Recording: The Clearing

Artist: The Clearing

Song: [excerpt, in two parts]

Recorded at Annette Studios (Sonomadic Improv presents), April 12, 2026.

The Clearing - [excerpt, part 1]

The Clearing - [excerpt, part 2]

Sonomadic Music is an initiative from Kayla Milmine and Jonathan Kay to support artists and audiences with chances for joyful, focused listening. Their live series has had several shows in Annette Studios, which allows for some pro-level documentation. This group was originally conceived as a vehicle for Sam Newsome to perform with some local improvisers, but has evolved into its own standalone unit for thoise acolytes. Like Newsome, Kayle Milmine is a deep student of the soprano sax, which is a featured instrument here, for both herself and Jonathan Kay. The latter also deployed the baritone as well as some flute; Milmine continued her explorations of the sopranino sax, while both also shared a selection of bells, shells and other percussive implements. Providing a structure to the whole thing was Marilyn Lerner on piano and Nick Fraser on drumkit.

[You can keep an eye out for further Sonomadic Improv events at their instagram — and hear some past sessions over on bandcamp.]

Recording: Kayla Milmine & Sid Eillers

Artist: Kayla Milmine & Sid Eillers

Song: [improvisation]

Recorded at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (coexisDance #113), February 28, 2026.

Kayla Milmine & Sid Eillers - [improvisation]

The coexisDance series, which has been bringing together improvisers from Toronto's music and dance scenes for more than a decade, seems to have been thriving lately. Settled into Cabbagetown's CCDT, there's a proper floor and room to set up a large illuminated circle for the performances, musicians strewn around the perimemter and getting a chance to improvise with two different dance artists over the course of the evening. Raphael Roter has brought curatorial energy to the series, with a passion for bridging two vibrant communities that might not rub elbows enough. [Do note that these field recordings are, by necessity, "incomplete" without the dancers' physicality, but I think it's worth preserving this work from some excellent players in the community.]

Closing out the night, this set saw Milmine dipping into her trove of extended techniques for soprano sax, with plastic tubing and bells making an appearance, while Eillers provided vocalizations and facial animations, ending the set curled up in Milmine's lap.

[Kayla Milmine will be busy with several shows coming up, but I'm especially keen on this just-announced Sonomadic Music show at Annette Studios on Sunday, April 12th. There will be sets from The Clearing (Kayla Milmine/Jonathan Kay/Nick Fraser/Marilyn Lerner) plus Happy Apple (Allison Cameron & Joe Strutt).]

Recording: Duo BEAK

Artist: Duo BEAK

Songs: [opening and closing sections of an improvisation]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #112), January 6, 2026.

Duo BEAK - [opening section]

Duo BEAK - [closing section]

A new moniker for a longstanding friend duo, this set from Kayla Milmine and Bea Labikova saw them testing out some new instruments. Milmine, a longtime one-sax specialist on soprano has branched out with a sopranino saxophone, while Labikova (who also had the usual "electronic" set up with pedals and throat mic, as well as her alto) showed off her beautiful handcrafted gajdy, the Slovakian version of the bagpipe. That lead to some buzzing and squealing in the higher registers, as can be heard in the first section here as the pair explored how these instruments can share space. After further experiments with plastic tubing and throat-rumbles, things moved a little lower for the closing zone.

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

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday (February 2nd) with sets from OH GEE (Marilyn Yogarajah & Rod Campbell) and Ryan Kinney.]

Recording: Milmine/Vespaziani/Lynn

Artist: Kayla Milmine/Bob Vespaziani/Michael Lynn

Song: [1st piece]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #101), February 4, 2025.

Kayla Milmine/Bob Vespaziani/Michael Lynn - [1st piece]

Track Could Bend's one hundred and first show was originally conceived as a reflection on the very first one back in April 2015. One hitch there was that featured performer Michael Keith is out on the West Coast now (and still making music!), but Michael Lynn and Bob Vespaziani (who backed him on that gig) were available, so I asked them to propose someone to perform with. Bob suggested Kayla Milmine (who, by chance, played at TCB#2) and added that the set would be an acoustic one. The results were fully satisfying, with the trio exploring some different textures and techniques over three pieces, drifting and galloping in all directions

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

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday (March 4th) with sets from M.D.N.R. (Max Donaldson and Nate Robertson) plus Del Stephen's Totoloto.]

Recording: Kayla Milmine

Artist: Kayla Milmine

Song: [first section]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Kurt Newman presents: an evening of cool solos), July 16, 2024.

Kayla Milmine - [first section]

There were no unorthodox mouth-tubes or other alterations to Kayla Milmine's soprano sax this time out, but being the lone non-guitar player for the evening made her sounds more than distinctive enough.

You can check out some more from this set (and the rest of the evening's second half) over on youtube:

Recording: Kay/Milmine/Vespaziani

Artist: Andrew Kay/Kayla Milmine/Bob Vespaziani

Song: [two excerpts]

Recorded at Gerrard Art Space (Faster Presents: juice?$#%*), March 23, 2024.

Andrew Kay/Kayla Milmine/Bob Vespaziani - [excerpt 1]

Andrew Kay/Kayla Milmine/Bob Vespaziani - [excerpt 2]

This trio set saw horns up from from Kayla Milmine (soprano sax) and Andrew Kay (clarinet, bass clarinet, wooden flute) backed by Bob Vespaziani's expansive wavedrum sounds.

You can check out the complete set over on youtube:

Recording: Écureuil

Artist: Écureuil

Song: The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin [from a story by Beatrix Potter]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #88), February 6, 2024.

Écureuil - The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin

A new partnership of old friends, this pairing of Kayla Milmine (soprano sax) and Liz Lima (clarinet, voice) incorporated some stories from the animal world (including some poems by and about cats) in a free-ranging ramble.

You can check out some footage of the full set over on youtube:

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, March 5th with sets from mutepack and Piers Oolvai.]

Recording: Ladyfinger

Artist: Ladyfinger

Song: Fourteen [composer: Kayla Milmine]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), August 2, 2023.

Ladyfinger - Fourteen

Diane Roblin (piano + synth) and Kayla Milmine (soprano saxophone) played a set of their own compositions, bookended by a couple Wayne Shorter pieces. There was room for romps and laments alike, all infused with the obvious chemistry and affection invested into this ongoing duo.

You can check out footage of the full set over on youtube:

Recording: Holger Schoorl Music

Artist: Holger Schoorl Music

Songs: two unknown songs^*

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), July 30, 2023.

Holger Schoorl Music - [track 5]

Holger Schoorl Music - [track 7]

An intriguing set of chamber works from Holger Schoorl, performed by an ensemble that saw his voice and guitar joined by Kayla Milmine (soprano saxophone), Scott Thomson (trombone), Tania Gill (piano) and Mark Zurawinski (percussion). A series of shorter pieces were played continuously as a suite, often with linking segues in solos or duos. Occasionally melancholy, and occasionally working like off-kilter beer-hall songs, this sounded suitable as soundtrack material for a black-and-white art film set in a mysterious European village.

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

[Holger Schoorl will be bringing some different music to Track Could Bend on September 5th, alongside Pete Johnston and Scott Thomson in the trio Ancient Egypt.]

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

Recording: Wenderly Park Ensemble

Artist: Wenderly Park Ensemble

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Living Room (fuZzfest), May 13, 2023.

Wenderly Park Ensemble - [excerpt]

On the cusp of joining the exodus of artists departing Toronto, Fahmid "fuZzy" Nibesh put together an afternoon of music, good company, and food to celebrate some of the folks he has most enjoyed making sounds with/hearing sounds from. fuZzy's duo Wenderly Park has perviously proven malliable in adding guest performers, but this set saw things expanding exponentially with some maximalism being offered by Allison Cameron (synth), Mike Lynn (double bass), Kayla Milmine (soprano sax), Karen Ng (alto sax), and Jasper Stadhouders (guitar).

You can check out footage of the full set over on youtube (though apologies to Kayla, who is outside the frame throughout!):

Recording: Amrita

Artist: Amrita

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at Gerard Art Space (Faster presents), February 25, 2023.

Amrita - unknown

Rather a pleasing treat to return to this cozy east end haunt with Brian Abbott and Kayla Milmine reactivating their "Faster presents" banner. This first set saw the latter joined by tabla player Anita Katakkar for some Indo-jazz forays. This piece, with Katakkar singing the rhythm in the lead-up, tells about Lord Shiva embodying all sound.

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

Recording: Kayla Milmine & Mike Gennaro

Artist: Kayla Milmine & Mike Gennaro

Song: [second piece, edited excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #72), October 4, 2022.

Kayla Milmine & Mike Gennaro - [second piece, edited excerpt]

A genuine treat to present the first public show from this duo — although word is they've been rehearsing for a while. That showed in their communication, even if their improvisations didn't touch on any of the material they've also been working on. Meanwhile, it was interesting to hear the more subtle tones of Milmine's soprano sax pulling Gennaro — usually known as a powehouse percussionist — into some more restrained zones and contributing to some really interesting dynamics here.

You can check out some video documentation of this set of on TCB's youtube playlist:

[Track Could Bend will be back at Wenona on Tuesday, November 1st with a night of music presented by Splendid Industries.]

Recording: Kayla Milmine

Artist: Kayla Milmine

Songs: Lonely Woman [composer: Ornette Coleman] + unknown^*

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ornate Presents: Dark Matter Tapes double release celebration), July 22, 2022.

Kayla Milmine - Lonely Woman

Kayla Milmine - [last section]

A night of solo performances to celebrate a pair of solo releases on the Dark Matter label. There's no tape for Kayla Milnine's Moods of Yellow, but there were postcards and paintings on sale to celebrate the release, which documents Milmine's continuing explorations on soprano saxophone. In performance, there were new depths being explored, including a multiphonic low roar that's definitely not what's commonly associated with the instrument.

^* Does anyone know the title to this one (or any of its parts)? Please leave a comment!

Recording: Milmine/Haley/Morin

Artist: Kayla Milmine/Geordie Haley/Peter Morin

Song: [last section]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Main Hall (Women From Space Festival 2022 – Night 3), April 30, 2022.

Kayla Milmine/Geordie Haley/Peter Morin - [last section]

For the past three years, the Women From Space Festival has been an excellent encapsulation of its moment. Coming on the cusp of the First Big Lockdown, the 2020 Festival is remembered by many as the last event of the beforetimes, while last year's "hologram edition" was an elegant solution to the flatness of livestreams. And now, this year's Festival had to bear all the relief and angst of "returning to live" at this uncertain mid-point of the pandemic. Presented with joy and community spirit over four nights, the Festival was a chance to run into seldom-seen familiar faces and to hear a dizzying variety of sounds.

Another refraction of the Understory series, this set brought togther three musicians who had first encountered eacher other virtually for some realtime/in the flesh explorations, mixing festival co-founder's Kayla Milmine soprano sax with guitarist Geordie Haley and vovalist/percussionist Peter Morin.

Recording: Sam Newsome & Kayla Milmine

Artist: Sam Newsome & Kayla Milmine

Songs: [two excerpts from second piece]

Recorded at Burdock Music Hall (Women From Space Festival – Night 3), March 7, 2020.

Sam Newsome & Kayla Milmine - [excerpt 1 from second piece]

Sam Newsome & Kayla Milmine - [excerpt 2 from second piece]

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. Festival co-founder Kayla Milmine took the opportunity to bring her teacher and mentor Sam Newsome to the festival, offering a rare duo set of avant-approaches to soprano saxophone. Two stacks of preparations on the stage saw both players put aside their reeds for tubes and duck calls, but Milmine didn't attempt to outdo Newsome on that score as he deployed a vacuum hose, balloons, windchimes, etc. etc.

Recording: Stargoon

Artist: Stargoon

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Array Space, February 13, 2020.

Stargoon - [excerpt]

Stargoon is always an experiment and work in progress, so no surprise here to see Matthew Fava finding out in real time how some violin sounds in the midst of the maelstrom. The mix is a bit janky here, but one can still appreciate Kayla Milmine's sax grooves over the always-percolatin' rhythm section of Luca Capone and Jakob Rehlinger.

Recording: The BABEL Ensemble

Artist: The BABEL Ensemble

Song: Release of the Spirit [excerpt]

Recorded at Array Space (Remembering Arachnidiscs), January 19, 2020.

The BABEL Ensemble - Release of the Spirit [excerpt]

Jakob Rehlinger needed only some moderate prodding to put together an event celebrating the winding down his Arachnidiscs label after a twenty-year run — though once he was committed, he ran with the idea, turning the event into a proper funeral, complete with wreath and memory book. He also had the idea of combining some of the label's alumni into one-off ensembles for this show.

The prize of the night was a release celebration for the label's swan song, Thirteen Exquisite Corpses by Rehlinger's ambitious (and rather beautiful) BABEL Ensemble project, where each of the participants "improvised to a series of minimal synthesizer drones provided by Rehlinger, unaware of each others' addition, which Rehlinger then edited into cohesive works." This live set assembled four musicians (M. Mucci, Matthew Fava, Dominic Marion and Kayla Milmine) who had participated, and were edited together on the project's first disc. The resultant piece, like the album, was entrancingly cohesive, and a worthy dirge to wrap things up.

[Jakob Rehlinger will be making some solo sounds at the first instalment of Appetite For Deconstruction, a new series convened by Mike Barber, next Thursday (February 27th) at Wenona Lodge.]

Recording: Diane Roblin & Kayla Milmine

Artist: Diane Roblin & Kayla Milmine

Song: Nefertiti [composer: Wayne Shorter]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Jazz and Otherwise Improvised Musics), January 14, 2020.

Diane Roblin & Kayla Milmine - Nefertiti

Using a handful of pieces (including ones by Monk and Carla Bley) as springboards for improvisation, this pairing for piano and soprano sax found room to get dense, stretch things out, and end with a laugh.

Recording: Out to Lunch

Artist: Out to Lunch

Songs: Something Sweet, Something Tender [composer: Eric Dolphy] + Out to Lunch [composer: Eric Dolphy]

Recorded at Array Space (Kurt Newman Yuletide Music Party), December 20, 2019.

Out to Lunch - Something Sweet, Something Tender

Out to Lunch - Out to Lunch

This project from percussionist Mark Zurawinski is dedicated to reinterpreting the seminal Eric Dolphy album from which it takes its name. The mandate here is definitely not to be slavish to the original arrangements, as is probably indicated by the somewhat unorthodox lineup at hand: Rob Clutton (double bass), Germaine Liu (vibraphone), Brian Abbot (guitar), Kayla Milmine (soprano saxophone) and Mira Martin-Gray (no-input mixer). (The latter tune here also sees Kurt Newman guesting on pedal steel.)

The resulting stew is capable of moments of quiet clarity (especially in the small percussive gestures from Zurawinski and Liu) but also wig-out feedback bursts. That gives new flavours to these tunes, like "Something Sweet, Something Tender", which could be issued on a single with the musical tag "ballad with screech-groans".

Recording: Bill Gilliam & Kayla Milmine

Artist: Bill Gilliam & Kayla Milmine

Song: Creek Listening [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #55), October 1, 2019.

Bill Gilliam & Kayla Milmine - Creek Listening [excerpt]

Originally slated as a trio alongside percussionist Ambrose Pottie, the latter's absence opened up some additional space in this already-open composition, revealing some beautiful textures for piano and soprano saxophone.

[Kayla Milmine will be back at Wenona tonight (Tuesday, November 26th), playing a solo set for soprano saxophone and celebrating her new solo album. Track Could Bend will be back at Wenona on Tuesday, December 3rd, with sets from Daniel Pencer, No Angels Dancing, and Patrick O'Reilly.]