Guitar Licks

Guitars, tips and great music discussions




You are here: Home / Archives for Chris

Flight of the Conchords

by

Has anyone ever seen these guys on TV? I happened by chance to see their show on HBO and I was immediately hooked!

It’s all about these Kiwis, (Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement),that moved to New York to further their singing career. The songs that they create are about everyday people and their fantasy’s plus, modest ambitions of what they could achieve if they only had faith in themselves. They’re dry sense of humor is so captivating that you just can’t keep your eyes off the TV.

I know that everyone has had friends like these guys in the past and later on in life you have to wonder what had happened to them? Well here is one ending to that thought that will leave you wanting to know more!

Check outnight gig and play the little combo video game and video!

So check out your TV guide and start watching, in the words of the theme song to Family guy they’ll “make us laugh and cry!”

Who says white guys aren’t fly!

Keep on Jammin’




Jeff Healey rest in peace

by

I found this out this morning while making Midnights breakfast (she’s our new beautiful Labrador Retriever).

Wow, taking about being blown away! I think that I will always remember where I was and what I was doing when I found out of this great musical lose! I can still remember when I found out that Stevie Ray Vaughan had passed. I actually called my wife right after finding out.

Rock and jazz musician Jeff Healey died Sunday in a Toronto hospital after a battle with cancer, his publicist said. He was 41.

Healey lost his sight at age one as a result of Retinoblastoma, a rare form of retinal cancer.

Retinoblastoma, is a cancer that hits children younger than 5 years of age.

Healey had the great honour of playing with George Harrison doing one of Harrison’s songs called As my guitar gently weeps. He also played with other guitar gods such as B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It was Stevie ray who actually brought Jeff into the greater world musical spotlight. Being in the 1988 movie called “Road House” didn’t hurt either!

I was in his club called Healey’s in Toronto and saw Saga’s second last show in Canada, the last one was in my home town of Brantford, with the lead singer Michael Sadler. Nice place to see a show, go check it out.

My wife and I are God parents to my cousin’s son and he is blind. This happened as a result of contracting a disease called Toxoplasmosis. He is a very outgoing little fire cracker and has a love for all genres of music. He has developed a great singing/rapping voice and has actually recorded some tunes at a local recording company.

My cousin and his son went to a event for the blind that Jeff Healey was at around 3 years ago. His dad thought that it would be a blast for his son to meet him, so they both went up to talk to him. When they met, our godson went silent, if you actually know this little guy, you would think that I was making all this all up because he’s never Silent! He knew who Jeff was and what he accomplished so maybe that is why he was nervous about meeting him.

So let’s keep Jeff and his family in our prayers.

Jeff Healey
1966 – 2008

Best Selling Album of all time turns 25

by

It’s hard to believe, but Michael Jacksons Thriller album is now 25 years old. To celebrate the albums milestone a special 25th anniversary edition of the album hit stores in February.

I realize that most people either love or hate this guy, but I happen to be caught in the middle. His way of making music does get your attention. It seems to be passing the test of time and we all know that that is the true yard stick to measure success. Hell, the man-child even got the great Eddie Van Halen to play on this album.

Van Halen’s guitar style, referred to as Shred, comes at you like the heat of the sun on a cold winter’s day on “Beat it”! If the album’s style passes the Eddie test then there has to be something great and innovative about Micheal’s formula, to successful writing!

If you want to hear more about the album and hear what the King of Pop himself has to say about it watch this video.

A Vegetable Band

by

I was just leafing through our Maclean’s Magazine and found this one just screaming out at me! It can be found in the Feb., 25 2008 version on page 60. They call themselves “The Vienna Vegetable Orchestra” and yes they perform with vegetables as instruments.

As you see here, they have no vintage instruments. The musicians themselves create their devices fresh and daily. Talk about your green band!

The only thing I have to say is to check out the video and go to their site. I wonder what they serve back stage after a gig?

vegband.jpg

Keep on Jammin’

You know it’s cold when

by

… the dog rings her “outside bell” at the door to go out for her … daily constitution … but then refuses to go out in the cold!

freezing.jpg

I realize that it’s not as cold here as it is in some parts of this great country we call Canada, but my God -22 C minus 7.6 (Fahrenheit) is not exactly twisting by the pool weather either!

Our NOT so little puppy Midnight, is just such a well adjusted dog at home when she is with us. She doesn’t bark all that much, but when she has to go outside she just stands at the door looking at us to pick up on it. We’ve tried to get her to make some sort of noise, but she just sits there patiently wanting out. When we told her obedience instructor about this (BTW, she just successfully graduated from Puppy Training classes this past Friday night) he had an idea!

He told us to get a bird bell and attach it somewhere near the front door then train her to touch the bell with her nose thus making a sound to alert us to her wishes. It took a while, but she does this now and it honestly works! Just a short while ago she went up to the bell and rang it. I then went to put her leash on and opened the door outside for her to do her thing. After opening the screen door to let her out, a huge gust of wind greeted us and she backed away from the door. I wish that I had the video camera running to catch it on film because she was thinking the exact thing that I was at the same time!

I hope that Wiarton Willie, our famous Ontario Ground Hog, as seen here on youtube is right this time around!

keep on Jammin’

This just in, last night it finally reached a balmy -31 (C) or -23 (F)

Let my Zeppelin PLAY

by

Just a quick post here guys and gals!

zeppelin.jpg

The question of the day is …

Would you go see Zeppelin if they were in your area?

To add your voice to the petition to get them to go on a world tour, please go to this site and sign up now!

Keep on Jammin’


The PATH in Toronto

by

I was downtown the other day and we ran into the hidden gem for all tourists to use in the winter time. We haven’t used this way for years and I just wanted to share it with you all.

Like most cities that have cold/snowy weather during the winter, you have to deal with the slush and snow while traversing through the core. This really can put a damper on your experience here. So in the early 1900’s our forefathers came up with this fairly new concept on building a underground city to keep you spirits warm and dry. I know that this sounds like some bad sci-fi movie idea, but it works great!

It started out around the landmark Eaton Centre then other locations started to jump on board with this fabulous idea. Then a 1988 reform in city council decided to scale back this idea. After this, developers had to give way to their tenants cries to have their locations attached to this revolutionary way of shopping. This gave way to the rise in land value of the property making the developers owners of the most valuable pieces of property in the country.

According to Guinness World Records, PATH is the largest underground shopping complex in the world with 371,600 square metres (27 km.)of retail space. The PATH also holds the bragging rights to the worlds largest side walk sale! It’s even bigger then the whole size of the West Edmonton Mall. If you’ve ever been there then you get the idea. Soon, they say, it will cover around 60 kilometers underneath the downtown area.

If you ever come to Toronto for a visit, check out the official PATH site and print out a copy, it’ll be one of the best things you did if you come here!

Keep on Jammin’

Toronto Roofing Industry

by

While my brother was here from Chicago visiting this past summer, we all bumped into a mutual friend of ours from our elementary school days and his wife! It was great to caught up with what is going on with each other’s lives and share a pint or two over dinner!

We met up at the Balmy Beach Club, members only and sat out on the patio! It’s right on the beach front in the “Beach area” near our home.

Out in front of us on the patio there are these little break water islands around 75 feet from the shore.

My brother and I saw that our buddy seemed bummed out so we asked him what is was that we could do to brighten up his day. His response was something like “why don’t you two swim out to those break water islands and show us what your made of.” So we did!

IMG_0743

As it turned out it was just a little tried from working too hard with his company Toronto Roofing industries.

The guy was always a perfectionist and was always looking at ways to improve what ever he did. One thing that I can say about Tim is that he always did his homework! He also came over to the house that we were going to buy and he did a quick visual on the roof and was bang on the money. He told us about when the roof was done, the overall structure of it and some tiny little faults in it that was easy for us to fix! Good eye Tim, you should of been a jeweler!

Keep on Jammin’ Tim!

Oscar Peterson RIP

by

I don’t know where to start on this post because I have been in a state of disbelief ever since it has happened. One of the last jazz giants Oscar Peterson has left the building. On top of it all, was Canadian! Not many people are aware of this fact, especially Canadians themselves.

He was born on August 15, 1925 in a limestone house on Delisle Street in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He played trumpet THEN piano, he had TB at the tender age of 7 then concentrated solely on piano. He did most of his recognizable contributions to jazz in the 50’s and 60’s and was best known for his impeccable playing technique. Some may have thought that was his only real gift but when he flew up or down the keys in either PPP or FFF, it was obvious the the guy knew exactly how to execute his talent like no one before. To all of you guitar speed freaks not familiar with him, think Eddie Van Halen!

Over the years he played with the many of the great Jazz Masters. He worked with Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Ed Thigpen, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Clark Terry, and Joe Pass. Most of these are not household names, but trust me they are giants in the Jazz world!

Most of his major musical influences more well known though. They were Nat ‘King’ Cole, the legendary Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson and James P. Johnson.

Some people consider Oscar Peterson a jazz player who plays standard blues licks over and over again. Although this maybe true, he sounds like he was comfortable in blues as he was in jazz.

As they say ” the world is smaller then you think “, a great guy that I work with is his 1st cousin! He told me that his part of the family was not that close to them. He can’t remember the last time that he saw him which is sad.

I have always wanted to see this legend live, but sadly I didn’t. Not witnessing one of the last remaining great Jazz pianists to play live, is one of the many great acts that will have to be played only on DVD and regrettably not within my memory.

Oscar Peterson RIP

Keep on Jammin’ Oscar

Fender Duo Sonic Pick ups

by

I just love the sound of the single coil pick ups that I have in my Fender Duo Sonic.

They are the earliest example of what the Humbucking pick up sound would become when you put the pick up switch in the middle. In this position, you are using BOTH front and back pick ups at once.

This configuration or use of the Fender’s pick ups would later help Gibson develop their own signature sound, only on a Fender guitar. Neat eh?

This is how the wiring of the pick ups work on my baby!

duosonic-pu-schematics1.gif

This a great example on how the single coil pick up works in regards to single strength. It basically shows how the string effects the pick ups output/signal going to the amp. This is also called be considered as the voltage or sound that comes out of it, once again going to the amp.

Pick ups are basically isolated copper-wire wound around a magnet. Their magnetic field is disturbed when the the string coming closer or vibrating above it. These magnets were cast in sand believe it or not thus they have this rough and unfinished look to them.

singlecoilinsides.gif

OR

pickupinsides.gif

Some more information about technical and sound terms that they use are a great read for the general interest reader all the way to the seasoned guitar aficionado.

singlecoilpickup.jpg

This link is fabulous for my Pickup specs. I found that the information here is quite detailed.

So I hope that I gave you a better insight into the inner workings of what they call a Single Coiled pick up.

One more thing, look at who else used Duo Sonic guitars, Mr. Jimi!

jimisduosonic.jpg

Keep on Jammin’

Meta

Archives

Pages

Tags

Acoustic amp band bands Brantford Bruce Cockburn Canada Canadian concert Entertainment fender funny General guitar Guitar Equipment guitarist guitar player guitars Home house Humor humour instrument jammin jazz John Mayer keyboard Live Music musician Musicians play playing Progressive Rock Pylis rock RUSH Songs to play sound strings Technology Toronto tour Video YES