Concert Listings Roundup #221

You can read more about why I'm doing listings here. Long story short: This curated and decidedly non-comprehensive list contains nothin' but shows that I am going to/would go to if I had more time.

---

Gig of the week:

Bill Gilliam/Kayla Milmine/Ambrose Pottie [Entangled Pathways CD release!] / Array Space 2017-10-18 (Wednesday) [FB event]

There's some spectacular gigs this week (including Hans Joachim Roedelius's much-anticipated local appearance alongside some very tasty local support) but I wouldn't want this modest endeavour to get lost in the shuffle. Bringing together three highly-flexible improvisers, this trio can show hints of melodic tunefulness alongside a collective will to derail those same instincts and head for thornier ground. It's also pleasing for an ensemble like this to be documented on a proper album, so that's additional cause for celebration. (Here's a couple clips from when I caught these three playing together before at The Tranzac — I'm looking forward to hearing Bill Gilliam get inside Array's grand piano to add some preparations to the night's twists.)

Gilliam-Milmine-Pottie - [second piece]

Gilliam-Milmine-Pottie - [fourth piece]

---

This week's noteworthy shows:

Rob Clutton Trio [Rob Clutton/Karen Ng/Nick Fraser] / The Emmet Ray 2017-10-16 (Monday – early! PWYC!) [FB event]

Jim Lewis Group [Jim Lewis/Andrew Downing/Victor Vrankulj/Andrew Miller] / The Emmet Ray 2017-10-16 (Monday – PWYC!) [FB event]

Psychedelic Furs (Bash & Pop) / Danforth Music Hall 2017-10-16 (Monday) [FB event]

Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Bill Nace/Twig Harper / Not The Wind, Not The Flag / Dandy Dusted) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2017-10-16 (Monday) [more info]

Beams [October Tuesdays residency!] (Lake Forest) / The Dakota Tavern 2017-10-17 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Riparian Acoustics and Burn Down the Capital present (feat. Hans Joachim Roedelius / Xambuca / Joseph Shabason / Kat Estacio) / Monarch Tavern 2017-10-17 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Collective Order [Volume 2 album release!] / Gladstone Hotel 2017-10-17 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Mark Hundevad/Mike Gennaro (FASTER) / Array Space 2017-10-17 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Payadora Tango Ensemble [new CD release fundraiser concert!] / Gallery 345 2017-10-18 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Allison Cameron/Germaine Liu/Mark Zurawinski / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2017-10-18 (Wednesday – early!)

The Pineapple [Karen Ng/Rob Grieve/Alex Fournier] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2017-10-18 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Giant Hand [Old Cosmos tape release show!] (Matt Murphy [solo]) / Smiling Buddha 2017-10-19 (Thursday) [FB event]

Paul Linklater (Hydrothermal Vents / Dan Edmonds) / The Piston 2017-10-19 (Thursday) [FB event]

Omhouse (Rapport / Coldboi [Alex Low]) / Less Bar 2017-10-19 (Thursday) [FB event]

Audiopollination #55.2 (feat. Nobi Kubota / Michael Snow & Diane Roblin) / Array Space 2017-10-20 (Friday) [FB event]

Audio Bleed (feat. Cetacea / Hexzuul / Scales of Angels) / Belljar Café 2017-10-20 (Friday – PWYC!) [FB event]

Wave of Terror (Persian Rugs / Terror Lake) / EURO Sports BAR 2017-10-20 (Friday) [FB event]

Caution Tape Sound Collective: Singles Vol. 3 [world premieres from composers Patrick Arteaga / Julia Mermelstein / August Murphy-King / Bekah Simms / Janet Sit / Tyler Versluis] (feat. Jonathan MacArthur / Evan Bowen) / Array Space 2017-10-21 (Saturday – all ages!) [FB event]

Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Elliott Sharp with Contact / Luge / H. de Heutz / Fraydee Cat) / Tough Guy Mountain 2017-10-21 (Saturday – all ages!) [FB event]

Droid [CD release show!] (Warsenal / Cellphone) / Coalition 2017-10-21 (Saturday) [FB event]

Anamai (Platitudes / Markus Floats) / The Dupe Shop 2017-10-22 (Sunday – afternoon show @ 2 p.m.!) [FB event]

Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Forma / Mimico / Zones) / The Baby G 2017-10-22 (Sunday) [FB event]

The Nilan Perera Quintet [Rob Clutton/Kayla Milmine/Karen Ng/Rick Sacks/Nilan Perera] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2017-10-22 (Sunday) [FB event]

Nite Comfort and Voddville present Scary Words (feat. Ada Vale / Jesse Dangerously / Fresh Flesh / Snake Church [Ben Grossman/Michael Mucci]) / Handlebar 2017-10-22 (Sunday) [FB event]

---

Add these to your calendar:

Reminder: This post only contains this week's updates — the full listings can always be found over on the right-hand sidebar!

Lonesome Town [Victor Vrankulj/Laura Swankey/Chris Platt/Nelson Moneo/Andrew Miller/Andrew Furlong/Madeleine Ertel – debut performance!] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2017-10-25 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Drones For The Dead: Drone Seance / Belljar Café 2017-10-26 (Thursday) [FB event]

Anzola (SlowPitchSound / Josh Grant) / Handlebar 2017-10-26 (Thursday) [FB event]

Aurochs / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2017-10-27 (Friday – early!) [FB event]

Cosmic Homeostasis V ["ambient interstellar electroacoustic drift vibes"] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2017-10-29 (Sunday – afternoon session, 3 to 5 p.m.!) [FB event]

3rd Annual Halloween Bash (feat. catl. / Frankie & Jimmy) / The Dakota Tavern 2017-10-29 (Sunday) [FB event]

Lee Ranaldo (Fake Palms) / The Great Hall 2017-11-03 (Friday) [FB event]

Track Could Bend #32 (feat. Sandy Ewen / Will Austin & Brandon Lim / Kat Estacio & Beard Closet) / Belljar Café 2017-11-07 (Tuesday – PWYC!) [FB event]

Philip John Lewin (Sing Leaf / Sandro Perri) / Burdock Music Hall 2017-11-08 (Wednesday) [FB event]

The Andrew Downing Ensemble / Canadian Music Centre 2017-11-09 (Thursday – early show @ 5:30!) [more info]

Wavelength 741: Women In Music Canada presents Fundraiser Show For Mexico & Puerto Rico (feat. Rapport / KASHKA / Regina Gently [fka Light Fires] / LOLAA) / Monarch Tavern 2017-11-09 (Thursday) [FB event]

Scott Hardware (Pascale Project / Antoine93) / Bambi's 2017-11-09 (Thursday) [FB event]

Sensing [works by Anna Höstman, Adam Scime and Morton Feldman] (feat. Thin Edge New Music Collective) / Canadian Music Centre 2017-11-11 (Saturday – three shows at 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 8 p.m.) [FB event]

BA Johnston (Deathsticks / Quite Nice) / Junction City Music Hall 2017-11-11 (Saturday) [FB event]

The Magic (Joyful Joyful) / Burdock Music Hall 2017-11-13 (Monday) [FB event]

Duchess Says (Yamantaka//Sonic Titan) / The Garrison 2017-11-23 (Thursday) [FB event]

Moon King (Doomsquad / New Chance) / Smiling Buddha 2017-12-16 (Saturday) [FB event]

---

Bandcamp corner:

• Recordings from Joe Sorbara's Imperative project (which takes its inspiration from Sun Ra's poem of the same name) have made their way to bandcamp, with Sorbara's percussion jousting with double tenor sax action from Jay Hay and Karen Ng.

---

Community corner:

• In addition to Tuesday's gig at The Monarch, Hans-Joachim Roedelius will be making an intimate "in conversation" appearance on Wednesday at Invisible City Record Shop.

Recording: Anamai

Artist: Anamai

Song: Some State

Recorded at The Baby G, September 21, 2017.

Anamai - Some State

Billed as "a night dedicated to simplicity and unravelling," this was a beautifully-executed show, moving the music down from the stage and tampering with the standard set/break/set/break/set pattern to give the whole thing some continuous flow.

Typical of the night, David Psutka appeared on stage while Xuan Ye and David Jones were still filling the room with their dronefield and appeared at first to just be tuning up. The careful ear, however, would soon realize he was joining in with the pair, adding some textures while Anna Mayberry made her way on stage and got ready to play. Once the set proper had begun, the subtle interventions were returned, with David Jones using his gear to add some manipulations to the room sound, holding his vocal mic toward the stage and twisting dials on his pedals to add washes of reverb and more through his jury-rigged quadraphonic sound system. The duo on stage were literally difficult to watch as their lighting rig aimed gliding light-beams towards the crowd — which encouraged the crowd, mostly sitting peaceably on the floor, to look within instead. I was worried after the group's release show back in May that I might not get a chance to hear these songs again with such an attentive crowd, but this show proved me wrong.

[Anamai will be playing next weekend (Sunday, October 22nd) at The Dupe Shop.]

Recording: YlangYlang

Artist: YlangYlang

Song: Uncertain Landscapes

Recorded at The Baby G, September 21, 2017.

YlangYlang - Uncertain Landscapes

Billed as "a night dedicated to simplicity and unravelling," this was a beautifully-executed show, moving the music down from the stage and tampering with the standard set/break/set/break/set pattern to give the whole thing some continuous flow.

As with the last time I saw Catherine Debard perform, the preceding set flowed into hers before she unfurled her haze-pop tunes. And like Xuan Ye and David Jones before her, she was set up on the floor, gear on a table in front of the stage, lit only indirectly by Xuan Ye's spotlight. That created a darkened dreamspace for her songs to unfold, and then ease back into some between-set ambiance.

Recording: Xuan Ye + David Jones

Artist: Xuan Ye + David Jones

Song: [act 1, scene 2]

Recorded at The Baby G, September 21, 2017.

Xuan Ye + David Jones - [act 1, scene 2]

Billed as "a night dedicated to simplicity and unravelling," this was a beautifully-executed show, moving the music down from the stage and tampering with the standard set/break/set/break/set pattern to give the whole thing some continuous flow.

That flow was facilitated by this joint enterprise, a more elaborately-conceived and executed effort than I've seen from this pair of occasional collaborators. They claimed a large square of the floor in front of the stage, delineated by speakers in the corners creating a home-spun quad system. Without announcing themselves, they eased into it, letting the room's attention slowly turn their way as they built up from a quiet start, each with their own set of tools: vox, percussive implements, guit and spotlight on the one hand, pedals, manipulated vocals, trumpet (!) and sound-activated lights on the other. And it would turn out that the pair would be the connective tissue throughout the night, returning to play between the other sets, which segued from their evolving dronescapes.

Recording: Pineapple

Artist: Pineapple

Songs: Did You Ever Think You'd Miss It? [composer: Karen Ng] + [first set improvisation]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), September 20, 2017.

Pineapple - Did You Ever Think You'd Miss It?

Pineapple - [first set improvisation]

After journeying across multiple continents as a touring musician for big chunks of the past year, community hero Karen Ng is back in town a bit more steadily and taking on some new projects — including some long-deferred opportunities to present some work as a composer. This first outing (alongside Rob Grieve on guit and Alex Fournier on double bass and electronics) saw this piece as well as a graphic-score-in-progress from Ng, as well as a couple of Fournier's pieces plus a couple improvisations. Lots of texture explorations, digital delay and drones underlying the pieces, which augers well for future excursions.

[Pineapple will be filling in during Josh Cole's monthly slot next Wednesday (October 18th) at The Tranzac. And meanwhile, Karen Ng's monthly slot in the Southern Cross will see another new project on October 26th, with no fewer than four saxes (Ng, Jeff LaRochelle, Brodie West and Peter Lutek) backed by percussionist Evan Cartwright.]

Recording: Wolfcow with Anna Mayberry

Artist: Wolfcow with Anna Mayberry

Song: Enhanced Texture, Part 2

Recorded at The Tranzac's Main Hall (Mixed Input Festival – Night 2), September 17, 2017.

Wolfcow with Anna Mayberry - Enhanced Texture, Part 2

This festival was convened by local experimental film collective Pleasure Dome as an attempt to deepen the collaborative experience between musical and moving image artists, which was manifested in a variety of ways over two nights.

Greydyn Wolfcow used this festival set as an opportunity to push the band into some different territory, eschewing the pop-nugget sized "hits" for one set-filling longform piece. Driven by a discordant industrial thrum (provided by current bandmembers Chris Worden, Ian Sequeira and Jon Shapiro) that loomed like a toxic emission from a chemical plant, the piece was tied together by the vocal refrain of "evidence, evidence, evidence", while a corporate product analysis slideshow (the powerpoint of the '80's!) was projected onto the stage. Meanwhile, Anna Mayberry's movement portion channelled the band's bad hoodoo, like a sullen teenager driven from lurking at the side of the room into their own moshpit as some sort of emotional exorcism.

Recording: Cares/Vallée/Coderre

Artist: Cares/Vallée/Coderre

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at The Tranzac's Main Hall (Mixed Input Festival – Night 2), September 17, 2017.

Cares/Vallée/Coderre - unknown

This festival was convened by local experimental film collective Pleasure Dome as an attempt to deepen the collaborative experience between musical and moving image artists, which was manifested in a variety of ways over two nights.

This set was a very even-handed collaboration that got to the heart of the festival's aspirations. Musician James Beardmore was tucked off to the side, generating droneswells with hazy hints of bent pop in the background while Montréal film artists Guillaume Vallée and Charles-André Coderre (known for his work with Jerusalem in My Heart) used overlapping 8mm loops and analogue visual feedback to project a swirling abstract montage. (This was a collaboration in the sonic sense as well — if you listen carefully to this field recording, you can hear the whirwhirwhir of the film spools in the background!)

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

Recording: James Schidlowsky

Artist: James Schidlowsky

Song: [excerpt from square part]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Main Hall (Mixed Input Festival – Night 2), September 17, 2017.

James Schidlowsky - [excerpt from square part]

This festival was convened by local experimental film collective Pleasure Dome as an attempt to deepen the collaborative experience between musical and moving image artists, which was manifested in a variety of ways over two nights.

Originally conceived as a collaboration, this piece from Montréal's James Schidlowsky ended up being a solo endeavour, but was still a satisfying mating of sound and visuals. Presented in a "square part" and a "circular part" corresponding to the shapes created by the visual processing, the lo-fi blipscapes (sounding like the national anthem of some faraway land where Pong is the #1 pastime) mixed nicely with the abstract visual dioramas.

Recording: Peggy Lee Octet

Artist: Peggy Lee Octet

Song: two unknown pieces^*

Recorded at Array Space, September 16, 2017.

Peggy Lee Octet - unknown #1

Peggy Lee Octet - unknown #2

I have seen Vancouverite Peggy Lee's intense improvised virtuosity as a solo performer, but didn't know as much about her work as a composer and ensemble leader, something I intended to rectify in checking out this group filled with West Coast heavyweights. (I dug the the slightly-idiosyncratic instrumentation, like having an electric bass and a double bass in the same group.) The whole ensemble included Meredith Bates (violin), Kevin Elaschuk (trumpet), Chris Gestrin (piano), Ron Samworth (guitar), Torsten Müller (double bass), André Lachance (electric bass), and Dylan Van Der Schyff (drums) — I knew some of them by reputation, and just watching the others gave a quick indication of the calibre of musicianship here.

Originally conceived as a sort of "imaginary soundtrack" ensemble, the group was celebrating their recent Tell Tale album, which was first conceived a few years back as a project called "Film in Music". More than the sort of sweeping widescreen-evoking sounds that often get tagged as "cinematic", the connection here was more narrative, with each instrument acting as a character, and getting its own share of improvised monologues and pared-down conversations alongside the full-group sections.

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

Concert Listings Roundup #220

You can read more about why I'm doing listings here. Long story short: This curated and decidedly non-comprehensive list contains nothin' but shows that I am going to/would go to if I had more time.

---

Gigs of the week:

X Avant XII (feat. Man Forever / Germaine Liu + Ensemble / Luyos MC/Reila) / 918 Bathurst 2017-10-11 (Wednesday) [FB event]

X Avant XII: RPM Live 007 (feat. Elisa Harkins / Laura Ortman / Mourning Coup) / 918 Bathurst 2017-10-12 (Thursday) [FB event]

X Avant XII (feat. Chino Amobi / INTERRO feat. Kaie Kellough, Tanya Evanson, Jason Sharp, Kevin Lo) / 918 Bathurst 2017-10-13 (Friday) [FB event]

X Avant XII: Deep Listening Intensive (feat. Anne Bourne) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2017-10-14 (Saturday – afternoon participatory event! free!) [FB event]

X Avant XII: curated by LAL and Babely Shades (feat. Avrha [members of Yamantaka // Sonic Titan] / Bizzarh / Drawing With Knives) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2017-10-14 (Saturday) [FB event]

X Avant XII: James Tenney: Resistance / 918 Bathurst 2017-10-15 (Sunday) [FB event]

if you saw last week's preview, it's no surprise that The Music Gallery's twelfth edition of their fall festival is the week's big event. I won't rehash what I said in the preview, but all of these events are worth coming out for, even — or especially — if it's something you don't know very well. This is a pretty varied festival, united by its theme of resistance more than genre limits, so as the MG settles into 918 Bathurst, come and experience the strange and the familiar mix and remix in new ways.

[And do note, if you're reading this shortly after this preview is posted, you have a chance to enter to win a FESTIVAL PASS courtesy of the Music Gallery! Follow the link to the preview for the details; closes October 9th at 5 p.m.!]

---

This week's noteworthy shows:

The Phill Albert Calamity [Allison Au/Harley Card/Derek Gray/Phil Albert] / The Emmet Ray 2017-10-09 (Monday – PWYC!) [FB event]

Ornate Ornette (feat. Karen Ng/Jeff LaRochelle/Phil Albert/Harry Vetro) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2017-10-10 (Tuesday – early!) [FB event]

Crocodiles (Saint Pé / Twist) / The Baby G [new venue!] 2017-10-10 (Tuesday – free!) [FB event]

Beams [October Tuesdays residency!] (Soften / Lee Rose and The Ace of Wands) / The Dakota Tavern 2017-10-10 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Thin Edge New Music Collective presents: Speaking [season opener!] (feat. Thin Edge Ensemble and Shi-An Costello) / Array Space 2017-10-10 (Tuesday) [FB event]

The Brodie West Quintet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2017-10-11 (Wednesday – early!) [FB event]

Music By & For Ken Aldcroft X (feat. Chris Cawthray [solo] / Andrew Furlong/Andrew Kay/Tom Richards/Joe Sorbara) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2017-10-11 (Wednesday) [FB event]

The Nude Party (Thrifty Kids / The Try Umphs / B17) / Smiling Buddha 2017-10-11 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Botanicals (Mujahedeen / Experts [mems. of Germaphobes + MIMICO]) / Smiling Buddha – basement 2017-10-11 (Wednesday) [FB event]

The AMBiENT PiNG (feat. Erik Laar / quasiMODAL w Eugene Martynec) / Handlebar 2017-10-11 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Forward Music Group: 10 Year Anniversary (feat. Michael Feuerstack / Gianna Lauren / Paper Beat Scissors / Dan Misha Goldman) / The Baby G 2017-10-12 (Thursday) [FB event]

Pet Sounds / Instrumental (feat. Christine Bougie/Dafydd Hughes/Julia Hambleton/Andrew Downing) / Burdock Music Hall 2017-10-12 (Thursday – early and late shows!) [FB event]

Dinner (Most People / Prince Ness) / Monarch Tavern 2017-10-12 (Thursday) [FB event]

Bunny (Sedge / Zorton and The Cannibals) / Handlebar 2017-10-12 (Thursday) [FB event]

Polyphonic Ground (feat. Beny Esguerra & New Tradition / Matatu Express [Donne Roberts/Madagascar Slim/Adam Solomon/Pa Joe/Kofi Ackah/Ebenezer Agyekum/Mabinty Sylla] / The Future Primitive) / Revival 2017-10-12 (Thursday) [FB event]

Os Tropies feat. Aline Morales (The Sulks) / The Rec Room 2017-10-13 (Friday) [FB event]

The Canadian Electronic Ensemble / Canadian Music Centre 2017-10-13 (Friday) [FB event]

Xuan Ye/Colin Fisher / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2017-10-13 (Friday) [FB event]

Quiet Concerts (feat. Debashis Sinha) / Toronto Public Library - Scarborough Civic Centre Branch 2017-10-14 (Saturday – free! all ages! family friendly! afternoon event @ 2 p.m.!) [FB event]

Pleasence Records Presents: Cassette Store Day 2017 & The Dupe Shop Anniversary (feat. Moon Eyed / Eyeballs / Father Christmas) / The Dupe Shop 2017-10-14 (Saturday – afternoon show @ 2 p.m.! all ages!) [FB event]

Fake Palms [Pure Mind album release!] (Cindy Lee / Lee Paradise) / Smiling Buddha 2017-10-14 (Saturday) [FB event]

Germaphobes (Dentist / Persons) / Handlebar 2017-10-14 (Saturday) [FB event]

Kazuki Koga (YlangYlang / Joni Void / Sages) / Tough Guy Mountain 2017-10-14 (Saturday) [FB event]

Burton Greene/Isaiah Ceccarelli/Éric Normand / Gallery 345 2017-10-14 (Saturday) [FB event]

Audiopollination 55.1 (feat. Kayla Milmine/MJ Wright/Diane Roblin / David Story/Jackie Leung/Adam Scime / Darlene Cuevas/Tom Richards / Mkl32/Elizabeth Lima) / Array Space 2017-10-14 (Saturday) [FB event]

Batuki Music Society Presents (feat. Trio da Kali ["Malian griot supergroup"]) / Aga Khan Museum 2017-10-14 (Saturday – free!) [FB event]

Six Bach Motets (feat. Tallis Choir of Toronto) / St. Patrick’s Church 2017-10-14 (Saturday) [more info]

TRIO 92 [Mark Zurawinski/Rob Clutton/Diane Roblin] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2017-10-15 (Sunday – early!) [FB event]

Kamancello [album release!] / Burdock Music Hall 2017-10-15 (Sunday) [FB event]

Deliluh (Deeper / Lavender Bruisers) / The Baby G 2017-10-15 (Sunday) [FB event]

---

Add these to your calendar:

Reminder: This post only contains this week's updates — the full listings can always be found over on the right-hand sidebar!

Rob Clutton/Karen Ng/Nick Fraser / The Emmet Ray 2017-10-16 (Monday – early! PWYC!) [more info]

Jim Lewis Group [Jim Lewis/Andrew Downing/Victor Vrankulj/Andrew Miller] / The Emmet Ray 2017-10-16 (Monday – PWYC!) [more info]

Payadora Tango Ensemble [new CD release fundraiser concert!] / Gallery 345 2017-10-18 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Audio Bleed (feat. Cetacea / Hexzuul / Scales of Angels) / Belljar Café 2017-10-20 (Friday – PWYC!) [FB event]

Droid [CD release show!] (Warsenal / Cellphone) / Coalition 2017-10-21 (Saturday) [FB event]

Hush Pup (Jonny [mem. of wearenotwhoweare] / Naomi Floods) / Less Bar 2017-10-25 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Radiant Baby (L.A. FOSTER / Stefana Fratila) / The Baby G 2017-10-26 (Thursday) [FB event]

Quiet Bedrooms presents QB4 (feat. C.J. Boyd / Picastro [solo] / Jordaan Mason / Manticore) / D-Beatstro 2017-11-02 (Thursday) [FB event]

Wavelength Music Series and Make Some Noise present: Live in the Stacks (feat. Jeremy Gara [mem. Arcade Fire, ambient electronic solo music] / Emay) / Toronto Public Library – Bloor/Gladstone Branch 2017-11-02 (Thursday – free! all-ages!) [FB event]

Venus Fest Sessions (feat. Tasseomancy / Dorothea Paas) / Gladstone Hotel – Melody Bar 2017-11-02 (Thursday) [FB event]

Drone:Klub:13 ["community drone immersion experience"] / Roland Inspiration Centre 2017-11-02 (Thursday – free to observe or participate!) [FB event]

Moon Eyed [Haleiwa Pleasence Records release!] (The Seams / WLMRT) / DDL 2017-11-04 (Saturday) [FB event]

Musicworks Magazine presents O P E N : an evening of sound interactions [curated by Riparian Acoustics] (feat. Very Special Guest / Cheryl Duvall [solo piano] / Pursuit Grooves with Mas Aya) / 918 Bathurst 2017-11-08 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Polyphonic Ground (feat. Sina Salimi / D'Bi & The 333) / Revival 2017-11-09 (Thursday) [FB event]

Quiet Bedrooms presents QB5 (feat. Carl Didur / Laura Swankey / Deenzi) / LP's LPs 2017-11-11 (Saturday) [FB event]

Wavelength 742 (feat. PONY / Luge / Bonnie Trash) / Bike Pirates 2017-11-25 (Saturday – all ages!) [FB event]

Jessica Moss (Ben Shemie) / The Baby G 2017-12-02 (Saturday) [FB event]

Buzz Records Presents: A Very Special Krampus Party (feat. Charly Bliss / Casper Skulls / Twist / Lonely Parade) / The Rec Room 2017-12-09 (Saturday) [FB event]

Batuki Music presents (feat. Fatoumata Diawara / Okavango) / Koerner Hall 2018-04-12 (Thursday) [FB event]

---

Community corner:

• Long Winter's season of music + art will be starting soon, and they're looking for volunteers to help at their fantastic, all-ages events. Whether there are live event skills you want to learn more about or you just want to pitch in with some cool folks, this is an excellent opportunity. All are invited, just visit the form here.

Recording: Bassam Bishara with Pedram Khavarzamini

Artist: Bassam Bishara with Pedram Khavarzamini

Song: two unknown songs^*

Recorded at 918 Bathurst (Labyrinth Ontario Launch / Fundraiser), September 15, 2017.

Bassam Bishara with Pedram Khavarzamini - unknown #1

Bassam Bishara with Pedram Khavarzamini - unknown #2

This night was the formal public launch of Labyrinth Ontario, a new initiative founded by local musicians Araz Salek and Jonathan Adjemian to promote "the study and enjoyment of global traditions of modal music". Bringing together some diverse ensembles, this night featured music of the highest calibre — an auspicious sign of things to come as the group begins to organize a number of teaching workshops and concerts next year.

It was a genuine treat to close out the night to see this duo of two local masters of their instruments. I had seen tombak player Pedram Khavarzamini a few times before (including earlier in the evening) but witnessing Bassam Bishara on oud was a joyful revelation. With no setlist, the pair would simply suggest songs to one another and then go, usually leading off with Bishara establishing the tune on his own before Khavarzamini would join in to buoy him along. With a slight smile and playful twinkle in his eye, Bishara looked like any musician engaged in a casual back porch jam session, but that would belie the sheer staggeringly advanced level these two were operating at. A real reminder of the musical richness that exists in this city around us.

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

Recording: Labyrinth Finale Ensemble

Artist: Labyrinth Finale Ensemble

Song: Dar Hejiroke

Recorded at 918 Bathurst (Labyrinth Ontario Launch / Fundraiser), September 15, 2017.

Labyrinth Finale Ensemble - Dar Hejiroke

This night was the formal public launch of Labyrinth Ontario, a new initiative founded by local musicians Araz Salek and Jonathan Adjemian to promote "the study and enjoyment of global traditions of modal music". Bringing together some diverse ensembles, this night featured music of the highest calibre — an auspicious sign of things to come as the group begins to organize a number of teaching workshops and concerts next year.

Conceived as a finale to the evening, this brought together nearly all of the night's musicians into one mega-ensemble to raise their voices and instruments together on this Kurdish wedding song. When Bassam Bishara's plane was a little late coming in, it got shuffled before his set, but the quick flip allowed the night to keep moving.

Recording: Meden Glas

Artist: Meden Glas

Song: Trugnala E Malka Mome

Recorded at 918 Bathurst (Labyrinth Ontario Launch / Fundraiser), September 15, 2017.

Meden Glas - Trugnala E Malka Mome

This night was the formal public launch of Labyrinth Ontario, a new initiative founded by local musicians Araz Salek and Jonathan Adjemian to promote "the study and enjoyment of global traditions of modal music". Bringing together some diverse ensembles, this night featured music of the highest calibre — an auspicious sign of things to come as the group begins to organize a number of teaching workshops and concerts next year.

Exploring overlapping streams of Balkan folk music (mostly in the vocal tradition), this group brought songs from Dalmatia, Bulgaria, Kosovo and Greece, all united by modal polyphony. Richly emotionally resonant, a non-speaker of the language hardly needs a programme to sense the yearning spirit in this Bulgarian tune about a young girl being courted while heading to the well.

Recording: The Iranian Modal Music Ensemble of Toronto

Artist: The Iranian Modal Music Ensemble of Toronto

Song: Chahamezrab

Recorded at 918 Bathurst (Labyrinth Ontario Launch / Fundraiser), September 15, 2017.

The Iranian Modal Music Ensemble of Toronto - Chahamezrab

This night was the formal public launch of Labyrinth Ontario, a new initiative founded by local musicians Araz Salek and Jonathan Adjemian to promote "the study and enjoyment of global traditions of modal music". Bringing together some diverse ensembles, this night featured music of the highest calibre — an auspicious sign of things to come as the group begins to organize a number of teaching workshops and concerts next year.

I recognized some of the players here from other shows — most notably Araz Salek (tar) and Pedram Khavarzamini (tombak), who I saw recently exploring some Javanese/Persian crosscurrents with Evyind Kang and Jessika Kenney. The ensemble was completed by Mahan Nohroudi (santour), Padideh Aharnejad (tar), Kianoush Khalilian (ney), and Ava Ayoubi (bass tar). The set consisted of a few longer songs linked by solos and improvisations — all of it really beautiful stuff.

Recording: Chris Corsano

Artist: Chris Corsano

Song: [second piece]

Recorded at Double Double Land, September 8, 2017.

Chris Corsano - [second piece]

I had seen this American Underground percussion legend a couple times in this same space, but this solo performance was a whole other trip. His extended techniques (including some Rahsaan Roland Kirk-esque double reed drones) put this far beyond mere "percussion". When he addressed his kit, there was a constant kineticism and wonderful sense of barely-controlled chaos, such as when he'd keep adding bells and bowls on top his his drumhead, even as previously-added ones started tumbling to the floor. Also: strings, bows, gongs and who-knows what else, with all the implements feeling like a part of a greater whole. A really masterful and idea-dense half-hour.