Today as part of a great, free concert series organised by Scott Thomson called Music (in) Galleries I will be performing at 2:30 at the Stephen Bulger Gallery/Camera, 1026 Queen Street West with Victor Bateman.


Victor Bateman is an old friend, a fellow Dad and a long time musical co-worker. Shortly after moving back to Toronto from Montreal I started a new band that featured Victor on electric bass (as well as Andy Milne and Kevin Dempsey). In 1993 we recorded my first Cd called Hoser City. This was followed by my first national tour (mostly on Via rail tranes!) Before that Victor was known for his witty, highly creative writing and bandleading with his band Vektor (I highly recommend their "Best Of" Cd) that was a part of Toronto's Queen Street scene in the 80s.

Victor mangages to play many kinds of music at a high level. Most recently he has become a mainstay in the local improvising scene as well as running a highly successful annual improv workshop. He has also played a lot of Country music and leads one of Toronto's best bands in recent years called Another Country.

Victor Bateman's voice is the real thing! Whether he is singing one of his own songs like "I own a Brownstone" or a Hank Williams favourite it is hard to miss the emotion and beautiful and unique tone that he belts out.

He also has made some fantatstic jazz records both as a leader and sideman and can often be heard playing the acoustic bass at jazz clubs like The Rex. (Hosts the jam at the players party every year!)

Bluegrass is another music that Victor is one of his faves and he plays some bluegrass bass but most recently has become quite a flat picker on the acoustic guitar.

All this to say that I am excited about performing with Victor today and as he continues to grow, change and surprise us all he will be playing electric guitar for our set of music as part of the Music (in) Galleries concert. (I will be playing the 5-string banjo)

Check out the somewhere there website for the list of all the improv sets going from 1-5pm on Queen W. as well as details about the two William Parker solo bass concerts tonight.