bitchin'

Dougal Bichan has been interested in music since childhood. He has played bagpipes in a high school marching band, tenor sax in a jazz quintet, bass and piano in various rock band.

More recently, he became involved with the Improvisers' Pool at the Ralph Thornton Centre, and has been playing there, and with various groupings of free-improvising musicians around Toronto. In May 2005, he organised the bitchin' group to play the Distillery Jazz Festival. The group is made up of Alan Bloor - bass, Rod Campbell - trumpet, PVC clarinet, Elliott Chapin - various winds, and Bryan Dennis - percussion.

Dougal co-ordinates an almost-monthly series of free-improvising groups at the Gladstone Art Bar called the bitchin' sessions. He has studied improvisation with Victor Bateman. plays bamboo flute, harmonica, guitar, a country fiddle, and sometimes - voice.

Dougal is member of The Association of Improvising Musicians of Toronto.

Visit www.dougal.ca.