Recording: Ian Russell

Artist: Ian Russell

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at Double Double Land, December 21, 2014.

Ian Russell - unknown

Ian Russell — formerly of beloved local urban roots unit $100 — has been keeping a bit of a lower musical profile lately, but the keen-eyed will have spotted him with guitar in hand popping up at casual events here and there. On this night, he took the stage as an unscheduled opener to tide the full room over a spell while Jennifer Castle's set was delayed a bit. It's a musical fit, for even without lyrical content, the sweeping acoustic guitar suites that Russell is playing here were just like an old-school Castlemusic set — fragments of songs drifting together, faintly familiar and settling in like old friends.

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

Recording: Steve Kado with Ensemble

Artist: Steve Kado with Ensemble

Song: 2003 [excerpt]

Recorded at Array Space, December 2, 2014.

Steve Kado with Ensemble - 2003 [excerpt]

Being played in a more acoustically-refined setting (than at, say, a lakeside grandstand or rock hall stage) and with a more robust instrumentation (than, say, with a guitar army, keyboardklatch or, um, solo drum machine) pushed this composition a little further towards Terry Riley's "In C", which is one of its points of inspiration. But the music surrounding the thubthubthubthub of the drum machine was lovely on its own merits, and rather entrancing as the composition eased from cell to cell. [The ensemble, on this occasion, was: Steve Kado, vibes; Adam Litovitz, piano; Colin Fisher, banjo; Charlie Murray, bass; Ian Russell, guitar; Val Uher, guitar; Isla Craig, piano; Mani Mazinani, vibes]

Recording: One Hundred Dollars

Artist: One Hundred Dollars

Song: Waiting on Another

Recorded at The Great Hall, May 13, 2011.

One Hundred Dollars - Waiting on Another

My notes for this set can be found here.

Recording: $100

Artist: $100

Song: Not For Me

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), December 10, 2010.

$100 - Not For Me

My notes for this set can be found here.

Recording: $100

Artist: $100 Trio

Song: I Hate That Highway

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), December 10, 2010.

$100 - I Hate That Highway

Full review to follow. My notes for this set can now be found here. This show featured a trio version of $100, with Stew Crookes' pedal steel backing Ian and Simone. Besides sporting a number of brand new tunes, the band also revealed a new weapon in their musical arsenal, with Simone playing guitar for a couple songs, sporting a very credible fingerpicking style. If you missed this and/or you'd like a bit more oomph, $100 will be playing with full band tonight (Saturday, Dec. 11th) at the Canadian Corps on Niagara.

Recording: $100

Artist: $100

Song: If It Weren't For the Carnations

Recorded at Toronto Reference Library, May 28, 2010.

$100 - If It Weren't For the Carnations

My notes for this set can be found here.

Recording: $100

Artist: $100

Song: Positive Hex

Recorded at Daps All-Ages V, Kapisanan Philippine Centre, April 10, 2010.

$100 - Positive Hex

My notes for this set can be found here.

Recording: Rick White

Artist: Rick White + $100

Song: Sorry We Missed You

Recorded at the Blue Fog Revue, Lee's Palace, May 14, 2010.

Rick White + $100 - Sorry We Missed You

My notes for this set can be found here.

Recording: $100

Artist: $100

Song: Hell's a Place

Recorded at the Blue Fog Revue, Lee's Palace, May 14, 2010.

$100 - Hell's a Place

My notes for this set can be found here.