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The PiNG presents Mahogany Frog and Ben Grossman




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

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This Wednesday May 25th - Mahogany Frog and Ben Grossman

Ben Grossman will open the night with his amphibious hurdy gurdy  
stylings. He'll be setting a marsh-like scene with a combination
of improvisation, spontaneous composition, live-looping and insect  
protein. http://www.macrophone.org

Mahogany Frog is a four-piece band originally from Saskatoon but
currently based in Winnipeg. Performing at venues since 1998,
Mahogany Frog has developed a sound that could be described as
"electro lounge-rock". Executed with an extensive collection of
analogue synthesizers and keyboards, effects-saturated guitars,
horns, samplers and percussion instruments, their music touches
upon ambient & experimental electronica, jazz & space/progressive
rock. Mahogany Frog's meticulous compositions are juxtaposed by
sections of free-form improvisation, resulting in on-edge performances
which can be both satisfying and challenging to the listener. Catchy
melodies evolve and orchestrate into warm, lush, synth-happy soundscapes,
only to be demolished by explosions of grinding, feedback-ridden
guitars. The Frog is touring in support of their most recent album
"Mahogany Frog on Blue", available on both CD and clear blue vinyl
through Vancouver's Scratch Distribution. www.mahoganyfrog.ca

Between Sets CD - "More Music For Films" by Brian Eno
Eno's latest release consists of tracks taken from the rare,
vinyl-only compilations "Music for Films Directors' Edition"
and "Music for Films Volume 2" and represents the first time
that about half of these pieces have ever been released on CD.
http://www.enoweb.co.uk/

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Coming Wed. June 1st - Thinkbox
http://www.thinkbox.ca

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||: IN THE LOOP :||  by Luna Tek

THE AMBiENT PiNG presented RADiO iN AMBiENCE Part 2 on Wednesday
May 18th. The evening featured Montreal sound & radio artist Anna Friz
and composer Allison Cameron with Stephen Parkinson on electric guitar.

As a "small noise improv" artist, Allison uses contact mics to amplify
small instruments, toys and objects. For RADiO iN AMBiENCE Part 2, she
and Stephen Parkinson created quirky soundscapes that worked incredibly
well with the video art donated to the PiNG by Self Service Visuals
(Jakob Thiesen and Rebecca McClennan) earlier this year. Playing on
either side of the stage, the images moved across the screens in synch
with Allison & Stephen's quiet improv. According to Allison, serendipity
is often part of her creative process: on occasion, she has performed
with objects that she's never used before - the live improv is the 1st
time she's heard the sound it makes. Stephen's non-tonal, "in between
the cracks" guitar work emphasized the textural elements of Allison's
experimental sound art.

Anna Friz is the artist-in-residence for the Deep Wireless festival at
the Drake Hotel this month. She presents installation and performance
works incorporating low-watt FM transmission in North America & Europe.
Anna pulls samples off live radio during her performances, but for
tonight's show she also had to pre-record some samples because of
unreliable shortwave reception. All of the prerecorded samples used
in this performance were "authentic Toronto radio" recorded on the
street and imported onstage. With one hand playing the theramin and
the other on the radio dial, Anna created the effect of duelling
short waves - as though she was controlling the radio frequency with
the theramin. Toward the end of her set, she played the harmonica over 
a gently throbbing drone, evoking memories of road trips down deserted 
highways & nights spent listening to a transistor radio under the covers.

RADiO iN AMBiENCE Part 2 continues the Deep Wireless festival held
in Toronto throughout the month of May. During tonight's shows, our
nostalgia for radio surfaced and the audience was reminded of the
vital role radio can play in our lives.

For more information:
Deep Wireless - http://www.deepwireless.ca
Allison Cameron - http://composers21.com/compdocs/camerona.htm
Anna Friz - http://www.soundscape-fm.net/userinfo.php?id=41

Luna Tek  -  luna@theambientping.com
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rik maclean's *ping things* CD Reviews

"My Little Fire-Filled Heart" by Tara VanFlower

Fans of Tara VanFlower will no doubt be thrilled by the release of her
second solo disc "My Little Fire-Filled Heart". With this disc Tara has
created a diverse collection of songs all of which wonderfully showcase
not only her writing and vocal skills but also her eclectic and unique
approach to music.

The disc is an impressive collection of pieces utilizing a variety
of vocal styles and techniques showcasing the range of Tara's skill
alternating between spoken word narratives to effected looping vocal
collages to more traditional styles of singing.  The disc often features
doubled and tripled vocal lines that give the suggestion of a chorus
of Taras, sometimes singing together as one voice, other times as
individuals each with their own unique and distinct personality.
Minimal ambient elements and drones play throughout the disc, quiet
and irregular, providing an excellent accompaniment to Tara's voice,
adding to the atmosphere but never distracting from the magic she's 
created.

Lyrically "My Little Fire-Filled Heart" shines with surreal turns of
phrase and captivating imagery.  Throughout the disc Tara strings words
together that evoke a childlike wonder filled with discoveries, magic
moments and dark corners. It's a collection of beautiful fragments of
emotion, sometimes blindingly happy, other times unsettling and anxious,
but always perfectly captured in crystaline clarity.

To be sure, "My Little Fire-Filled Heart" is a beguiling release, the
work of a fearless artist who is able to capture some of the magic that
exists around her and make it into something others can share. With this
release Tara has solidified her status as an unmistakeable and singular
talent in modern music and proves that she deserves attention and
recognition for the wonders she is creating on disc.

rik maclean - rik@pingthings.com

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

Send an e-mail to pingthings-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
for updates on *all* the latest releases on sale at ping things

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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 across
the continent, every Wednesday 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.

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