Last week I released my first cd, and it ended up being a whole lot of work and a whole lot of fun. A huge thanks to Valery Gore who delivered what turned out to be a really emotional performance while trying out a whole new batch of tunes and a different set up. Also thank you to the Tranzac where a lot of people there had never been. I’m glad they all came and saw the venue, and myself and my band of course.

The interesting thing about this album for me is that I only now feel like it’s done, even though I’ve had the physical copies for over a month. Part of the goal of this project was to put together a proper show with a band of people I love and respect, and push myself and hopefully them to do something musically that we don’t always get to do in our sideman worlds. I feel like I definitely got pushed, and hopefully they did too. I also got extremely stressed at times, nervous, excited, depressed, and even complacent once. I realize now that having a cd release takes a huge amount of organizational know how (which isn’t a strength of mine), finance (definitely lacking a bit there), talent (we had that one thanks to an insane band with Christine Bougie, Dean Drouillard, Daffyd Hughs, Adam Warner, and Bret Higgins), and a ton of good friends who will show love and support and spread the word. Which leads me to the point of this post. Thank you so much to all who came out, or who sent kind words and couldn’t make it due to various circumstances. I really very much appreciate it. 

Now. What next? I feel like I forgot how to make music over the past 2 months, but I’m thinking it’ll come back fast. I’m moving tomorrow into my little studio laboratory and it couldn’t come at a more perfect time. I’ll be here on the blog more regularly as well, and thinking of implementing a little more structure to keep it interesting for everyone. Suggestions are always welcome!!

It’s here right now, maybe even playing on the sidebar on this post, my new record. It’s a self titled album, and I’m really excited to share it with all of you. It features beautiful contributions from some of my best friends and Toronto’s best talents, and I think you’ll really enjoy it. There are three different ways to buy it, trying to make it easy for you if at all possible. Here they are  -

1. I want my mp3′s ( or WAVs)

Bandcamp - click buy on the player to the right of the screen and be magically transported to bandcamp’s very secure and artist friendly site

itunes - click the link, or just search Joshua Van Tassel.If you see an album cover that has a freaky fox on it, you’re in the right place

2. Let’s Get Physical

Bandcamp - again, this is a great site that offers easy physical or digital orders. The shipping comes directly from me, so in Canada it should only take a couple days

Soundscapes - my favorite record store in Toronto has stocked the album, so if you’re in TO, drop by there and ask for it

Cd Baby - another great site that does a lot to support independent musicians, great fast service

3. Come to the cd release party September 15th at the Tranzac Main Hall!

We’ll have plenty of cd’s, download cards, and plenty of other surprises in store. Thanks for your continued support, and hopefully we’ll talk soon, maybe even at the release! Wouldn’t that be nice?

Working on a remix for Christine Bougie’s ridiculously great new record Aloha Supreme, out very soon with a cd release party happening November 21st at the Tranzac. You should really go. Here’s a bit of what’s happening with it, I’ll post the whole thing when it’s done if Boug says it’s cool. One of the best parts about remixing anything is that I get to hear all the original isolated tracks from the tune, which means I get to put my good friend and favorite producer Dean Drouillard under the microscope. It’s a cool way to learn/blatantly steal ideas. Sorry Dean.

in Other news, go here for a giggle.

A long while ago, maybe even 2 years now, geez, I started putting some music up called onepiecepieces. These little one minute vignettes are the product of me taking one sound or item and squeezing 60 seconds worth of entertainment out of it. I haven’t done it in a while, and just as thousands of people out there are making and breaking resolutions to exercise their bodies, I remembered that doing these are a great work out for my imagination. So, in keeping with a very organized and reasonable schedule modeled after the organized and reasonable Christine ( who covered the entire Beach Boys record Pet sounds at the Tranzac last night and it was fantastic), Tuesdays and Thursday I’ll be doing my damnedest to regal you with pieces that are short and hopefully sweet, and let u all hear things in a different way.

First up on the onepiecepiece block, I used a little clip from the sound of deflating balloons I put up last week. Here she is. Why is this one a she? I’m not sure.

Trying ( between upstairs neighbors talking on speaker phones) to work on a couple different things today, getting back on track. Some stuff like this

and some other stuff like this

If you’re smart you’ll go see Christine Bougie play at the Tranzac tonight at 730. I consider myself of average intelligence so that’s where I’ll be headed.

The Tranzac club in Toronto is one of my favorite places on this big blue earth.

When I first decided to move from a small Nova Scotian town to the dirty city I had visions of dark, mysterious looking streets filled with small doorways that all lead into jam packed smoky clubs that housed music of all kinds, with people of all shapes and colors and hair lengths. Places that would disregard the notion of housing one specific style of music and focus more on the quality and integrity of the artist. Run by people who really really care, the Tranzac ended up being all these things ( minus the smoking and alleyway entrance) and a whole lot more. With it’s 3 different rooms it’s completely normal to stand n the hallway and simultaneously hear solo piano, crazy avant jazz, and straight up blue grass at the same time. It’s unbelievably inspiring and exciting to know that any night of the week there’s a place I can go where I’m guaranteed to see  not necessarily a show I’ll love, but definitely something I’ll find interesting, motivating, or exciting.

Like most really special arts related things in Toronto, the Tranzac relies heavily on public support. If you feel so inclined, visit their website and make a donation, become a member, or even just write down their address and go by for a visit. You may hear something like this, the bet version of Oh Canada I’ve heard in years as played by a very drunk church organist I ended up befriending at 2 am Thursday night.

Played a fun show last night with Ronley and it was the usual hi jinx and fun. The Tranzac just got some new carpeting which is nice and cozy. After we were finished, someone who had a few beers started to play piano some piano quietly in the corner while I was packing up, and there was something about it that seemed like it was exactly the sound I wanted to hear at that moment.Here it is -

A nice end of the night type feeling. Also, I have a weekend off!!! Let me know if there’s anything fun going on that I can come a steal sounds from….

Ronley Tepers new video for “rose”. The record release for this album is March 19th at the Tranzac, and I think it should be magic magical. It’s a 13 piece band featuring mellophone, guitars, basses, me making noises, saw, and whoever else shows up with an instrument or woodsman like tool that produces a tone.

I love these ladies and am super proud to be part of their stuff.

All in all, the songs that he played were generally pretty good, lots of hip hop, soul, and even a good old 80′s set. The problem is that he would play maybe 30 seconds of each song. I totally respect the art of bpm matching and mashing tunes, but it’s gotten to such a point where it’s like listening to an ipod shuffle gone completely crazy with a big loud kick drum happening underneath throughout the night.

I’m not sure if it’s the product of our generations lack of attention and the way we treat music in little bite size forms, or the ease of accessing music in general via downloads/etc. Either way, it’s a little much to handle for a full night, and you know it’s bad when I actually want to hear 2 verses of the latest New Kids on The Block tune.
and ps, when did Smells Like Teen Spirit become a dance floor banger?? It was the only tune all night that didn’t get the techno mix treatment. Awesome.

in a car hearing things like this ( which I think is a really nice sound)

getting a speeding ticket ( which I don’t like at all, but the officer was actually quite friendly. Also, am I legally or morally obliged to tell him I was recording?)

I checked out the tenori-on ( which I think is not that great to be honest)

I did some recording -

and I made a bunch of music with a bunch of good friends in Montreal, and at the Pride stage, and the Tranzac, and my home. Ok, we’re all caught up now. Happy Canada Day, and I’ll see you tomorrow, I promise…