On the Cover: "Maylee Todd and the Possibilities of Strange” by Sara Constant.
Features: “Joshua Van Tassel’s New Spaces for Sonic Dreaming” story and photographs by Matt Horseman. “Kaïa Kater and the Creative Power of Letting Go” by Chaka V. Grier. “Beyond the Cornet Calls: Alexis Baro and the Cuban Trumpet” by Gloria Blizzard.
More stories: “The Song Carrier: Chuck Copenace is redefining jazz fusion” by Michael Elves. “The Off-Grid Adventures of The Burning Hell” by Mary Dickie. “The Parallel Multiverses of Kalaisan Kalaichelvan” by Juro Kim Feliz. “How to Change the Tune” (editor’s note) by Jennie Punter.
Reviews of new music from: Manuella Blackburn; Yves Charuest; Sarah Davachi; Godspeed You! Black Emperor; Andile Khumalo; Emilie Cecilia LeBel; Peggy Lee Cole Schmidt; Friendly Rich featuring Joan Smith the Jane Does; Marsella Duncan; The Necks; Juliet Palmer; Scions; and Colin Stetson.
Events: X Avant XIX: TeXture. Presented by the Music Gallery (Toronto); The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century. An exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto).
Musicworks 150 CD
1 Shepherd’s Hill (2024) 2:43
Composed and produced by Kalaisan Kalaichelvan. Performed by Roopa Mahadevan (vocals), Matt Small (bass), and Dior Quartet: Noa Sarid (violin), Tobias Elser (violin), Caleb Georges (viola), and Joanne Yesol Choi (cello).
2 Hatsuyume (2024) 3:09
Composed and produced by Kalaisan Kalaichelvan. Performed by Lauren DeRoller (strings), Martin Daigle (percussion), Olivia Komacheet (vocals), and Kalaisan Kalaichelvan (piano).
3 La Notte (2024) 3:03
Composed and produced by Kalaisan Kalaichelvan. Performed by Dior Quartet.
Tracks 1, 2, and 3 from the digital EP Golconda (Unfolding Records, 2024).
4 Creator (2023) 4:05
Composed and arranged by Chuck Copenace. Original “Creator” melody by Neil Hall.
Performed by Chuck Copenace (trumpet, vocals, hand drum), Victor Lopez (guitar), Paul Yee (bass, keyboard), and Scott Senior (percussion).
5 Nothing Simple (2023) 5:52
Composed by Chuck Copenace. Performed by Chuck Copenace (trumpet, synths), Victor Lopez (guitar), Zack Antel (featured synths), Scott Senior (percussion), Paul Yee (bass), and Brendan Kinley (drums).
Tracks 4 and 5 from the album Oshki Manitou (2023). Recorded in StereoBus Studio, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Engineered and mixed by Paul Yee. Mastered by Allen Hunnie.
6 Bird Queen of Garbage Island (2019) 5:07
Composed by Mathias Kom.
Performed by Mathias Kom (vocals, guitar), Ariel Sharratt (vocals, drum programming),
Jake Nicoll (percussion, keys), and Darren Browne (bass). From the Burning Hell album Garbage Island (You’ve Changed Records / BB*Island, 2022).
7 Ghost Palace (2024) 3:35
Composed by Mathias Kom. Performed by Mathias Kom (vocals, guitar, tenor guitar, charango, dulcimer, banjo, ukulele, piano), Ariel Sharratt (vocals), Jake Nicoll (vocals), Maria Peddle (vocals), Steven Lambke (electric guitar). From the Burning Hell album Ghost Palace (You’ve Changed Records / BB*Island, 2025).
8 Fédon (2024) 3:46
Composed by Kaïa Kater. Performed by Kaïa Kater (vocals, 5-string banjo), Taj Mahal (background vocals), Morgan Moore (bass), Phil Melanson (drums, percussion), Rob Moose (strings), Dave Gossage (flute), Josée Marchand (English horn), Antonin Cuerrier (clarinet), Brent Besner (bass clarinet), Flo Rousseau (French horn), and Taz Eddy (trumpet). From the Kaïa Kater album Strange Medicine (Acronym Records / Free Dirt Records, 2024).
9 En Son De Descarga (2022) 5:51
Composed by Alexis Baro. Performed by Alexis Baro (trumpet), Jorge Betancourt (piano), Yoser Rodriguez (bass), Jorge L. “Papiosco” Torres (percussion), Rosendo “Chendy” Leon (percussion), Kiki Valera (Cuatro Cubano), and Aris Montenegro (percussion).
10 Campo De Batalla (2022) 5:30
Composed by Alexis Baro. Performed by Alexis Baro (trumpet), Amhed Mitchel (drums, background vocals), Rafael Zaldivar (piano), and Nestor del Prado (bass).
Tracks 9 and 10 from Alexis Baro’s album Mi Raiz (G-Three, 2022).
11 No Other (2022) 3:46
Composed by Maylee Todd. Performed by Maylee Todd (synth, vocals, drums), and Kyvita (synths, bass synth). From Maylee Todd’s self-released album Maloo (2022).
12 Smiles Displaced (2023) 2:21
Composed by Joshua Van Tassel. Performed by Joshua Van Tassel (Ondea), Drew Jurecka (violin), and Robbie Grunwald (piano). From the Joshua Van Tassel album The Recently Beautiful (Backward Music, 2023).
Musicworks 150 CD released January 2025
© all rights reserved
