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Highlights from the Valentine's themed LABproject. Curated by Miles Perkin on upright bass, the set also features Stefan Schneider (drums), Bill Hesselink (drums), Brad Barr (guitar), Matt Lederman (electronics), Levy Bourbonnais (harmonica, electronics), Chet Doxas (saxophone, clarinet), and Sarah Pagé (harp). Guest vocals by John Labelle. Played live at O Patro Vys, February 10, 2007. Thanks for listening!

Highlights from the Valentine's themed LABproject. Curated by Miles Perkin on upright bass, the set also features Stefan Schneider (drums), Bill Hesselink (drums), Brad Barr (guitar), Matt Lederman (electronics), Levy Bourbonnais (harmonica, electronics), Chet Doxas (saxophone, clarinet), and Sarah Pagé (harp). Guest vocals by John Labelle on a smoking version of My Funny Valentine. Played live at O Patro Vys, February 10, 2007. Thanks for listening!

Highlights from the first set of the 33rd edition of LABprojects. Featuring Jean-Phi Goncalves (drums), Andrew Barr (drums), Mishka Stein (bass), Simon Angell (guitar), Matt Lederman (guitar), Killa-Jewel (turntables), and Christian Baang (keys). Played live to a sold out crowd at O Patro Vys, January 13, 2007. Thanks for listening!

2007 has arrived, and in the spirit of out with the old and in with the new, it's time to clean up some old files I've got lying around. Doing so provokes nostalgia as we listen to some forgotten items. So I've put together this mix of some older music from the LABproject series that was in consideration for our last album SATELLITE. The theme here is how Moondata has tried to bring ambient textures to different contexts, be it 'enoisms', soul jazz, a rock ensemble, electronics or acoustic guitars. The opening synth/guitar ambient pads are a sub-mix of a live LABproject song. I don't remember the exact origin, but I like the mood. 2nd track is from the LABproject 03 (Feb 22, 2003) It's called A SKY FULL OF LOVE and was used recently in Moment Factory's film 99 CENT DREAMS. A sub-note here is that it is the track that pushed Moondata to record each and every show professionally. It's moments and songs like that that make us keep doing what we do. The 3rd track is another remix of a live LABproject song taken from LABproject 05 (September 24, 2003). The 4th track, called SHERYNE, is from LABproject 06 (September 25, 2003). It shows how influenced we are by soul, R'n'B, and jazz (Moondata emerged from the ashes of Parkside Jones, who were once known as a 'funk' band). The final track sounds like an odd mash-up of strings, acoustic guitars and harmonica. It's from LABproject 21 which was a purely acoustic ensemble, but everything ran through effects. I love the sounds here and how they can clash while still being soothing. It's like having a difficult conversation with a friend. You don't start off on the same wavelength and you can argue a lot, but it's still comforting to talk together. LABprojects is essentially a conversation between over 100 musicians by now. And happily, it's not stopping for a while. Thanks for listening. - Matt Lederman, c/o Moondata

Here are 1 minute audio samples of all the songs from the Sevens Project debut album recently released via Dare To Care Records. If you like what you hear, check out www.sevensproject.com and buy the album via iTunes! Sevens Project live at Cabaret Juste Pour Rire Friday April 9th!!!

Highlights from the second set of the 33rd edition of LABprojects. Featuring Jean-Phi Goncalves (drums), Andrew Barr (drums), Mishka Stein (bass), Simon Angell (guitar), Matt Lederman (guitar), Killa-Jewel (turntables), and Christian Baang (keys). Guest vocals by Patrick Watson. Played live to a sold out crowd at O Patro Vys, January 13, 2007. Thanks for listening!

Here are two tracks graciously donated by Jason Sharp in advance of the next LABprojects show (Saturday November 18) which he is organizing. These tracks were recorded live at the Suonni Per Il Popolo festival. They were composed by Jason, and feature an amazing band - Stef Schneider on drums, Miles Perkin on drums, Joe Grass on guitar and pedal steel, Andres Vial on piano, Josh Zubot on violin and electronics, Michael Blake on soprano sax and Jason Sharp on baritone sax and electronics. Moondata's Matt Lederman acted as the sound man. Studio versions of both of these tracks will be available on Jason's album, due out sometime in the new year. Enjoy the advance preview.

3 tracks taken from the LABprojects 30. Vid Cousins and Matt Lederman - guitars, keys, electronics. Ryhna Thompson and Leon Kingstone, trumpet and saxophone. Sage Reynolds on the upright bass. Mark Nelson and Stef Schneider of the drums. Recorded absolutely live on September 16, 2006.

3 tracks taken from the Moondata vs. Plaster mash-up at the Main Hall, Montreal. Montreal live-electronic heavies Plaster, joined up with Moondata's Matt Lederman, Miles Perkin and Robbie Kuster in a double trio setting (2 drums, 2 basses, keys and guitar). Guests that night included Ryhna Thompson on trumpet, Erik Hove on saxophone, and Patrick Watson on vocals. This entire show is good enough to be an full length album. These songs are but a sample. We promise to post more in the near future. Recorded absolutely live on April 22, 2006.

Here are 3 tracks taken from the psych-moog-jazz-rock extranganza that was LABproject. Guests that night were the awesomeness that is the Unireverse - Alex Moskos (synths), Brian Damage (synths), Michael Caffrey (synths and drum machine) - Jamie Thompson (he of The Unicorns/Islands fame on drums), Andrew King (trumpet), and Moondata's own Peter X (bass) and Matt Lederman (guitar). Recorded absolutely live on November 12, 2005.

Here are 3 tracks taken from the roots and rock inspired LABproject show that happened March 11, 2006. The invited band was Ideal Lovers, which is Zac Decamp (guitar, vocals), Joshua Toal (bass, vocals), Joe Grass (guitar, pedal steel), and David Payant (drums). Additional musicians for the night were Denis Foucher (organ), Jason Sharp (baritone sax), Erik Hove (alto sax) and Matt Lederman (guitar). Check how the band moves from Son House / Tom Waits inspired funk blues through rockn'roll organ/guitar posturing, ending with some heavy "rock" riffage vs free jazz improv.

The complete audio of the first set from February 22, 2003. This was the third LABprojects, and the first one with live visuals. Out of the all the first shows, this one one helped solidify what we were really trying to do. Featuring: Jahsun (Kalmunity), Adam Blinick (Pigeon-Hole), Becky Foon (Esmerine, Silver Mt. Zion), Sarah Neufeld (Bell Orchestre, Arcade Fire), Alexis O'Hara, Ryhna Thompson, Peter X, and Matt Lederman. BTW, listener discretion advised for the last 4 minutes of this cast. We forced Alexis to spew verbal abuse after what was probably the prettiest song we played.

Our 3rd podcast is our 1st attempt at broadcasting some video content to you. Taken from our CD release party back in September 2005, these are some quick outtakes of the live set, featuring a wide cast of past Moondata performers. Enjoy!

Our 2nd podcast features music to support the upcoming LABproject show, featuring People for Audio, Stef from Bell Orchestre and some LABproject outtakes. The first track is taken from the October edition of LABprojects, featuring Sam Shalabi, Harris Newman, Jesse Levine, Stef Schneider, Keith Marchand, Ryhna Thompson and Matt Lederman. It then moves into a track from People For Audio, an excellent audio/visual band from Montreal. Next up is a soundtrack piece by Moondata's own Matt Lederman, followed by a killer song by Bell Orchestre. Finally, we end with Thirteen Tales, a track taken from our debut compilation CD, Satellite. This track features the amazing polyrhythmic drumming of Stefan Schneider of Bell Orchestre

This was the first LABproject ever. Only back then it was called "Live Ambience and Beats" (hence "LAB"), and we had no idea it would last as long as it did. All we knew was that this show was awesome. Completely amazing. Really. Featuring the excellent talents of: P-Love (turntables), Jahsun (drums), Stefan Schneider (drums), Peter X (bass), Jon Asencio (keys, electronics), Ryhna Thompson (trumpet, keys), Matt Lederman (guitar) and Leon Kingstone (saxophone). Avant funk, jazz and freestyle improv.