PROJECTS

Don Scott & Michael Herring present: Peripheral Vision Visit the myspace Peripheral Vision is a jazz quartet that showcases the music of bassist Michael Herring and guitarist Don Scott, a synergy of strong musical personalities and complimentary writing styles between these long-time collaborators. The punchy and exciting compositions are underpinned by sophisticated techniques while engaging the listener with a grooving, toe-tapping immediacy. You can hear the influences of the classic 1960's era of jazz - Wayne Shorter, Booker Little, Charles Mingus - mixed with the modern New York scene - Chris Potter, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Dave Douglas, along with hints of Radiohead, reggae and electronica. Based in Toronto, Canada, Herring and Scott have been seen performing with David Binney, Chris Potter, Ken Vandermark, Ab Baars, Kevin Turcotte, Kirk MacDonald, Mike Murley, William Carn, David Braid, Dave Clark (Rheostatics, Gord Downie), Jah Youssouf (Mali, West Africa), Ernest Ranglin, and Brinsely Forde (Aswad). Herring and Scott can be heard together on both of Herring's Vertigo albums, featuring David Binney - the brand-new Dark Materials and Coniferous Revenge - one of All About Jazz New York’s Top 5 debut albums of 2006 - as well as on Scott’s lauded debut, Out Of Line - “Balancing the cerebral with the visceral... a recommended debut” (John Kelman, All About Jazz). Peripheral Vision is performing while preparing for the release of their debut album (spring 2010), joined by saxophonist Trevor Hogg - "Trevor Hogg's artistic integrity has built a highly sophisticated musical style devoid of sentimentalism, placing him within the rare category of musicians' musician.” (David Braid) - and on drums, Nick Fraser - "Fraser not so much plays the drums as hurls himself whole body and soul against skin and metal... truly talented." (Bill Stunt, CBC Radio). Don Scott Quartet Visit the myspace The Don Scott Quartet delivers striking performances filled with infectious modern jazz grooves and rich harmonic textures with edge-of-your-seat improvising. On their debut album, Out Of Line, the Toronto guitarist leads a quartet through ten original compositions propelled by a rhythm section that navigates the shifts between classic and modern jazz with groovy elements like jungle and rock, exhibiting a highly developed rhythmic sensibility. Fused by catchy yet quirky melodies and imaginative solos, the interplay of saxophone and guitar take the lead, while the rhythm section cooks up an unpredictable palate of support. Bringing to mind other trend setters, such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mark Turner, David Binney, Jim Black, and Dave Douglas, the Don Scott Quartet takes an organic and interactive approach to playing sophisticated modern jazz, creating a spirited and dynamic listening experience. **this project has now become Peripheral Vision, see above** God's Gift to Yoda Visit the myspace Under the influence of decades of great guitar music from Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny, Andy Summers, Radiohead and Ben Monder, God’s Gift to Yoda forges postmodern indie jazz-rock, challenging the boundaries of genre. Following a sold-out debut performance, God’s Gift to Yoda have become a major player in the Toronto underground scene, and are now taking their music to a wider audience. This collective features Don Scott (guitar), Harley Card (guitar), Michael Herring (bass) and Nico Dann (drums). “Guitar warriors Harley Card and Don Scott form a searing melodic net that raises the rhythmic vehicle of Michael Herring and Nico Dann into something simply all-terrain.” – ATV Weekly ---------------------------- “Why not use the power of the two guitars?” Harley Card, in the form of Yoda, received from God, the gift of his own planet. The problem was that the planet was invisible. Yoda (Harley) pleaded to God, “Lord, please render this gift planet visible to mine eyes!” The Lord revealed his gift unto Yoda (Harley), which unfortunately was the size of a basketball. Cut to Halle Berry on a ladder. A phone rings, awakening Harley (Yoda), it was Sandra, about the Biennale. Later that day, a band was born, with the power of two guitars, summarizing this dream: God’s Gift to Yoda. God’s Gift to Yoda then sewed together their first EP. The band descended on guitarist Don Scott’s bedroom, while bassist Michael Herring engineered with a bunch of rented stuff . It was sent home with drummer Nico Dann to Seamstress Records headquarters (his Dad’s house) resulting in “Scribble Man”. Michael Herring's Vertigo Visit the Vertigo website Visit the myspace The “unusual instrumental colours, carefully composed rhythmic structures and catchy-but-offbeat melodies” (J.D. Constidine, The Globe and Mail) of Michael Herring’s Vertigo have been amped-up by the addition of New York saxophonist David Binney, enabling Vertigo to transcend standard jazz fare. Binney, called “something brand-new — a wind stirring up the status quo of the current jazz scene” (Thomas Conrad), adds the fire of the Downtown scene to Vertigo’s mix of groove-driven composed and improvised elements. Herring’s compositions for Vertigo are “forthright, well-organized ventures with tight horn arrangements, ensemble colors and rhythmic buoyancy” (Jay Collins, SIGNAL to NOISE), and naturally possess the voice of the younger Downtown scene. While Herring tips his hat to Dave Holland, Scott Colley, Drew Gress, David Binney and Chris Potter, the compositions have much of the classic sixties sextet sound about them, respectively recalling Wayne Shorter and Booker Little at their height — an engaging and freshly innovative blend is the happy result. Loitering Heroes Visit the myspace Loitering Heroes is a five-piece, Toronto based artpop group exploring themes such as environmental and global collapse and it's effects on the individual and urban habitation, the haunting of memory and nostalgia, the democratically elected political figurehead versus fictional and fantastical heroic totems. Their lyrics employ whimisical juxtapostion, elusive and elliptical refrains and acknowleges the incessant influence of popular culture and a post-post-modern sense of reference. Musically, Loitering Heroes explores genres and modes of composition based upon the band members various backgrounds and educations, including traditional and experimental jazz and improvisition, modern classical composition, independent rock and folk as well as a high influence of atmospheric sound and noise. Loitering Heroes's intent is to make reconstructed modern pop music that is at once easily accessible, as well as socially significant. Chet! A Tribute to Chet Baker CHET! delivers the style of Chet Baker through performing his repertoire, current pop-tunes re-arranged in a jazz style, and original material contributed by all three members. Rebecca Hennessy fronts the group with a beautiful trumpet tone and an understated clear vocal style, supported by Don Scott on guitar and Michael Herring on bass. All three are alumni of Banff's International Jazz Workshop and of the University of Toronto's Jazz program. Methuselah Visit the Methuselah website The Trio of Don Scott (guitar, effects, loops), Dafydd Hughes (keyboards, effects, sampler, laptop), and Chris Banks (bass, effects) takes a new look at improvised ambient music. Not entirely electronic nor acoustic, the trio lies somewhere in between. Their emphasis is on texture and sonic exploration. They will build to a frothy, glitchy groove or explore the possiblities in a single note, weaving a hypnotic web of sound. Methuselah will sometimes plan activities along with their performance, like at a recent gig, they brought in a stack of board games for the audience to play while enjoying the set.