"AT SOMEWHERE THERE"

It's a great pleasure to announce the release of WILLIAM PARKER AT SOMEWHERE THERE, his first solo recording in more than a decade, on Barnyard Records. Jean Martin has done a typically loving job with this one, which features an extraordinary 48-minute bowed bass tour de force, "Cathedral Wisdom Light," and two short musical sorbets to round out the disc: "For Don Cherry" on dousn'gouni and "For Ella Parker" on double flute. The artwork is by the musicWitness, Jeff Schlanger, which is appropriate since the live concert from which the recording and painting were taken (July 2008) served to launch the ongoing exhibition of Jeff's work in the Somewhere There foyer.

Both William and Jeff will be coming to Toronto for an extra-special celebration for three wonderful new releases on Barnyard. The text of the media release follows:

BARNYARD RECORDS TRIPLE CD LAUNCH 2010:

Date:
Tuesday, 2 March, 8pm

Christ Church Deer Park
1570 Yonge Street, Toronto
(just north of St. Clair subway)

Admission: $10 advance (available at Soundscapes, 572 College St., Toronto)
and $15 at the door; special price for new CDs, $10/each, at the event

Program:
Andrew Downing, Jim Lewis & Jean Martin

William Parker - solo bass

Christine Duncan conducts The Element Choir, a 60-voice improvising choir with William Parker (bass), Andrew Downing (bass) Jim Lewis (trumpet), Jean Martin (drums) , and Eric Robertson (pipe organ)

This very special event will feature legendary New York double-bassist, William Parker, launching his first solo CD in over a decade, William Parker At Somewhere There , recorded live in Toronto in July 2008 by Jean Martin. “[Parker’s] signature synaesthetic philosophy invites colour-drenched metaphors for the swirling forms sprouting from his bow and bass: Prismic refraction, gardens blooming, a harvest feast being prepared. It’s playful, as seriously playful as your life.”

It will also feature Christine Duncan’s extraordinary 60-voice improvising ensemble, The Element Choir, in collaboration with William Parker, bass; Andrew Downing, bass; Jim Lewis, trumpet; Jean Martin, percussion; and Eric Robertson, playing the church’s beautiful Karl Wilhelm pipe organ, to launch The Element Choir At Rosedale United. “They possess the musicality, playfulness, and restraint to allow these unique and, in the most sublime moments, overwhelming sound resources (not only instruments and voices, but also the space itself) to be harnessed and channeled into a tangible feeling of wonder. This is very literally a wonderful record.”

Furthermore, the exquisite improvising trio of Andrew Downing, double-bass; Jim Lewis, trumpet; and Jean Martin, drums and percussion, will launch On a Short Path from Memory to Forgotten. This passionate and lyrical sequence of group improvisations introduces one of Toronto’s extraordinary creative music ensembles.

In addition, the legendary New York-based “MusicWitness,” Jeff Schlanger, whose artwork graces the cover of William Parker At Somewhere There, will be there to paint all of the musicians while they perform. The Barnyard Records Triple CD Launch 2010 is much more than just a music concert. It is a massive gathering of sound and spirit, a celebration of the energy and talent that makes Toronto an international capital of creative music.

Quite simply, it will be an utterly unique musical and artistic event, the outcome of years of painstaking and original work by Barnyard Records and its artists.

Barnburner

Big thanks to all who came out last night to the Barnyard Records Three-CD Launch for as fine a party as ST has seen. Such a beautiful thing. Lots of great friends came out, including some whom I hadn’t seen in months, and the room housed a genuine air of celebration (amid the waft of some amazing cheeses Jean Martin [pictured] and I picked out for our guests). Christine Duncan was a splendid maitre-d’ and made everyone feel totally welcome – she’s surely got the job from now on if she wants it! The music-making, while very fine (especially Evan Shaw and Jean’s really brief tête-à-tête), clearly deferred to the party, and the hang went well into the night. It was especially wonderful to welcome Lori Freedman, whom I’ve barely seen and with whom I hadn’t played since we recorded Plumb in April. She sounds utterly fantastic. Our duet was a little underheated for which I feel a bit responsible – it’s tough to change gears from host to performer and I didn’t quite make the switch capably last night – but I’m licking my chops for my next shots at playing with her: the Montréal Barnyard Records Launch Party at Casa Del Popolo on 23 March and the Sound Symposium, St. John’s Newfoundland, 3-13 July.

Thanks always to Jean Martin, the Barnyard Visionary and truly one of the most affable, creative gentlemen you could possibly meet.

Singing in the Snow

It’s a brilliant testimony to the loyalty she’s winning that thirteen members of Christine Duncan’s Element Choir braved last night’s thunder-snowstorm for their regular Wednesday night slot at ST. As usual, and very much in contrast with what was going on outside, they made the room feel very warm indeed. That seemed to be enough of achievement for some of the choristers, however, who seemed content to chat and giggle while Christine’s razor-sharp cues whizzed past them. As a result, it took a long time for the group to achieve the precious sense of collective focus – fostered by Christine’s innate conviction to musicality – that can make these shows truly extraordinary.

Highlights, instead, came increasingly from individual contributors which, upon reflection, is not really surprising. Throughout the residency, I’ve heard both trained singers and amateurs (in the wonderful, French sense) hone their improvising chops through the crucible of performance. What’s more, I understand that Christine is now leading technique workshops for choir members on weekends, so the learning curve for many of these performers is excitingly steep.

Favourite moments included Aki Takahashi’s whispering, muttering, sibilant solo that she delivered theatrically, rocking on her knees as if in intense prayer. Christine then cued newcomer Jessica Stuart to mimic her, and Juliet Palmer to accompany them both, and the tiny results were breathtakingly emotional. Colin Anthony’s best moments all sounded beautifully like an old codger complaining underwater (I propose a new cue for the Choir in honour of Colin: “Old man and the sea”). Thom Gill, who also took the conducting reigns at one point, led an excellent trio with Juliet and Erika Werry with a solo that oscillated between the nasal extremes of humming and the bronchial extremes of inhalation. Finally, another newcomer to ST, Lawrence Cotton, introduced an over-the-top yokel bellylaugh motif in his rich bass that, enacting the contagion of laughter, Christine soon had a good chunk of the choir (and this listener, inadvertently and uncontrollably) reproducing.

In other news this ratty new year, it goes without saying that I'm looking forward to the Barnyard Records Triple CD Launch and Party on Saturday night featuring music by Jean Martin, Evan Shaw, Colin Fisher, Lori Freedman, and me. We'll do what we can to emphasize the 'party' part of the event. Rats in the Barnyard.