St. Dirt Elementary School

“St. Dirt Elementary School is a little big band; it’s a salon orchestra; it’s a cabaret pitband; it’s a New School concert band half-remembering old school psychedelics in a district West of Weimar and North of San Antonio. It is both public and private. It can swing like a Kollektief or shamble like a seaside sinfonia. St. Dirt Elementary School plays compositions: rubberband exotica, bouncing like bamboo windchimes dangling from the hood of a springloaded pram.”   -Martin Arnold

Saint Dirt Elementary School is one of the main ensembles which Myk has been leading and composing for since 2001.  In 2016 they celebrated their 15 year anniversary at the Music Gallery in Toronto with a gala concert and artist talk.

Wes Cheang-acoustic guitar
Ryan Driver-analog synthesizer
Myk Freedman-lap steel/tunes
Tania Gill-piano/melodica
Julia Hambleton-clarinet
Kai Koschmider-alto saxophone
Jake Oelrichs-drums/glockenspiel
Mike Overton-bass
Evan Shaw-alto saxophone

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Abandoned Ballroom, 2011, available: Here

Zombies Love Dancin’ To This Number:

Staying Home Every Night:

 

Ice Cream Man Dreams, 2009, available: Here 

Riverbank Manager:

Ice Cream Man Dreams:

 

Fall (in love) by April, 2005, available: Here

A Classic Letter Saying I’m Gone:

The Gunk Under Pretty Pebbles:

 

Hangin’ Out With The Kid Who’d Eat Anything For a Dollar, 2003, available: Here

I’m Ok if You’re Ok:

Mouth Is the Armpit of the Body:

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Saint Dirt Elementary School, among other things, is also a community.  During our years of residency at the Tranzac in Toronto, we made it a policy to welcome as many creative musicians to share the stage with us as possible.  Guests have included:

Marcus Ali-sax
Lina Alimano-trumpet
Victor Bateman-bass
Patrick Breiner-clarinet
Matt Brubeck-cello
Bob Brough-sax
Dave Clark-drums
Rob Clutton-bass/guitar
Eric Chenaux-guitar
Nick Fraser-drums
Ben Greenberg-guitar
Justin Haynes-guitar/piano
Greg Heffernan-cello
Michael Herring-bass
Amy Horvey-trumpet
Michael Johnson-trumpet
Sook Yin Lee-voice
Jean Martin-drums
Wes Neal-bass
Becca Stevens-voice/guitar/kazoo
Doug Tielli-trombone
Marcus Quinn-clarinet
Jean Rohe-voice
Liam Robinson-piano
Mark Roy-violin
Lindsey Stormo-voice
Kenny Warren-trumpet
Brodie West-sax
Chris Bartos-violin
Ken Aldcroft-guitar
Dan Friedman-sax
Karen Ng-sax
David French-sax
David Moore-piano
Andrew Downing-cello
Alex Lukashevsky-violin