Session no.5 : April 17 2008 LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST Mike Smith Featuring Mike Smith from the band Muskox.  This session is a discussion of non-jazz instrumental music and how groups working in this exciting new medium interact with Toronto music scene.  Mike talks about what he's trying to achieve musically with this ensemble and some of the problems associated with making quiet music in bars.  Also: three weird things that have happened to Ben this week at three different shows. Links: Muskox's MySpace Page Muskox.com Session no.4 : April 17 2008 LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST John Kameel Farah My guest for session no.4 is John Kameel Farah, a concert pianist who's put his concert performances of Schoenberg, Stockhaussen, Chopin, and Bach on hold to invent his own music - a combination of live keyboards with electronic beats. Drawing on a massive range of idioms ranging from classical to jazz to electronica to middle eastern music while maintaining his own unique approach to music making, Farah presents a study of monastic artistry: in the world but not of the world.  Our conversation covers his compositional technique - and how this has evolved; his ambiguous identity in Toronto's music scene; and his ideas on cultural relevatism.  ...and somehow the theme from Star Trek gets worked into this too?  What's All This Then?! Links: John Kameel Farah's MySpace page John Farah.com			SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST: Subscribing to podcasts is free and easy to do!  The simplest way is to click on the iTunes image at the bottom right corner of this page - this'll take you right to the iTunes listing where you can just hit the 'subscribe' button.  Once you're subscribed you'll automatically receive each new episode as soon as it comes out! If you're using a program other than iTunes to manage RSS media, here's the text you can manually copy and paste to your 'subscribe' option to connect to this show: http://www.parkdalerevolutionaryorchestra.com/watt/watt.rss
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			WHAT'S ALL THIS THEN?! This podcast explores the work of Toronto musicians who push the boundaries of convention - not just by the nature of their music, but by where and how they choose to present their work. What's All This Then?! is about music, but it's also about the ideas behind the music: how creative people interact with our changing culture; how their work has evolved; and what they're trying to achieve. The podcast will feature interviews and music encompassing the greatest possible terrain: improvisation, jazz, contemporary classical music, electronic music, and the indefinable elements in between and on the borders. In addition to performers and composers, I'll be including interviews with concert presenters, organizers, and the media involved with this music - to give the broadest range of perspective and ideas. Through these conversations my goal is to provoke thought about what's happening in Toronto and what it means to the development of the city's artistic culture. YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON, RESPOND TO, OR BITCH ABOUT A WHAT'S ALL THIS THEN?! SHOW? OR JUST TO SAY HELLO? Feedback of any sort is always helpful: send an email to: ben@parkdalerevolutionaryorchestra.com If you write something interesting or extremely complimentary I might want to read your comment on a future show... if you'd rather I didn't, just let me know and I'll respect your wishes. YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR A WHAT'S ALL THIS THEN?! SESSION? Fantastic! Whether you'd like to be a guest or you have a suggestion for someone you'd like to hear interviewed, I'd love to know about it! Write me at: ben@parkdalerevolutionaryorchestra.com ...include some relevant links to music and information and I'll look it up and, if it's an appropriate subject I'll see if I can set something up.
PREVIOUS SESSIONS: Session no.5: Mike Smith April 17 08 watt005 track listing Featuring Mike Smith from the band Muskox.  This session is a discussion of non-jazz instrumental music and how groups working in this exciting medium interact with Toronto's music scene.  Mike talks about what he's trying to achieve musically with this ensemble and some of the problems associated with making quiet music in bars.  Also: three weird things that have happened to Ben this week at three different shows. Session no.4: John Kameel Farah April 17 08 watt004 track listing My guest for session no.3 is John Kameel Farah, a concert pianist who's put his concert performances of Schoenberg, Stockhaussen, Chopin, and Bach on hold to invent his own music - a combination of live keyboards with electronic beats.  Drawing on a massive range of idioms ranging from classical to jazz to electronica to middle eastern music while maintaining his own unique approach to music making, Farah presents a study of monastic artistry: in the world but not of the world. Session no.3: Scott Good April 06 08 watt003 track listing Scott Good, the new composer-in-residence with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and wide-ranging performer on trombone is my guest for session no.3.  Scott discusses the environment in which composers work, how both his music and career have developed over the years, and some of the difficult questions facing classical music.  We also talk about his involvement in non-classical music and a couple interesting projects he's working on right now. Session no.2: Caitlin Smith March 25 08 watt002 The music and ideas of Caitlin Smith: composer, clarinestist, and leader of the Tiny Alligator Large Band.  Caitlin Discusses the interesting artistic and practical concerns inherent to running a sixteen-piece group and why working in that medium is important to her music.  We also talk about how the band fits into Toronto's jazz scene and the changes that have happened recently in that community. Session no.1 Rob Piilonen March 20 08 watt001 This session focuses on improvisation: who's doing it, where, and how in Toronto.  Rob discusses the improv scene, his work with AIMToronto, what makes a good improviser, Toronto venues, and his ventures into all types of music.