ImprovLab is located in the MacKinnon building at the University of Guelph. On-campus parking is free after 5pm.
Thanks to Emjay Wright for her help with this collaboration! Thanks to Emma, Colin and Brent at ImprovLab, also to Julia and Eric at IICSI for helping facilitate this event!
Join us this Thursday at 8pm for a performance of Jacob’s Ladder (2012), presented by Audiopollination Guelph! Jacob’s Ladder is a structured improvisation for 12+ performers. Solos, duets, trios and quartets emerge, overlap, and dissolve according to the structure of DNA 🧬 $20 suggested donation.
Olson was 44, and his cause of death is still (??) unknown. Please correct me if I'm mistaken about that. More details appeared in the paper later on in April:
Remembering Joel Olson, who died 14 years ago today, after lecturing at the University of Nottingham. This image is from April 3rd, 2012 on the facebook page for the Repeal Coalition, an immigration rights organization in Arizona that he was involved with.
Here's Guryan's "Moon Ride" sung by Chris Connor in 1958! It wasn't released until 1975 apparently, and the personnel is unknown :(
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc5P...
Here's a cool recording: Ornette Coleman with Don Cherry, Kent McGarity, Larry Ridley, Steve Kuhn & Barry Greenspan. 1959 at Lenox, performing "Inn Tune"
written by Margo Guryan (1937-2021)
www.discogs.com/artist/46153... #JazzSky
Happy Women's History Month!
Happy Friday the 13th!
youtu.be/v0m7XuwlE3s?...
#Jazzsky
This should have more views: A beautiful performance by Graham Lambkin and Jason Lescalleet! The camera zooms in at 18:00 as some really beautiful moments are happening.
Both Schwarz and Fornarotto worked in classical music, they have pretty interesting discographies. www.discogs.com/artist/99153...
On "What Reason...", the melody is being doubled by one of the trumpet, off to the right side of the mix. It blends so beautifully with Ornette's saxophone.
Lord's Discography has this titled "What Reasons Could I Give" for some reason!
One of the most beautiful performances ever recorded! www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK0-... #Jazzsky
I posted this last year too 😅 but it's such a cool piece of history!
Recorded on this day in 1969! This is the full composition which was edited down to form "Shh/Peaceful" on "In A Silent Way" ... it's so interesting to hear which composed elements were left on the cutting room floor! www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8se... #JazzSky
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m7V... #Jazzsky
recording info from Lord's discography:
loving this one tonight! www.youtube.com/watch?v=r47d... #Jazzsky
- A group of fully grown adults collapsed into emotional rubble this week after encountering a teacher title that did not personally receive their approval. The incident triggered mass Facebook posts, legal threats, and a community-wide reminder that the people screaming "kids are too soft" cannot emotionally survive one new word. Parents immediately announced they were pulling children from music class, threatening lawsuits, and demanding firings, all because children accepted something calmly, politely, and without a meltdown. This response enraged adults, who had worked very hard to be upset. Children processed the situation in under 30 seconds. Adults have now entered day three of spiral posting. Several parents described the issue as "dangerous" and "immoral," words they apparently reserve for situations involving tambourines and basic respect. One adult warned that children might ask questions, confirming the real horror is not gender, but curiosity. The fragility on display has been remarkable. These are the same adults who mock participation trophies, complain about snowflakes, and brag about "how we were raised." That upbringing, it turns out, produced people who short-circuit when reality fails to match their Facebook comfort zone.
Experts note that not one child reported confusion, distress, or identity crisis. However, dozens of adults reported being personally wounded, spiritually attacked, and victimized by the existence of a teacher who did not cater to their feelings. At press time, children remained fine. Music class remained fine. The school remained fine. Only the adults were broken, trembling before the terrifying idea that the world does not freeze until they approve it. Community Note: If you would like to counter the noise, the district needs supportive messages reminding them that calm, inclusive adults still exist and that children do not need to be rescued from basic human respect. The encourages these parents to locate the nearest mirror and ask themselves why a second grader has more emotional stability than they do.
Lmao apparently people near me are freaking out about a non binary teacher
And I am watching the entire community come together to dunk on the much smaller group of transphobic dipshits and it is DELICIOUS
The local newspaper even snarkily wrote about them and I am CRYING
www.discogs.com/release/5530... Kye Records 2014.
Thank you Jason.
"Recorded and constructed solely with analog sources, 'Much To My Demise' showcases ... a three month process in which pre-recorded reels of tape were transported outdoors, buried in soil and encouraged to corrode. The reels were then excavated, and their resultant signals transferred and edited..."
New blog post, a short update about the lost Roy Eldridge / Clyde Hart free improvisation recording: mattendahl.blogspot.com/2025/12/upda... #JazzSky
"The sun deeper and deeper in debt,
exposing their rancidly calm minds to moonlight"
Beautiful libretto.
The legendary documentary about Carla Bley / Paul Haines's Escalator Over The Hill has been posted to youtube! unfortunately it's in 360p but this is incredible footage! (and it may not stay up forever so watch it while you can)
correction: oops, that's Ron McClure on bass!
I haven't even touched on so much ... including his work with the Keith Jarrett trio ... like I said, it would take days to post my favorite moments. Please share your own! www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3CZ...
Don't sleep on Jack's albums as a leader! I recommend Special Edition highly: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JkV... (with David Murray, Arthur Blythe and Peter Warren)
Here's another ECM favorite, with Jan Hammer and John Abercrombie. Hammer had recorded this tune a few years earlier with Elvin Jones, that version is also great :3 www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOZA...
