Recording: Gill/Homzy/Ng/Pitt/Riselli

Artist: Tania Gill/Aline Homzy/Karen Ng/Brittany Pitt/Mira Riselli

Songs: Blue Nile [composer: Alice Coltraine] + Lament [composer: Mira Riselli]

Recorded at Sellers & Newel (International Women's Day), March 8, 2026.

Tania Gill/Aline Homzy/Karen Ng/Brittany Pitt/Mira Riselli - Blue Nile

Tania Gill/Aline Homzy/Karen Ng/Brittany Pitt/Mira Riselli - Lament

This special IWD quintet was convened, I am given to understand, by saxophonist Brittany Pitt and saw her joined by Tania Gill (piano), Aline Homzy (violin), Karen Ng (alto sax), and Mira Riselli (double bass). No mere blowing session, this was a chance to hear some ad hoc arrangements of pieces by all the players, as well as works by Alice Coletrane and Carla Bley.

[I, myself, have been remiss in not hitherto taking in any of the fine shows put on at Sellers & Newel. Many of the this blog's faves are doing cozy gigs in the space and you should attend some! Keep an eye on their list of shows, or sign up for their email list.]

Recording: Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman

Artist: Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman

Song: [2nd piece]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior & Friends), March 8, 2026.

Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman - [2nd piece]

"This is a new one, Kurt," Ayal Senior said, leaning over towards Kurt Newman between songs. "I tried it solo before."

"All right," was the reply, immediately before a seemingly-rehearsed duo arrangement sprang into being fully formed. This is why it's worth dropping in to see the songbook being developed in realtime collaboration.

Recording: Nocturnes

Artist: Nocturnes

Song: [2nd piece]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior & Friends), March 8, 2026.

Nocturnes - [2nd piece]

A return for this occasional collaboration between Michelle Breslin and Ayal Senior, improvising three largely pastoral pieces.

Recording: Ayal Senior

Artist: Ayal Senior

Song: Nothing Goes On Forever

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior & Friends), March 8, 2026.

Ayal Senior - Nothing Goes On Forever

With an early March day of False Spring in the air and a robust lines of parents and kiddoes staring into the Southern Cross while waiting to get into Kidzac, Ayal Senior started his afternoon revue with an acoustic solo set that lead off with this tasty drone zone.

Monday Roundup #275

Concert announcements:

CCMC [Casey Sokol/Cheryl O/John Oswald/Christine Duncan/Mani Manzinani/Rick Sacks/Joe Sorbrara] / Array Space 2026-04-30 (Thursday). $free, livestream available. [more info]

New Music for Old Hands (feat. Labdara Bell Choir and Laura Gillis / Adam Scime) / Labdara Lithuanian Nursing Home 2026-05-02 (Saturday – 2 p.m.). $free. [more info]

Emily Beisel with Karen Ng / Sellers & Newel 2026-05-02 (Saturday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Track Could Bend #116 (feat. the rest [Joe Sorbara & Jonathan Kay] / Wobbly + John Oswald / Red Trillium [Andrew Finlay Stewart/Matt Nguyen/Justin Caporuscio]) / Wenona Lodge 2026-05-05 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Holy Oak Family Singers presents: Our Parents' Tapes (feat. Luka Kuplowsky/Tiffany Wu/Isla Craig/Justin Orok/Edwin De Goeij/Fan Wu/Aiden McConnell/Ivy Mairi/Carlyn Bezic/Robin Dann//Ben Gunning/Bram Gielen) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-05-06 (Wednesday – early) [more info]

Longing and Belonging: Music for Piano by Armenian Composers (feat. Eve Egoyan) / University of Toronto (Walter Hall) 2026-05-07 (Thursday). $free. [more info]

Hooper (No Frills) / Dina's Tavern 2025-05-08 (Friday). $17.31. [more info]

catl. (Kewpie Dolls / Thee Terrible Threes) / Dina's Tavern 2025-05-09 (Saturday). $17.31. [more info]

Night Owls (feat. Bob Wiseman / Lily Frost) / Hugh's Room 2026-05-14 (Thursday). $42.85 (General Admission), $27.27 (Student / Arts Worker / Underemployed). [FB event]

Ben Mike & The Beatles (Chris Ma) / Dina's Tavern 2026-05-14 (Thursday). $20. [more info]

Animatist [Shapeshifter Album Release Party] (Miserable Weekend / Paper Hats) / The Baby G 2025-05-16 (Saturday). $20.01, 19+. [FB event]

The Dan Pitt Trio [Dan Pitt/Alex Fournier/Nick Fraser] / Sellers & Newel 2026-05-17 (Sunday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Doug Tielli/Aline Homzy/Michael Davidson/Brandon Davis / Sellers & Newel 2026-05-23 (Saturday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

TONE presents: Double LP Release (feat. Glissandro 70 / Khôra & Mas Aya / Sweet Lips) / Standard Time 2025-06-04 (Thursday). $28.27, all ages. [FB event]

The Mike DeiCont Trio [Mike DeiCont/Leland Whitty/Eric West] / Sellers & Newel 2026-06-07 (Sunday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

TONE & Not Dead Yet present (feat. Afrorack / Phèdre / Arc & Texture) / BSMT 254 2025-06-16 (Tuesday). $34.49, 19+. [FB event]

Titanium Riot / Sellers & Newel 2026-06-16 (Tuesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

TONE & More Noise Please present (feat. Lucas 'Granpa' Abela / Death Kneel / Nimmie Amee / Triptych [Colin Cudmore/Kristina Guison/Colby Richardson]) / The Jama 2025-06-21 (Sunday). $17.52 (early bird), $22.89 (general admission), 19+. [FB event]

TONE presents (feat. Setting / High Alpine Hut Network / Shabason/Gunning) / The Jama 2025-06-24 (Wednesday). $22.89, 19+. [FB event]

TONE presents (feat. The Ex / not a band / Andy Moor & Yannis Kyriakides) / Cafeteria Upstairs 2025-06-25 (Thursday). $39.02, all ages. [FB event]

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

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Shows this week:

Garden of Forking Paths 7 (feat. Triio / Anonymous Hyena) / Gerrard Art Space 2026-04-23 (Thursday). $20. [more info]

Corpusse (Nice Mover / Thumbutler / Esther Splett) / The Jama 2026-04-23 (Thursday). $15/pwyc. [more info]

Karen Ng presents: Lucky Vicky (feat. New Chance / Hoover Party) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-23 (Thursday). $pwyc

All-Set! presents (feat. Molehill) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-24 (Friday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Exit Points #71 (feat. Dorraa/Torin Craig/Charlie Murray/Saad Aslam Ali/Theodore Walker Robinson / Krys/Achanté/Yalda Ehsani/Jaron Freeman-Fox/Michael Palumbo) / Array Space 2026-04-24 (Friday). $20 (advance)/$25 (door). [more info]

Jo Passed (Gift Idea / Sad Francis) / Dina's Tavern 2026-04-24 (Friday). $17.62 advance, $20 door. [tickets + more info]

The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-24 (Friday). $pwyw.

coexisDance #114 (feat. Reagan Mitchell/Irma Villafuerte/Aki Takahashi/Yvonne Ng/Georgia Korba/Aiyun Huang/more TBA) / Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre 2026-04-25 (Saturday). $15/pwyc. [more info]

Sympathetic String Band & Friends (feat. Sympathetic String Band / Gayle Young) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-26 (Sunday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Recording: Tap slap wind and light

Artist: Tap slap wind and light

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #114), March 3, 2026.

Tap slap wind and light - [excerpt]

When invited to breing something to TCB, Patrick Lefler invented this assemblage of all of the things in the band's moniker: tap dancing, "slapped" guitar, bass clarinet, vocals, balloons, and shadow puppetry. Add in plenty of space echo and set the whole thing off to drift and sprawl and stretch out its limbs a little.

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

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, May 5th with sets from the rest (Joe Sorbara & Jonathan Kay), Wobbly + John Oswald, and Red Trillium (Andrew Finlay Stewart, Matt Nguyen and Justin Caporuscio).]

Recording: Bill Gilliam

Artist: Bill Gilliam

Song: The owl watches us swim naked

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #114), March 3, 2026.

Bill Gilliam - The owl watches us swim naked

Bill Gilliam is well known for his work on piano (with and without preparations), but taking to heart the series' invitation to experiment a little with gear/content/technique he brought a rare set of electronic and electroacoustic sounds. With some deep soundscapes courtesy of an MPC, he presented some "imaginary familiars" with prerecorded poetry, a wordless story of an owl with some excellent radiophonic sound design, and a spaceward search for future paths.

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

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, May 5th with sets from the rest (Joe Sorbara & Jonathan Kay), Wobbly + John Oswald, and Red Trillium (Andrew Finlay Stewart, Matt Nguyen and Justin Caporuscio).]

Recording: Scallions

Artist: Scallions

Song: [2nd piece]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #114), March 3, 2026.

Scallions - [2nd piece]

This paid have been making explorations in improvised shredding for a little while now, but this was their first time out with their tangy band name.

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

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, May 5th with sets from the rest (Joe Sorbara & Jonathan Kay), Wobbly + John Oswald, and Red Trillium (Andrew Finlay Stewart, Matt Nguyen and Justin Caporuscio).]

Monday Roundup #274

Concert announcements:

Garden of Forking Paths 7 (feat. Triio / Anonymous Hyena) / Gerrard Art Space 2026-04-23 (Thursday). $20. [more info]

Corpusse (Nice Mover / Thumbutler / Esther Splett) / The Jama 2026-04-23 (Thursday). $15/pwyc. [more info]

Karen Ng presents: Lucky Vicky (feat. New Chance / Hoover Party) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-23 (Thursday). $pwyc

All-Set! presents (feat. Molehill) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-24 (Friday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Exit Points #71 (feat. Dorraa/Torin Craig/Charlie Murray/Saad Aslam Ali/Theodore Walker Robinson / Krys/Achanté/Yalda Ehsani/Jaron Freeman-Fox/Michael Palumbo) / Array Space 2026-04-24 (Friday). $20 (advance)/$25 (door). [more info]

coexisDance #114 (feat. Reagan Mitchell/Irma Villafuerte/Aki Takahashi/Yvonne Ng/Georgia Korba/Aiyun Huang/more TBA) / Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre 2026-04-25 (Saturday). $15/pwyc. [more info]

Fortunato Durutti Marineti (Long Branch) / Dina’s Tavern 2026-04-30 (Thursday). $17.55. [FB event]

What Is: noncompliance: The inputted value is unusual [workshop & performance] (feat. Rrose / Auto Feeder / Parkdale Pirate Radio) / Sandbox 2025-05-07 (Thursday). $20/$25/$30 PWYCA. [more info]

What Is: noncompliance: No memories available (feat. Qiujiang Levi Lu / Aliyah Aziz / Husna Farooqui) / Sandbox 2025-05-08 (Friday). $20/$25/$30 PWYCA. [more info]

What Is: noncompliance: Confirm humanity [workshop & performance] (feat. Shara Lunon / Nidus / Christina Dovolis) / Sandbox 2025-05-09 (Saturday). $20/$25/$30 PWYCA. [more info]

O Sacrum Convivium, Music for Corpus Christi (feat. The Tallis Choir) / St. Patrick's Church 2026-05-09 (Saturday). $35 (general), $30 (seniors), $15 (students). [FB event]

Girma Woldemichael [Nafqoté CD release concert] / The Redwood Theatre 2026-05-09 (Saturday). $20, all-ages. [FB event]

Picastro (Lives Like Skyscrapers / Jordaan Mason) / Annette Studios 2026-05-22 (Friday). $28.25. [more info]

Styrofoam Winos (Eliza Niemi / Roy) / The Baby G 2026-07-19 (Sunday). $20.01, 19+. [tickets + more info]

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

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Shows this week:

Josh Cole: new works for improvising musicians (feat. Aline Homzy/Nick Storring/John Oswald/Owen Kurtz/Josh Cole) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-13 (Monday) [more info]

Jen Lo/Julien Bradley-Combs/Ben Dwyer / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-14 (Tuesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Tania Gill & Andrea Scala / The Emmet Ray 2026-04-15 (Wednesday – 6:30 p.m.). $15. [more info]

The Evan Miles Trio [Evan Miles/Norbert Botos/Max Simpson] / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-15 (Wednesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Ladyfinger with special guests Jonathan Kay/Mark Zurawinski / The Emmet Ray 2026-04-16 (Thursday). $15.

Labyrinth Ontario's Makam Nights (feat. Sadaf Amini) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2025-04-16 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]

FORMING [Principal Interest LP release party!] (Erin Corbett / Garlic Jr.) / Handlebar 2026-04-16 (Thursday). $PWYC ($15 recommended). [FB event]

Handcrafted Music (feat. Martin van de Ven/Arie Verheul van de Ven/Chris Pruden/Yoshi Maclear Wall/Robert Diack) / The Emmet Ray 2025-04-16 (Thursday). $15. [more info]

Masahiro Takahashi presents Chanoyu (feat. Lee Paradise / Isla Craig / New Chance / Masahiro Takahashi) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-17 (Friday) [more info]

Gary Louris / Hugh's Room 2026-04-17 (Friday). $42.85 ($21.82 Arts Worker, Student, Underemployed). [tickets + more info]

New Music for Old Hands ["an afternoon talk/concert with composers who wrote modern music for amateur handbell choir and piano. The New Music for Old Hands project brings composers into long-term care to connect with the people who live there who play in an amateur handbell choir. Each matinee concert of this series will premiere a composition that came out of these meetings, performed by the Labdara bell choir and Laura Gillis (conductor/pianist). The composer will be present, in person or virtually, to give a talk and share some more music."] (feat. Vividness Trio / Labdara Bell Choir) / Labdara Lithuanian Nursing Home 2026-04-18 (Saturday – 2 p.m.). $free, all-ages. [more info]

Andrea Scala & Tania Gill / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-18 (Saturday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

B.A. Johnston (Sons of Butcher / Thunderkok) / The Baby G 2025-04-18 (Saturday). $21.53, 19+. [FB event]

Harry Vetro and Friends [Harrison Argatoff/Andrew Furlong/Harry Vetro] / The Emmet Ray 2026-04-18 (Saturday). $20. [FB event]

Unlikely Moon presents: an ambient afternoon (feat. New Chance / A L M A / Trustfall) / house show 2026-04-19 (Sunday – 2 p.m.). $15/$pwyc. [more info]

Art of Improv (feat. Mark Gane/Eugene Martynec/Bill Gilliam / Bob Wiseman/John Oswald/Jesse Levine) / Annette Studios 2026-04-19 (Sunday). $20 / PWYC. [FB event]

The Max Donaldson Quartet [Max Donaldson/Matteos Labbe-Phelan/Ian Afif/Max Stover] / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-19 (Sunday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Monday Roundup #273

Community notes:

• A cool initiative from Labyrinth Ontario with the launch of their Culture and Decolonization Reading Group. Over six Wednesday evenings (starting this week, April 8th), the group will be digging into the works of Frantz Fanon, led by Labyrinth Ontario co-founder Jonathan Adjemian. Free! Registration is not required but much appreciated.

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Concert announcements:

Josh Cole: new works for improvising musicians (feat. Aline Homzy/Nick Storring/John Oswald/Owen Kurtz/Josh Cole) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-13 (Monday) [more info]

No Aluminum Sextet [Cale Fladager / Lauchlin Wood / Taran Massey-Singh] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-14 (Tuesday). $pwyc/$15. [more info]

Masahiro Takahashi presents Chanoyu (feat. Lee Paradise / Isla Craig / New Chance / Masahiro Takahashi) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-17 (Friday) [more info]

New Music for Old Hands ["an afternoon talk/concert with composers who wrote modern music for amateur handbell choir and piano. The New Music for Old Hands project brings composers into long-term care to connect with the people who live there who play in an amateur handbell choir. Each matinee concert of this series will premiere a composition that came out of these meetings, performed by the Labdara bell choir and Laura Gillis (conductor/pianist). The composer will be present, in person or virtually, to give a talk and share some more music."] (feat. Vividness Trio / Labdara Bell Choir) / Labdara Lithuanian Nursing Home 2026-04-18 (Saturday – 2 p.m.). $free, all-ages. [more info]

Unlikely Moon presents: an ambient afternoon (feat. New Chance / A L M A / Trustfall) / house show 2026-04-19 (Sunday – 2 p.m.). $15/$pwyc. [more info]

The Titillators / Dina's Tavern 2026-05-03 (Sunday). $pwyw

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

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Shows this week:

Maggie Keogh & Harry Bartlett / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-06 (Monday) [more info]

Justin Orok presents (feat. Sarah Greene with Doug Tielli/Kevin Turcotte/Jean Martin/Paul Mathew/Sara May/Micaela Rae/Steven Noronha/Justin Orok) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-07 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc

Track Could Bend #115 (feat. Brian Abbott & Paul Newman / Ben Mike & Owen Kurtz) / Wenona Lodge 2025-04-07 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Peripheral Vision (Titanium Riot) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-07 (Tuesday) [more info]

Brodie West Quintet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-08 (Wednesday – early)

Riverrun [Tom Richards/Peter Lutek/Scott Peterson/Jake Oelrichs] / Reid's Distillery 2026-04-08 (Wednesday). $23.73 (advance)/$25 door. [FB event]

Never Was [Brandon Davis/Bea Labikova/Patrick O'Reilly/Joe Sorbara] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-08 (Wednesday) [more info]

Labyrinth Ontario 2026 Fundraiser (feat. Iranian Folios of Dastgāh / Yahya Geylan & Canan Sezgin Geylan) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2026-04-09 (Thursday). $25 (or more with donation!), under 18 free. [FB event]

Paul Dutton: Celebration of Life and Tribute Performance / The Supermarket 2026-04-09 (Thursday). [more info]

Kurt Newman presents Post-Bluegrass Bluegrass (feat. Isla & The Sorry Brothers [Isla Craig/Karsten Stryker/Kurt Newman]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-04-09 (Thursday)

Second Fridays (feat. Cale Fladager’s Hypogeum [Cale Fladager/Harmeet Kaur Virdee/Lauchlin Wood/Jack Stockhill/Aidan Miller] / Jen Lo / Dun-Dundasa 80 [Craig Dunsmuir/Josh Cole/Mike Smith/Nick Storring]) / Canadian Music Centre 2026-04-10 (Friday). $10/pwyc. [more info]

Cluttertones [Lina Allemano/Ryan Driver/Tim Posgate/Rob Clutton] / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-10 (Friday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]

Spanned Canyons (Geopatra / Turtle Pleasure) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2025-04-10 (Friday). $pwyc ($20 suggested). [FB event]

Audiopollination (feat. Dave Nelson/Piers Oolva/nyda & lief / Stik Sharpi/Sonia Leung/Aranya Khurana / Matt Nish/aisha sasha John/Victor O / The NMLS supporting Danielle Fernandes and Booty Jackson) / Arrayspace 2025-04-10 (Friday). $10/PWYC/NOTAFLOF. [FB event]

Musica Universalis (feat. Colin Fisher/William Hunt/Jack Johnson/Cal Adam) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-10 (Friday). $20/pwyw. [more info]

Caju Collective / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-11 (Saturday – early). [more info]

Cool New Instruments Night #4 (feat. Alex Raja Ven / Jordanne Chan / Sara Constant / Astrolope / Cookie Brunel / Alejandro Franco Briones / Colby Richardson / Michael Palumbo) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-11 (Saturday). $pwyc. [more info]

Toronto Improvisers Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-12 (Sunday – 12 p.m.) [more info]

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Sympathetic String Band / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-12 (Sunday – 2:30) [FB event]

Sonomadic Improv presents (feat. the clearing [Kayla Milmine/Jonathan Kay/Nick Fraser/Marilyn Lerner] / Happy Apple [Allison Cameron/Joe Strutt]) / Annette Studios 2025-04-12 (Sunday). $pwyc, snacks included. [FB event]