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: Adversarial Networks

Artist: Adversarial Networks

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #76), February 7, 2023.

Adversarial Networks - [excerpt]

I was eager to get a chance to hear this quartet, mostly because it involved some familiar faces making sound in a different way. Combining the talents of Caleb Klager (modular synthesizer/drum machines), Chris Pruden (keyed synthesizer), Luan Phung (electric guitar), and David Lipson (audio-reactive projections), this was no coffee-shop "jazz", instead heading down a dystopian highway into dark electronica, suggestive of wires and circuits slowly taking over their hosts, overpowering their senses, and inserting some malicious code.

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

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, March 7th, with two amazing trios: international sensations Jasper Stadhouders/Lori Freedman/Allison Cameron, plus Marilyn Yogarajah's Tree-Oh with Steve Dillon (Lovewizard) + Lucas Finkeldey.]

Recording: Furlong/Pruden/Chen

Artist: Andrew Furlong/Chris Pruden/Yang Chen

Songs: [two excerpts]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Music by Harry and Furlong), March 23, 2022.

Andrew Furlong/Chris Pruden/Yang Chen - [excerpt 1]

Andrew Furlong/Chris Pruden/Yang Chen - [excerpt 2]

The revival of this co-hosted series went ahead without Harry Vetro, but bassist Andrew Furlong admirably held down the fort in an exploratory trio alongside Chris Pruden (Prophet 6) and Yang Chen (percussion). The latter (spotted recently among some Labyrinth Ensembles) had a table of small percussive objects to tap and rattle, embroidering Pruden's synthsounds ranging from sci-fi soundscapes to the receding dreamzone that closes out the second selection here.

Recording: Furlong/Labikova/Pruden/Sorbara

Artist: Andrew Furlong/Bea Labikova/Chris Pruden/Joe Sorbara

Songs: [excerpt 1] + [excerpt 2] (feat. Naomi McCarroll-Butler and Patrick Smith)

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #56), November 5, 2019.

Andrew Furlong/Bea Labikova/Chris Pruden/Joe Sorbara - [excerpt 1]

Andrew Furlong/Bea Labikova/Chris Pruden/Joe Sorbara with Naomi McCarroll-Butler and Patrick Smith - [excerpt 2]

Drummer Joe Sorbara decided to celebrate a birthday in one of the best ways possible — playing music with some friends. To that end, he brought along Bea Labikova (sax), Chris Pruden (piano) and Andrew Furlong (double bass) to launch into some galloping sprints and quieter meditations. To close things out, he waved up saxophonists Naomi McCarroll-Butler and Patrick Smith, who had opened up the night, to add some Trane/Pharoah uplift.

Recording: Michael Davidson & Dan Fortin

Artist: Michael Davidson & Dan Fortin

Songs: H Moll (Zeitweisse) + Out of Love

Recorded at the Canadian Music Centre, March 23, 2019.

Michael Davidson & Dan Fortin - H Moll (Zeitweisse) + Out of Love

To celebrate the release of their new duo album Clock Radio (which has been in rotation in my ears for a couple months now — highly-recommended stuff!) Michael Davidson & Dan Fortin booked the intimate and sonically-rich living room-like performance space at the Canadian Music Centre. All the better to hear the resonant tones of Davidson's vibes and Fortin's double bass. Basically tackling the whole album as a suite, the pair were aided in a couple spots with some synth support from opener Chris Pruden, who adds a dreamy undercurrent to "Out of Love".

[Dan Fortin's Myriad3 will be playing at The Dakota Tavern's Jazz from the Cellar series in the early slot on Sunday, May 26th.]

Recording: Chris Pruden

Artist: Chris Pruden

Song: Spare Parts [composer: Tim Berne]

Recorded at the Canadian Music Centre, March 23, 2019.

Chris Pruden - Spare Parts

Opening things up for Michael Davidson and Dan Fortin, Chris Pruden brought a set of piano pieces, mostly his own compositions but closing with this Tim Berne reinterpretation bringing in some lush pads from his Prophet-6 synth.

Recording: Future Machines

Artist: Future Machines

Songs: two unknown songs^*

Recorded at The Tranzac's Main Hall (Somewhere There Creative Music Festival – Show 3), February 25, 2017.

Future Machines - unknown #1

Future Machines - unknown #2

The earplugs came out for the night's closing set from this power trio that dug deep into a sweet spot between math rock and Sonny Sharrock. I'd seen two-thirds of this group in the Tequila House Band, which worked in similar terrain. With Lorenzo Castelli (drums) and Chris Pruden (synth) providing the foundation, guitarist Matt Fong could go to town, tearing off some rapidfire shred moves.

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

Recording: Bryan Qu Large Ensemble

Artist: Bryan Qu Large Ensemble

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Array Space (Somewhere There's Second Sunday Series), August 14, 2016.

Bryan Qu Large Ensemble - [excerpt]

Over the course of the summer, this agglomeration has convened a handful of times to experiment with large-group free improvisation. Under the nominal leadership of saxophonist Bryan Qu (another young player from the U of T crew that's seeping into the city's creative music scenes) there's no conducting or prearranged cues, which makes it somewhat surprising that the group approaches things with relative restraint. Although the music crests in a series of Ascensions, you can generally follow individual players without things getting lost in a clamourous blow-out. The group were eleven deep this time out, as as far as I can work out, the contingent included: David Baldry (trumpet), Mark Ballyk (percussion), Evan Cartwright (drywalling tools), Belinda Corpuz (voice), Brandon Davis (bass), Emily Denison (trumpet), Chris Pruden (keyb), Alexei Orechin (guitar) Raphael Foisy-Couture (electronics), Vicky Mettler (guitar), and Bryan Qu (saxophone).

Recording: Tequila House Band

Artist: Tequila House Band

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at Holy Oak Café, July 23, 2014.

Tequila House Band - unknown

Full review to follow. A new-ish ensemble, this unit includes Evan Cartwright (drums, also of Tasseomancy), Matt Fong + Alexei Orechin (guits) and Chris Pruden (moog) in a series of jazz-funk/shred experimentations. This band's name might suggest they're looking for a ongoing engagement on a talkshow set, but if that's the case, they're closer to Space Ghost sharrock'n'roll than Doc Severinsen.

^* This is — I think — two separate pieces joined together. Does anyone know the title of them? Please leave a comment!