BRODIE WEST QUINTET
We could not be more pleased to welcome back the Brodie West Quintet; the last time the Toronto group played Bug Incision, it was when High Line Brewing was a mere fraction of its current size, and didn't have a stage to speak of. Alto saxophonist West is one of the most rewardingly enduring figures in Canada's limits-pushing avant-jazz community, from the earliest published projects like Zebradonk, through an ongoing series of recordings and performances with Han Bennink and Terrie Ex, his "avant-calypso" ensemble Eucalyptus, membership in groups like Drumheller and the Lina Allemano Four, and genre-hopping guest appearances with the likes of Jennifer Castle, Tasseomancy, and Broken Social Scene, he is simply a force to be reckoned with. This band is one of his current group offerings, and it's a rhythmically active, flowing, playful ensemble made up of some of the finest Toronto musicians: keyboardist Tania Gill (Tania Gill Quartet, The Titillators) and bassist Josh Cole (Kind Mind, Sandro Perri, Luka Kuplowsky) are flanked by the double drum action of Nick Fraser (Nick Fraser Quartet, Ugly Beauties) and Evan Cartright.
But hey, don't take it from us. Here's what a few respected media outlets have to say:
“West is among the most creative figures in Canadian music, reconstituting long-running conventions into musical puzzles as engaging as they are disruptive.”
- Stuart Boomer, Musicworks Magazine March 2022
“For the most part the music is lyrical, well-tempered and delicate, like a Monet but avoiding any suggestion of chocolate-box packaging through the album's undercurrents of unpredictability and angularity.”
- Chris May, All About Jazz February 2022
SECRETED LANGUAGE
Secreted Language is a brand new project from saxophonist Nate Waters, guitarist Brock Geiger, and percussionist Chris Dadge. To reduce these three simply to single instrument players is somewhat disingenuous; they are three of the more shape-shifty players in town, all appearing in different roles and on different instruments with different projects. Waters is a busy and respected member of the Calgary jazz community, just debuted his new trio with Jeff Gammon and Afo Fapojuwo, and leads his very own weirdo-pop project Eye of Newt (which includes Dadge and Geiger). Geiger has been recently releasing hot tracks from his new solo project (for which Dadge and Waters play in the live band), as well as being busy as hell at his Studio B recording zone (which can frequently be spotted capturing the playing of Waters and Dadge). Dadge has a very similar studio tan going thanks to hours logged at his Child Stone Studios, while also playing with acts like Chad VanGaalen (with whom he just recorded a new album), Temps (also featuring Waters), Hermitess, Ryan Bourne & The Plant City Band (which also features Waters and sometimes Geiger). And together, the three also play in Samantha Savage Smith's band, and appear, to varying degrees, in the bands of both Bennett Mitchell and Clea Anais (and have also backed up Victrix at various points). Yikes! What all this cross-pollination means is that these three have had ample time to noodle aimlessly, hit upon interesting ideas, then burn up long drives or flights talking about their current listening obsessions and how it all fits together. Without pulling back the curtain too much, let's say this project represents a nice Venn diagram of these musicians' interests, with a pretty big centre portion. The first of more to come.
DAVID LAVOIE
Those in the know will be hip to the fact that multi-instrumentalist David Lavoie has been making the scene recently playing none other than the electronic valve instrument - that's digital trumpet to you, and it's capable of some truly interesting vistas, especially in the hands of this monster. You might know Lavoie from a variety of sources: you may know his astute and engaging trumpet work with his own quartet or any number of other groups around town; he leads the angular post-punk group Temps; he plays drums in another post-punk group Bluffing; and he recently dropped a killer new LP of tunes he produced with Vancouver's Carson Tworow (it's called Teardown). Don't be late!