Abstract Index playlist - Aug 23/06

I am guilty of being intemperate when it comes to the "indie scene" (crikey, not again...) of Toronto. Nevertheless, there is a great deal of open-mindedness and creativity amongst fans and musicians. That a fractured avant jazz band like Feuermusik can be embraced by a wide spectrum of indie kids is encouraging news. I'm a total dolt for not seeing these guys at either of the Extermination Music Night events, or at their CD release at Bummer In The Summer. They unfortunately won't be playing anytime soon as woodwind player Jeremy Strachan has moved to Newfoundland to pursue his studies. Then again, I don't know exactly what's going on, being pretty new to their music, so here's hoping they can play some gigs and promote this excellent album.

The template is perfect for busking: woodwinds and amplified buckets. Since it's busker music, the circular motifs of the parts makes sense: these forms could be extended miles beyond their length record - provided there were enough extra horns to pull it off 'on the corner' as it were. Tunes are very Brotzmann-like in terms of their demands on lung power - tunes like "Doppelspiel" sound like a particularly taxing exercises. But this is no off-the-floor session. Overdubs of massed horns make a huge difference, with luxurious and elegantly tailored arrangements ensuring that this album will get repeat play. With huge chords, clarinets and saxes massed together with more than a nod to Mingus, it comes out sounding more like ROVA or Vinnie Golia.

Gus Weinkopf's bucket drumming tends toward the 16 beats to the bar as practiced by the original bucketeer Larry Wright, but as the disc wears on he deploys more tricks to make the percussive elements more situational than continuous. His work on a full kit on the last track "Recessional" is a disc highlight - full of subtlety that the buckets can't deliver. His contributions fuse Strachan's lushly aggressive work to a solid groove reminescent of the 'tribal' drumming in no wave and early 80s dance rock.

So hush my mouth. Torontopia is a many splendored thing.

ancestral voyage/mystery succeed - daniel carter/reuben radding (aum fidelity)
les lumieres pt. 1 - bell orchestre (rough trade)
lost broadcast - triosk (leaf)
soul of the city - eldad tsabary (deep wireless)
eastern persuasion - reggie workman (postcards)
sirin - filifin (frikyiwa)
i will you - feuermusik (independent)
freedom of expressions - milton cardona (american clave)
yroco - jimmy sabater (vampisoul)
tra la la - the great deltas (jazzman)
macongo - lette mbulu (bbe)
i thank the lord - mighty voices of wonder (numero)
samabaleas - sao paris (f communications)
alone at my wedding - buscemi vs. kocani orkestar (crammed)
black renaissance - harry whittaker (luv and haight)
beloved gift - bernie senensky (do right)
i'm not ashamed - culture (vp)
shining light - king ujah (king ujah)
money is a barrier - leroy brown (discograph)
hey ho - dub syndicate (on-u sound)
new beginning - bush chemists (ROIR)
money man skank - half pint (vp)
fanga den - tiken jah fakoly (discograph)
poor people must work - rhythm & sound feat bobbo shanti rmx by carl craig (burial mix)