416 - 2009

The ninth edition of the 416 Toronto Creative Improvisers Festival gets underway tonight at the Tranzac. I'm going to be MCing the Friday edition, which I helped program. Dougal Bichan will be stopping by the Abstract Index tomorrow at 7PM to talk about this jam packed celebration of some of Toronto's most innovative music.

Here's the description from the website:

The fest is a series of concerts, 3 a night over 4 days that feature some of Toronto’s finest improvising musicians. These improvisations often take the form of completely free-form spontaneous compositions, created entirely “in the moment, at the moment of performance, by the performers”. At other times, a drawing, or graphic, or other object may be used to inspire the music.

Tuesday, Nov. 17

9 pm
Lori Freedman solo- bass clarinet
and duo with guest Martin Tétreault

10 pm
Martin Tétreault solo - turntable
and duo with guest Lori Freedman

11 pm
Gordon Allen - trumpet, with a bunch of locals
Rob Clutton - bass
Tomasz Krakowiak - percussion
Ben Grossman - hurdy gurdy

Wednesday, Nov. 18

9 pm
Woodchoppers Orchestra
Dave Clark and friends, you never know who will show up. A collective of some of the finest improvisers hereabouts.They play with love in their hearts.

10 pm
Cracker & Shoe
Michael Keith - various strings
David Sait - guzheng

11 pm
Joe Sorbara's Other Foot First
Ken Aldcroft - guitar
Jay Hay - saxophones, clarinets
Nicole Rampersaud - trumpet, flugelhor)
Nate Renner - guitar
Ronda Rindone - clarinets
Evan Shaw - saxophones
Joe Sorbara - drums, percussion
Scott Thomson - trombone

Thursday, Nov. 19

9 pm
bitchin'
Dougal Bichan - guitar
Alan Bloor - bass, violin
Rod Campbell - trumpet, etc
Elliott Chapin - various winds
Jack Vorvis - percussion

10 pm
Quartetto Graphica
Mike Hansen - turntables
Arnd Jurgensen - guitar
Guy LeBlanc - electronics
Pao Torres - laptop

11 pm
Scarborough Streisand
Michael Keith - guitar
Chris Cawthray - percussion
Glen Hall - saxophone

Friday, Nov. 20

9 pm
Nick Storring - solo cello & electronics

10 pm
Amir Amiri - solo (Persian) santur

11 pm
Lamp Chops aka Simeon Abbott (prepared guitar) and Colin Fisher

midnight
Kyle Brenders Quartet
Kyle Brenders - woodwinds
Steve Ward - Trombone
Tomas Bouda - bass
Mark Seeger - drums

Saturday, Nov. 21

2 pm
416 Toronto Creative Improvisors' Pool Workshop
facilitated by Rod Campbell
Palmerston Library
560 Palmerston Avenue