Abstract Index Playlist - July 8/10

I've blogged about the Claudia Quintet, the best chamber jazz band in the world, before. With Royal Toast, they've done it again with another challenging and successful set of dense ensemble work that succeeds on every level.

Whether fiercely polyrhythmic or totally strung out and momentumless, the Claudias swing with an identifiably jazz feel, but are at ease with a dizzying array of genres and techniques.

What’s always so scary about this band is the songwriting: even if the listener may not know where the melodies are going, there is a distinct sound to each song to give it identity. And it’s so tough! Sample ready moments abound, whether in the dense, non-specific African textures of “Sphinx” or chillwave ready atmospheres of “Crane Merit” where minimalist breaks hang on for trancelike minutes at a time, like some post-rock fantasy gone mad. "American Standard", heard this week has a similar impact except with a syncopated cascade of notes from all members which turns the song inside out. Guest pianist Gary Versace fits right in on piano, adding to the percussive richness overall and another fiendish solo voice in full throttle rhythm fantasies like “Keramag”.

Podcast

it's about that time/willie nelson - miles davis (columbia)
american standard - the claudia quintet (cuneiform)
you talk too much - rudresh mahanthappa's indo-pak coalition (innova)
lal lal hothon pe - brass menazeri (porto franco)
pombaral - sao paolo underground (aesthetics usa)
caranito - peregoyo y su combo vacaná rmx by natural self (jus like)
batumata - nogdog & the bumps (no label)
hurt so bad - philly devotions rmx by dmitri from paris (bbe)
half moon - the swyannes (gallo)
tungalala - son palenque (soundway)
kid conga - leo justi & mc miltinho (no label)
clap trap - joe (hessle audio)
the origin - natural self rmx by eliphino (tru thoughts)
basta ya - el remolon feat. lido pimienta (zzk)
superpeople - earl sixteen (ariwa)
culture tree - i and i djangdan (bibim productions)
culture dub - echo (in tha chamber)
watcha - dub project 2 (m)
cave grill - arch m (no label)
palmflower black - mantrakid (urbnet)
free - bilal (plug research)
on a cloud - platinum pied pipers rmx by 14K (no label)
the U.N. plan - shafiq husayn (plug research)
yaya - mr. ok feat larose (masalacism)
war in the streets - webcam hi fi (no label)

Abstract Index Playlist - May 27/10

The vibe has changed.

Three weeks into my new time slot (and already behind on blogging) I'm starting to get used to my new digs.

Being neighbours with Jason Palma is wonderful. we really have a lot in common jazz-wise, and talking with him has spurred me to dig out more avant-soul-jazz than I'd been playing recently. Not surprisingly, I've also noticed that many other albums sound better at night than in the evening.

John Kameel Farah's Unfolding is one of them. Its fiendishly complex layers of keyboards, hand percussion and breaks take some time to appreciate, and probably didn't make their best impression when I played the disc during the dinner hour. But drop that shit at 10PM, and it's no wonder a happy listener called up to rave about it.

This has been one of my favourite Canadian releases of the past year, and as the title implies, I keep finding new avenues to explore within the dense sound. As the tags at the bottom of the post say: "electronics, Middle East, jazz/improv, 21st century composition" all collide with a purpose. I'm going to vote for it on my first round of Polaris Prize balloting.

Podcast

vala izwe - big voice jack (motella)
purity - music revelation ensemble (diw)
untitled/fantastic - suite for ma dukes orchestra rmx. by georgia anne muldrow (mochilla)
procisao - tamba trio (universal)
charade - the quincy jones orchestra feat roland kirk (emarcy)
expanse - john kameel farah (dross:tik)
8 mile road - the asphalt rmx by juju & jordash (deep explorer)
afro punk reggae - steel an skin (em)
chance (dub) - cobblestone jazz (k7)
bastard - high tone (jarring effects)
dj lillemor - band ane (jenga)
thoda resham lagta hai - lata mangeshkar rmx by daniel haaksman (man recordings)
back at caligari's - andrew downing (black hen)
limnoid pt 2 - aidan baker (alien 8)
restoration - the acorn rmx by four tet (paper bag)
underground - loop 2.4.3 (music starts from silence)
know love - twin roots (trojan)
whispering dub - skatalites (motion)
girl i love you - keeling beckford (hit)
spacing out - the invaders (duane)
rollin' home - dr. music (grt)
yes - cinister cee (neferiu)
loulou - orchestre african all stars international (albarika store)
can't get used to those - dimlite (afterlude)

Abstract Index Playlist - March 24/10

Full marks to Jonny Dovercourt for pegging my taste so perfectly. Tzadik released the magnificent Afrikan Machinery in 1998, and I slept on it.

In truth, I haven't listened to this whole album yet. But I'm smitten: in a few hours I'm off to the Music Gallery to see Lukas Ligeti live.

This music is a beautiful marriage of marimba and electronics. Ligeti (son of Gyorgy) plays an instrument called the marimba lumina. It was invented by Don Buchla, whose interfaces for electronic instruments (i.e. something other than a piano keyboard) have always been creative and versatile. Once this interface is married to Ligeti's compositional digestion a wide range of African and European rhythmic strategies, the sky is the limit. These songs seem to continuously unspool new melodies and variations: "polyrhythmic" seems too tame a description. But it's no mere math exercise, Ligeti has a ear for good hooks too, as in the pervasive whistling that enlivens "Great Circle's Tune I". No doubt this will yield new delights live.

Podcast

balafon dance system - lukas ligeti (tzadik)
velvet paws - move d & benajamin brunn (smallville)
see mi yah - willi williams/rhythm & sound (basic channel)
charlie - cafe neon (station 55)
alon basela - avishai choen (emi)
helelyos - zia (finders keepers)
africa - amanaz (qdk media)
rejoice pt. 2 - souljazz orchestra (strut)
anything worse - gaslamp killer (brainfeeder)
goodmorning sun - qua, rmx by aoi (mush)
tanga pa katanga - joe cain (time)
shanty song - bruce peninsula (bruce trail)
the beginning of the end - chris corsano/mick flower (vhf)
a story told - professor fingers (5 1/4)
dark and lovely - sub oslo (sueno)
musically dub - irie invaders feat adubta (step 4i)
riddim culture - citizen sound feat. richard underhill (vx)
shreveport shuffle - john frum (jahtari)
squadron face - fredo (tru thoughts)
yard music - joe gibbs & the professionals (lighnting)
wall street - jackie mittoo (soul jazz)

Abstract Index Playlist - November 4/09

Amid the chaos and hype of fundraising (please visit CIUT to make an online pledge - seriously, it would help this show a lot) was one serene yet pace-setting musical selection which gave hour 1 so much momentum.

This was the music of Muskox, a self described progressive jazz sextet based in Toronto whom I regret not having seen yet. 5 Pieces is one of the latest salvos of music from Standard Form.

You guessed it - the disc is five songs long. Whether experienced as a tight, focused suite or track by track, both the writing and playing are very strong. Despite the lack of a drumkit, these are highly rhythmic pieces. The percussive aspects of electric piano, vibes and banjo are deployed over math-rockish time signatures, but the overall effective is minimalist. On top of this thicket of pulsation are the airy cello, alto saxophone and even acoustic bass parts which create winding melodic statements. European classical, Appalachian folk and West African rhythms all creep into this hybrid, with a pleasing sense of understatement throughout.

I hope this merits some discussion when the Polaris 2010 chin-stroking sessions start to pick up steam.

There will be no podcast this week. Playlist is coming soon.

Polaris Music Prize 2009 First Ballot

It was more difficult than ever to come up with an initial ballot for the two-stage voting process that makes up the Polaris Music Prize. I listened to more music than ever before from beyond the already-heaping pile of promo that usually graces my desk. I'd like to thank my fellow jurors for recommending so much great music. I'd go so far as to say that this year has been one of great personal growth in terms of my outlook on music in Canada, and in general.

But even so, I found my picks surprised me. There have certainly been some hints in blog entries past, but my first five look like this:

Bell Orchestre - As Seen Through Windows

Blogged about it here. A tremendously interesting listen, sonically rich, fully realized concepts & never a dull moment. I never thought that these close associates of Arcade Fire would be my #1 pick but I still marvel at this disc.

Galerie Stratique - Faux World

My colleague Eric Hill at Exclaim wrote a great review of Charles-Emile Beullac's electronically reanimated visions of South East Asia. It's like the Up! of world music... fanciful, stylish, exotic yet personal, and emotionally affecting.

Justin Haynes & Jean Martin - Freedman

Wrote about it here. Ukulele & suitcase duet makes for a unique experience in intimacy. Myk Freedman is a buddy, and his beautiful songs are more than given their due in this minimal setting.

Charles Spearin - The Happiness Project

Of all the art projects in this top 5 - and every single one of my picks qualifies - this one is the only disc with vocals. But what he does with the vocals is incredible. Spearin teases out musical arrangements from speech patterns, and the sunny vibe of the album guarantees the listener's engagement. It's many things at once - "free music" in that it doesn't follow time signatures but is linked to easily relatable rhythms, and "world music" because what could be more global in its scope than interviewing one's neighbours in multicultural Toronto?

Last Step - 1961

One of 8000 discs released this past year by Aaron Funk aka Venetian Snares. I listened to all of them - cause it's worth it (at least until they slip the straightjacket on me) - before deciding that this was my favourite. Typically, it's miles ahead of most electronic ingenuity. Most importantly takes the piss out of super-serious bedroom boffins.

Near misses/other interesting records, in no particular order:

Jayme Stone & Mansa Sissoko - Africa to Appalachia
Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life
Masia One - Pulau
Slakah The Beatchild - The Soul Movement Vol 1
Timbre Timbre - S/T
AIMToronto Orchestra & Anthony Braxton - Creative Orchestra (Guelph) 2007
Women - S/T
DDMMYYY - Black Square
Lubo Alexandrov & Kaba Horo - Contrabanda
Daniel Nebiat - Hakimey
K-Os - Yes
Mantrakid - Palmflower Black

Abstract Index Playlist - Sept 19/07

The most on-point lautari band of them all, Tarf De Haidouks first recorded for the always-adventurous Crammed Discs in 1993. Their technical agility leavened with a bit of skronk, their impassioned singing and their sense of adventure has always been a hallmark. Last year's live disc The Continuing Adventures Of Taraf De Haidouks had all that and then some. I suppose somebody within or around the group asked the question "what's next?" as an artistic challenge.

Maskarada takes on the orientalization tactics of European classical composers, and "re-gypsyfies" them. It's an intriguing intellectual concept, but the execution is lacking. The band sounds oddly restrained until the inevitable "go time" as a piece climaxes. Some composers, such as Bela Bartok and Aram Khachaturian fare better due to their individual styles meshing better with the dense Taraf sound. Other tracks are unbearable, and represent the worst kind of musical in-joke. Bottom line is, they can't, or don't like, to play it 'straight' - right down to some cringe- inducing intonation.

Maskarada is mostly unsuccessful - however with a few kickass tracks. It's got to be difficult to adapt to new artistic challenges when you're a dozen or more players with distinctive instrumentation like cymbalom and accordion, but this experiment didn't really work out. Personally I think they should consider slowing down the pace and putting something out on Constellation.



Taraf De Haidouks Myspace feat. "Ostinato And Romanian Dance"

if you don't work, you can't eat - bobby byrd (king)
i'm a free man - freddie mckay (studio one)
soul of a village pt 2 - joe zawinul (atlantic)
taming the shrew - skerik's syncopated taint septet (hyena)
kidnapped - roy nathanson (aum fidelity)
ostinato and romanian dance - taraf de haidouks (crammed)
sebo psoriatic psongs - gypsy dance (independent)
celebrating new - torngat (alien 8)
ca la breaza - toni iordache (asphalt tango) check the YouTube clip!
once through - steve lantner trio (riti)
1/4 d'heure de culture metaphysique - sao paris (f communications)
flight in dub (dj cil mix) - love trio feat. u roy (nublu)
hera ma nono - extra golden (thrill jockey)
shut me mouth - ranking dread (greensleeves)
we're in this love together - dreamband feat. hermina george (independent)
dis ya a dub - bullwackies all stars (wackies)
i'm not crazy - don carlos/sinbad (greensleeves)
deception - ticklah feat. vinia mojica (easy star)
crash and dub - echo (inthachamber)

Abstract Index Playlist - Sept 5/07

In my continuing quest to find music with everything on it (sometimes it leads to heartburn), I've been getting some good mileage out of the crazy new disc from A_Dontigny on the consistently boundary-pushing Notype label out of Montreal. Eric Hill's review in Exclaim magazine does a nice job in summing up what's going on - well realized illbient (and faster...) beats quickly dissolving into puddles of electronic goo, where the decay of electric pianos is as important as any of the notes being played. Beautifully constructed sounds remain beautiful as they are smudged across multiple frequencies and the stereo spectrum. If you're a Plunderphonics fan, you'll find much to enjoy here, although I find Dontigny's work to be even more unsettling because it's hard to discern the overall mood of a pieces - he works hard to make sure our cultural assumptions regarding choices of notes, rhythms and compositional techniques are always kept off balance. Not that John Oswald didn't (during that phase of his long career) but I always find myself laughing at "Dab" or "Pocket" while admiring its mutant compositional style rather than reaching for the Tums out of a sense of disorientation. But, hey, a little ganja will take care of any musically induced queasiness - it is the way of the Index.

Samples from A_Dontigny's "Geistewissenschaften"

tulsa black - cecil mcbee (strata east)
auto retrato em tripas de cachorro - satanique samba trio (amplitude)
acrobat - drumheller (rat drifting)
firebirds - prince lasha and sonny simmons (contemporary)
minor figure - geordie haley's delta east trio (indie)
aeiou - konono no. 1 (crammed)
oblemou - gangbe brass band (harmonia mundi)
james brown ride on - orlando julius (vampisoul)
yeah yeah ku yeah - bokoor band (otrabanda)
hey ya! - shawn lee's ping pong orchestra (ubiquity)
cathedral of light - william parker (aum fidelity)
bird song - robin fox & clayton thomas (room 40)
tidying up after - mike hansen (etude)
all-over - a_dontigny (notype)

horton - low in the sky (pattern based)
dub darvish - joshua penman (lua)
80 creeps - teledubgnosis (wordsound)
dervish - the dub project (M)
nature lover dub - ticklah (easy star)
another one bites the dust - clint eastwood and general saint (greensleeves)