I recall picking up Toto’s first album and fell in love with it right away. Everything from the arrangements/progressions to the vocals were the kind of style that I would have really enjoyed playing. Too bad back then there wasn’t any musicians living in my home town who wanted to venture off in this musical direction, their loss. In my defense, I remember playing in my first band Deuce that played Toto’s Hold the Line at St. Bernard School way back in 1979?

I vividly recall playing the opening song called Duece, and Brian M singing the words “Get up and get the Hell on out of here!” The kicker is he was looking directly at this nun in the first row, that was way too funny! Way to go Ginchy!

My nephew and I were in a car traveling to my cousin’s house 2 years ago to do some landscaping and gardening, see I’m good at something else too as I said in my last e-mail. He pulled out this new Toto album called Toto’s Greatest Hits Silver Box set. The kid is the Data of the movie trivia and facts world. The guy is just amazing at what he knows about movies, it borderlines on scary actually. Check out his site, he’s working on it just to give you a head up.

The band had put just about the the whole first album on it! I was floored when we put in the stereo. The songs on this CD instantly brought back all those childhood memories, thanx again JC!

Now a days while taking the pooch out for a walk along the Danforth, I listen to this collection on the old iPOD. Over the past couple of hours the one song that gets me going the most called Endless. It’s originally on the Isolation album if anyone if interested. Everything about this one is outstanding, listen for yourself!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE63SN46AeA

Love ya Live!

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Like every Boston fan out there, never hold your breath about the issue date of the bands next album because of the bands agonizingly slow evolution in their recording process. Even though the band states that this album is 85% complete, I still wouldn’t dare to place a wager on the exact date. Does anyone out there recall the band taking 6 years to complete their third album Third Stage? Talk about build up to a product release!

Since Brad Delp’s death, Boston has chosen to use a couple of singers but their recent singer, Tommy DeCarlo, is the one that stuck.

Boston just has that sound that makes you stand up and take notice. Even if you not a fan of the band, I bet that you’d know them after listening to only a few bars of a song.

When my parents bought me a 50 watt 1/2 stack HIWATT (for a good laugh check out the link!) amp, the first song I played on it was Boston’s Don Look Back! I literally didn’t know how powerful it was so after 10 minutes of setting it up, I found the number 9 button on the volume control. It was so loud it work up John Elek down the street, not to mention the cat never came back for 3 days, it was at the foot of my bed, true story. Thank God the windows were open otherwise I don’t know what would have happened. I never went near number 9 again …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiOqHLVxZvA

So when do you think the band’s release date will be?

Keep on Jammin’

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While reading my biweekly Macleans, I read about this new band conducted by Darcy James Argue called Secret Society. To some out there they might not sound like the classically acknowledged Big Band groove that we have been exposed to from the past but it’s there sitting in the background, right in front of you. The way they put in some techno here and there is quite refreshing.

I hope that at least you will bring your own eclectic musical tastes with you when and if you give the below video a listen to. I like Secret Society here in this particular video but the best way to experience a group like this, in my eyes, are in a venue WITH OUT microphones! If ever had in the past then you know what I mean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=175ygZD5VzA

Keep on Jammin’

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Now being a little more mature, musically that is, when I view a couple of their earlier shows on line I tend to pick up some unexpected treasures in those shows that I wasn’t really aware of back then. To see what I mean read on.

At work I’m always chatting with surgeons that use to play guitar in high school bands and our talks always revolves around obscure musical topics. This one day one of them told me about this particular Monkees episode that had Frank Zappa on it. Then right after saying this, this other surgeon chirped in and said that he was a massive Frank Zappa fan that went to see Zappa plays Zappa last year. Small world eh?

I then said, Really … Frank Zappa on the Monkees? You’ve got to be kiddin’ me. So off we went to a computer, did a quick youtube search and bang, there it was right in front of us.

Frank Zappa in a short clip on the Monkees show..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOI-SDYGviM

Michael Nesmith playing Frank Zappa and Frank Zappa playing Michael Nesmith interviewing each other as the other person, hilarious!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNJy-OgCzB0

Any Zappa fans out there?

Keep on Jammin’

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They just appear to be having a great time in each others presence. I’m not sure what they’re getting at or if there is any purpose to the interview but it sure is entertaining at times! In one section someone alludes to the fact that it is being shot in a local TV studio somewhere in Calgary.If anyone out there knows more about the video please tell me, I’d love to find out.

Nash can’t remember, but he thinks there are serious stories to be told here, but..he…can’t…. remember. Jim…..Help!!! Just kidding. Iggy and Nash remember everything that happened over the entire six week tour, but they refuse to incriminate each other.
Nash the Slash’s Gravesite

At one point in the video, they show us some of the finer points of yoga and stretching. Come to think of it, they may have been the forerunners of the 20 Minute Workout video’s? Remember that show?

The video is very poor and grainy at times, I’ll warn you now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGZnP_oNVko

A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of meeting the man, without the bandages, at a local patio. It was so cool to finally meet a boyhood legend that it left me speechless … yes speechless!

Keep on Jammin’

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Ok, I get it, they might want to upgrade/replace the old studio by how are they going to replace that feel that you get with a smaller much more intimate venue?

Not that I’m against the advancement of music halls but why don’t the designers work with what they have? Don’t they have the expertise and technology to do it correctly?

I’ve been a huge fan of ACL’s for so many years now that I can’t remember the first time I’ve ever seen it. The bands that they had were amazing. The complete listings of bands that have performed must be HUGE. Just check out some of the line ups that have been there on the Rolling Stone website, there’s no way you can read them all!

So check what I consider the best show ever to grace the stage at the famous Austin City Limits stage!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3Cc-EoybFY

Keep on Jammin’

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It’s wild just to think about what John Lennon would be doing, as a modern day artisan, if he was with us today.

I think that he’d be a rather hard working multi-media god.

He could have created some of his magical music right in the comfort of his Dakota apartment and then released it on iTunes or some other site. He could have produced fabulous digital art for art galleries or for sale. He’d more than likely have a blog to use as a soapbox to bring us his message about his comments on society. He might even have had a Twitter account, who knows?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okd3hLlvvLw

What do you think John Lennon would be doing to celebrate his birthday if he were alive today?

Keep in Jammin’

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I did get down there yesterday afternoon around 5 PM to see an old bass guitar player hero from the past, the great Doug F. His bass chops back in the day was a true inspiration for me as a very young guitar player growing up in Brantford and attending St. Pius X Church.

He was one of those intimidating musicians, in my mind due to my young age at that time, that just had a certain air to him. At first he made me feel not worthy to play in front of because he was so good! I’m sure that most of us out there has had a similar experience when we first start playing?! After getting to know him years later, I quickly found this not to be true at all.

We all sat out on the patio at Sarah’s and the weather could not have been better. Oh ya, some team from Spain won some kinda game? We chatted there for a while and then we decided to head off to our place to sit in our backyard for some more fun in the sun. Our very overly friendly Greek neighbour Nick had his whole clan over again and he asked us over to join them for some great food, (damn those Greek people know how to BBQ) and drinks. After leaving there with around 2-3 days of diners, we came back to our place.

I brought out the my trusty Larrivee and played some background music to go with our conversation. It was perfect!

So that was my day in paradise my with wife and an old guitar hero!

Keep on Jammin’ Doug!

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The ones I like so far are Guitar Duet Stomp (3:35), The Wildcat (2:34)and Hong Kong Blues (3:10).

Guitar Duet Stomp is the style of guitar playing that I just can’t get enough of.

My best guitar teacher ever, Chris Peterson, introduced me to this enchanting style of playing. The emotions that overwhelms me with this classification of music, is indescribable. One’s fingers literally fly all over the fretboard. Not in that heavy/speed metal guitar styles that we have all become accustomed to, but in a more purer form.

The chord progressions are just heavenly. Really they are, check out this song for yourself and see what I mean. The tempo changes are a nice breather in the song. There is even a little bit of Leon Redbone in there as well.

The Wildcat also holds a similar musical torch to the above one. This time Jeff Healey brings in some hot fiddle player to play on this one. I’ve never had the privilege to play with one so I have a unique interest for this one. The fiddle player is running neck to neck with Jeff on The Wildcat and is playing in hurry! I enjoy the time and chordal change, some people fine this irritating so this is heads up to you folks. Ahhh, LOVE IT!

Last we have Hong Kong Blues. This is a fun but corny kind of song. It’s about a Memphis man that was arrested in Honk Kong. Do I need to say anymore? On this song it’s just Jeff playing acoustics’s on three or maybe more tracks. In the middle of this piece, he gives us this overly sappy part that makes one’s eye’s roll in a humorous way.

Does anyone out there have this CD? Love to hear back from ya.

Keep on Jammin’

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Jon Anderson will bring his melodic vocal tenure in a solo performance, to the same stage that he graced almost 2 years ago to the day.

The Danforth Music Hall is a great place to take in any show. I remember one time that one of my readers gave me a ticket to see Rick Wakeman play there a couple of years ago. It was after I was very sick and I guess the reader wanted to do a good deed at the time and there I was.

So if your a big Jon Anderson or Yes fan, try to get out and see the man with the golden tones! It will be worth the drive.

Keep on Jammin’

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