MUSIC (in) GALLERIES Program Announced / William Parker & musicWitness

First, apologies to those who had quickly become regular readers here. I've taken a hiatus of several months for no good reason other than 'life.' I hope now to get back to regular posting, though I don't expect to be writing about nearly as much as I'd first intended when I started this weblog -- the exigencies of running Somewhere There, keeping in playing shape, having some semblance of a life, and keeping sane make certain compromises necessary.

Now, I'm thrilled to announce the third annual MUSIC (in) GALLERIES, Saturday 26 July, along with a related event, the opening of the "musicWitness" art exhibition by Jeff Schlanger that night, with solo sets by our friend, legendary bassist William Parker. See here...

Somewhere There Presents:
MUSIC(in)GALLERIES – Saturday 26 July, 1-5pm
Live Creative Music in Twenty Queen Street West Art Galleries

For the third year in a row, MUSIC(in)GALLERIES will transform the Queen Street West art gallery district into a walking tour of Toronto’s vibrant scene of creative improvised music. At no cost to the public, small groups of musicians will enliven the distinct acoustic spaces of twenty gallery spaces between Trinity Bellwoods Park and Gladstone Avenue with short sets of live music during one afternoon in July; the first group will start at 1pm in the easternmost gallery, with subsequent sets starting at ten-minute intervals, moving westward. The event route ends at the Gladstone Melody Bar where, following the final set by Christine Duncan’s inimitable Element Choir, the 55 MUSIC(in)GALLERIES musicians as well as audience members are welcome for a late-afternoon event afterparty.

Then, that evening…

Opening of “musicWitness” Art Exhibition at Somewhere There
Featuring two sets by William Parker, solo double bass,
and live painting by Jeff Schlanger (8 & 10pm)

The Somewhere There Performance Studio (340 Dufferin Street, one block south of Queen Street), in an effort to extend the spirit of MUSIC(in)GALLERIES, will host an opening reception for a new exhibition by New York-based artist Jeff Schlanger (aka the musicWitness) in the Somewhere There foyer. The exhibition will feature Schlanger’s paintings of Toronto musicians in collaboration with legendary New York double bass virtuoso, William Parker that Schlanger painted in performance during AIMToronto’s January 2007 Interface Series with Parker. As a very special guest, William Parker will be on hand to play two sets of solo double bass (separate seatings at 8pm and 10pm) to mark the occasion, and Jeff Schlanger will paint him in while he performs.

Event Details:

MUSIC(in)GALLERIES 2008

Free to the public – each set will be approximately twenty-five minutes

1:00 Lausberg Contemporary, 880 Queen Street West
Michael Keith (guitar) & Aaron Lumley (bass)

1:10 Angell Gallery, 890 Queen Street West
Tania Gill & Justin Haynes (melodicas)

1:20 *new* gallery, 906 Queen Street West
Sarah Peebles (solo sho)

1:30 Edward Day Gallery, 952 Queen Street West
Feuermusik: Jeremy Strachan (reeds) & Gus Weinkauf (buckets)

1:40 MOCCA, 954 Queen Street West
Nicole Rampersaud (trumpet) & Evan Shaw (alto saxophone)

1:50 Clint Roenisch Gallery, 944 Queen Street West
Eric Chenaux (guitar) & Rob Clutton (bass)

2:00 Paul Petro Special Projects Space, 962 Queen Street West
Andy Yue (solo synthesizer)

2:10 Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, 984 Queen Street West
Geordie Haley (guitar) Robin Buckley (drums) Andrew Wedman (keys)

2:20 Ontario Crafts Council, 990 Queen Street West
John Kameel Farah (solo harpsichord)

2:30 Stephen Bulger Gallery/Camera, 1026 Queen Street West
Tim Posgate (banjo) & Victor Bateman (bass)

2:50 Xpace, 58 Ossington Avenue
Jean Martin (drums) & Jim Lewis (trumpet)

3:00 Gallery TPW, 56 Ossington Avenue
Jonnie Bakan’s wind choir with Robin Jessome, Steve Ward (trombones), & Paul Newman, Chris Willes (saxophones)

3:10 Lennox Contemporary, 12 Ossington Avenue
Holger Schoorl (guitar) & Pete Johnston (bass)

3:20 InterAccess Electronic Media Arts Centre, 9 Ossington Avenue
Mike Hansen (turntables) & Tomasz Krakowiak (percussion)

3:30 Lens Factory, 1040 Queen Street West
Jonathan Adjemian (solo synthesizer)

3:40 David Kaye Gallery, 1092 Queen Street West (entrance from Dovercourt)
Nilan Perera (guitar) & Octopus: Germaine Liu & Mark Zurawinski (eight-limbed percussion)

3:50 Engine Gallery, 1112 Queen Street West
Gregory Oh (solo harpisichord)

4:00 Loop Gallery, 1174 Queen Street West
Rod Campbell (trumpet) & Jim Bailey (curio)

4:10 Akau Inc., 1186 Queen Street West (entrance from Northcote)
Nick Storring (cello) & Kristen Theriault (harp)

4:20 Gladstone Art Bar, 1214 Queen Street West
Paul Dutton (solo oralizations)

4:30 Gladstone Melody Bar
Christine Duncan’s Element Choir

MUSIC(in)GALLERIES is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts and by the Toronto Arts Council.

Saturday, 26 July, 8pm and 10pm
Opening of “musicWitness” Art Exhibition
Featuring William Parker, solo bass, and live painting by Jeff Schlanger
Separate seatings at 8pm and 10pm, $15
Limited seating; advance purchase recommended
Tickets available through Somewhere There (sowehear@gmail.com / 647 669 0404) or at Soundscapes (572 College Street)

Somewhere There
340 Dufferin Street
One block south of Queen Street
Entrance from Melbourne Ave.
www.somewherethere.org

About William Parker: www.williamparker.net
About Jeff Schlanger / musicWitness: www.musicwitness.com

Press information and interviews about MUSIC(in)GALLERIES, “musicWitness” Exhibition, and William Parker performances, contact:

Scott Thomson / Somewhere There
sowehear@gmail.com or 647 669 0404