Slowpitchsound / Christopher Tignor / Emmanuel Jacob Lacopo / Naomi McCarroll-Butler / Giui / Exit Points Ensemble) / Yonge-Dundas Square 2023-09-02 (Saturday – 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.). $free, outdoors, all ages, family-friendly. [FB event]

Tilman Lewis/Nilan Perera/Laura Swankey / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-09-02 (Saturday – early!) [FB event]

Intersection Festival, Day 3.1 (feat. Christopher Tignor) / Sonic Boom Records 2023-09-03 (Sunday – 2 p.m.). $free, all-ages. [FB event]

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In the mix:

• New end-of-summer drone mix! Ambient and electronic sounds from Garth Knox, Aidan Baker + The Bow, Joao Alegria, Velvet Rope Crowd Control/Aaron Lumley, BABEL, Noah Klein, AirSculpture, Andrew Collins, Mínim, Matthew Fava, Cat Tyson Hughes and Roger Eno.

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Bandcamp corner:

• It's Bandcamp Friday again this week (September 1st)! Remember to support the musicians you dig. Here's a couple things on my list to grab:

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It happened this week...

• ...on September 3, 2011 at INTERsection (New Music Marathon 2011), Yonge-Dundas Square.

Continuum Contemporary Music - Musique pour L'ange [excerpt]

Contact - Evening Star

[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.]

Recording: Never Was

Artist: Never Was

Songs: [improvisation excerpt] + Dancing Through [composer: Joe Sorbara]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), August 9, 2023.

Never Was - [improvisation excerpt]

Never Was - Dancing Through

"We're the nine-piece band Never Was," said guitarist Patrick O'Reilly with a smile as this set got underway. In fact, though the band has seen some evolutions and expansions lately, due to summertime vagaries he was joined only by double bassist Brandon Davis for this outing. That gave them oodles of space to explore together, with O'Reilly spinning off with his usual array of effects and extended techniques, while Davis did a superb job of keeping things grounded. Staying true to the group's sonic space, they tackled some pieces from its book alongside some improvisations.

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

Recording: The Brodie West Sextet

Artist: The Brodie West Sextet

Song: Fortress [composer: Brodie West]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), August 9, 2023.

The Brodie West Sextet - Fortress

This one-off hybrid unit saw guest Chris Pruden sitting in on piano as well as Michael Davidson on vibes. Most of the two sets were given over to West's Quartet material, but there was also an epically-extended ramble through Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee" (which is the purview of The Donna Lee Quartet, one of West's other occasional units).

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

Recording: Within

Artist: Within

Song: Jacob

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), August 6, 2023.

Within - Jacob

This folky project from Judith Muster and Chris Trotter has been around for a few years now, with a couple different bassists filling out the trio. That chair is now occupied by Stefan Hegerat, showing off a different skill-set to those who have only seen him working behind the drumkit. The flow here is through rivers and trapdoors, the songs given space to meander and bloom rather than being plucked right away.

Recording: Fortunato Durutti Marinetti

Artist: Fortunato Durutti Marinetti

Song: The Bell That Doesn't Ring

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), August 6, 2023.

Fortunato Durutti Marinetti - The Bell That Doesn't Ring

The name is a bit of a mouthful, but Fortunato Durutti Marinetti is actually the bandonym of Daniel Colussi, signifying a more personal and stripped-back turn from the project's previous incarnation as The Pinc Lincolns. Both words and music embrace the sort of minimalism and repetition that you might find in both folk and postpunk, so it's no surprise that there are points where this sounds like the Velvets covering Songs of Love and Hate. On his recordings, this gives Colussi space to fill in around voice and guitar with more elaborate arrangements, but here things were kept to a minimum, even with Stefan Hegerat (on hand for Within's set that closed out the evening) adding percussion to a couple songs.

Recording: Ladyfinger

Artist: Ladyfinger

Song: Fourteen [composer: Kayla Milmine]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), August 2, 2023.

Ladyfinger - Fourteen

Diane Roblin (piano + synth) and Kayla Milmine (soprano saxophone) played a set of their own compositions, bookended by a couple Wayne Shorter pieces. There was room for romps and laments alike, all infused with the obvious chemistry and affection invested into this ongoing duo.

You can check out footage of the full set over on youtube:

Recording: Ell Trio + 1

Artist: Ell Trio + 1

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), August 2, 2023.

Ell Trio + 1 - [excerpt]

With Victor O on drumkit and Bob Vespaziani on Wavedrum (plus Eric Kinsella adding some cymbals and shakers to his synth work) it's reasonable to assume that the Ell Trio on their own would be a percussion-centric unit. But with Marilyn Yogarajah (trumpet, piano) as the plus-one, there were plenty of textures to offset the clatter.

You can check out footage of the full set over on youtube:

Recording: Holy Oak Family Singers

Artist: Justin Orok & Maggie Keogh / Holy Oak Family Singers

Songs: Summer's End [John Prine cover] + Ever New [Beverly Glenn-Copeland cover]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), August 2, 2023.

Justin Orok & Maggie Keogh - Summer's End

Holy Oak Family Singers - Ever New

Celebrating "The Songs of Summer", this evening with the rotating cast of H.O.F.S. guests and regulars essayed, as usual, a mix of hits and deep cuts, stripping things back to their essential songerwriterly cores. (And proving, once more, that no songs are too uncool to be reclaimed, as Ben Gunning showed on an astoundingly-refreshing take on Don Henley's "The Boys of Summer".) Nursing a broken arm and unable to play guitar, host Luke Kuplowsky played some one-handed piano in a spare setting of the McGarrigle's "Saratoga Summer Song", but also pulled together an impromptu ensemble for a couple set-closing pieces, including this Beverly Glenn-Copeland song with backing from Evan Cartwright, Justin Orok and Ted Crosby.

[Maggie Keogh and Justin Orok are half of Andrew Downing's Utopia Ontario, who will be playing The Rex next Monday (August 28th). The Holy Oak Family Singers will be back on at the Tranzac on Wednesday, September 6th.]

Monday Roundup #136

Concert announcements:

Tilman Lewis/Nilan Perera/Laura Swankey / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-09-02 (Saturday – early!) [FB event]

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior/Kurt Newman/Andrew Furlong / The Sympathetic String Band / Marilyn Yogarajah / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-09-10 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [FB event]

Happy Sundays (feat. Leather Jacuzzi / Imploders / Shrewd) / The Baby G 2023-09-10 (Sunday). $free, 19+. [FB event]

Anastasia Minster (Raphael Weinroth-Browne) / Annette Studios 2023-09-15 (Friday). $22.63. [FB event]

15 New Works for Snare Drum [15 world premieres for solo snare drum by Kati Agócs, Amy Brandon, Brian Current, Jason Doell, Emilie LeBel, Nicole Lizée, Russell Hartenberger, Vincent Ho, Anna Höstman, Michael Oesterle, Monica Pearce, Bekah Simms, Andrew Staniland, Hiroki Tsurumoto and Christina Volpini] (feat. Ryan Scott) / 918 Bathurst 2023-09-17 (Sunday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Jessica Ackerley Trio / Adversarial Networks / Zoë Alexis-Abrams) / Tibet Street Records 2023-09-16 (Saturday). $15, all ages. [FB event]

Alabaster DePlume / The Rivoli 2023-09-17 (Sunday). $27.56, 19+. [FB event]

Happy Sundays (feat. Castle Frank / L CON / Nikolas LB) / The Baby G 2023-09-24 (Sunday). $free, 19+. [FB event]

Sianspheric [There's Always Someplace You'd Rather Be 25th Anniversary Show] (Psychic Weapons / Fires of Cheektowaga / Annual Leaf) / Bovine Sex Club 2023-09-30 (Saturday). $14.11, 19+. [FB event]

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

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Shows this week:

Michael Davidson’s Adjacent Spheres [Michael Davidson/Adrian Russouw/Aidan McConnell/David Hodgson] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-22 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Fortunato Durutti Marinetti (Marmalade Duplex) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-22 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info]

The Music Gallery's Departures Series (feat. Ale Hop / Robin Hatch / You Can Can) / Standard Time 2023-08-23 (Wednesday). $13.92, all ages. [FB event]

All-Set! Presents (feat. Mike Smith/Jake Oelrichs/Pete Johnston/Michael Davidson) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-25 (Friday – early!). $pwyc. [FB event]

Exit Points #41 (feat. Gladys/Mira Riselli/Lex Feathers/Josh Cole/Bruce Cassidy / Paris Unltd/Sara Constant/Jen Lo/bachelard/Michael Palumbo / Switchemups) / Array Space 2023-08-25 (Friday). $20 at the door. (cash/card/mobile). [FB event]

The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-25 (Friday). $pwyw. [FB event]

Scott Thomson [performing Martin Arnold's “Enamel”, for solo trombone: Toronto premiere] (Allison Cameron) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-27 (Sunday) [morfe info]

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It happened this week...

• ...on August 21, 2009 at Holy Oak.

Melissa Boraski - Too Tall

• ...on August 27, 2009 at Musideum.

Jah Youssouf and Abdoulaye Koné - 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.]

Recording: Other Planes

Artist: Other Planes (Ensemble 1) [Glen Hall/Nilan Perera/Kieran Maraj] + Other Planes (Ensemble 2) [Rob Cruickshank/Brian Abbott/Mike Lynn] + Other Planes (Ensemble 1 + 2) [Nilan Perera/Kieran Maraj/Rob Cruickshank/Brian Abbott/Mike Lynn]

Song: [excerpts from three sets]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #82), August 1, 2023.

Other Planes (Ensemble 1) - [excerpt]

Other Planes (Ensemble 2) - [excerpt]

Other Planes (Ensemble 1 + 2) - [excerpt]

This night at Track Could Bend gathered a whole bunch of musicians that the recently-departed Ted Phillips really enjoyed — my main goal for the night was to put together a show that he would have really wanted to come out for. But of course the other goal was for a community to come together and remember a sound-maker and listener who was both a performer and audience member at this series. A last-minute programming change meant that some extra Friends of Ted were invited along, splitting into two trios, followed by a joint effort. There were radio blasts, strange syntheses, guitar noodles and even an exploding bass bridge — I think Ted would have been delighted.

You can check out footage of the full sets over on youtube:

[There will be a larger-scale community remembrance forthcoming in September for Ted — keep your eyes peeled for more info soon. Meanwhile, Track Could Bend will be back at Wenona on Tuesday, September 5th with sets from Ancient Egypt and Body Hammer.]

Recording: Holger Schoorl Music

Artist: Holger Schoorl Music

Songs: two unknown songs^*

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), July 30, 2023.

Holger Schoorl Music - [track 5]

Holger Schoorl Music - [track 7]

An intriguing set of chamber works from Holger Schoorl, performed by an ensemble that saw his voice and guitar joined by Kayla Milmine (soprano saxophone), Scott Thomson (trombone), Tania Gill (piano) and Mark Zurawinski (percussion). A series of shorter pieces were played continuously as a suite, often with linking segues in solos or duos. Occasionally melancholy, and occasionally working like off-kilter beer-hall songs, this sounded suitable as soundtrack material for a black-and-white art film set in a mysterious European village.

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

[Holger Schoorl will be bringing some different music to Track Could Bend on September 5th, alongside Pete Johnston and Scott Thomson in the trio Ancient Egypt.]

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

Monday Roundup #135

Community notes:

• The article I wrote for Musicworks Magazine about Audiopollination is now online! Have a click if you want to learn a bit about one of my favourite local experimental music series (and also trying to dehierarchize music curation).

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Concert announcements:

Exit Points #41 (feat. Gladys/Mira Riselli/Lex Feathers/Josh Cole/Bruce Cassidy / Paris Unltd/Sara Constant/Jen Lo/bachelard/Michael Palumbo / Switchemups) / Array Space 2023-08-25 (Friday). $20 at the door. (cash/card/mobile). [FB event]

Intersection Festival, Day 2: Marathon Concert and Marketplace (feat. Tiger Balme / Slowpitchsound / Christopher Tignor / Emmanuel Jacob Lacopo / Naomi McCarroll-Butler / Giui / Exit Points Ensemble) / Yonge-Dundas Square 2023-09-02 (Saturday – 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.). $free, outdoors, all ages, family-friendly. [FB event]

Intersection Festival, Day 3.1 (feat. Christopher Tignor) / Sonic Boom Records 2023-09-03 (Sunday – 2 p.m.). $free, all-ages. [FB event]

Track Could Bend #83 (feat. Ancient Egypt / Body Hammer) / Wenona Lodge 2023-09-05 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Harry Bartlett/Andrew Downing/Aline Homzy / Sellers and Newel 2023-09-20 (Wednesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Ivan Julian (Joe Cash) / Sellers and Newel 2023-09-22 (Friday). $25 minimum donation. [more info]

Ivan Julian (Sean Stanley) / Sellers and Newel 2023-09-23 (Saturday). $25 minimum donation. [more info]

Dan Fortin [solo bass] / Sellers and Newel 2023-09-28 (Thursday). $15 minimum donation. [more info]

The music of Paul Motian (feat. Patrick Smith/Lowell Whitty/Dan Pitt) / Sellers and Newel 2023-11-12 (Sunday). $12 minimum donation. [more info]

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

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Shows this week:

Alex "Bad Baby" Lukashevsky with Cocoa Corner (Charles Spearin) / Burdock Music Hall 2023-08-15 (Tuesday). $16.95. [more info]

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

Ecstatic Echidna [Glen Hall/Liz Lima/Diane Roblin] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-16 (Wednesday) [FB event]

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

Beams [EP Release] (Burs / Flake) / The Baby G 2023-08-18 (Friday). $20.05, 19+. [FB event]

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

JS Presents! Ep. 40 (feat. Alex Lukashevsky / JESSA/Jessica Stuart) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-19 (Saturday – 5 p.m.) [FB event]

Mike DeiCont Trio [Mike DeiCont/Eric West/Leland Whitty] / The Rex 2023-08-19 (Saturday – 5:30 p.m.). $10. [FB event]

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]

Malasuca (Hymns57) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-19 (Saturday). $pwyc. [more info]

Colin Fisher (M. Mucci / Totenbaum Träger) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2023-08-20 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc. [FB event]

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

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It happened this week...

• ...on August 16, 2015 at Ratio (Accumulations: a 6-hour symbiotonotopic experiment).

Nidus - Accumulations [excerpt 1]

• ...on August 16, 2015 at Burdock Music Hall.

Devon Sproule - Snap Shudder

[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.]

Recording: Lewis/Martin/Downing

Artist: Jim Lewis/Jean Martin/Andrew Downing

Songs: [excerpts from two pieces]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), July 30, 2023.

Jim Lewis/Jean Martin/Andrew Downing - [1st piece, excerpt]

Jim Lewis/Jean Martin/Andrew Downing - [2nd piece, excerpt]

This was not your grandfather's Martin and Lewis — especially with percussionist Jean Martin and trumpeter Jim Lewis being joined by bassist Andrew Downing. It's a delight to see any of these musicians in action, and all the more so to hear them together — there was a level of veteran canniness here that made this set feel like it could have been a vintage Barnyard release. And beyond that, it was a special treat to see studio whiz Martin showing what can be done, effects-wise, with just a simple microphone — when it's in the hands of someone who knows how to handle gain and control the sound-field. Some instant In a Silent Way-esque zones were definitely being conjured from thin air.

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

Recording: JO∪ST

Artist: JO∪ST¹

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), July 30, 2023.

JO∪ST - [excerpt]

Originally scheduled as an Amber set, trombonist Scott Thomson had to pivot and improvise when Lori Freedman was unavailable, leading to this alternate duo with saxophonist John Oswald taking the stage. More akin to a conversation, there was plenty musical chatter back-and-forth over the course of a set.

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¹ One observer noted to the players that the band bame "Joust" contained the initials of John Oswald and Scott Thomson, but wondered what the "U" was for? Oswald responded that it was not, in fact, a "U", but the set union symbol "∪", making the duo's name a mathematical statement.

Recording: Nilan Perera & Casey McGlynn

Artist: Nilan Perera & Casey McGlynn

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), July 30, 2023.

Nilan Perera & Casey McGlynn - [excerpt]

Something a little different in this afternoon set that saw Nilan Perera playing solo guitar pieces and improvisations while Casey McGlynn created a new large-scale painting from scratch. The pair vibed off each other and their surroundings as figures emerged, evolved and got painted over.

You can watch the painting being born over on youtube:

Recording: Cosmic Homeostasis XX

Artist: Cosmic Homeostasis XX

Song: Music for Ted Phillips [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), July 30, 2023.

Cosmic Homeostasis XX - Music for Ted Phillips [excerpt]

A moment for somber reflection on this fifth-Sunday-of-the-month, with the ensemble gathering to remember the recently-passed Ted Phillips. Ted was a regular at CH's early performances, and not only do I have fond memories of the time he brought along a radio (a feat I replicated in tribute) but also that he was in fact one of the players in the very first CH ensemble, which was a constructed group of a slightly different sort of thing before the concept evolved into its present form. But importantly, with old and new members playing together, this was also an occasion to be present for and with the folks who are present to us, which is what we need to do whenever we can.

The participants this time around were:

• Michael Lynn - stylophone + iphone
• Jonathan Luke - cornet
• Ron Blake - spacecraft app, etc.
• Del Stephen - tapes + tape players
• Paul Newman - tenor saxophone
• Phil Johnson - one-string guitar + pedals
• Mira Martin-Gray - tone generator, voice + fx
• Scott M2 - Animoog + abcdefg
• Maebh Clark - drones/effects
• Eric Kinsella - bass clarinet + percussion
• Elliott Chapin - flute
• Sheldon - small drum
• Sterling McPhedran - electric ukulele + looper
• Ian McPhedran - electric ukulele + looper
• Philip Hamilton - static apparition + piano
• styrofoamNosebleedPrincess - processed bird songs
• Heraclitus Akimbo - radio, pedals, monotron, namer-of-things

As usual, the whole session has been preserved over on bandcamp:

Monday Roundup #134

Community notes:

• The Music Gallery is currently running a Community Survey. If you attend MG shows and/or have an opinion on the sort of community they are fostering, you should take a few minutes to express your feelings. "This survey is the first of several upcoming opportunities to reflect on the past and present, and dream about the future of the Music Gallery. Help us decide what the next 50 years will look like!"

• As we head out of the dog days (see below!) and slip into that summer interzone between the Civic Holiday and Labour Day, this might be a good time to reach out to friends. Meet on a patio, or hang in a park or go for a walk while you can!

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Concert announcements:

Mike DeiCont Trio [Mike DeiCont/Eric West/Leland Whitty] / The Rex 2023-08-19 (Saturday – 5:30 p.m.). $10. [FB event]

Departures Series (feat. Ale Hop / Robin Hatch / You Can Can) / The Music Gallery 2023-08-23 (Wednesday). $13.92, all ages. [FB event]

Keelie (Caveman & The Banshee / Enchanters / Bambies) / The Dock Ellis 2023-09-16 (Saturday). $15. [FB event]

Sean Nicholas Savage (Koza / WEBB) / Nineteen Seventy Eight 2023-10-07 (Saturday). $17, 19+. [FB event]

The Nilan Perera Trio [Alex Fournier/Rick Sacks/Nilan Perera] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-10-08 (Sunday) [FB event]

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

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Shows this week:

Dun-Dun Land, Night 10 (feat. Dun-Dun Man / Super My Own Band) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-08 (Tuesday – early)

Josh Cole Presents (feat. Josh Cole/Rob Clutton/Ryan Driver/Blake Howard) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-08 (Tuesday)

Brodie West Sextet [Brodie West/Michael Davidson/Chris Pruden/Josh Cole/Nick Fraser/Evan Cartwright] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-09 (Wednesday – early)

Never Was / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-09 (Wednesday) [more info]

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]

Musica Universalis (feat. C'est la fête [Adrian Russouw/William Hunt/Mateos Labbé Phelan] / Mark Hundevad & Colin Fisher) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-11 (Friday) [FB event]

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]

Mike DeiCont Trio [Mike DeiCont/Eric West/Brodie West] / The Rex 2023-08-12 (Saturday – 5:30 p.m.). $10. [FB event]

Cindy Lee (Freak Heat Waves) / The Garrison 2023-08-12 (Saturday). $23.17, 19+. [FB event]

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

A Visual Music Exquisite Corpse (feat. Michael Palumbo / Quasimodo) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-12 (Saturday) [more info]

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]

Summer Music in the Garden (feat. Waleed Abdulhamid) / Toronto Music Garden 2023-08-13 (Sunday – 4 p.m.). $free, outdoors. [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]

Portage [George Koller/Bruce Cassidy/Diane Roblin] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-13 (Sunday – early) [FB event]

Burn Down The Capital Presents (feat. Sir Richard Bishop / Hieronymus Harry) / Standard Time 2023-08-13 (Sunday). $20 Adv / $25 Door, All Ages. [FB event]

C’est la fête [Adrian Russouw/William Hunt/Mateos Labbé Phelan/Max Donaldson] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-08-13 (Sunday) [more info]

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It happened this week...

• ...on August 9, 2018 at The Baby G

Sarah Davachi - unknown [excerpt]

• ...on August 10, 2018 at Array Space.

Dog Days of Summer - [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.]

Recording: Ng/Melanson/Moffett/Ewen

Artist: Karen Ng/Philippe Melanson/Joe Moffett/Sandy Ewen

Song: [1st piece, two excerpts]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Karen Ng's Monthly), July 27, 2023.

Karen Ng/Philippe Melanson/Joe Moffett/Sandy Ewen - [1st piece, excerpt 1]

Karen Ng/Philippe Melanson/Joe Moffett/Sandy Ewen - [1st piece, excerpt 2]

After solo sets from visiting musicians Joe Moffett (trumpet) and Sandy Ewen (guitar), the pair were joined by Karen Ng (alto sax) and Phil Melanson (percussion) for a group encounter, with the visitors' extended techniques helping to find several new moods and zones to lounge around in.

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

Recording: Sandy Ewen

Artist: Sandy Ewen

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Karen Ng's Monthly), July 27, 2023.

Sandy Ewen - [excerpt]

It's always a treat to see guitarist/extended technique virtuoso Sandy Ewen in action. With a pan pedal spreading rattles, chimes, buzzes and clonks across the stereo field there are whole universes being explored here.

Recording: Joe Moffett

Artist: Joe Moffett

Song: [1st piece, excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Karen Ng's Monthly), July 27, 2023.

Joe Moffett - [1st piece, excerpt]

NYC trumpeter Joe Moffett brought both literal and metaphorical deconstruction to his solo set, field-stripping his trumpet (and pocket trumpet), attacking it with unusual grips and fingerings and generally finding a variety of ways to make a wide range of sounds from breath-sputters to balladic glides.

Recording: Michael Palumbo & Co.

Artist: Michael Palumbo/Marilyn Yogarajah/Tegan Dietsch/Sable/%%30%30

Song: [excerpt, in two parts]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), July 15, 2023.

Michael Palumbo & Co. - [1st set excerpt, part 1]

Michael Palumbo & Co. - [1st set excerpt, part 2]

An intruiging mix of improvisers in this pair of sets assembled by synthesist Michael Palumbo saw him joined by Marilyn Yogarajah (trumpet, piano), Tegan Dietsch (tap dance), Sable (guqin), and %%30%30 (percussion). That lead to a mix of percussive interactions (including contact mic'd sounds from Dietsch's tap board being fed into Palumbo's modular rig) with the textures of piano, trumpet and quqin.

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

Recording: Think of a Name

Artist: Think of a Name

Song: [excerpt, in two parts]

Recorded at Array Space, July 12, 2023.

Think of a Name - [excerpt, part 1]

Think of a Name - [excerpt, part 2]

A special tenth anniversary show for this Niagara-based unit saw them gathering on Del Stephen's home turf for a reunion. One gets the sense that this group (some of whose original adventures are documented over on Vacancy's bandcamp) was assembled to have enough of the appearance of a "rock" band to be able to backdoor into some gigs, though their sonic concerns certainly aren't so limited. One also gets the sense that some youthful naive enthusiasm has been replaced by elder canniness, but for this night there was still a sense of friends hanging out and making discoveries about the possibilities within sounds.

For this occasion, the group consisted of Del Stephen (keys + drumpad), Jeffrey Sinibaldi (tapes, samplers, fx, etc.), Ken Brennan (guitar, synth), Adrian D'avirro (bass) as well as the not-physically-present Julian Anderson (poems, projections).

You can check out the full set over on youtube: