Recording: Ronley Teper & The Lipliners

Artist: Ronley Teper & The Lipliners

Song: Just Show Up

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), December 30, 2025.

Ronley Teper & The Lipliners - Just Show Up

It had been too long since I had seen The Lipliners in action, and a delight to see the band out in full force — nine deep behind the wonderful and ebullient Ronley Teper leading a night of her joyful chaos music. If one were going to make a movie or comic book about this crew, they might be portrayed as a band of easygoing cut-throat pirates, eager to see what fuss is going to happen next after signing up to sail with a Captain who's intent on leading them into unknown waters. Blasting through some classics and a few new ones, the tunes merged together, somewhere between a suite and an elegant mess, with moments of invention on the fly as everyone pedaled faster to keep the wobbling to a minimum.

Speaking of new tunes, the song in question here hit me right where I live. People conversing with me about my propensity of going to gigs might have heard me say that showing up is the most important thing anyone can do — and this one, still feeling like a newborn calf finding its wobbly stride — has harnessed the same feeling. Whether for our musical community, for friends, love, family or whatever you want to be present to, in a time where screens and streams and feeds give us a easy-but-alienating sense of pseudo-interaction, being out there, just showing up, makes so many things plausible. If I ever get hit by a comet or suffer some similar unfortunate demise, please get Ronley to come and sing this one at the party for me at The Tranzac.

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

[Ronley Teper & The Lipliners are back at The Tranzac on Tuesday (January 27th).]

Recording: Sweet Pea

Artist: Sweet Pea

Song: What It Is

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), March 23, 2018.

Sweet Pea - What It Is

With Long Winter taking over The Tranzac for the night, the regular Southern Cross programming was crammed together in the early part of the night before giving over to the all-ages spectacle. Hopefully that meant the early-arrivers got a chance to hear some excellent improvised music... plus this band full of excellent improvisers singing pop tunes with hearts wide open. Co-fronted by Rebecca Hennessy and Julia Hambleton, this combo offered plenty accordion/ukulele/clarinet, putting it in the zone of "quirky" folk bands like Ed's Redeeming Qualities — albeit with songs assembled by accomplished composers. Playing their album from top to bottom, there were hints of McGarrigle-esque harmonies and plenty pop smarts — give this song (with an ace guest turn from Tom Richards on trombone) a "rock" arrangement and it could easily pass for something from the jauntier edge of The Go-Betweens' songbook.

[Sweet Pea will be formally launching their CD with a celebration at The Tranzac on Friday, May 25th.]

Recording: Rheostatics

Artist: Rheostatics

Songs: Queer + Saskatchewan + Horses

Recorded at The Horseshoe Tavern (Spring Nationals 2017 – Night 3), May 26, 2017.

Rheostatics - Queer

Rheostatics - Saskatchewan

Rheostatics - Horses

Back in Winnipeg, I saw Rheostatics twice in their 90's heyday. Once as part of the second "Another Roadside Attraction" package tour (where I went to catch all the early, cool bands and feel disdainful about the headliners) but more notably before that at the West End Cultural Centre. By now, I don't remember a lot of details about that night (I do remember being floored by their cover of "One More Colour", performed before it emerged on Introducing Happiness, and also encountering The Inbreds for the first time as their openers) but it was one of those shows that everyone who really loves music probably has at some point — a night so jaw-droppingly good that it redfines how transcendant seeing live music could be. A night where you're almost afraid to see a band play live again for fear it won't live up to that moment.

So — this night in 2017 wasn't up at that level, but it was a thoroughly-enjoyable experience. And, more importantly, it wasn't just an exercise in nostalgia. After skipping out on the band's endgame phase and their first "reunion" forays, for whatever reason I felt compelled to drop into this four-night stand at The 'Shoe, and was well-pleased to hear a handful of new tunes being thrown into the mix. (Otherwise, the setlist hewed towards Melville/Whale Music, the band's earlier days that overlapped with drummer Dave Clark's original tenure with the band: "P.I.N." from Night of the Shooting Stars was the outlier here and the night's pick from the deep cut file.)

New recordings were hinted at to go along with those new songs, but for now they were merely celebrating a tasty new archival release that had been added to the richly-stocked merch table. Although my understanding is that the band is to be considered an ongoing affair, live shows are probably going to be special events like this, given what is probably not only a logistical tangle to get all for core members together but also getting touring members Ford Pier (who came out from the West Coast, and opened this night with a solo set) and Hugh Marsh on board.

All that said, what does one get at a Rheostatics show in 2017? A couple hours of barely-contained chaos, with decades of muscle memory struggling against entropy, songs sometimes struggling a bit to attain escape velocity before occasionally soaring with ungainly beauty. There were a couple extended breaks between songs to refocus, giving time for stories, Margaret Atwood jokes, and five-handed amiable bickering. There were erratic, off-script moments, but that's way more preferable than a Slick Reunion Machine — and at their best, they still manage to sail their Big Dominion.

[I had a bunch of technical issues with my gear on this night, so do excuse a few imperfections (especially at the start of "Horses") in these recordings. You can find full videos of Night 1 and Night 2 of the four-night stand over on youtube.]

Recording: Clark/Kenemy/Cole/Fisher

Artist: Dave Clark/Jason Kenemy/Josh Cole/Colin Fisher

Songs: [two excerpts]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Music By & For Ken Aldcroft, III), February 8, 2017.

Clark/Kenemy/Cole/Fisher - [excerpt 1]

Clark/Kenemy/Cole/Fisher - [excerpt 2]

This set at the monthly "Music By & For Ken Aldcroft" residency had a last-minute fill in with Jason Kenemy taking on piano duties. Alongside drummer Dave Clark he served as the engine getting the music revved up. Josh Cole (double bass) and Colin Fisher (tenor sax), in contrast, worked more like a brake, preferring to pull the music back towards slower textures. That lead to some inneresting meeting places — here's one quicker and one slower taste of how it all worked out.

[Music By & For Ken Aldcroft returns to The Tranzac tomorrow night (March 8th) with sets by Allison Cameron/William Davison/John Oswald and Emily Denison/Andrew Furlong.]

Recording: Brodie West Quintet

Artist: Brodie West Quintet

Songs: Lemon Time + Clips

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), December 14, 2016.

Brodie West Quintet - Lemon Time

Brodie West Quintet - Clips

A night of new, not-even-named-yet pieces were explored on this night, with Brodie West joined by regulars Tania Gill (piano), Josh Cole (bass and Phil Melanson (percussion) — plus Dave Clark sitting in at the second percussion chair. That double-drummer dynamic is central to what's going on here, with several of West's new pieces incorporating counterpoint percussion, which sees the drummers sometimes sharing and co-deconstrcting rhythmic patterns (and sometimes working meticulously independently of each other). The bass and piano often work together to give a trampoline floor underneath West, who happily darts around the beat(s) with his alto.

[The Brodie West Quintet — with Evan Cartwright back as Phil Melanson's percussive foil — returns for another Nacho Wednesday at The Tranzac next week (January 11th).]

Recording: Ng-Bulligan-Furlong-Clark

Artist: Karen Ng/Nicolas Bulligan/Andrew Furlong/Dave Clark

Songs: Lonely Woman + The Sphinx [composer: Ornette Coleman]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), October 9, 2016.

Karen Ng/Nicolas Bulligan/Andrew Furlong/Dave Clark - Lonely Woman

Karen Ng/Nicolas Bulligan/Andrew Furlong/Dave Clark - The Sphinx

Lina Allemano's Sunday night slot fell once more on Thanksgiving weekend — but with Allemano still over in Berlin, Karen Ng was delegated to bring pie and music in her absence. Ng assembled this ad hoc quartet with Nick Bulligan on trumpet and Andrew Furlong on double bass — and it was rather nice to see that Dave Clark is getting back behind the drumkit as well. The tunes — two sets' worth — were provided by Ornette Coleman, giving the crew frameworks for some harmolodic explorations. There were pleasing sounds throughout, but perhaps the best results came at the evening's end with this one two punch, combining a beautifully drone-y move-while-staying-in-place take on "Lonely Woman" with a roller-coaster ride through "The Sphinx".

Recording: Drum Thunder

Artist: Drum Thunder

Song: The Tree

Recorded at The Tranzac's Main Hall (Tribute to the Life of Ken Aldcroft), October 7, 2016.

Drum Thunder - The Tree

Taken shockingly suddenly and entirely too soon, Ken Aldcroft's passing left a heavy mark on many groups: family, friends, neighbours, students as well as musical collaborators and appreciators. All of these were gathered together to share their sorrow and find some joy through fellowship and music in an evening of remembrances and sounds at The Tranzac, where Aldcroft had played so often. By request of Maria Aldcroft, this ad hoc percussion ensemble sent out some vibrations, including this gorgeous drone piece by Germaine Liu tracing time's concentric rings on cymbals.

Recording: The Woodshed Brass Band

Artist: The Woodshed Brass Band

Songs: Love Letter To New Orleans + Basic Count [composer: Dave Clark]^*

Recorded at The Tranzac's Main Hall (Tribute to the Life of Ken Aldcroft), October 7, 2016.

The Woodshed Brass Band - Love Letter To New Orleans

The Woodshed Brass Band - Basic Count

Taken shockingly suddenly and entirely too soon, Ken Aldcroft's passing left a heavy mark on many groups: family, friends, neighbours, students as well as musical collaborators and appreciators. All of these were gathered together to share their sorrow and find some joy through fellowship and music in an evening of remembrances and sounds at The Tranzac, where Aldcroft had played so often. The evening started with a New Orleans style second line parade, a band marching slowly down Brunswick Street, back up the alley and around on the Bloor Street sidewalk before looping back to its starting point. It was truly a beautiful and transcendent thing. The recording here's a bit rough in spots as I struggled to keep pace with the band, but I think it expresses the procession's ragged joyfulness.

^* Thanks to Dave Clark for passing along the titles to these!

Photos and additional field recording by Matthew Fava.

Recording: Monk's Music

Artist: Monk's Music

Song: Pannonica [composer: Thelonious Monk]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), August 3, 2014.

Monk's Music - Pannonica

Full review to follow. Another of the many fluid, intriguing residencies at The Tranzac, Monk's Music was founded by Dan Gaucher and Michael Davidson to explore the compositions of Thelonious Monk. There's no fixed membership, but with a variety of players joining in for any given set, expect to see some of the city's best pass through. (You can keep up to date on their facebook group.) This particular afternoon's set saw a quartet consisting of Ryan Driver (piano), Brodie West (alto sax), Pete Johnston (double bass) and Dave Clark (drums) explore several of Monk's moods. There were plenty of chances for joyful noises, but with West's gorgeous sax tone on hand, it was the ballads that really stood out.

Bonus! Speaking of those wonderful ballads, here's the full performance of "Ruby, My Dear":

Recording: Hat & Beard

Artist: Hat & Beard

Song: Jackie-ing [Thelonious Monk cover]

Recorded at The Tranzac - Main Hall (The Second Annual Somewhere There Creative Music Festival - Show 2), February 22, 2014.

Hat & Beard - Jackie-ing

Full review to follow. Hat & Beard is guitarist Ken Aldcroft and drummer Dave Clark's playful tribute to the compositions of Thelonious Monk, interpreted in the style of a classic comedy duo, with straight-man Alrdroft adding nimble complications while Clark hams it up with rhythmic accompaniment. Joyful, delightful stuff. This gig celebrated the release of Reflections, the project's second album.

Gig: The Woodchoppers Association et Jah Youssouf

The Woodchoppers Association et Jah Youssouf

The Music Gallery. Saturday, September 19, 2009.

After seeing Jah Youssouf and Abdoulaye Koné performing on their own at Musideum, I was looking forward to seeing them jamming with the venerable Woodchoppers Association, with whom they'd been touring Canada on the folk fest circuit over the summer. Turns out this show at the Music Gallery would be the last before the guests returned to Mali, and we got a full-length show, with two sets, each over an hour long.

The show opened with Jah Youssouf playing solo, giving a sample of his talent with the ngoni. He was then joined by the redoubtable Abdoulaye Koné for a couple numbers. On this show, he was more of a supporting player to the top-billed Youssouf, not taking any lead vocals, and keeping a lower profile. But his agile way with his instrument made him a key part of the overall sound.

They were then joined by the Woodchoppers, running ten deep, including a powerful four-piece horn section. The band was under the genial leadership of Dave Clark, wearing a lampshade-like hat and entertaining the crowd with self-knowingly unctuous banter. He began the Woodchoppers part of the set with some improvised conducting of the band, signalling for vamps and bursts of noise with broad gestures. When Clark turned and started to conduct the crowd, they took to it without hesitation, collectively becoming an unrehearsed choir. Perhaps like an athlete limbering up, these exercises might have had something to do with the band hitting the ground running on their first jam. Surely it's also that these are all seasoned musicians who have been playing together for a long time, and this subset in particular have been road-tested in this configuration. From the outset, the ngonis fit well into an electric jazz groove driven by el-p player Jason Kenemy, and the first set closed out with three strong rockers, the last one featuring Jah giving the audience a phrase to sing along to to a slow funky jam.

After about a fifteen-minute layoff go stretch, the second set started sans the guests, with a rollicking call-and-response number that the band took to the crowd with a pair of tap dancing shoes used as percussion along the backs of the pews. Jah and Koné rejoined the group and settled in for an excellent afro-funk-styled number, followed by three more simmering numbers. The final number of the main set ("the last chance to dance," warned Clark) turned into a whirling maelstrom of music, with the horn section taking to the crowd to walk up and down the rows of pews as they played, creating moving stereophonic fields of sound while the band played a low-slung groove.

For the encore, Clark invited the crowd to slide their pews right up against the stage to hear Jah right up close, and then the other musicians returned for one final number.

A very good time and a high standard of excellence throughout. A nice start to the Music Gallery season as well — hopefully all my trips to St. George the Martyr will be as ripping.

Listen to a track from this set here.