40 Results for : inflected

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    Bustello
    Out of the Tobacco Road region of NC, hotbed of indie rock music, come eight new tracks from Bustello. Bustello features Ben Clarke (of the critically acclaimed Metal Flake Mother) on guitar and vocals. After a 15-year hiatus, Ben has unleashed a bounty of great new material - these eight songs are just a sample of things to come. The trio is rounded out by bass player John Plymale (former Sex Police frontman, music producer) and drummer Jody Maxwell (also of the Sex Police). Bustello musically picks up where Metal Flake Mother left off, blending Ben's distinctive vocals and guitar with John's dynamic bass presence and Jody's incisive rhythms. CD review from the Independent Weekly: Given the pedigree, it's hardly surprising that Bustello's eight-song debut EP is this catchy and sharply written. Frontman Ben Clarke led early-'90s outfit Metal Flake Mother, which released music on Mammoth Records. Bassist and producer John Plymale played with local icons Sex Police and The Pressure Boys before becoming a popular local studio man with Superchunk, Squirrel Nut Zippers and Tift Merritt. Clarke's baritone croon lingers like smoke blown by the music's shimmy and sway here, echoing the shapely, summery warmth of Britpop acts like Blur and Pulp. The insistent mid-tempo hooks counterbalance any frothy undercurrent, with bursts of spiky guitar that recall the churn of Polvo. The resulting tension conceives a sound that's amenable but not necessarily easy-you can take it home, but you'd best not put Barry White on when you come through the door. While the songs are relatively brief (half barely top 2:30, and nothing lasts longer than 3:30), Clarke still leads his six-string through an exciting variety of paces, eschewing the typical repeated riff gallop. It gives the songs more staying power, if perhaps making them less immediate. Thanks in large part to that guitar approach, each track establishes it's own identity. The most personable include the terrific, rockabilly-inflected 'Flavorful Love' and pulsing opener, 'No Right of Mine,' which may be the most irrepressibly catchy number here, thanks to a great choral melody. The album-closing ballad, 'In the Void,' sounds something like The Replacements trying their hand at Britpop, swollen, textured rock plated by a bit of country swagger. Bustello often sounds familiar yet never entirely derivative, and they're infectious without pandering. This debut might not feature songs you immediately rewind, but like a bad cold, these tunes keep returning. CD review from The Daily News: Alternative rock outfit Metal Flake Mother didn't last long-their lone full-length "Beyond the Java Sea" dropped in 1991-but the North Carolina-based band's influence still lingers. After a 15-year hiatus, a new band, Bustello, and their self-titled debut EP represents a welcome return for the talented singer/songwriter. Clarke's baritone sounds as good as ever and Bustello shine on songs like "No Right of Mine" "Down South" "Playground" and "Flavorful Love." I'm anxious to see what they can do over the course of a full album. CD review from Blurt magazine: Bustello presents eight jagged, jangly pop tunes from Clarke's pen, rattling with hooks and sharp arrangements. 'Ocean,' 'No Right of Mine' and the almost-ballad 'Heaven' don't mess around, saying what they have to say as efficiently as possible and getting out. But you won't feel cheated - nearly every track is a fully developed, finely crafted nugget of pop gold.
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    Talent for Loving
    Romance is on her way to the discothèque and she's on the arm of Norman Kelsey. Norman's got a T.A.L.E.N.T. and he's going to share it with you. Put on this CD and get ready to party like it's your best night... ever! In Summer 2008, Norman Kelsey will be rocking select markets across the USA to promote his debut LP "A Talent For Loving." In May of '08, Norman played several dates in the UK, including two shows in the historic Cavern Club. Norman Kelsey is a charismatic singer-songwriter based in North Hollywood, CA. Born in Cleveland Ohio, raised in Jacksonville, FL, his influences range from Prince to Franz Ferdinand. With personal favorites like Michael Jackson and Martin Fry of ABC, Norman's sound is reminiscent of 80's new wave R&B. Kelsey alternates singing in a rapturous falsetto and with James Brown-inflected grit. As lead singer of Rush Hour Soul, Norman toured the UK in 2006, a barnstorming trip that brought sunshine and funk-rock to the North of England. He filmed the promotional music video for the title track in London with director William Archer. In 2007, Norman recorded his solo debut on two continents with producers Adam Marsland (Lincoln Lounge, Venice CA, USA) & James Rix (Monnow Valley Studios, Monmouth Wales, UK). The disc is forty minutes of sexy dance-floor fillers, heart-stopping slow jams and a terrace anthem about universal love. Now, get the disc while it's fresh from the funk factory. Norman's Vitals! Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio Birthdate: 6 Feb Eyes: Dark Brown Height: Taller than most, shorter than Shaq Favorite CD: Parade by Prince & The Revolution Favorite Snack: Twinings Everyday Tea and Lotus Biscuits Favorite American Football Team: Cleveland Browns Family Connection: His Dad is the actor/playwright, Herb Kelsey from Harlem, NYC. Norman Kelsey is currently unsigned, seeking management and a record deal. For more reviews, artist profile, and to interact with Norman Kelsey, please visit his official website: normankelsey.com Below are three complete album reviews: ### REVIEW BY CHRISTEL LOAR from PopMatters.com: Norman Kelsey's A Talent for Loving is a non-stop, dusk 'til dawn party. From the opening beat of the title track, which is both boastful and believable, to the closing command of "Love Someone", Kelsey takes you from the bar to the dance floor to the bedroom and back again several sweat-soaked times. He's a soulful R&B powerhouse vocalist, and he's somehow managed to combine perfectly some of the best elements of '60s-era soul and Motown with a sense of style and command not seen since Prince was at his funkiest. Tracks like "Done Lost My Mind" highlight Kelsey's slow, seductive, soul skills, while songs such as "Fall Out" will, as the chorus says, "Rock you so hard / We falling out of your bed." No worries if you're all alone, either. A Talent for Loving will have you dancing your ass off all night, flying on a rhythm-induced endorphin high. Rating: 8 out of 10 13 May 2008 ### REVIEW BY BOB DAVIS from Soul-Patrol.com: 'Norman Kelsey's album is what I would expect the 'first Lenny Kravitz album' to sound like. It's full of better than average rock, soul, funk, pop songs. Simple 3 minute songs with hooks, that you can bop down the Boardwalk to while you snap your finger. It's also got a few GREAT songs, that would be automatic hit records if they could be heard by the masses. And it shows a hell of a lot of potential for the artist himself to become a 'universal fusion artist.' It's the kind of an album that you can put on, leave on and think that you are listening to a Top 40 radio station from back in the day, playing a diverse set of music that somehow all 'works together.' The album as a whole reminds me of hanging out at the beach all summer and hearing great summer songs coming out of tiny transistor radios, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, that get played on BOTH the Black stations and the white stations. Buy this album now, it gets better and better with each listen, but wait till the summertime to play it for your friends, so that they can become hooked on this album, and not even realize why.' ### MICHAEL JACOBSON'S REVIEW COURTESY OF AUTHOR: Album **** For years now, Norman Kelsey has been a shining star in the Los Angeles music scene as the charismatic frontman of bands such as Bat Country, Rush Hour Soul, and Idle Kings. He has toured the world bringing his unique style of funk-infested pop and rock to fans on both sides of the Atlantic. One might say he owes his fans a love letter. A Talent for Loving is just that. Breaking free from the confines of a group setting, Norman has finally chosen to step out on his own and release his first solo CD, and A Talent for Loving trumpets his arrival with bravado and confidence. The singer, songwriter and bassist has been honing his chops and finely tuning his sound, which is a delightfully tight cornucopia of influences mixed into something new, fresh, and real. You might hear a little Prince, a little James Brown, a little Chic, a little Motown, a little Beatles, or a little Lenny Kravitz. These artists may provide an ingredient or two, but the soulful, danceable, soaringly harmonious end recipe is all Norman. But wait...I know what you must be thinking. In this age of the easily-downloadable single, why take my word for it that the album is a good as that? Maybe purchasing entire CDs has become too 90s for today's music fans. That's fine...then allow me to steer you in the right direction. If you want to sample it using DigStation, let me recommend the first song and title track. 'A Talent For Loving' was named the catchiest song at last year's International Pop Overthrow festival when Norman played it in London, and you'll see why. The sharp, jangling guitars and infectious hook will stick in your head, as well as get your feet moving. Now doesn't it feel good to cut loose and dance? Then why not keep your groove going? Download 'U Had the $' and the party won't have to stop. Norman's punchy bass line, combined with his impeccable harmonies and a snappy guitar will make sure your party doesn't have to stop. In fact, you can keep it going with a perfect trifecta of dance rock tunes. Download 'Sucka' and let the funky wah-wah guitars call you back to the floor, even if it's only the floor of your own house. Whew...that's a lot of energy for just three songs. By now, you might be needing a bit of a cool down. Download 'Everything My Heart Desires'. The CD's first ballad has a soaring chorus courtesy of Norman's amazing voice that seems to reach the stratosphere as he professes his love. It's a 70s groove made modern, and such a beautiful tune that my fiancée and I are actually planning to have our first dance to it at our wedding next year. Now that you're in the mood for romance, no need to stop there. Download 'Done Lost My Mind' for a gentle, open proclamation of sentiment. Get that arm of yours around someone you love and let the music guide you to the next level. But you shouldn't let the moment pass too quickly just because a song only lasts four minutes or so...be prepared, and download the spectacular 'Love Someone', the album's finale, to make sure your night doesn't end too quickly. Feels great, doesn't it? Time for a little post-romantic encounter pick-me-up. 'Everyone's Ingénue' is the perfect download. The Stones-esque guitars and hook will put a smile on your face, and the beat will get you back into the groove. No need to stop there...keep it going. 'Fall Out' is a crisp, punchy slice of funk and soul that will have you moving again, and if you're really feeling it, 'Roosevelt's Revue' will top off a perfect evening of fun and romance. After that, you might as well enjoy a nightcap...I always like a little pure rock to wind myself down to, and if you're like me, you'll want to download 'Down By Love' and 'I Can't Cry For You', two songs that prove Norman is an artist as comfortable in rock as he is in soul. By now, you've downloaded the enti
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    Gifts and Burdens
    (Special thanks to Bob Doerschuk) Here's what we learn from Holly O'Reilly's unforgettable new release, Gifts & Burdens. • There is magic in music - magic enough to sometimes see the future unfold in song. • You can make your debut, starting fresh, more than once. • Life can be generous, even in it's cruelty. Begin with the music. The melodies and words are magical enough. They speak with a folk-inflected eloquence darkened only slightly by modern ironies. "Your sickness is my weakness, 'til you're ready to say goodbye," she proclaims on "Lay Them Down," while on "One More Time" she ties passages of day and night, rain and sun, into seasons of the heart, always with a lilt that lifts each tune toward the light of gentle surprise. It's music like that that inspired critics to call O'Reilly "one of the best new songwriters around," (Tret Fure) "a force to be reckoned with," (Rockrgrl Magazine) "incredibly exciting," (The Recording Academy) "criminally ignored and unjustly under-appreciated ..." (Apple ITunes) If all this sounds familiar, it may be because you've heard these same raves applied to Holly Figueroa. In fact, O'Reilly's voice - alternately smoky, fragile, teasing, and earthy - recalls that of Figueroa, to an uncanny degree. There's good reason for this: Figueroa and O'Reilly are the same person - yet also different in more than just their names. In this respect, Gifts & Burdens is both a farewell and an introduction. Much has changed in O'Reilly's life over the past few years. And strange as it seems, she was forecasting these changes in these songs, without even knowing it at the time. Flash back to 1996. Holly Figueroa has left her youth in Ohio behind and put a life together in Washington State that combined the pleasures of family with her love for playing music. Traveling often with her daughter and younger son, she grew a following one venue at a time. From the Bitter End in New York to the Sweetwater Saloon in San Francisco, she shared stages with Dan Fogelberg, Barbara Kessler, Rose Polenzani, and Caroline Aiken, or headed the bill herself. Word spread faster when NPR's 'All Things Considered' discovered her and twice gave her national exposure. Her albums - Three Chord Plea, Dream in Red, How It Is, Live in New York City - inspired comparisons to artists whose only similarities are excellence and individuality: Lucinda Williams, Ani DiFranco, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris ... This was her position last year as she entered the studio in Tacoma with a group of friends, including producer Evan Brubaker, and began cutting the tracks that would become Gifts & Burdens. She brought the best of her recent material with her and nestled it into intimate acoustic settings. The results were beautiful, sometimes almost painfully so -- yet even though she was performing her own songs, she had no idea that they were speaking to her about changes yet to come. "All my songs on Gifts & Burdens were written between 2003 and '06," she says. "Looking back on it, I can only say, 'Wow, how could I not know I was in trouble?' I had no idea that in writing these songs, I was writing about my own life." That revelation hit in September 2006, one month after finishing the final tracks, as her husband announced his unhappiness and asked for a divorce. "I listen now to 'One More Time' and it's like ... duh," she says, laughing. "I know that duh isn't the most literary way to put it, but it says a lot. Or I listen to 'What You Wanted,' which I thought I was writing about some friends of mine who were separating. Eventually I realized that I was writing about how I thought my husband felt about me and how I felt about him a lot of the time." With this perspective, these songs began to feel more like messages, though at first O'Reilly was in no mood to listen. The project gathered dust as she reassembled the pieces of her life. Each day felt like a step forward, from trimming down to the point that this summer she will run her first triathlon. At the same time she pulled back from music, focusing her energy where it was most needed. A feeling arose that her days as a musician were past. "I couldn't even look at my guitar," she says. "I just wanted to concentrate on my kids and my health. I had toured so much, especially with my daughter since she was little, and I wanted to make that up to them. But then Evan kept after me. He said, 'You know, you need to get this record out.' And preorders kept coming in, around 600 after a while, some of them for as much as $300. So I had to do this. It was really difficult, but we took care of the mastering, figured out the artwork ... and we did finish it." She finished something else too, as she traded her married name for one that honors her lineage back to her Irish forebears. And with her family's encouragement, she has transformed the difficulties of 2006 into a process of rebirth and reclaimed the place she had once nearly left behind. "I realized that when I stop performing, it's like I've stopped breathing," she explains. "It's like, I have to eat. I have to breathe. I have to perform. But if I had to choose between performing and writing songs, I would definitely pick writing. Of course, I'm fortunate in that this is a choice I don't have to make." The Seattle Weekly says of "Gifts and Burdens", "the tunes often have a wistful, lonely, late-night quality about them but, at the same time, are not really a downer," O'Reilly is singled out as "sounding both compellingly contemporary and ancient simultaneously" by the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange. Gifts & Burdens has already inspired a flurry of praise, though none closer to the mark than Seattle Sound's review: "a gentle, moving example of well played Americana." For everyone who has weathered a storm and found the promise of peace in the light that follows, Gifts & Burdens bears special meaning. This music is about us as much as it is about the extraordinary Holly O'Reilly - and that, too, is magic.
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    Under Beautiful Skies
    When Steve Meckfessel fires up his Collings slope-shouldered dreadnaught guitar with it's sunburst tobacco finish, people turn and listen. With it's evocative chord progressions, haunting melodies and unadorned lyrics, Steve's music reminds us of what we may have given up for lost. With his music described as "jazz inflected, urban folk", this singer and original song-writer will pick and sing his way into your heart.
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    Telescope
    A simple yet beautiful album that combines spare, elegant electronics with plaintive, haunting guitar figures and honest vocals, conjuring images of cold, rainy city streets, long drives on stretched out highways in far away countrysides and summer nights under mountain stars. Take the long road away from a bad break up - or to your next fresh start - with this record. If, like me, you appreciate Pinback, Death Cab for Cutie and electropop with latin-inflected guitars, you will enjoy this record.
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    Wednesday's at Boom
    The melodies of the up-tempo blues 'Now What?!' and the Bossa-inflected 'Stay A While (mon Ameu)' are immediately memorable, coaxing you to sing along, while the sleek swing of 'Satisfy Your Soul' is likely to start your foot tapping and your body swaying. These songs are original compositions from guitarist Keith Jordan. Throughout the recording, Marco Chelo's tenor saxophone lines pose questions and then answer them with authority. John Austria's piano sound is stunning: listen to his fluency on 'Satisfy Your Soul' and dig his rhythmic interaction with guitarist Jordan on the lovely, lilting 'I Do,' another memorable Jordan composition. Drummer Vince Warren and Double bassist Fred Pratt supply a buoyant propulsion throughout, as well the occasional display of near-telepathic interaction with the other band members. Mali native Makane Kouyate's vocals and djembe take the fore and sound a clarion call on the band original 'Nonosi.' A highlight of Il Collettivo's live set, 'Nonosi' has been known to turn previously indifferent diners into shouting, dancing, napkin-swinging enthusiasts.
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    Dark Hum of the Butterfly
    Audio-lava has created a lush sound blending live drums with programmed drum loops, keyboard samples, lava like guitarscapes and the powerful yet delicately emotive vocals of Lisa Butel. All four members of the band sing, creating a rich vocal and electronic sound. Their music can be described as moody, groovy, jazz influenced, and experimental. Audio-lava has performed at many venues such as the Railway Club in Vancouver and various festivals including Seattle's Bumbershoot, Regina Folk Festival, Connect (Electronic + Tribal Music Fest), New Music West, the Vancouver International Dance Fest, Sista'hood, Deep Cove Daze and Commercial Drive Car Free Fest. Audio-lava performed "Oh Canada" at the opening ceremonies of a Saskatchewan Roughrider's game. Their songs have received over 40,000 plays on CBC's Radio 3 and they were picked as one of the top 20 bands for 2004 and DNTO's band of the week. They have received a major FACTOR c.d. loan and had distribution with Festival Records for an earlier release. They were recently awarded a FACTOR Demo grant to help with completion of "dark hum of the butterfly" released in spring of 2010. Their song Leaf from their "Embers and Icicles" c.d. has been included on CBC Radio 3's New Music Canada compilation Vol.1 and the Fabulous Gay Tunes compilation Vol.3 titled Lick. In 2005 audio-lava scored their first full-length feature film, Apartment 3, starring Ian Tracey. For live shows they perform as a four- piece band with sampled sounds or as a duo with backing sampled beats. The band includes Brent Cross (guitar, ableton live sampler, vocals), Lisa Butel (on vocals and Roland sound module), Jenny Beech (on drums and background vocals) and Lorri Dar (bass and vocals). The Band: Brent Cross has studied electronic music at VCC and is the primary songwriter. Brent records & produces audio-lava's music as well as other artist's music at his studio, Lavaland, in Vancouver. Lisa Butel has studied classical voice and has spent recent years exploring and experimenting in vocal improv groups and writing for the band. Lisa is inspired by modern dance, the human voice, improvisation/new music and humans themselves. Jenny Beech joined the band in 2003 on drums and background vocals. She has a music diploma from VCC and plays with The British Columbia Regiment Irish Pipes & Drums band and a dance fire troupe that performed at Burning Man. Co-founder and co-writer and drummer for the band NO MONA. Lorri Dar joined in 2004 and plays her funky bass lines and sings. Proud owner of Kokopelli Salon & Body Lounge. Co-founder and co-writer and bassist of NO MONA. REVIEWS: TOM HARRISON from THE PROVINCE "Lisa b. sets the tone of "embers and icicles", which is Morcheeba-influenced trance pop...She and partner Brent Cross create a warm, seductive musical tapestry....". SHAWN CONNER from THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT (December 5, 2002) - "I get it. Embers and Icicles = hot and cold. The hot part of the equation would be the smoldering vocals of Lisa b., while the cold is provided by the sci-fi keyboards and chilled-out beats of audio-lava.....Butel's jazz-inflected singing blends smoothly with her bandmate's cinematic synths, trumpet, and occasional Morcheeba-like spaghetti Western guitar". GERRY KROCHAK from the LEADER POST Regina "The debut full-length album is at once cool and warm, moody and jazzy, trippy and groovy, ambient and soothing, trance-inducing and oh, yes, very sexy...Univeral musical themes, notwithstanding, the sultry and emotive vocals of Butel are what set audio-lava apart".
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    Fringe Percussion
    Dance Music for Elfrid Ide was written in 1940, while Cage was on the Dance Faculty at Mills College, to accompany the thesis of graduate dance student Elfrid Ide. In three highly contrasting movements, this whimsical piece seems to have been a playground of compositional experimentation for Cage. Although written in the same time period as his better known percussion ensemble works, this piece was not written for or played by Cage's own percussion ensemble. After it's likely only performance for Elfrid Ide's Dance Thesis Concert in 1941, the piece was filed away in the Mills College archives and remained unknown until it's discovery in 2005. Originally unearthed in the form of two incomplete manuscripts, a new score and parts for Dance Music for Elfrid Ide were created by editor Don Gillespie. Fringe Percussion's relationship with this work came about thanks to a chance occurrence at Vancouver New Music's John Cage Festival in October 2006. Jonathan had arrived late to a concert and began chatting with Gene Caprioglio from Edition Peters, who had a booth in the lobby. Hearing about this newly discovered work, Jonathan asked if Fringe Percussion could premiere the piece. As a result, Dance Music for Elfrid Ide was given it's modern North American premiere by Fringe Percussion, joined by guests Marguerite Witvoet and Vern Griffiths, at the Vancouver Art Gallery's first dusk-to-dawn FUSE event on June 23, 2007. Darwin's Walken Fish Quartet (yes that's true, a fish with legs...) Aside from the obvious reference to evolution (but really, all music evolves/devolves in some way or another, whether becoming more/less complex or simply progressing through time) the other reason for naming the quartet after a Darwin fish was that the very idea of a fish with legs, and the type of locomotion that it would be capable of, completely fascinates me. I mean, can you imagine the way that a fish with legs would move??? The combination of walking/swimming/wiggling would be excellent. I think sometimes it would be more of a torsion-inflected style of side-to-side motion, and at other times perhaps it would hop. (These ruminations may well be reflected in the different sections of music found in this quartet.) -Jocelyn Morlock Marubatoo was originally written as a duet for marimba and tuba entitled Maruba. It was conceived as a conversation between Wyre, a percussionist, and his late father, a tubist. While corresponding with Tones in the fall of 2005, Wyre revealed a preference for an alternate version of Maruba-one that included a part for vibraphone. This trio version was never published or recorded. Marubatoo, in it's original version, is a percussion quintet version of Maruba, arranged for the ensemble Nexus. To the original trio parts (with bass marimba in place of the tuba) Marubatoo adds another marimba part as well as a part for crotales. The arrangement contained on this recording is a hybrid of these two versions. Fringe Percussion's interpretation of Marubatoo is based upon the work's unrecorded trio version, and is complemented by textural and colouristic elements provided by the crotales. Enginuity is a portmanteau on the words engine and ingenuity, and the piece itself is a synthesis of musical ideas from around the world. When Fringe Percussion commissioned me to write for them I immediately thought of the interlocking drum patterns of Balinese gamelan music, which I have been studying for a number of years. Skin and wood barrel drums are the heart of the gamelan, and they serve a truly melodic, as well as rhythmic, function. In Enginuity I gave the starring melodic role to the drums, which are tuned to create a four-note melody that gets split, in an interlocking fashion, between two drummers. There is also an oblique reference to Indian classical drumming in the use of a 23-beat rhythmic cycle, or tala, as a phrase structure throughout the piece. I call it an oblique reference, since I don't claim a great knowledge of Indian drumming, but I love the idea of these long, asymmetric counting patterns that feel regular and yet unpredictable at the same time. The more traditional Western percussion instruments of vibraphone and marimba, which usually take a prominent melodic role, are cast in a more supporting light for most of the piece, giving metric and harmonic reinforcement without taking too much focus away from the drums. The mallets do get their chance to stand out on their own and in duos with the drums, and by the end of the piece all of the instruments join forces in a joyful, unified texture. -Colin MacDonald Los Forwards began in the early 80s as a project to help me learn the operation of my first multitrack recorder. The original orchestration was for two marimbas and one percussion (it was a 4 track recorder and one track was click). Around the same time I was playing in an ensemble featuring percussion organized by Sal Ferreras. I brought the still unnamed Los Forwards to a rehearsal and with the addition of vibes, drums, more percussion, bass and guitar (to fit the group's instrumentation) it became a regular part of the ensemble's repertoire. When Sal asked me for the title of the piece all I could come up with at the time was Los Forwards (a small joke on lost for words, sorry!). Since that time (almost 30 years) Los Forwards has been used by many of Vancouver's percussionists, including myself, with many orchestrations for recitals, concerts and various percussion ensemble presentations. This is, I believe, the first time it has been recorded (other than my own home demos) and I'm delighted that Fringe Percussion has included it on their debut CD release. Thank you Jonathan, Martin, Danny and Brian. -Graham Boyle Fringe Percussion is a Vancouver-based ensemble dedicated to presenting works from the contemporary Western art music and non-Western repertories. It strives to strengthen the voice of local composers and global musical traditions through innovative programming, artistic collaboration, and dedication to musical excellence. The ensemble's repertoire connects to the expressive cultural traditions of Bali, China, Cuba, Japan, Ghana, and India. Fringe Percussion recognizes the vitality, beauty, and artistry inherent to world musics, and wishes to bring them to wider audiences. In so doing, Fringe Percussion's perspective is especially important. It communicates with many generations and many cultures, connecting well to the multifaceted, multicultural nature of the contemporary music scene. The members of Fringe Percussion are Jonathan Bernard, Martin Fisk, Brian Nesselroad and Daniel Tones.
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    Long Spun Thread
    Gabe Levine has roots in the Montreal music scene, where he led experimental-country act Sackville (1994-2002) and was a founding member of avant-Yiddish collective Black Ox Orkestar (2000-2007), both affiliated with Constellation Records. Now based in Toronto, his music continues to experiment with folk forms and traditions, blending them with creative songwriting and striking arrangements. 'Levine arranges his group like a wayward laboratory where each member adds subtle creations of sound to the ongoing flow. The result is at times starkly beautiful, but just as often icily transfixing, stalled in slow motion.' (NME) New disc Long Spun Thread is the fruit of a year-long collaboration between singer-songwriter Gabe Levine and producer Sandro Perri (well-known for his own songwriting as well as his electro project Polmo Polpo). Levine and Perri have gathered some of Toronto's finest improvising musicians for an album of intricate, folk-inflected experimental pop. Blending Krautrock beats, woozy soul keyboards, fingerpicked guitar, fragile harmonies and soaring strings and horns, each of these ten songs creates it's own sound-world to flesh out Levine's introspective and elliptical songwriting. Inspired by artists as diverse as Curtis Mayfield, Caetano Veloso, Michael Hurley and Arthur Russell, Levine and Perri combine classic song-forms with layers of sonic inventiveness, creating a music full of circular movement, wandering melodies and infectious rhythms. The players on Long Spun Thread are some of the most creative on the Toronto scene, comfortable in folk, jazz, experimental, improvised, and indie pop contexts, drawn from bands like Canaille, Muskox, Charms, Timber Timbre, Steamboat, Piege, Not The Wind Not The Flag and others. Their sensitivity, energy and inventiveness infuse Long Spun Thread with a joyful, community spirit, complementing Levine's songwriting and Perri's production. Long Spun Thread will be available online (all major sites), via mail-order and in selected Canadian independent stores on October 1, 2010. For more information: gabelevinemusic@gmail.com CREDITS Produced and mixed by Sandro Perri Featuring: Gabe Levine (vocals, guitars), Jesse Levine (organ, rhodes), Mike Smith (bass, string arrangements), Jessica Moore (banjo, vocals), Jay Anderson (drums), Brandon Valdivia (drums), Sandro Perri (synths), Julia Collins (violin), Mika Posen (viola), Nick Storring (cello) and Jeremy Strachan (flute and sax). all songs by Gabe Levine recorded by James Anderson at 6 Nassau (Toronto) additional recording by Sandro Perri mastered by Harris Newman at Grey Market (Montreal) album artwork by Anna Silverstein © 2010.
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    La Accordoniste
    L'Accordéoniste is a tantalizing new recording of cabaret-inspired music from all over the world, featuring three local virtuoso musicians - mezzo-soprano Kimberly Barber, pianist Peter Tiefenbach, and accordionist Mary-Lou Vetere, together with The New Berlin Ensemble: Julie Baumgartel, violin, Paul Pulford, cello, and Carol Bauman, percussion. L'Accordéoniste's eclectic arrangements evoke the smoky clubs of Berlin, the dance halls of Paris, the sunny shores of Naples, and the tango dens of Argentina. At the heart of each arrangement is the poignant, nostalgic quality of the accordion. The program includes the raunchy songs of Kurt Weill and his 1920s German cabaret contemporaries, the legendary Edith Piaf's signature tunes La Vie en Rose, and the CD's title track, L'Accordéoniste, and fresh takes on Italian sentimental favourites. Hypnotic dance rhythms like the tarantella, the tango and the habanera inspired several of the arrangements on L'Accordéoniste. Originally composed for bandoneon, Astor Piazzolla's Fugata is a tango-inflected salute to the fugues of J.S. Bach. Lila Downs' mesmerizing performance of the habanera Alcoba Azul in the film Frida inspired the full ensemble arrangement recorded for this CD. Viaggio Italiano is a thrilling tarantella medley that opens with a musical quotation from the Italian national anthem. Kimberly Barber, Peter Tiefenbach, and Mary-Lou Vetere are known individually for their virtuosity and versatility. Together, their rhythmic energy and ability to improvise freely within these arrangements results in an expressive tour-de-force and a fresh take on classic songs from the early 20th century. Mezzo-soprano Kimberly Barber has sung on some of the great opera house and concert stages of the world. Her career balances the standard repertoire with contemporary and baroque works with smaller, experimental companies. Her discography includes a solo recording of arias by Handel and Hasse (CBC Records), the title role in Handel's Rinaldo (Naxos Records) and Ravel's L'Heure espagnole with the LSO under André Previn (DGG). Peter Tiefenbach enjoys an extraordinarily varied career as a performer, composer and teacher. He has collaborated with many of Canada's leading singers including Maureen Forrester, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Brett Polegato, Sally Dibblee, Kimberly Barber, Russell Braun, and Donna Brown. He also appears frequently with duo-piano partner, Robert Kortgaard. With soprano-comedienne Mary Lou Fallis, he has co-written several shows which have toured throughout Canada, to the U.S., Japan, England and Iceland. Mary-Lou Vetere has performed extensively in three performance areas: piano, accordion, and voice, and is completing her PhD in Historical Musicology. As a mezzo-soprano, she has appeared as soloist in oratorios, operas, and numerous recitals in North America and Europe including her New York City debut in 2001 as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Beethoven's Messe in C and the Chorale Fantasie with the Orchestra of St. Luke's. Recent concert reviews for L'Accordéoniste: An entranced and captivated crowd was transported to the impassioned streets of war-time Europe on Sunday afternoon at Central United Church in Barrie. Led through a series of charming, cabaret-style musical vignettes by the ensemble known as L'Accordéoniste, the audience was touched by the despair of a Germany betrayed by Hitler and both the comedy and desolation of love sought and love lost in Italy and France. Soulful and heart-wrenching or quirky and heart-warming, the music was at all times poignant. Nationalistic flavours were instantly recognizable and were brought forth in arrangements of the group's own making, each performer drawing on vast improvisational skills and immense knowledge of era and style. This was a world-class performance. Bravo. (Marilyn Reesor, The Barrie Examiner, September 28, 2009) 3.5/4 stars for L'Accordéoniste CD If you love Kurt Weill and his contemporaries, as well as Édith Piaf, check out this self-produced album by Toronto-and-area based pianist Peter Tiefenbach, accordionist Mary-Lou Vetere, violinist Julie Baumgartel, cellist Paul Pulford and percussionist Carol Bauman, collaborating with mezzo-soprano Kimberly Barber. Here is the playfully caustic spirit of the late 19th-century salon and early 20th-century cabaret vividly and elegantly rendered in 17 tracks by people who clearly love the material. Instrumental pieces, such as Fugata, pulse with red-blooded zest for life. Barber adds a polished sheen to frothy little gems such as Weill's Berlin i'm Licht-Song, then turns around to apply dramatic force to Weill's tragic Sailor's Tango. (John Terauds, Toronto Star, July 28, 2009)
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