TORONTO 03.01.18– David Woodhead’s longtime ensemble project The Confabulation has developed a unique voice, with compositions ranging from rambunctious romps to contemplative minimalism, plus stops at vintage song and contemporary parlour music on the way. The release of their new album TUNNELS AND VISIONS takes place on Friday, February 2nd at Hugh’s Room Live, 2261 Dundas Street West in Toronto. Doors open at 6:00 pm, music is from 8:30-11:00 pm and tickets are $25 - $30 at https://hughsroomlive.showare.com/ordertickets.asp?p=135&src=default. Dinner reservations guarantee seating. The album will be available at CD Baby, iTunes and at http://davidwoodhead.com/CDshop.html. For more info please visit http://www.davidwoodhead.com/confabulation.html

MEDIA Listen/download Tunnels and Visions:

WAV files: bit.ly/ConfabWAVs

Mp3 Files: bit.ly/ConfabMP3s

Seasoned Toronto bassist/composer/producer David Woodhead's project The Confabulation, combines a handful of expert players and brilliant ideas from the folk, jazz and world-music circles in which he travels. The Confabulation fuses the inviting community feeling of folk, the wide musical palette of jazz, the entrancing rhythms of world music, with the occasional foray into classical music structure.

Tunnels and Visions is a high-spirited, cinematic deep-dive into '70s-style jazz composition and improvisation. Naturally, it features Woodhead's trademark melodic electric bass playing, with an expressive touch on the fretless, but there's also a long list of notable instrumentalists. Band members include keyboardist Doug Wilde (Manteca), reeds player Colleen Allen (Molly Johnson, Holly Cole), guitarist Bob Cohen (Jesse Winchester) violinist Anne Lindsay (Jim Cuddy Band) and drummer Rich Greenspoon (Betty and the Bobs, Stewed Tomatoes).

The often playful spirit of Tunnels and Visions is exemplified by such songs as "Precious Little Solves The Riddle" – a playful groove tune with Dave Brubeck piano, played in 9/8 time with a steady pulse of triplets plus intermittent Sergio Mendez and Brasil 66 choral vocals – as well as "Late For Lunch," a lively romp with an inspired violin and sprightly piano.

The more cinematic flavour of the album is represented by "Gargantuas," a cross between Steely Dan pan-tonal blues and monster-movie theme music, featuring a tasty, distorted-electric-guitar solo; "Carnival For The Clocks," a fresh take on chamber music jazz using minimal instrumentation with maximum imagination; and "A Drink With Jam and Bread," inspired by the Sound of Music staple "Do-Re-Mi." This piece moves from a contemplative mood to a busy, ‘70s electric jazz feel.

Other standout tracks on Tunnels and Visions, include "Futura Bold," where sophisticated changes and melodies abound and all the players take a kick at the improvisational can; "Danse De Travers No. 3" is a fascinating take on a piece by celebrated French avant-garde composer Erik Satie, featuring a unique combination of informal instruments to represent his more formal work – perhaps the first time Satie has been played on a ukulele and clarinet; "The Inch Worm," as per the title, at first a slow and considered piece, with delightful lyrics from the movie Hans Christian Anderson, giving way to a gently percolating Latin vibe; "Windy Apples," a composition worthy of Bela Fleck, is an exceptional folk/jazz combination that showcases the fretless gourd banjo, with an evocative and slightly nostalgic melody; and "Grottos," where The Confabulation spelunks into a soundscape filled with the mysteries of underground water and rock formations, with instruments and melodies emerging and receding. Sounds of real stalagmites being struck are heard alongside scintillating electric violin, beautiful horn arrangements, haunting bells and organetto.

 More About David Woodhead

Truly an explorer of wide musical territories, David Woodhead has a melodic and subtle approach to the electric bass. His name appears on more than 250 recording projects and he’s worked with many influential artists including Perth County Conspiracy, Stan Rogers, Oliver Schroer, Gil Scott-Heron, and David Sanborn. He’s been gigging live with Malagasy guitarist Donné Roberts, classical-folk fusioneers Ensemble Polaris, and Tibetan multi-instrumentalist Dorjee Tsering as well as touring internationally with master songwriter James Keelaghan.

 

David Woodhead and The Confabulation gratefully acknowledge the generous support of the Ontario Arts Council.

The Confabulation is:

David Woodhead – fretless and fretted electric bass, mandolin,

acoustic guitar, gourd banjo, ukulele, percussion.

Doug Wilde – piano and FenderRhodes

Bob Cohen – acoustic and electric guitars

Colleen Allen – soprano and tenor saxophones, clarinet, flute

Rich Greenspoon – drumset

Anne Lindsay - violin

 

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