The Archives of Eternity
The Archives of Eternity features stalwart Toronto improvisers Mike Gennaro and Mark Hundevad in vigorous conversation with emergent voices Patrick Smith and Andrew Furlong. The quartet conjures the spirit of early 60’s jazz experimentalism through an urgent hybridity that’s irrefutably of the now.
The Archives of Eternity is an exciting new cutting edge jazz group that features original compositions and adventurous improvisation. This quartet features two veterans of the Toronto jazz scene and two young fresh voices, with equally impressive credentials. At the core of the group is the duo of Mike Gennarro on drums and vibraphonist Mark Hundevad. Mark and Mike have been performing together in various improvisational jazz ensembles since 1995. Collectively we have had the privilege of playing and studying with such legendary jazz musicians as Cecil Taylor, Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler and Raphe Malik and have performed all styles of jazz from straight ahead to completely improvised music.
By contrast, bassist Andrew Furlong and saxophonist Patrick Smith are both in their mid 20's and are graduates from the jazz program at the University of Toronto. They provide a young and fresh perspective on the music. This contrasting history has laid the groundwork for the fluid compositional and improvisational methods employed by our current quartet. Artistically our goal is to combine the adventurous aspects of improvisation with the compositions providing a strong creative focus.
MARK HUNDEVAD (composer, vibraphone)
Multi-instrumentalist Mark Hundevad has been a driving force in the Toronto jazz scene for over twenty-five years. Mark has studied with Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler and most notably Cecil Taylor. Having also spent several years as a drummer with long time Taylor trumpeter Raphe Malik, Hundevad has a deep connection to Cecil's compositional and improvisational methods. Mark has performed with an eclectic mix of luminary figures in the jazz and creative music world including Phil Nimmons, R. Murray Schafer, Billy Bang, Jane Bunnett, Richard Underhill and Amos Garrett among others.
MIKE GENNARO (drums)
Drummer Mike Gennaro has been an active part of Toronto's improvised music community since the mid 90's. He has collaborated with improvising musicians from around the globe including Juini Booth (Sun Ra, McCoy Tyner), John Butcher, Mats Gustafsson, Eugene Chadbourne, Trevor Watts and Wilbert deJoode among others.
Mike has recently been active in Europe, as a Canada Council grant brought him to the UK in 2016 to perform with legendary pianist Veryan Weston as part of his Rhythm Figures project. After releasing Bring A Book with British clarinetist Alex Ward, the duo set out on a successful German tour in the fall of 2017.
Gennaro has released several recordings on labels such as Spool, Bug Incision, Arachnadiscs and Confront Recordings and has performed at festivals throughout North America and Europe. He has also received support from the Toronto, Ontario and Canada Arts Councils for touring and recording projects.
PATRICK SMITH (tenor saxophone)
Saxophonist Patrick Smith has studied with such jazz icons as Ben Wendel, Mark Shim, Joel Frahm, Mike Murley and Kelly Jefferson. He leads a number of his own groups including the Patrick Smith Quintet, SHDW CLN, Patrick Smith Standards Band, as well co-leading Urbania Octet, and Smith/Steinwall Quartet.
In addition to his own groups, Smith is an in demand freelance saxophonist who is a member of the international touring band My Son the Hurricane, as well as Chelsea Mcbride’s Socialist Night School, Eighth Street Orchestra, T. Dot. Bangerz Brass, Brother Levon and many more. He has performed at the Toronto Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival and Ottawa Jazz Festival and opened for jazz greats Chick Corea and Seamus Blake. In 2016, Smith was a featured soloist alongside Dave Liebman and Norma Winstone on the University of Toronto Jazz Orchestra’s album Sweet Ruby Suite.
Some of his accolades include the SUBA Institute Award for Performance Excellence, the Anne and Wallace McLeod scholarship and the Stingray Rising Star award from the Ottawa Jazz Festival.
In September 2018 he will be releasing his debut EP from his originals quintet and is working towards recording “Spherical Drifting” an hour long programmatic piece for jazz quartet and strings.
ANDREW FURLONG (acoustic bass)
Andrew Furlong has been playing composed and improvised music on the bass since 2008, first in Edmonton, and in Toronto since 2012. For two years he played in Edmonton’s Catgut, navigating two cross Canada tours and a release on Old Ugly Records. In Toronto, his compositions and unique extended technique-laden improvisations can be heard in the misfit jazz band My Misshapen Ear with Anthony Argatoff and Joe Sorbara, and in his own solo double bass project. Andrew can also be seen and heard in Swamp People; The Music of Jimmy Guiffre with vibraphonist Michael Davidson, Laura Swankey's adventurous chamber jazz Quintet, Patrick O'Reilley's etherial band Chalk Repairer as well as in ad-hoc improvised settings with Toronto luminaries like Colin Fisher and Christine Duncan. Doit, his duo with Montreal trumpet player Emily Denison will be releasing it's first album in the fall of 2018.