the PiNG presents Michael Keith and Friends (David Sait, Joel Allen & Colin Fisher)

["PiNG" <ping@theambientping.com>]

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 March 14th . Michael Keith and Friends
CD Release . "the story of karl" by michaeL

"The story of Karl" is the new cd by guitarist/improviser 
Michael Keith. Michael is a highly visible member of Toronto's 
rapidly growing experimental and improvised music scene. This 
CD (originally a 3 cd box, but now back to 1 !!) release event 
will feature music from and inspired by the cd and it's 
concept which is mostly improvised. 

The evening will unfold much like the cd with solo, duo and trio 
performances. Joining Michael will be experimental guzheng 
player David Sait(MCF), drummer Joel Allen, as well as 
guitarist/saxophonist Colin Fisher(I have eaten the city) on 
electric bass. 

The sounds on the new disc are all over the map. From power 
trio metal to soft, slow solo guitar ambience. Fans of noisy 
weird ass shit will enjoy it. Cd's will be available as well as 
small packages of ketchup. http://geocities.com/alexiteric

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Before Sets CD . INTONE by PHOLDE 
Rumbling in like a late winter arctic storm, we take a moment 
to reacquaint our ears to the sonic overtones of PHOLDE from 
this 2000 CD. Textural one of a kind packaging matches the 
ambience which unfolds from this disc. Don't miss Alan Bloor 
when he returns to the PiNG as PHOLDE on April 11th. 
Also on the bill that night will be Greg Lauzon for his first 
live performance with his recently built Spring Dulcimer, 
a Hammered Dulcimer like instrument except that it
uses springs instead of wire strings. Don't miss it.
http://www.theambientping.com/pholde/home.html
http://www.greglauzon.com

Between Sets CD . Re:Karma by Darshan Ambient
Tonight we feature Michael Allison of Darshan Ambient who 
has released this fine compilation of work from earlier discs 
and unreleased tracks. Read more about it here in rik's *ping 
things* CD review below and hear it Tuesday @ the PiNG. 
http://www.darshanambient.net

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COMiNG Tuesday March 21st . Interweaver and NOT_digital

Leif Bloomquist (Interweaver, Schema Factor) returns to the 
Ping; bringing with him a set of electro-ambience incorporating 
deep sonic drones, playful energetic synth sounds, and 
manipulated beats. Special guest madame HAIR will merge 
her evocative vocals to add an extra dimension to the music.
http://www.leifbloomquist.net

Braving the 401 to come in from Windsor ON, NOT_digital 
brings their organic electronica to the PiNG stage for the second 
set. NOT_digital is Erik Ingalls and NOT_digital live is Erik 
Ingalls: guitar, synth-guitar, keyboards & vocals and Stephen 
Hargreaves: bass, keyboards & backing vocals. The sounds 
pass from soothing through intense to crashing. The lyrics 
concern a questioning of modern values and of reality itself. 
http://www.myspace.com/notdigital
http://notdigital.on.to

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rik maclean's *ping things* CD Reviews

Darshan Ambient . "Re:Karma"

Having had a career that has spanned over ten years, Michael 
Allison of Darshan Ambient has now released a compilation 
of work from earlier discs and unreleased tracks. "Re:Karma" 
is a fine collection of songs that show the breadth of his talent 
as well as introducing a side of his work that some fans might 
not be aware of.

Fans of Darshan Ambient's ambient work will no doubt be 
impressed by tracks such as "The Ocean Whispers", "A Walk 
Along the Ganges" and "Slow Drift", beautiful pieces that are 
very much in keeping with the lush ambience of "Providence" 
and "The Zen Master's Diary". Of particular note is the previously 
unreleased track "The Cool River" which opens the disc, a track 
taken from 1994 where a slight melody plays over top a sustained 
background of pads. Serene, dreamlike, and beautiful in it's flow, 
"The Cool River" is a beautiful piece that stands with the best 
of his more ambient moments.

Tracks like "Boundless" and "Tiger in the Grass" are slightly 
more indicative of the overall sound of the disc, percussion 
driven pieces where piano and synth lines float along the 
soundstream in chilled laid-back grooves. Of these more 
groove-based tracks, "Soul Chameleon" stands out as a 
complex percussive piece where shimmering tones and 
pads mingle and dance around each other. Very inspired.

Without doubt, "Re:Karma" is an excellent collection, fully 
displaying the talents of a very accomplished and talented 
electronic artist. Both an excellent place for new fans to be 
introduced to the music of Darshan Ambient, and a place 
for older fans to become reacquainted. Highly recommended.

"Re:Karma" by Darshan Ambient is available now at ping things!
http://www.pingthings.com/DArekarma.htm

rik maclean - rik@pingthings.com

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

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

* Thursday March 16th . BOYS DO GIRLS
   Nine Great Male Singer/Songwriters singing the songs of 
   their favourite Female Singer/Songwriters
   Russell DeCarle does Cindy Walker
   Michael Johnston does Dolly Parton
   Harrison Kennedy does Memphis Minnie
   Paul Reddick does Gillian Welch
   Justin Rutledge does Oh Susanna
   Bob Snider does Sylvia Tyson
   Kurt Swinghammer does Carole King
   David Wall does Laura Nyro
   with emcee Michael "A Man Called" Wrycraft
   8:30pm sharp . Hugh's Room . $12 advance, $14 at door
   
* Friday, March 17th . Leftover Daylight Series
   in association with Arraymusic and AIMT
   Tribute to Derek Bailey
   w/ colin fisher- guitar, justin haynes- guitar, michael keith-  
   guitar, geordie haley- guitar, nilan perera- guitar, rob clutton-  
   bass, nick fraser- drums
   9pm . ARRAYMUSIC Studio 60 Atlantic Ave., Ste 218 . $10/6
   
* Saturday, March 18th . Mercer Union presents:
   Music Series, Programme #4 & #5 
   a double bill featuring the music of Josh Thorpe and 
   John Mark Sherlock
   Josh Thorpe's part of the night contains two half-hour
   pieces. The first, a solo, will involve music boxes,
   objects, recordings, amplification, and unintelligible
   text by Gertrude Stein. The second (in three sections)
   involves Jennifer Castle and Anna Linda Siddall
   singing, Rob Clutton on double bass, Mike Kane on
   keyboard, and Josh on acoustic guitar. To produce this
   piece the band listens on headphones to Socrate, an
   old favourite by Erik Satie, and improvises to it as
   best they know how.   
   John Mark Sherlock's portion of the evening will
   feature some new work played on a single organ stop of
   his own devising as well as another less recent piece
   called salvage/wrecking.
   9PM . Mercer Union, A Centre for Contemporary Art
   37 Lisgar Street . Free
   
* Sunday, March 19th . AIMToronto presents a workshop on 
   grants and the grant-writing process 
   One of the goals of AIMToronto is to raise the profile of the 
   Toronto   improvised music community, nationally and locally. 
   By applying for more grants, we increase the visibility of this 
   type of activity within the existing music infra-structure. 
   By presenting this workshop/panel discussion, AIMToronto 
   hopes to encourage everyone in the improvised/experimental 
   music community to seek funding for their projects. The 
   discussion will be followed by a Q&A. panel discussion: 
   "Experimental/Improvised Music and the Canadian Arts 
   Granting Agencies" with Jean Martin (drummer, composer), 
   Nick Fraser (drummer, composer) and Brenda House 
   (Music Officer for the Toronto Arts Council)
   2pm . NOW Lounge, 189 Church St.

* Sunday, March 19th . The NOW Series
   presented by AIMT and the NOW Lounge
   4:00 - Aldcroft / Wilson / Keith
   w/ ken aldcroft- guitar, john wilson- guitar, michael keith- guitar
   5:00- Michelangelo / Bailey / Yue
   w/ michelangelo- home-made instruments, jim bailey- amplified  
   objects, any yue- synth
   6:00-PST w/ nilan perera- guitar, joe sorbara- drums, 
   scott thomson- trombone
   4pm . NOW Lounge, 189 Church St. . $6
   
* Sunday March 19th . Creative Improvisation Workshops
   Four 3-hour sessions, starting Sunday March 5th,
   running each Sunday in March, from Noon to 3p.m.
   Recital April 2nd, 1pm.   
   The focus of the workshop is to encourage musicians to 
   experience the combination of latitude and discipline that 
   distinguishes free improvisation, and to provide them with 
   information about the resources available to them as 
   improvisors. Emphasis is placed on the development of 
   listening skills through playing and the material covered 
   considers music in a comprehensive manner. Open to 
   musicians of all levels and backgrounds, the workshop 
   gives a clearer understanding of the process and a greater 
   appreciation of the art of improvisation.   
   The workshop is organized into 4 3-hour sessions, which 
   culminate in a hour-long recital. The recital is professionally 
   recorded, and copies made available to participants.   
   Participation is open to musicians at all levels. You should 
   plan on attending all four sessions and playing the recital. 
   Cost is $100 per person. 
   All sessions to be held at Studio 4, 60 Atlantic Ave.
   (southeast of King and Dufferin) Toronto.   
   To register, or for more information, Contact:
   Victor Bateman- tel: 416-534-7918
   email- v.bateman@sympatico.ca   
   Presented in affiliation with the
   Association of Improvising Musicians, Toronto.  
   
* Monday March 20th . Marcel Au Coin trio
   Marcel Au Coin keyboards
   Chris Banks bass
   Jake Oelrichs drums
   8pm . Dominion on Queen . 500 Queen St. E. 
   (1 light east of parliament) . $5

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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.