L’OFF Festival de Jazz de Montréal will be held from June 23 to July 2, 2006. Here are some of the many featured concerts: the Jean Derome and Karen Young duo on June 23, the {nbio:lauzier_ph} {nbio:perkin_mi} {nbio:kuster_ro} trio on June 24, Pierre Cartier on June 25, L’Ensemble Pierre Labbé on June 26 and also the Trio Derome Guilbeault Tanguay on June 29.

Clarinetist Lori Freedman will give many concerts across Canada in June. On June 7, 2006, she will be at the Gœthe Institute in Toronto with Marilyn Lerner for a Queen Mab concert. On June 9, she will join the New Music Concerts Ensemble for the interpretation of a Xenakis concerto at the Glenn Gould Studio (Toronto). On June 11, she will take part in the Suoni Per Il Popolo festival in Montréal with the band FReC (a trio with Nicolas Caloia and Danielle Palardy Roger). Then, on June 17, she will plays alongside Barry Guy for a concert of the Upstream Orchestra in Halifax. Finally, {nbio:freedman_lo} will end the month in Vancouver, playing with the Western Front Quartet on June 23 and with a solo performance at the Vancouver Jazz Festival on June 25.

July 5th, 1961 is reminiscent of exactly that: a return to gritty ‘60s Britpop, sprinkled with a dash of B-52’s overtones. The Eastern Stars are a Brooklyn-based duo who are truly onto something. The male/female dueling vocal melodies create a creepy retro feel – I mean “creepy” in a good way – comparable to Said Sadly by The Smashing Pumpkins (Iha/Gordon). The instrumentation is simple but well thought out, and – while metaphorical – the lyrics are believable.

The first two tracks on the album (They Know What To Do and Lovely Love) are primarily acoustic. From that point on, however, the album begins to define itself through programmed beats, light distortions, and gentle feedback while still keeping a rugged pop feel. The band thrive on keeping listeners on their toes, as you never know who’s singing the next line or what the next song holds. Little Punk is my favorite: it blends soothing programmed rhythms with the sounds of early B-52’s.

The band are not trying to be something they’re not, which on some songs creates minor flaws. I found myself at times wanting a fuller sound, as certain tracks felt stripped down and bare. But I’m sure such an approach can be used as a blank canvas toward evolution on future albums.

I would recommend this record to anyone who likes creative, semi-experimental music. It is fun, meaningful music that you won’t hear on MTV. The Eastern Stars most likely will never become stars at all, but I’m sure we’re all okay with that.

Robert is a sound artist from Quebec. Originally working as an architect he changed to music in the 80s. First results were released by the label of Chris Cutler, ReR Records. In the 90s he founded with Christof Migone the Avatar collective, a center for soundart in Quebec. Now Ambiances Magnétiques creates a new opportunity for learning more about his work. The box contains four different and extensive works. The set starts with 6 Drawers, 4 Spoons (Souk Souk). This work starts with environmental sounds, followed by gentle guitar-playing by Robert and Éric Gagnon, treated orchestral sounds, ethnic recordings, speeded up noisy rock, etc. At the end the guitar-playing returns. CD two has a forty minute piece called Slow Sparks from the Split-Voiced Buddha. It begins and ends with a field recording of traditional singing by workers in Lhasa to and in between we hear what the title indicates ‘slow sparks from the split-voiced buddha’, in other words long sustained notes and drones that are derived from the field-recordings. Les scaphandres which fills up the third CD is another 40 minute piece divided in 6 parts worked out Robert and Laetitia Sonami. Part one starts with very harsh noises. It deals with a text, but not approached as written language, but as a numerical object. On CD four Robert cooperates with Louis Ouellet in ‘24 exercises de parallaxe’. 24 variations all of almost the same length for piano mécanique. Composition and computer programming make up the constitutive elements of this work. Of all four works this is the most ‘musical’ one in the traditional sense of the word. No doubt a release of this format, offers a representative introduction to the work of Robert.

Composé de deux improvisatrices vocales et d’un percussionniste, ce trio nous offre un album plutôt mélodique tout en étant totalement improvisé. On sent qu’Idiolalla est le résultat d’une convergence de trois musiciens et non d’une confrontation; les uns s’insèrent dans le jeux des autres pour aboutir à des impros cohérentes. Dans son jeu, Jean Martin est présent sans pur autant s’imposer avec ses percussions. Il insuffle une dynamique rythmique qui encadre le jeu des deux chanteuses. Un disque recommandé à ceux qui veulent s’initier à de l’improvisation vocale accessible sans pour autant lésiner sur la qualité. Christine Duncan et Jean Martin seront avec leur groupe Barnyard Drama au FIMAV ce soir le 18 mai [2006].

Inspired by his fascination for Ringo Starr, Martin Tétreault will present a drum solo with 4 turntables on June 2, 2006, part of the Mutek festival. Exceptionally joined by Alexander MacSween, his performance will be held at the Société des arts technologiques (Montréal).