Dun-Dun Band
Pita Parka Pt. 1: Xam Egdub
Ansible Editions
It’s always good to check out what’s happening on the local scene when traveling. For whatever reason, you can often find talents every bit as compelling as Pitchfork’s pick of the week hiding out in the local releases bin. Craig Dunsmuir is one of Toronto’s massive musical talents who isn’t that well known beyond Ontario. He’s a record store guy, a DJ, and leader of a number of groups in the Toronto area.
The Dun-Dun Band is Dunsmuir’s latest group. For this ensemble, he’s collected an all-star group of Toronto jazz and rock musicians, including members of Brodie West’s Eucalyptus, guitarist Kurt Newman, percussionist Blake Howard, Jay Anderson on Roland Handsonic, and Karen Ng on reeds. Pita Parka Pt. 1: Xam Egdub consists of three compositions conducted by Dunsmuir. Each piece has composed elements and sections where Dunsmuir can call on ensemble members to improvise. The mixture of free and composed elements means no two performances will be alike.
The opening track, “No. 1” combines Afro-pop rhythmic ideas with post rock structures and free jazz soloing. “No. 20 (Once Raw, The Aging G)”, blends compositional minimalism with a languid melodicism. The set closes with “No. 7 (Nilan),” an epic ode showcasing prog influenced guitars, jazzy horns, and a percolating rhythm.
