Recording: C'est la fête Large Ensemble

Artist: C'est la fête Large Ensemble

Song: [set 1 excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Musica Universalis), May 6, 2026.

C'est la fête Large Ensemble - [set 1 excerpt]

Noting that their earliest phase was as a trio, one could note that C'est la fête has been slowly expanding, up to its current five-piece formation with the incorporation of saxophonists Maxwell Stover and Colin Fisher; this show pushed further in that direction by bringing in a pair of guests (Karen Ng and Mark Hundevad) familiar to all involved. That left opportunities for plenty of honkin', but some of the maximalist tendencies were reined in by Fisher's compositional fragments, and a willingness by the players to let things drop down to occasional duos and trios. All of that's in play in the piece excerpted here, which drifts along at the start while the players look in real time for directions to move together — and then gets real inneresting.

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

[Musica Universalis will be back in the Southern Cross with more music from Colin Fisher & friends on June 19th.]

Recording: C'est la fête with Mark Hundevad & Colin Fisher

Artist: C'est la fête with Mark Hundevad & Colin Fisher

Song: [set 2 excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Musica Universalis), August 11, 2023.

C'est la fête with Mark Hundevad & Colin Fisher - [set 2 excerpt]

Some excellent programming here from guitarist/saxophonist Colin Fisher, bringing himself and frequent sparring partner Mark Hundevad (vibes) together for two sets with C'est la fête, a trio of younger players Adrian Russouw (double bass), William Hunt (piano), and Mateos Labbe-Phelan (drumkit). The trio-plus-guests format meant there were opportunities for some big crescendos, but also chances to find space in dropping down to solos and duos. The younger players here also very much held their own, and this was, to use a technical term, some "high-level shit", suitable for the stage of any jazz festival you could name.

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

[C'est La Fête are playing (alongside cnrkrtz/%%30%30 and Owen Kurtz) at Parkdale Provincial Park on Friday (September 1st). Keep an eye out for more music presented by Colin Fisher at the next Musical Universalis on Friday, September 8th.]

Recording: Colin Fisher & Mike Gennaro

Artist: Colin Fisher & Mike Gennaro

Song: [3rd piece]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Musica Universalis), September 9, 2022.

Colin Fisher & Mike Gennaro - [3rd piece]

Having been a fair few years since seeing this pair celebrating a mutual album release, it was a treat to see them jam out in celebration of the new Tactile Stories. As always, Genenaro brought energetic volume on the drumkit, which Fisher complemented on sax and guitar. The night closed with "a little light jazz" in quartet formation with gusts Andrew Furlong and Patrick Smith, who had opened up the evening.

You can also watch some footage from this set over on youtube:

Recording: Patrick Smith & Andrew Furlong

Artist: Patrick Smith & Andrew Furlong

Song: [end of 1st piece]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Musica Universalis), September 9, 2022.

Patrick Smith & Andrew Furlong - [end of 1st piece]

Mark Hundevad was originally supposed to open this album release celebration for Colin Fisher and Mike Gennaro, but when he couldn't make it, a couple of his bandmates were drafted in his stead. That also meant they were in the right headspace to join in for a closing quartet in Fisher and Gennaro's set — but on their own they were plenty interesting, with Smith offering tasty lines on flute and sax while Furlong provided some structure.

Recording: Colin Fisher Quartet

Artist: Colin Fisher Quartet

Song: #5

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Musica Universalis), August 12, 2022.

Colin Fisher Quartet - #5

Bringing a set of new (and not yet named) compositions, Colin Fisher (on tenor sax and guitar) lead this imposing grouping through two sets of fiery unburdening. Mark Hundevad (percussion) and Andrew Furlong (double bass) drove things along, but the night's real hero was Naomi McCarroll-Butler (alto and clarinet) who was fully inspired throughout.