LA MERVEILLE de L ·oREILLE 1------------~':9J Amuc.lt -.Dirr/ nhoo -13h00 }1~~ Tua l~ - J\fer- zohoo - zzhoo G e.R [N ,p Dang2r ir, Paradi-1e - &- 22h00 - ciioo . I ~Muf1 =--- 2 DAVID PRENTICE (foronto) Alto solo MALCOLM GOLDSTEIN (New York) Violon solo CLAUDE LAMOTHE (Montreal) Violoncelle solo• 9 KATHY KENNEDY/ DAVID GOSSAGE/ ALLAN CROSSMAN (Montreal) Voix, flute, piano* GAIL ISSENMAN / YVES BOULIANE (Montreal) Voix, contrebasse 16 GLENN SPEARMANN / LISLE ELLIS / RAPHE MALIK (San Francisco/Montreal/Boston)• Saxophone tenor, contrebasse, trompette SILKSTOCKINGS (Toronto) Guitare, trompeue, percussion 23 LUNAR ADVENTURES (Vancouver) Saxophone, guitare, contrebasse, percussion 30 CAPPADOCIA / ST-LAURENT / VALSAMIS (Montreal) Violoncelle, guitare, percussion NOVEMBRE 6 GREGG BENDIAN (New York) percussion solo PAUL PLIMLEY / LISLE ELLIS (Vancouver/Montreal) Piano, contrebasse 13 MIKE MILLIGAN QUARTET (Montreal) 20 GRAEME KIRKLAND & THE WOLVES (foronto) Saxophone, contrebasse et voix, percussion TRIO YANNICK RIEU (Montreal) Saxophone, contrebasse, percussion 27 RENE LUSSIER / PIERRE TANGUAY (Montreal) Guitare, etc ... , percussion PACKING FOR EGYPT (Boston) Saxophone/flutes,guitare, contrebasse, percussion DECEMBRE 4 ENSEMBLE SONHANDO ESTWICK (Montreal) 11 FREE FORCE QUARTET (Montreal) 18 TOM WALSH/RICHARD UNDERHILL (foronto) Trombone, saxophone PAUL CRAM/LISLE ELLIS (Halifax/Montreal) Saxophone, contrebasse • additions speclales a la programmatlon lnltlale Is music a defined structure of sounds with a set of musical rules to be followed, or is it a creative spirit looking to discover new forms of expression? e spirit of what is called avant-garde is at the ge of traditional form and uses >erirnentation to stretch the boundaries of at is acceptable. Through this exploration re is discovery yielding new forms, new ditions and new rules to follow until the .w' gives way to the 'newer'. the many diverse streams in avant-garde sic, it could be said, at the risk of over1plification, that there have been three main rents. One is the American Jazz Avant-garde ich flourished in the sixties. The others are so-called "legitimate" avant-garde that ,eloped from European classical music, and ropean "free music" which is a resultant mix influences from the first two. terms of acceptance the jazz avant-garde has ed the strongest opposition. This is mostly :ause the prime innovators, black artists, •e had to create within the constraints of a ially intolerant society. It is also due to the t that within the jazz community there has :n a deep resistance to music that seems to outside of the tradition, for it is perceived being inaccessible or something that one st have some kind of extra sensibilities to lerstand. contrast, the European "schools" have fared ter although they too have struggled to :rcome the suspicion that new ideas ounter. However, there does seem to be a ic acceptance that today's european avantde innovations will become the traditions of 1orrow, possibly because these values and ughts are less threatening to a world ditioned to european aesthetics. ering into the nineties, armed with the lmological advances of communications, sicians and listeners are accessing an :edible array of sonic information; music of styles and traditions; sound generating ,aratus capable of mixing numerous diverse liums. Is music a defined structure of sounds with a set of musical rules to ~ followed, or is it a creative spirit looking to discover new forms of expression? This converging and diverging torrent of contemporary influences has made the streams of the avant-garde less distinguishable from one another as they flow together in a rushing river of creative musical forms, formulas and structures . The spirit of what is called avant-garde is at the edge of traditional form and . uses experimentation to stretch the ~oundar1es. of what is acceptable. Through this explorallon there is discovery yielding new forms, new traditions and new rules to follow until the 'new' gives way to the 'newer'. Today the avant-garde tag is applied to such a wide range of individual and group styles that attempting to define an all-incompassing avant-garde sound is futile. Considering that some artists have been performing and recording "avant-garde" music for 30,40 and even 50 years makes the term itself seem ridiculous. Of the many diverse streams in avant-garde music, it could be said, at the risk of ove~simplification, that there have been three mam currents. One is the American Jazz Avant-garde which flourished in the sixties. The others are the so-called "legitimate" avant-garde that developed from European classical music, ~d European "free music" which is a resultant mix of influences from the first two. Therefore it seems the only answer to the question initially set out here is YES 1111 In terms of acceptance the jazz avant-garde has faced the strongest opposition. This is mostly because the prime innovators, black artists, have had to create within the constraints of a racially intolerant society. It is also due to the fact that within the jazz community there has been a deep resistance to music that seems to fall outside of the tradition, for it is perceived as being inaccessible or something that one must have some kind of extra sensibilities to understand. The purpose of ETATS SONIQUES is to continue traditions and break with them simultaneously. In concrete terms this means establishing a venue through which the Montreal community may receive the work of local and visiting artists on a regular basis, and where artists can meet, exchange and develop ideas toward the advancement of all musics and . all forms of human expression. ETATS SONIQUES recognizes the contribution, past and present, by the following organizations: Jazz libre du Quebec, EMIM, Les lundis a risques, No Man's Land, l'ATTACQ. Productions Traquen'Art, the Music Gallery, NOW, AACM, Sound Unity, Knitting Factory, Earshot, DAGNIM, Koncepts Cultural Gallery, Nine Winds, FIMAV, New Music America, CODA, Musicworks, etc ... Lisle Ellis (1990) I In contrast, the European "schools" have fared better although they too have struggled to overcome the suspicion that new ideas encounter. However, there does seem to be a basic acceptance that today's european avantgarde innovations will become the traditions of tomorrow, possibly because these values and thoughts are less threatening to a world conditioned to european aesthetics. Entering into the nineties, armed with the technological advances of communications, musicians and listeners are accessing an incredible array of sonic information; music of all styles and traditions; sound generating apparatus capable of mixing numerous diverse mediums. This converging and diverging torrent of contemporary influences has made the streams of the avant-garde less distinguishable from one another as they flow together in a rushing river of creative musical forms, formulas and structures. Today the avant-garde tag is applied to such a wide range of individual and group styles ~at attempting to define an all-incompassmg avant-garde sound is futile. Considering that some artists have been performing and recording "avant-garde" music for 30,40 and even 50 years makes the term itself seem ridiculous. Therefore it seems the only answer to the question initially set out here is YES 1111 The purpose of ETATS SONIQUES is to continue traditions and break with them simultaneously. In concrete terms this means establishing a venue through which the Montreal community may receive the work of local and visiting artists on a regular basis, and where artists can meet, exchange and develop ideas toward the advancement of all musics and all forms of human expression. ETATS SONIQUES recognizes the contribution, past and present, by the following organizations: Jazz libre du Quebec, EMIM, Les lundis a risques, No Man's Land, l'ATTACQ. Productions Traquen'Art, the Music Gallery, NOW, AACM, Sound Unity, Knitting Factory, Earshot, DAGNIM, Koncepts Cultural Gallery, Nine Winds, FIMAV, New Music America, CODA, Musicworks, etc ... Lisle Ellis (1990) CALENDRIER WILLIAM PARKER (New York) Bass ~ SEPTEMBRE 18 25 FREE FORCE QUARTET (Montreal) contrebasse, guitare, percussion.vibraphone WILLIAM PARKER (New York) contrebasse solo TRIO MICHEL RATTE (Montreal) saxophone, piano, percussion I OCTOBRE 16 23 30 Saxophone, clavlers,percusslons ~ GLENN SPEARMANN / LISLE ELLIS / RAPHE MALIK (San Francisco/Montreal/Boston)• pre~ente au pu~li~ mo~trealais car il est un des chefs de file de la nouvelle generation de Je_unes musiciens mnovateurs canadiens. Il est specialement reconnu pour son travail avec le Quatuor Jean Beaudet et le Trio YaMick Rieu (qui sera presente dans le cadre d'Etats soniques le 20 novembre). Il dirige son trio, compose de ses associes de iongue. date Yves Charuest (saxophone alto) et Guillaume Dostaler (piano et syntheuseurs), dans une recherche "pour aueindre !'essence meme de !'improvisation collective". Le premier album du Trio Michel Ratti, intitule Musique-ldee sonira sous !'etiquette Amplitude au debut d'octobre 90. Ne le ratez pas car ce sera !':me des meilleures productions canadiennes du genre au cours des annees 90. Saxophone tenor, contrebasse, trompette . SILKSTOCKINGS (Toronto) Guitare, trompette, percussion " ...a powerhouse of a drummer ...the most original (musician) ... in some years" Made Mil!er-Giobe & Mai! KATHY KENNEDY/ DAVID GOSSAGE/ ALLAN CROSSMAN (Montreal) Voix, flute, piano* GAIL ISSENMAN / YVES BOULIANE (Montreal) Voix, contrebasse 9 :;:,;~';~~~'l\::.~ICHEL RATTE (Monlreal)~ Le percussionniste et compositeur Michel Ratti n'a pas vraiment besoin d'etre DAVID PRENTICE (Toronto) Alto solo MALCOLM GOLDSTEIN (New York) Violon solo CLAUDE LAMOTHE (Montreal) Violoncelle solo• 2 "Willi~m Park~r is simply one of the greatest bassists alive." procclairns CODA M_agazme. Evidence ~o substantia~e this statement is given by his 10 year tenure with th~ fabulous Cecil T_aylor Unit as well as his work with some of the greatest nam~s m avant-garde music - Don Cherry, Billy Higgins, Rashid Ali, Beaver Harris, David Murray, Henry Threadgill, etc ... -. Etats Soniques is proud to present the Canadian premiere of William Parker solo. LUNAR ADVENTURES (Vancouver) Saxophone, guitare, contrebasse, percussion . CAPPADOCIA /ST-LAURENT/ VALSAMIS (Montreal) Violoncelle, guitare, percussion DAVID PRENTICE (Toronto) Viola 6 GREGG BENDIAN (New York) percussion solo PAUL PLIMLEY / LISLE ELLIS (Vancouver/Montreal) Piano, contrebasse 13 MIKE MILLIGAN QUARTET (Montreal) David Prentice is becoming increasingly well known as one of the players focusing attention on the viola as an improviser's instrument As such, he has been voted " Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" almost every year since 1983 in the prestigious Downbe_at Critics Poll. As a solo performer he integrates his ~strumen~al work _w1~h films an~ pre-recorded tape, melding a compositional style mto creauve and ms1ghtful music/sound. Pren tlce also works as an instrument maker and performs on instruments he has made himself. 20 GRAEME KIRKLAND & THE WOLVES (Toronto) Saxophone, co!1trebasse et voix, percussion TRIO YANNI CK RIEU (Montreal) Saxophone, contrebasse, percussion · " ...one of the finest inprovising musician anywhere" Alex Varty -Georgia Straight " ... immaculate intense playing" James Adams-Edmonton Journal 27 RENE LUSSIER / PIERRE TANGUAY (Montreal) Guitare, etc ... , percussion . PACKING FOR EGYPT (Boston) Saxophone/flutes,guitare, contrebasse, percussion NOVEMBRE DECEMBRE 4 ENSEMBLE SONHANDO ESTWICK (Montreal) 11 FREE FORCE QUARTET (Montreal) 18 TOM WALSH/RICHARD UNDERHILL (Toronto) Trombone, saxophone PAUL CRAM/LISLE ELLIS (Halifax/Montreal) Saxophone, contrebasse I MALCOLM GOLDSTEIN (New York) Violin As a composer/violinist, Malcolm Goldstein has been active in the presentation of new musi~ and dance since the early 1960s. He has toured extensively throughout Nonh Amenca and Europe presenting solo violin concens of his own compositions and of works especially created for him by such eminent musicians as John Cage and Orneue Coleman. He has won international praise for having " re-invented the violin" with extended performance techniques within the integration of body-gesture to the reality of sound quality. " ...eloquent and imaginative ideas" " .. .some of the best new music I've hearcl' Bernard Holland-New York Times Gregory Sandow-The Vjllage Vojce LUNAR ADVENTURES (Vancouver) KATHY KENNEDY/DAVID GOSSAGE (Mtl) Volx, FIOte I ~ Saxophone, Guitar, Bass, Drums ~ "Tips", une oeuvre de Steve Lacy, reunie )es artistes Kat hy Kenn edy et David Gossage pour une premiere collaboration. "Tips" est une serie de compositions que Steve Lacy a creee en 1980 et qui sont basees sur des livrets de Georges Braque. Ces ecrits sont tour a tour des aphorismes, des observations, et des conseils adresses a luimeme et a tous les autres artistes interesses par la preparation, la spontaneite, )'information et la musique. Kathy Kennedy est une musicienne/performeuse qui incorpore des techniques classiques a un medium contemporain impliquant des elements spatiaux et dramatiques. Elle est tres active dans la composition de musique pour la danse a Montreal et a Toronto. David Gossage compose aussi pour la danse et fait partie du groupe Jazz Beards. I GAIL ISSENMAN/YVES BOULIANE (Mtl) Volx, From the West Coast comes the "contemporary urban sound" of Lunar Adventures. Their music draws on jazz and a variety of ethnic forms to produce a splintered kaleidoscope of instrumental and compositional colours. Saxophonist Coat Cooke and drummer Gregg Simpson compose all of the material for the group. Simpson, as well, is one of the founding members of Vancouver's New Orchestra Workshop (NOW), one of Canada's oldest and most vital avant-garde music organizations- of which Lunar Adventures is a member group. Rounding out the band is veteran bassist Clyde Reed and guitarist Ron Samworth (Samworth is also a member of the band Creatures of Habit, winners of this year's Alcan prize at the Montreal Jazz Festival). The group comes to Montreal on a tour which will take them to New York City's Knitting Factory as a part of a Canadian/American cultural exchange. "...a Wlique ensemble sound that gathers the innovations of the last 20 years of jazz history ...into a new package that is tied with a bow of urban color." Gary Bannister-Earshot. Seattle. Contrebasse Depuis sa formation ii y a 5 ans, ce duo est l 'un des secrets Jes mieux gardes a Montreal. Leur collaboration s'est plutot developpee en prive qu'en public et c'est pourquoi leurs performances revelent un processus sonore particulierement intime . Utilisant des textes du poete Pierre Reverdy comme catalyseur, lssenman et Boullane creent un equilibre delicat entre le structure! et l'emotionnel pour aboutir a une entente musicale parfaitement organisee. (@) GLENN SPEARMAN/LISLE ELLIS GREGG BENDIAN (New York) (Frisco/Mtl) percussion Tenor Saxophone, Bass Formed in New York, 1988, this duo has evolved a clear musical statement that reflects a deep understanding of jazz traditions and a strong commitment to developing new forms to push the boundaries of self-expression. Spearman is the leader of his own San Francisco based group and was a member of the legendary Cecil Taylor Unit and Big Band where he played along side such avant-garde luminaries as Jimmy Lyons, Frank Wright, David Murray and Lester Bowie. Ellis is considered to be one of Canada's pre-eminent bassists. He has been active on the national scene since the late 70' s as a player, composer and organizer of events. "Spearman' s voracious tenor solos ...made him the ta/le of the festival" (Du Maurier Jazz Festival, Vancouver 1990) Marie Milier-Giobe and Mail. " (Ellis) ...a truly individual voice, using a wide variety of techniques for expressive purposes" Scon Lewis-CODA Magazine. SILKSTOCKINGS (Toronto) Guitar, Trumpet, Percussion 1ifij> ~ This group, led by composer, guitarist Rainer Wiens has not only been a main stay on the Canadian avant-garde scene for the better part of a decade, it has also served as a proving ground for some of this country' s foremost young jazz musicians such as Jane Bunnet and Mike Murley. For this performance Wiens will be joined by long standing Silkstockings members Jim Lewis (trumpet) and Richard Bannard (percussion) in the interpretation of Wiens' characteristically seductive and challenging compositions. " ... smolders with a focused energy rarely heard ... " Barry Ljvjngston-The Jazz Report. The state of the avant-garde was irrevocably changed in the 1980's by the emergence of New York's· "Downtown" scene and the ensuing establishment of the Knitting Factory as its regular venue. Percussionist Gregg Bendlan is one of the most important musicians to emerge from that scene. He has worked with such seminal "down/owners" as John Zorn and Bill Frisell and has toured Europe and South America with Cecil Taylor. Performing on an array of percussion instruments including the vibraphone, Bendlan's sonic art is tactile and visceral, sculpting "sounds you can taste, step on and walk out onto". His performance should not be missed. I " a bold and challenging drwnmer ... " Gary Giddens-Village Voice. PAUL PLIMLEY/LISLE ELLIS (Vanc.,Mtl) Plano, Contrebasse Le remarquable duo canadien forme de Paul Pllmley et Lisle Ellis est i.;ne association qui s'etend sur une quinzaine d'annees et a travers un continent. lls sm:t importants, non seulement a cause de la longevite de leur collaboration, mais surtout acause de la nature meme de leur engagement et de leur contribution envers leur art. La force physique brute et I' incroyable energie de leurs performances evoquent un etat de spiritualite intense. "Together they are remarkable .. .the find of the festival" Art Lange-Downbeat. (Victoria ville, 1989) "the stuff of a revolution in the making" Mark Miller-Globe & Mail . I• Graeme KIRKLAND & The WOLVES ~ Saxophones, Bass & Vocals, Drums ~ (foronm) This is a band that after releasing only two recordings and completing one national tour has garnered rave reviews from not only critics across Canada but also from some of the world's leading contemporary musicians-Dejohnette, Abercrombie, Liebman, Wheeler and Holland. The Wolves are led by drummer, composer Graeme Kirkland, who has established himself as a hard hitting young phenomenon of the drums with a mature musical vision that belies his tender age. "This drummer is a huge hope for the Canadian scene ... a name to remember." The Record TRIO YANNI CK RIEU (Montreal) Saxophone, contrebasse, " ... un de nos meilleurs pretendants a une carriere internationale" Alain Brunet-La Presse RENE LUSSIER/PIERRE TANGUAY (Montreal) I etc .. . , Trombone, Saxophone The duo was started by two leaders whose work has cut across the heart of the contemporary jazz scene in Canada, connecting with such diverse elements as The Sufjle Demons, N .O.M.A ., The Sax Pistols, and Thin Men . While the musician~• styles are rooted in the tradition of jazz, both bend the established shape of the music into a modern context, where the full scope of available sounds on each horn is included on the musical canvas. When they first played together as a duo at the Montreal "Dialogue" in May 1988, Walsh and Underhill discovered that they shared a common language and approach to the freedom that makes jazz what it is. Since 1988 they have played all of the important jazz festivals across Canada and have recently released an independant cassette entitled Comprovise. ~ .~ " ... their music is as joyous as it is energetic and daring" Marc Chenard-CODA Magazine. batterie Avec un amalgame d'instruments acoustiques, le Trio Yannick Rieu se demarque en tant que collectif unique dans le nouveau jazz improvise. Yannick Rieu a de~eloppe un vocabulaire distinct qui est bien appuye par une section rythmique sohde, formee du batteur Michel Ratti~ dont la reputation n •est plus a faire et de Normand Guilbeault a la contrebasse, au jeu sensible et fluide. Le trait d'union de ces trois artistes : un etat d' ame, une recherche de liberte et un devouement peu commun. Gultare, Tom WALSH/Richard UNDERHILL (Toronto) Percussions (@) Rene Lussier est sans aucun doute l'un des musiciens les plus importants de ces demieres annees sur la scene musicale contemporaine quebecoise et canadienne. Son album Le tresor de la langlll!, qui a re~u les eloges de la critique internationale et qui s'est merite le prix Paul-Gilson en 1989, reflete ses nombreuses sources d'inspiration et revele une musique inusitee, inclassable. Pierre Tanguay est un percussionniste autodidacte. Tres actif dans le milieu montrealais il a travaille notamment avec Pierre Ca~er e~ Jean Demme, et il a aussi collabore a de nombreuses performances mult1med1a (danse, theatre). C'est un musicien eclectique dont la versatilite ne cesse d' impressionner. Lussier et Tanguay presentent une musique hors de l'ordinaire pour auditeurs avertis I PACKING FOR EGYPT (Boston) sax / flutes, guitar, bass, drums This quartet, comprised of some of the finest improvisors on the Boston scene, has an ~cle_ctic edge that slices into Latin, Folk, New Orleans and Modern Jazz styles. Gu1tanst-leader-Michael Bierylo, who has released several recordings on the Inner Light label, is joined by drummer George Schuller, who is known for leading the highly acclaimed ensemble Orange Then Blue, bassist Raetus Fllsch and saxophonist Matt Darrlau, both familiar to Montreal audiences the former appearing with Gary Burton at the 1989 Jazz Festival and the latter in r;sidence here with the Malcolm Goldstein Workshop Ensemble earlier this year. An interesting "melting pot", from pastoral to noise, not to be missed I PA UL CRAM/LISLE ELLIS (Halifax/Montreal) Saxophone , Contrebasse On ne peut souhaiter meilleur finale de la saison d'automne d'Etats soniques que la presentation des deux plus grands pionniers de l'avant-garde canadienne. Cram et Ellis ont initie de nombreux concepts organisationnels-New Orchestra Workshop (Vancouver), Hemispheres (Toronto), Serie Solstice (Montreal), D.ialogue (Toronto/Montreal)- qui ont ete des pierres angulaires du developpement de la prise de conscience canadienne sur la musique creative. Le jeu intensement physique de Lisle Ellis a la contrebasse combine aux sons explosifs du saxophone tenor de Paul Cram revelent une musique possedant une urgence rarement atteinte dans le jazz et la nouvelle musique d'aujourd'hui. " ...as guiltless of form as an ocean in a hurricane, the uninhibited playing of Cram and Ellis drove the crowd wild" (Atlantic Jazz Fest '90) Stephen Peterson-Halifax Herald, INFORMATIONS CONCERTS : taus les mardis soirs du 18 septembre au 18 decembre 1990 a21 heUres. PRIX D'ENTREE: 7.00$ pour les presentations speciales annoncees dans cette brochure. 4.00$ pour les autres mardis soirs · UNE CARTE-ACCES EST DISPONIBLE : (donne acces 60 .00$ a taus les spectacles de la saison) Renseignements: Marie-Helene Maree Lisle Ellis 524-4242 288-5070 • • ....,fl ~ .....;,,.. lv/;;.e Conception visuelle : Natalie Jean Direction artistique: Lisle Ellis Direction administrative : Marie-Helene Merce Une production de GESTION MHM enr. Nous remercions la Galerie OBORO, la Galerie OPTICA, les Productions Traquen'Art inc. , G-SHARP et le Conseil des Arts du Canada de leur appui pour la realisation de cette serie. ····••: ' '