Recording: Labyrinth Ensemble with Âriâ Mohâfez

Artist: Labyrinth Ensemble with Âriâ Mohâfez

Song: Tasnif-e Parastu [composer: Habibollah Badiei]

Recorded at the Aga Khan Museum, May 3, 2025.

Labyrinth Ensemble with Âriâ Mohâfez - Tasnif-e Parastu

Another excellent night at the Aga Khan with the Labyrinth Ensemble, this time hosting Iranian santur player Âriâ Mohâfez. Although the concert followed the template that Labyrinth has been developing for the past couple years (an intensive rehearsal and teaching process leading up to the show, followed by a concert with suites of pieces punctuated by solo spots for the ensemble members) this had a different vibe than the previous shows — certainly a different sonic feel in how the strings related to the rest of the ensemble, but more strikingly, there was a shape to the presentation that saw the show's end eschew the "big finale" to instead close on a morally-resolute and solemn note with Mohâfez's pieces "Shokufan/Abloom" and "Nika", dedicated, respectively, to Iran's womens' movement and Nika Shakarami.

Recording: Labyrinth Ensemble with Maliheh Moradi

Artist: Labyrinth Ensemble with Maliheh Moradi

Song: Dar deyr-e moghan [composer: Arshad Tahmasebi]

Recorded at the Aga Khan Museum, November 2, 2024.

Labyrinth Ensemble with Maliheh Moradi - Dar deyr-e moghan

The latest in the Labyrinth Ensemble's series of group intensives/public concerts saw them working with Iranian vocalist Maliheh Moradi and exploring a mix of classic makam pieces and new sounds that emerged during the workshop process. And as usual, in between the graniose sweep of the full ensemble, some of the most striking moments came when that pulled back to duos and solos, showing off the diverse array of sounds that the ensemble contains.

[Labyrinth's Makam Nights series will not have a November edition, but will return on December 19th to the Tranzac's Living Room — and before that, some members of the ensemble (Roa Lee, Marta Solek and Sasan Salaseli) will be performing at Drom Taberna on Sunday, December 1st.]

Recording: Aline Homzy & Co.

Artist: Aline Homzy & Co.

Songs: Sister Mary-Ellen + Weird Nightmare [composer: Charles Mingus]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ghostgirl residency), June 11, 2024.

Aline Homzy & Co. - Sister Mary-Ellen

Aline Homzy & Co. - Weird Nightmare

The second instalment of Aline Homzy's Ghostgirl residency saw her joined again by Michael Davidson on vibes, as well as Julian Anderson-Bowes on double bass and Aidan McConnell on drums. Once more there was a mix of spectral stories and songs — though the first one here is not a ghost story, but rather a fond remembrance of a former neighbour, while the on-point latter selection was also a spotlight for Anderson-Bowes.

[The Ghostgirl residency continues in the Southern Cross on Tuesday, July 9th, this time with Aline Homzy joined by Devon Henderson, Aidan McConnell, Michael Davidson and Steven Noronha.]

Recording: Phung/Anderson-Bowes/Wright

Artist: Luan Phung/Julian Anderson-Bowes/Ian Wright

Song: #4

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (SynCirSundays), June 12, 2022.

Luan Phung/Julian Anderson-Bowes/Ian Wright - #4

With two guitar/bass/drum trios playing, this was a real chophouse of an evening. This fiery trio, lead by Luan Phung (and playing some of his compositions mixed in with an improvised exploration) was a precision operation — albeit one that wrangled its entertainment value by having its tightrope walkers untying knots while blindfolded. (Do not attempt this at home!)

You can also check out some video documentation from this set over on youtube:

Recording: Tara Kannangara

Artist: Tara Kannangara

Songs: Cinematic Beauty + Zero Seconds Pause [Deerhoof cover]

Recorded at Burdock Music Hall (Women From Space Festival – Night 2), March 6, 2020.

Tara Kannangara - Cinematic Beauty

Tara Kannangara - Zero Seconds Pause

It's generally acknowledged that the key to a successful sequel is in making things bigger and more explosive while staying true whatever it was that made the original feel special and unique. The second annual Women From Space Festival applied that maxim to great effect, cosmically expanding in all directions while nourishing its core ideal of creating Space for a diverse range of women-centred creative expressions. Joined by a nimble backing band (Matthew Fong on guit, Julian Anderson-Bowes on bass and Mackenzie Longpre on drums), Tara Kannangara showed off her pop side to close out this night — but her pop sensibility is expansive enough to encompass quite a lot of terrain, including her love of Sondheim showtunes, funky jazz-prog jams and even a shout out to "Saved By The Bell"'s Lisa Turtle.