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Volume 11 Issue 5 - February 2006

  • Text
  • Toronto
  • February
  • Theatre
  • Jazz
  • Arts
  • Symphony
  • Mozart
  • Musical
  • Orchestra
  • Quartet

SoME THING New CONTINUED

SoME THING New CONTINUED On the flipside of this growing live film music trend, simply taking a film screening out of its natural context can subvert the balance between music and visual elements. This is surely part of Ensemble Noir's intent for their upcoming concert on February 9th at the Winchester Theatre, entitled Garage Noir. Anchored by Edmund Chan's new existential thriller film Garage (which includes music by Toronto composer Alice Ho) this concert promises music, from the uncharted recesses of the human mind, by both Ho and Patrice Morehead. Sounds like a chilling proposition for a cold winter's night. Finally, on February 26th we pay homage to innovators ahead of the visual music trend. Mixed media concerts and avant-garde music culture were brought to life in Toronto with the help of Avrom Isaacs and the Isaacs Gallery. Isaacs was known for wide-ranging efforts to introduce the public to innovations in art beyond the traditional gallery fare. Regular series of poetry readings and art film screenings were joined in 1965 by the Isaacs Mixed Media Concerts, noted as being some of the gallery's most ambitious programming. Arranged by Isaacs and composer Udo Kasemets, this series was the harbinger of what would eventually develop into Toronto's performance art scene. As a celebration of those days, Kasemets is offering two programs titled Isaacs Seen and Heard. The first, at Emmanuel College, Victoria University, celebrates the life and poetry of Robert Creeley. Creeley, one of the poets to contribute to Isaacs' reading series, was a known collaborator with a number of visual artists, including Robert Indiana and Archie Rand. Projected images by these two artists, and works by Creeley make up the core of the concert, with musical contribution by composer I violinist Malcolm Goldstein, and performances by singer I speaker Susan Layard and Udo Kasemets at the piano. Fortuitous indeed, to look back on where the trend of visual music may have begun. So take this month to reconnect with your senses. Reinvigorate the eye and ear through some thing new. (Jason van Eyk can be reached at 416-961-6601 x. 207 or jasonv@musiccentre.ca.) ONTARIO REGION M-•1--- ;;, '?iii': iiit:a CANADIAN MUSIC CENTRE CENTRE DE MUSIQUE CANADIENNE torontohearandnow roundup by Keith Denning New music events from across this fair city for February: Feb 3 and 4 at 8:00, the Art of Time Ensemble presents a concert entitled Music/Dance, featuring works by Gavin Bryars, John Cage and Prokofiev, choreographed by the likes of Peggy Baker and James Kudelka. This promises to be another winner from one of the more intriguing groups around, at Harbourfront Centre which is one of the better dance spaces around. Continuum presents Play ing In Tongues, featuring new works commissioned from Canadian composers Peter Hatch, Patrick Saint­ Denis and Michael Oesterle. The concert takes place at the Music Gallery, on Sunday February 5th, at 8:00. (Editors note: Continuum s current co-directors show up in "How I Met My Teacher " on page 56.) At the G Jenn Gould Studio Feb 12, Soundstreams Canada mounts a concert, called The Weaving Maiden, that crosses Western and Chinese musical and dramatic boundaries with two works by Chan Ka N in (The Weaving Maiden) and Tan Dun (Ghost Opera). What do you get when you cross Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, Accordes String Quartet, and an instrument ensemble including dizi, erhu, pipa, gehu, and Chinese percussion? _;, /'I '-/i~ ~ 1¥"·~£- ' } ~~-)f ~ ~ ~ . ~ '·.:r'-. ' l'' ?·~~ f!'_',,; . J~.~·,, , i3 ~ ( ;}~\ ; ) ·~~~ fr ~ j ;,.,,, . ,i'.r ~' >1 \ ;ii I}~}~··'\.. :· ..,.r "-1 '~'~ P'/ ,~ I ~ ,, 18;, ·~ _,.., . I '"'":! .t a • "'" ~i ,. tv . "·· -(·~ ,; •:·_ ·--} .. ;Alf~\..(.:, .. ~t ·~11 5 _>i :_ti~~!'

Jazz Notes by Jim Galloway Art for Art's Sake I HAPPEN TO BE A PERSON of considerable squirrel-like propensities and over the years I have gathered a sometimes surprising, mostly useless, but occasionally fascinating collection of memorabilia - newspaper clippings, notes, books, papers, photographs, music, old reel to reel tapes and cassettes. So I was sorting through some of my tapes and came across some out takes of a recording session I did more than 20 years ago with Art Hodes, releasing a small flood of memories. His is a name familiar to jazz enthusiasts, but, for the most part, overlooked in today's world of music. Born in Russia in 1904, at age 6 months he emigrated with his parents to the United States and grew up in Chicago on the tough West Side, took piano lessons and began gigging as a teenager. His first steady job was in the gangster-run Rainbow Gardens playing from 9:00pm to 4:00am for .00 a week plus tips. He stayed there for a year and a half. This was his musical apprenticeship in the Chicago of the "Roaring 20s", but he was to become a living legend among local jazz musicians through his distinctive piano playing, his writings (which included many articles and liner notes), or his work on radio and educational television. The Rainbow Gardens engagement led to a booking in one of the high class cafes on Wabash Avenue where there was a band earning .00 each and intermission piano player, our Mr. Hodes, getting .00 a week, plus those tips. The boss told him that if he ever made less than 0.00 he should quit. Art was there for several months and the first time he made less than the magic 0.00 - he quit! Most of the 1930s were spent in relative, but well paid obscurity until he moved to New York in 1938. There, from 1939 to 1945, he made a number of recordings which have become collector's items. During the years 1943-194 7, Hodes also edited a magazine, The Jazz Record and had a radio show. In 1950, he returned to his roots and Chicago. I was fortunate to know him in his later years and came to love the man as well as his music. We worked together many times and he was always an inspiration, not only musically, but in his philosophy towards living. Towards the end of his life Art suffered from a kidney disease and few of the people who enjoyed his music knew torontohearandnow roundup CONTINUED cert ( with singers Heidi Klann and Vilma Vitols) titled Vox Humana. The concert features the world premiere of Agon, a new work by one of Canada's rising stars in composition, Abigail Richardson. Also on the program are works by Harry Freedman, Murray Adaskin, Morton Feldman, Henry Cowell and others. Vox Humana is presented at Trinity St.­ Paul's Centre on Bloor St. W. One ofmy favourite local talents is pianist Eve Egoyan. Her cleverly named Earwitness Productions has been putting on genuinely enjoyable new music shows F EBRUARY 1 - M ARCH 7 2006 for quite some time now. The newest concert features the world premiere of a work by Linda Catlin Smith, entitled Ballad, performed by the piano/cello duo for whom it was composed: Eve Egoyan and Andrew Smith. This concert takes place at the Glenn Gould Studio, on February 22 at 8:00. Finally, New Music Concerts presents New at New Music, featuring new works by Denis Dion, Andre Ristic, Juliet Kiri Palmer and Charles Wuorinen. Artistic director Robert Aitken wi II take centre stage both as flautist and conductor, in this concert at the Glenn Gould Studio, on February 26th at 8:00. that each night after playing, he went on a portable dialysis machine which went with him wherever he travelled. Never complained about it, but was always graceful, personifying the simple human values that sometimes seem to be overlooked in today's turbulent times. Art Hodes died 1993 in Harvey, Illinois, but he is still very much alive through his music. Things to look for Art Hodes and listen to: There is plenty to choose from this month and here are just a few of the highlights. The first in a series of concerts under the banner of Toronto Downtown Jazz is on February 8th when The Bad Plus will be at Revival on College Street. Then on the 15th it is the turn of Chris Potter, also at Revival and on the 22nd, guitarist Charlie Hunter will bring his unique sounds to El Mocambo. Tuesday 7th of the month The Melody Lingers On at the Glenn Gould Studio with standards and originals performed by Mike Murley, Tara Davidson, saxophones; Guido Basso, trumpet/flugelhorn; Reg Schwager, guitar; Steve Wallace, bass and a string ensemble. JAZZ.FM9 l's 30th anniversary Sound of Toronto' Jazz Series will move to larger accommodations at The Old Mill Inn with the "Real Divas' Valentines Day" event on Monday, February 13 and on the 27th "Let It Slide", a tribute to the trombone. Meanwhile, over at The Montreal Bistro, if you enjoy the sounds of a swinging big band I'll be at The Montreal Bistro with The 17 piece Wee Big Band from Feb. 9-11 . We have added some fresh material mixed in with the old favourites and the band has never sounded better. Later in the month, 21 - 25 , a superlative pianist in the distinctive form of Joanne Brackeen will be Bistro-bound. WWW. THEWHOLENOTE. COM Like I said, lots to choose from, so wrap up, brave the cold and get out to hear some live jazz. In the Jazz Listings, next page "Jazz Clubs" is on page 50 Featuring some of Toronto's best jazz musicians with a brief reflection by Jazz Vespers Clergy Sunday, February 5th - 4:30 pm THE RUSS LITILE QUARTET Sunday, February 19th· 4:30 pm THE DAVE YOUNG TRIO Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge Street (north of St. Clair at Heath St.) 416-920-5211 Admission is free. An offering is received to support the work of the church, including Jazz Vespers.

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