Improvising Musicians of Ottawa/Outaouais

Our bimonthly concert series is held every other Sunday (usually the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month) at 7pm at Umi Café (610 Somerset Street W, Ottawa). Admission is always a suggested donation of $5 or pay what you can. For a full list of past and upcoming concerts, click here.

January 29, 2012: #43 – Saul Goodman

• Beatlash (Théan Slabbert) – guitar
• Dolla Menu (Chris Burling) – percussion

Saul Goodman is an Ottawa-based musical duo comprised of Beatlash (guitar) and Chris “Dolla Menu” Burling (percussion). They met while studying composition at the University of Ottawa, and started playing together regularly. Their music is largely spontaneous, influenced by the sounds of folk, hip-hop and post-rock, with elements of noise, minimalism and experimental music. Find Saul Goodman online at: saulgoodman.bandcamp.com

Click here to RSVP on facebook and let us know you’re coming to concert #43

February 5, 2012: #44 – Gillian Kirkland and Brandon Wint

• Gillian Kirkland – accordion, voice
• Brandon Wint – spoken word
• Philippe Charbonneau – bass
• Michel Delage – drums

Brandon Wint is an Ottawa based writer and performer of spoken word poetry. Since discovering his aptitude for spoken word in March of 2008, Brandon has dedicated his life to uncovering the inherently beautiful and poetic elements that exist in every part of life. As a poet, he is also deeply influenced by the stories and images that explore the human condition. He is therefore often compelled to investigate the themes of mortality, confusion, love and fear in his writing. Brandon has been a member of two National Championship winning poetry slam teams, and has toured the country extensively as a performer.

Gillian Kirkland is a singer, composer and accordionist. Her music is sometimes described as Neo-Cabaret with influences ranging from classical European to American folk and jazz traditions. Before moving to Ottawa in 2009, she lived for many years in Montreal where she was a member of the experimental vocal ensemble Mruta Mertsi. She has been involved in collaborations with musicians of various persuasions as well as storytellers, poets, dancers and playwrights. She performs regularly across Ontario and Quebec and is very exited to exchange with other Ottawa area improvisers in this unscripted event. Find Gillian online at www.gilliankirkland.net

February 12, 2012: #45 – Vartan Mamagonian

• Patrick Breiner – tenor saxophone and voice

Patrick Breiner performs his solo saxophone works under the alias
Vartan Mamigonian, and fittingly so. His body remains intact, but it is inhabited by another type of being altogether. He and his saxophone are a conduit – piping the energies of the cosmos, geological time, and neurological impulse through seven pounds of conical metal. Find Vartan Mamagonian online at: www.VartanMamigonian.net

Our bimonthly concert series is held every other Sunday (usually the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month) at 7pm at Umi Café (610 Somerset Street W, Ottawa). Admission is always a suggested donation of $5 or pay what you can. For a full list of past and upcoming concerts, click here.

January 8, 2012: #41 – Bruce/Wayne: the other dynamic duo

• Wayne Eagles – guitar, loops
• T. Bruce Wittet – drums, percussion

Blending ambient textures with more melodic structures, this Ottawa-based duo recall musical influences including David Torn, Jon Christensen, John Abercrombie, Eddie Marshall, Allan Holdsworth, and Jim Keltner. Long-time collaborators, now prepping a BRUCE / WAYNE recording for early 2012 release, their most recent recording project is a double-duo collaboration with LA-based guitarist Ken Rosser & NYC-based drummer Ian Froman: REGALS. Find Bruce/Wayne online at: www.myspace.com/eagleswittet

Click here RSVP on facebook and let us know you’re coming to concert #41.

January 22, 2012: #42 – Titanium Trio

• Lina Allemano – trumpet
• Rob Clutton – fender bass
• Nick Fraser – drums

Titanium Trio is a unique ensemble with its own distinctive and somewhat unusual stripped-down-to-the-bone sound: trumpet, fender bass, drums. The group plays bandleader/trumpeter Lina Allemano’s new original “avant-prog-jazz” music, blurring the line between composition and improvisation. Although the trio is a relatively new group, the members have an 18 year history of close musical collaborations in various creative projects such as “N”, Lina Allemano Four, Cluttertones, Drumheller, and others. Lina Allemano trumpet; Rob Clutton fender bass; Nick Fraser drums. Find Titanium Trio online at: www.linaallemano.com

Click here to RSVP on facebook and let us know you’re coming to concert #42.

Our bimonthly concert series is held every other Sunday (usually the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month) at 7pm at Umi Café (610 Somerset Street W, Ottawa). Admission is always a suggested donation of $5 or pay what you can. For a full list of past and upcoming concerts, click here.

December 4, 2011: #39 – Warren/Charbonneau/Pedersen/Wellman

Four Ottawa regulars come together to create instant music.  These guys have played together a lot over the years and always come up with something great.  Expect an evening of creative, inspired music.  We’re looking forward to hearing what comes out!

• Scott Warren – drums
• Philippe Charbonneau – bass
• Craig Pedersen – trumpet
• Linsey Wellman – bass clarinet, saxophone

December 18, 2011: #40 – A Very Ayler Christmas!

Saxophonist Bernard Stepien and his little helpers introduce the music of Albert Ayler to that of the sweet baby Jesus. HO! HO! HO!

Discover the true meaning of Aylermas!

Here are some words from Bernard:

This year, our Albert Ayler – Christmas Carols concert is in a maturing phase.  Our last year released CD has had a warm welcome by the Ayler experts worldwide and landed some encouraging reviews.  Also, it did not take more than a few hours for out of town venues to accept our proposals and start sending promotion material to local mediu.  Thus, this year we are playing Montreal and Toronto as a start which means that we should be totally hot by the time we hit Ottawa.

Our bimonthly concert series is held every other Sunday (usually the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month) at 7pm at Umi Café (610 Somerset Street W, Ottawa). Admission is always a suggested donation of $5 or pay what you can. For a full list of past and upcoming concerts, click here.

November 20, 2011: #37 – Generator (Molnar/Gullikson/Higney/Broscoe)

This is going to be a great show – the resurrection of an Ottawa classic!
…Generator generates generations for the Generations….generally…

• John Higney – guitar, electronics
• David Broscoe – woodwinds, electronics
• Mark Molnar – cello, electronics
• Jamie Gullikson – drums

“generator reeks and grates. a kaleidoscope of calliopes.”  Rory Magill
“featuring tuning forks, selected cans, and a cello that once housed a poet,  this is a show not to miss, or to miss.”  Max Keeping
“what a bunch of shit.”  Paul Anka
“i friggin’ love these guys!” Hon S Harper
“wooah omma lahhhhhh ssssssss zap!”  R Murray Schaefer
“hey hey hey!” F Albert
“Let’s just make Generator a PR company…to hell with the “music”…we’re pretty ok at this!”  John Higney

November 27, 2011: #38 – Elwood Epps/John Geggie/Jesse Stewart

Boy – have we got a great show for you this week!  A fine, fine trumpeter from Montreal is going to be by, playing with two Ottawa heavyweights.  Not to be missed!

Born in Toronto in 1976, trumpeter Ellwood Epps lives and works in Montreal, where he is a leading light on the improised music scene. In addition to playing often with Montrealers Josh Zubot (Land of Marigold), Nicolas Caloia (Ratchet Orchestra), John Heward (Murray Street Band), Lori Freedman, and Jean Derome, Epps has made music with Steve Lacy, William Parker, John Butcher, Axel Dörner, and Marshall Allen. He is co-founder and artistic director of L’envers and co-founder and co-director of the Mardi Spaghetti series, presenting about 150 concerts each year. This will be Ellwood’s last Canadian performance for a while, as he will be taking an extended visit to New York City immediately following this trip to Ottawa.

Ellwood, John and Jessie play together in the David Mott Quintet, which played for a sold-out audience at the 2010 Off Festival de Jazz de Montréal. They look forward to this, their first performance as a trio.

• Elwood Epps – trumpet
• John Geggie – bass
• Jesse Stewart – drums

Our bimonthly concert series is held every other Sunday (usually the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month) at 7pm at Umi Café (610 Somerset Street W, Ottawa). Admission is always a suggested donation of $5 or pay what you can. For a full list of past and upcoming concerts, click here.

October 30, 2011: #35 – Heather Roche

Born in Canada, clarinettist Heather Roche has trained extensively in England and has recently moved to Cologne, Germany. She has recently been seen with musikFabrik at musikFest (Berlin), BachFest (Leipzig) and  at Musica Nova (Helsinki). Additionally she performs with ensembles Garage (Köln) and Echoi (Freiburg).Visit her online at heatherroche.wordpress.com.

• Heather Roche – bass clarinet
• Craig Pedersen – electronics (set 2)

November 6, 2011: #36 – Craig Pedersen’s Birthday Concert

Craig Pedersen’s Broken Compass: Electro-acoustic contemporary-classical improvised trumpet and laptop folk-pop. From jarring electric experiments, to arrangements of traditional folk melodies and popular music, and back again. Visit Craig online atcraigpedersen.com.

• Craig Pedersen – trumpet, electroncis

November 20, 2011: #37 – Generator (Molnar/Gullikson/Higney/Broscoe)

This is going to be a great show – the resurrection of an Ottawa classic!
…Generator generates generations for the Generations….generally…

• John Higney – guitar, electronics
• David Broscoe – woodwinds, electronics
• Mark Molnar – cello, electronics
• Jamie Gullikson – drums

“generator reeks and grates. a kaleidoscope of calliopes.”  Rory Magill
“featuring tuning forks, selected cans, and a cello that once housed a poet,  this is a show not to miss, or to miss.”  Max Keeping
“what a bunch of shit.”  Paul Anka
“i friggin’ love these guys!” Hon S Harper
“wooah omma lahhhhhh ssssssss zap!”  R Murray Schaefer
“hey hey hey!” F Albert
“Let’s just make Generator a PR company…to hell with the “music”…we’re pretty ok at this!”  John Higney

Concert 33 – Sunday, October 2, 7pm: Warren/Wellman

• Scott Warren – drums
• Linsey Wellman – saxophone, bass clarinet

Ottawa stalwart Scott Warren returns to play the series.  Many of you will remember him from the stellar shows he played with the Bernard Stepien Orchestra playing Christmas carols à la Albert Ayler, and with Philippe Charbonneau and Linsey Wellman.  Scott is a creative and spontaneous drummer, and we’re looking forward to hearing him play again.  This Sunday, he will be accompanied by IMOO co-founder Linsey Wellman on saxophone and bass clarinet. Read more about Scott Warren on jazzblog.ca.

Concert 34 – Sunday, October 16, 7pm: Bean Trio

• Joel Kerr – bass
• Marie-Claire Durand – piano
• Mark Nelson – drums

Bean is a Montreal-based trio comprised of Marie-Claire Durand on piano, Joel Kerr on bass, and Mark Nelson on drums. The group was founded in September 2010 in order to fill the need for an exploratory artistic process of musical experimentation, focusing on free group improvisation, approaching and exploring music with a spirit of uninhibited spontaneity. Visit them online at beantrio.wordpress.com.

Concert 35 – Sunday, October 30, 7pm: Heather Roche

• Heather Roche – clarinet
• Craig Pedersen – trumpet, electronics

Born in Canada, clarinetist Heather Roche trained in England and now lives in Cologne, Germany. She has performed at some of the major European festivals, including musikFest (Berlin), BachFest (Leipzig), Musica Nova (Helsinki), the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Acht Brücken (Cologne), the International Computer Music Conference and the Agora Festival (Ircam, Paris). She has performed with musikFabrik (Cologne) including recently playing in the La Fura Dels Baus staged premiere of Stockhausen’s SONNTAG aus LICHT. She is a member of handwerk (Cologne) and has played with ensemble Garage (Cologne), ensembe interface (Berlin) and the Low Frequency Orchestra (France/UK). She regularly works with the pianist Kate Ledger, with whom she has performed recitals in venues throughout the north of England, in the Netherlands, Germany and most recently in Portugal. Heather studied at the University of Victoria, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, University of Huddersfield and is now a student in the Specialized Masters in Contemporary Music course at the Musikakademie Basel, Switzerland. Visit her online at heatherroche.wordpress.com.