Hammeriver is an ensemble brought together by Australian harpist Clare Cooper to pay tribute to the lasting influence of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda. It is an interesting collection of players for this type of project, incorporating Austrian improvisers Christof Kurzmann and Werner Dafeldecker, plus two members of the great Australian band the Necks, as well asContinue reading “Hammeriver.”
Genre Archives
Daniel Kernohan, Editor. Music is Rapid Transportation… From The Beatles to Xenakis.
I’m an avid music collector with wildly eclectic tastes, and this book spoke to me like few books have before. I instantly connected with the accounts by the seven individuals involved in the project. In the book’s first section, music enthusiasts and contributors Lawrence Joseph, Dan Lander, Donal McGraith, Bill Smith, Alan Stanbridge, Scott Thomson,Continue reading “Daniel Kernohan, Editor. Music is Rapid Transportation… From The Beatles to Xenakis.”
Montreal New Music International Festival: 5th Edition. Montreal, Canada. February 18–26, 2011.
Being assigned to cover a new music festival such as Montréal/Nouvelles Musiques is somewhat like being thrown into a different space-time (and sound) continuum—one suddenly has the impression that new music is all there is to be heard all over the city, with ensembles, performances, and venues filled with enthusiastic audiences experiencing nothing but newContinue reading “Montreal New Music International Festival: 5th Edition. Montreal, Canada. February 18–26, 2011.”
Colin Stetson. New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges.
Saxophonist Colin Stetson’s solo outing displays his interest in multiphonics, spiralling repetition, and circular breathing. Inviting comparison to veteran Toronto player David Mott, Stetson’s playing exhibits an even coarser and more carnal tone than that of his forerunner. His sturdy, concise pieces seem to derive much from the energy of rock. The thick saturated textureContinue reading “Colin Stetson. New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges.”
Rouge Ciel. Bryologie.
Bryologie, named intriguingly for the study of mosses, is the third CD by the Montreal quartet Rouge Ciel, founded in 2001. When the group began recording, some of the members were around twenty years of age, and the band maintains that same personnel, with Guido Del Fabbro on violins, banjo, and programming; Simon Lapointe onContinue reading “Rouge Ciel. Bryologie.”
Joane Hétu. Récits de neige.
This is the third and final CD in Hétu’s series of compositions about snow performed by her Ensemble Supermusique. It’s divided into four multi-part segments—La Neige, Jamais froid, Rafales, and Paysages—but there are overarching patterns here, a profound experience of a season, the Quebec landscape (“Chaque chute de neige est une exposition d’art unique”) and,Continue reading “Joane Hétu. Récits de neige.”
Dafeldecker / Kurzmann / Tilbury / Wishart. Violet 2009.
This is the third in a long-standing series of collaborations initiated by Austrian musicians Werner Dafeldecker (electronics and bass) and Christof Kurzmann (electronics and clarinet), which see them teaming up with a small group of other improvisers. This time, the two musicians perform a series of improvisations with Stevie Wishart on hurdy gurdy and long-standingContinue reading “Dafeldecker / Kurzmann / Tilbury / Wishart. Violet 2009.”
Jason Kahn / Asher. Planes and Jason Kahn / Günter Müller / Christian Wolfarth. Limmat.
These two recordings provide a chance to hear Swiss-based improviser Jason Kahn in two sets of collaborations, both of which feature him improvising on analogue synthesizer with his fellow musicians. Planes finds Kahn in Boston in live performance with the Massachusetts-based sound artist Asher, who is credited with recording and playback devices. Kahn’s slow analogueContinue reading “Jason Kahn / Asher. Planes and Jason Kahn / Günter Müller / Christian Wolfarth. Limmat.”
Vancouver New Music Festival. Scotiabank Dance Centre, Vancouver, B.C. October 21–23
The Vancouver New Music Festival, under the artistic direction of Giorgio Magnanensi, is known for inviting performers from the breadth of the contemporary art world, featuring emerging artists alongside international celebrities, the whole lot unapologetically challenging the audience with demanding performances. In presenting such a wide range of artists, the festival often evokes controversy. “IContinue reading “Vancouver New Music Festival. Scotiabank Dance Centre, Vancouver, B.C. October 21–23”
Flow Festival. Helsinki, Finland. August 13–15, 2010.
Since its inception in 2003, Helsinki’s Flow Festival has become a major highlight of the Finnish music calendar. This year’s seventh edition certainly didn’t disappoint. Perfect summer weather, a unique urban site, top-notch programming, and careful execution combined to create excellent reviews and a record-breaking 50,000-plus attendance. While Flow’s programming is decidedly varied—genres ranged fromContinue reading “Flow Festival. Helsinki, Finland. August 13–15, 2010.”