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the PiNG presents WHIPPOORWILL & POLMO POLPO



Psst . . . the PiNG has quietly been working with Jon Spencer 
to bring Robert Rich back to Toronto for a performance as 
part of his 2006 Spring Tour. We're still working out the final 
details, so things are subject to change, but here's the scoop:

THE AMBiENT PiNG & Jon Spencer Present
ROBERT RICH . LiVE . SATURDAY APRiL 29th 2006
Holy Trinity Church . 10 Trinity Square, Toronto
(south of Dundas . west of Yonge . behind The Eaton Centre)
More details and ticket info soon @ 
http://www.THEAMBiENTPiNG.com

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THE AMBiENT PiNG  .  http://www.theambientping.com
Tuesdays @ HACiENDA . 794 Bathurst Street at Bloor . Toronto 
(upstairs - directly across from the Bathurst subway station) 
Doors open at 9pm . 1st set at 9:30 . PayWhatYouCan 

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THiS Tuesday April 4th . WHIPPOORWILL 
(Chris Gartner, & Great Bob Scott) and 
POLMO POLPO (Sandro Perri)

WHIPPOORWILL is a new duo from the former Look People 
rhythm section of bassist/guitarist Chris Gartner, and 
drummer Great Bob Scott.

This is an exciting and innovative group that creates a forest 
of sound and texture with just two people. Gartner plays 
composed guitar and bass loops live, switching instruments 
within the pieces to form the illusion of a number of players 
at once. Scott's infamous drumming is spiced with 
electronic triggering, and samples. Dense multitracked 
soundscapes composed by Gartner, and live video 
projections augment their live shows.

The two members of WHIPPOORWILL have been part of a 
number of high profile acts over the years. They both toured 
Europe and North America as members of Canada's 
legendary "Look People", and appeared in recordings, 
magazines, television shows, rock videos, and 
Lollapalooza festivals with the group. 
http://www.myspace.com/chrisandgreatbob

Also on the bill, Polmo Polpo is the solo project of Toronto 
composer, musician and producer Sandro Perri. Between 
1999 and 2002, he released several full length and EP releases, 
beginning with his own label, Audi Sensa, and later moving 
on to various releases with Alien8, Intr-version, and Constellation. 

Perri operates in a strange netherworld between avant-dub and 
more post-rock influences and pointedly incorporates traditional 
instruments into his electronic experiments "as part of the fabric." 
Polmo Polpo creates a unique blend of dense and intoxicating 
layers of hisses and crackles, looped percussion, long-burn 
drones and submerged rhythms overlaid with instrumental 
sources (slide guitar, strings, accordion). 

"Polmo Polpo" loosely translates as "octopus lung" in Italian. 
Much of Perri's music is reminiscent of deepwater, photic 
zone atmospheres.
http://www.alien8recordings.com/subsf05.php3
http://www.audisensa.com

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Before Sets CD . Rainforest by Robert Rich
Well how could we not given the above news. To celebrate 
Robert Rich's return to the ambient north, we'll be featuring 
some of our favourites from his extensive catalogue as we lead 
up to his Toronto performance at the end of April. Tonight we 
drift back to 1989 to hear the polyrhythmic, electroaccoustic 
journey of Rainforest which was the introduction for many 
of us here to Robert's sonic realms of "glurp" and "shimmer."
http://www.robertrich.com

Between Sets CD . Degrees of Separation by The Circular Ruins
Tonight we feature Degrees of Separation by Anthony Paul Kerby's 
The Circular Ruins. APK's music is a complex and distinctive 
amalgam of ambient, groove ambient, and experimental forms 
of electronica. Read more about it here in rik's *ping things* 
CD review below and hear it Tuesday @ the PiNG. 
http://www.databloem.com/z_tcr.htm

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COMiNG Tuesday April 11th . PHOLDE and Greg Lauzon

It's a night of heavy metal, PiNG style, as Alan Bloor returns as 
Pholde to bow, scrape, brush and caress his self created metal 
sound sculptures with other metal objects to produce 
atmospheric hauntingly spacious soundscapes.
http://www.theambientping.com/pholde/home.html

Next up will be Greg Lauzon's first live performance with his 
recently built Spring Dulcimer which is like a Hammered Dulcimer 
except that it uses springs instead of wire strings. Greg will also 
be using a pan drum and a Yang Chin (Chinese Hammered Dulcimer) 
and effects to compliment the Spring Dulcimer. The show will be 
an exploration of melodic ambient percussion. Some songs will be 
pre-written, others will be improvised within the East Indian Ragas.  
http://www.greglauzon.com

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rik maclean's *ping things* CD Reviews

The Circular Ruins . "Degrees of Separation"

Anthony Paul Kirby has proven time and time again that he 
is an impressive musical talent with a firm understanding of 
ambient/electronic ideals. Over the years his work as both 
The Circular Ruins and Lammergeyer has delighted and inspired 
me, leaving both a strong impression and a tremendous appreciation 
for his work. And so it should come as no surprise that I'm quite 
taken with his latest release as The Circular Ruins "Degrees of 
Separation". It's a stunning collection that stands up with the 
best of Kirby's catalogue, continuing and developing on 
the work that he's done in the past.

The long form piece "Epiphenomena" opens the disc, a masterful 
blend of drone and melody interspersed with infrequent samples. 
It's a fascinating work that unfolds over the course of it's sixteen 
plus minutes, where a bed of dark ambience anchors the track 
while lighter tones rise up to break the surface. Melodic phrases 
and occasional notes run throughout the track providing touchstones 
and reference points for the work as a whole, giving suggestions of 
theme and ideal, but never giving the plot away so much that you 
can't imbue it with your own meaning, your own understanding.

The title track "Degrees of Separation" follows, a study in 
connectivity where form and pattern is created by association. 
It's a very dense piece with many levels all blending together in 
a loosely woven mix, masterfully assembled in such a way as to 
form bonds between it's elements while still allowing for those 
same elements to retain a certain distinction between them.

Track three, "Doon Hill", is a fine example of locational ambience, 
a piece meant to evoke the memory of a particular magical spot in 
Scotland where the barriers between our world and Faerie are 
thinner than the norm. While I've never visited Doon Hill myself, 
Kirby has done an excellent job in recreating it's charms enough 
so that I feel I've been there in some way. Maybe seeing such a 
magical environment in my mind's eye makes it even more real to 
me than an actual physical visit? Either way it's a testimony to 
Kirby's talent that I can feel so connected to this space.

"Empty Hands" uses oblique motion as a backdrop for a series 
of subtle arpeggios and almost jazzy riffs. Beautiful and bright 
in it's presentation, "Empty Hands" brings to mind future 
possibilities and hope, the chance to go beyond our 
limitations to create something new and better.

The fifth track "Departure" moves away from the drone textures 
used in earlier tracks, opting instead to use a burbling synth that 
plays underneath a series of beautifully sweeping pads. Sublime 
and lovely, this one is surely my favourite track on the disc.

"Darkness Between Them" follows in a similar pattern, employing 
sweeps and sustained notes to maximum effect. The track seems 
to exist as a companion piece to the earlier "Degrees of Separation", 
but where that track suggested connectivity this one gives the 
impression of isolation between it's elements, a strong feeling of 
separate existence. Still beautiful, still inspiring, but perhaps with 
a touch more regret in it's charms.

"Subspace-Overdrive" closes the disc, a flight into space and all 
of the mystery that entails. Twinkling stars, meteor dust, nebulae 
and more, it's the sound of the heavens, the sound of beyond. 
A charming excursion outside of our selves and a 
wonderful way to close the disc.

Without doubt, "Degrees of Separation" is a stunning collection 
that re-enforces my belief that Kirby is one of the most significant 
ambient/electronic artists working today. All of the tracks on this 
disc give pause for thought, reflection, and contemplation, all of 
them send the mind reeling with possibility and opportunity. 
An essential work by an essential talent.

rik - ping things

"Degrees of Separation" is on sale now at ping things! Visit 
http://www.pingthings.com/CIRCULARdegrees.htm 
to hear mp3 samples

"Degrees of Separation" is one of many discs you'll hear 
featured on ping things radio every Sunday and Wednesday 
nights from 9pm to 12am EST on Live365! Tune in to 
http://www.live365.com/stations/marastorment 
to hear some great music from artists in the ping things 
catalogue. And as an added treat, this week's show features a 
special almost live performance by mara's torment! Don't miss it!

http://www.pingthings.com = ambient + electronic + chill things 

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* Other Toronto area sonic/visual events of interest this week:

* Thursday April 6th . Improvisors' Pool
   The improvisors' pool is a weekly gathering for musicians who 
   practice collective free improvisation. It welcomes players 
   of all levels and backgrounds.
   7:00-9:00 . Ralph Thornton Centre . 765 Queen Street East
   
* Thursday, April 6th . Pianist Eve Egoyan - Double CD Launch 
   and Concert - pianist Eve Egoyan will perform works from 
   her two new recordings, WEAVE and ASKING, her fourth 
   and fifth discs of music by living composers.
   Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front St. West
   $15 - Students/seniors/arts workers $10
   
* Thursday April 6 . 4 in 1
   Guitarist Ken Aldcroft and drummer Dave Clark blast off on a 
   crisscross ride through the wonderful universe of T Sphere Monk.
   Good times guaranteed.
   9pm . the Red Guitar . 603 Markham St
   
* Friday, April 7th . Leftover Daylight Series
   i- Remnants Trio
   Ken Aldcroft- guitar, Evan Shaw- alto sax, Joe Sorbara- drums
   ii/iii- From Chicago    Rempis Percussion Quartet
   Dave Rempis- alto sax, Anton Hatwich- bass, 
   Frank Rosaly- drums,  Tim Daisey- drums
   9pm . ARRAYMUSIC Studio 60 Atlantic Ave., Ste 218 . $15/10
   
* Saturday April 8th . The Window Series - Eric Chenaux & John 
   Oswald + Paul Swoger-Ruston & friends 
   First set: Eric Chenaux and John Oswald improvise on 
   hollow-body electric guitar and alto saxophone.
   Second set: Compositions by Paul Swoger-Ruston for electric 
   guitar and Rhodes. Featuring Jordan Wright, Josh Thorpe, 
   Mike Kane, Nicole Marchessau, and Richard Benedict. 
   Lots of nice microtones! Co-presented by Arraymusic.
   9.30 pm . Arraymusic Studio, 60 Atlantic, side door . $5
   
* Saturday, April 8th . THE GROUP OF SIXXX with FABle
   8 PM . The Music Gallery . 197 John St., Toronto
   $10 regular/$7 members & seniors/$5 students . all ages
   
* Sunday April 9th . The Man Show featuring Final Fantasy, 
   Mantler, Matias + guests . two shows: 4 PM & 8 PM 
   The Music Gallery . 197 John St. . $10 . all ages

* Sunday April 9th . The NOW Series
   2:00- Workshop- Ken Aldcroft- Improvisation / Composition   
   4:00- Aldcroft / Haas
   w/ ken aldcroft- guitar, andy haas- soprano saxophone   
   5:00- Alex Lukashevsky + guests
   w/ alex lukashevsky + guests   
   6:00- Haas / Thomson / Sorbara / Yue / Wilson
   w/ andy haas- soprano saxophone, scott thomson- trombone, 
   joe sorbara- drums/percussion, andy yue- electric piano, 
   john wilson- guitar
   NOW Lounge, 189 Church St. . $6
   
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THE AMBiENT PiNG is a social sound/art event presenting live 
performances by Toronto's finest ambient, chillout, improv and 
experimental music artists plus performers from around the world, 
every Tuesday evening at HACiENDA . 794 Bathurst Street at Bloor. 
http://www.theambientping.com 

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Please forward this e-mail to any friends who may be interested in 
live ambient, chillout and experimental music performances or to 
any of your appropriate newsgroups. Thanks.