Toronto Star
ENTERTAINMENT, Thursday, October 16, 2003, p. G02

Dapp spells independent and adventurous

Geoff Chapman
Toronto Star

Hamilton-born piano wiz Andy Milne was known around here in the early '90s as a fine improviser with independent and adventurous ideas.

It wasn't long before he succumbed to the lure of New York, and soon was recruited to the M-Base movement led by alto saxist Steve Coleman that was deeply into rhythmic experiments and distinctly edgy harmonic approaches. He was a key member of the ensemble Five Elements until late 1997.

Five years ago the York University music graduate, who's cited Joni Mitchell, Bela Bartok and Stevie Wonder as well as Herbie Hancock and Thelonious Monk among his inspirations, formed Dapp Theory.

It's a band rooted in jazz that strives to link the essence of hip hop and other forms of musical expression with strong emphasis on groove and profound melody. It's very good, insistently rhythmic and deft at producing unexpected harmony. At its last Toronto gig in 2002, it delivered a terrific Harbourfront concert during the JVC festival.

Dapp is back on Saturday night at The Rex with the same core band that appeared on its newest CD- Y'All Just Don't Know, on the Concord label. That means Swiss harmonica player Gregoire Mamet, drummer Sean Rickman and Toronto-based electric bassist Rich Brown.

There's a change on the vocal front, however. On the album it was art-rocker Bruce Cockburn, who penned anti-establishment songs for the disc, and rapper Kokayi. Now it's John Moon, who describes himself as a "percussive poet."

On the phone from Brooklyn after concluding a four-week tour of the U.S., Milne said he regretted not playing Canada more frequently but was enthusiastic about the path his band is taking and the new man handling voice.

"It's John Moon's first tour with us. He fits the spirit of the band as we evolve, since he tells stories and vocalizes in many different ways. He can be humorous and he can be serious, political- and there's a lot of that in me. He's freestyle and he gets inside an idea. Every note in his songs is different."

Milne hopes to record this band soon on Concord, but notes that a recording by him is "like a trailer to the movie. Sometimes people don't get it and we don't open all the doors we could. A CD is really a mini-series but at a live gig there's a lot of visual communication with the audience and we can do a lot more shaping of the music."

Dapp Theory typically tours twice a year in North America and also played the Montreux festival in Switzerland this summer. Milne has another major interest, playing in trumpeter Ralph Alessi's band that features clarinetist Don Byron- "I don't have the pressures of leadership there, so I can be freer in my playing"- and also works occasional gis with saxman Ravi Coltrane. He's recently tried out collaborative pieces with tap dancers.

His quirky compositions are a feature of his performances. "Composing comes and goes in waves, and some things I'm writing now won't be heard at The Rex. I tend to sit on tunes a long time," said the affable Milne.

"Our band is still developing, and you have to deal with emotions, personalities and a lot more. It takes a long time to make a group, a long time to understand the differences between us. It's like being married to four or five people."Who: Andy Milne's Dapp Theory

Where: The Rex, 194 Queen St. W.

When: Saturday @ 9 p.m.

Tickets: $12 @ 416-598-2475

Illustration(s):

Jazz meets hip hop and other off-kilter variations in the sounds of Dapp Theory, which can be heard at The Rex Saturday.

Category: Arts and Culture
Uniform subject(s): Business administration and management; Music
Edition: Ontario
Length: Medium, 483 words

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