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My next live gig is at Sarah’s Cafe on Danforth Ave.

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I’ll be performing on Sunday July 11th at Sarah’s Cafe Bar which is located at 1426 Danforth Avenue, Toronto. I normally don’t announce where I play but this is unique venue to play. It’s an open mike event with a crowd that is quite musically educated. It’s full of singer song writers that mostly entertain the audience with their own original works of art. The audience just sits back and respectfully admires the performers. Now this is a crowd that I am looking for!

This event is called Acoustic Afternoon and is run by a well known local music lover/performer/promoter named Dan McLean Jr. This is not the only show that he runs in Toronto. He also runs gigs for local musician’s like Emerging Artists at Free Times Café at 320 College St on the last Wednesday of every month, The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern at 370 Queen St W and of coarse the one at Sarah’s.

While at Sarah’s last Sunday I met this guy sitting at the bar named Jason. If you have a moment, check out some of his Pod Cast shows that are available on his site. Anyway, Jason told me that he had just played on stage a minute ago. He said that he just recently started attending some shows and was going up on stage to try out some of his new material and said that the crowd is just amazing!

So if you’ve got a minute to spare this coming Sunday then head off to Sarah’s Cafe Bar and kick back for some fantastic local talent! Hell, maybe I’ll get my crowbar out to pry open my wallet and buy ya a beverage or two, cheers!

Keep on Jammin’




Scarborough 16th Vintage Guitar Festival

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Canada’s 16th Vintage Guitar Show is a great event to check out some nice vintage guitars. It will be held Saturday June 26th 1:00 to 8:00pm to Sunday June 27th from 11:00am to 5:00pm. This guitar festival is located at Scarborough Community Center 3600 Kingston Road (at Markham Road) Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. See Map for details. The price of admission is a reasonable $10.00 at the door.

I just came back from this year’s show, my first ever I might add, and I liked what I saw. The main vendor and it’s driving force behind the gathering of like minded individuals is Tundra Music. They were the largest both there by far. The amount of guitars on display was breath taking. My favorites were

  • 1969 Gold Top Les Paul for $20,000
  • a nice well used 1936 Martin acoustic for $25,000
  • a beautiful 1957 Fender Strat, the price for this one I didn’t get. Damn I wish I had more dollars the cents!

I went to the show just for the fun of it and to be around some vintage guitars. To be amongst other guitar enthusiasts is a great feeling. There was no special effects anywhere on the floor just straight forward rock and roll guitars.

The one smaller but very experienced vendor that I liked was Terry Gallie. He had some great guitars on display for us at the this years show. He may of had a much limited variety to view then Tundra Music but it was his intensity that was infectious. His company is called Atomic Age Vintage and you can get a hold of him at (416) 423-4617 or e-mail him directly at atomic@bell.net to see what he has in store for you.

Another merchant was K.S. Sound from Schooner Cove Nova Scotia. He had some interesting guitars for sale and was very friendly and helpful to talk to. This is just a hobby for him at this point but he plans to jump in with both feet when he retires later on this year. I’ll have to go back next year to see how he is doing with his new venture.

Then there was this other small both that was showcasing his personal collection for guitars. He is from Hamilton but I didn’t get his name due to so many wandering around him trying to inquire about his stock at the show.

In a future post I’ll put some pic’s up for all of you to see exactly what I saw at Canada’s 16th Vintage Guitar Show. So if your in Toronto this weekend, NO PROTESTER’s PLEASE, then stop on by to take in this years show. I’m more then sure there is something at the festival for everyone!

Keep on Jammin’

Playing at a talent show at work

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Well I was asked to perform at this years talent show at the old hospital. It was fun just going up there and playing a few songs with 2 separate acts! The guys in each act are great co-workers. I’ve met both of them over the years and we get together with once in a blue moon for a little relaxing jam.

The first act was with Adrian. We both played guitar and shared vocals on Hole Hearted by Extreme. We pulled it off ok. Adrian, no not the guy from Rocky, is a great bass player with audio skills that most musicians would love to have on stage with them. His place is crammed with tons of sound equipment. Mic’s, a couple of sound boards set up and functioning, a couple of computers, instruments, even a couple of disco balls all ready to be fired up!

In the second act I performed with Sean. Sean is a south paw who played guitar and the harmonica. His main forte is drums. The number we played was Neil Young’s acoustic version of Rockin’ in the Free World. Sean pulled off a great harmonica solo half way through the song and the crowd seemed to like it.

The only thing that made my blood boil was the DJ/sound guy. He is a great guy don’t get me wrong, it’s just that he was very late to show up and we only had a couple of seconds for a sound check each right before each song. The sound was distorted and unbalanced so much so that some of the audience members commented on it after the show. I guess when your a group that is using a Karaoke sound board in a live show, what can you expect, right?!

I am a perfectionist that loves to use nuances of sound and push them to it’s limits, that is what I’m known for during performances. Depth is my best friend. That day, I left depth behind, only to use the polite words of the audience as a prop.

So that’s what is new with me so far this summer. Otherwise I’ve been doing some great gardening, welcoming new neighbours next door and taking life real easy. Once in a while you just have to sit back and not only smell the roses but work on them too!

Keep on Jammin’

Neil Young’s younger brother Bob

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I was talking to this really nice down to earth guy who was delivering out flyers to homes in the neighborhood and we gotta talking while my little puppy Midnight was out for one of her many daily constitutions. During the conversation we brought up Neil Young’s name because I told him that he looked a lot like Mr Young.

He tells me that sometimes he goes up on stage and plays his harmonica with bands that play some Neil Young tunes. He said that tons of people come up to him after he plays and thinks that he is either Neil himself or maybe he is a brother or relative. He tells them no but says that his brother Bob Young hangs out in a bar called Captain Jack in the Beach area of Toronto at a 2 Wheeler Ave at Queen St. E.

Captain Jack’s comes with 4-stars, but a warning as well. If you can’t handle places that are on the tougher side, read no further. However, if you’re looking for one of the best dive bars in Toronto, you’d be hard-pressed to find a place that beats Captain Jack and has windows. The Beaches has its fill of posh, stylish, trendy spots. This is the unabashed opposite, gritty, warts and all. The tap list includes 50, and in the beer cooler you can find Molson Stock Ale to give a sense of the range. The only high-tech items found are the jukebox, the bowling video game, and the flat screen TV that carries most-to-all available sports. The perfect spot for the last one (and you may drink a few before finding that last one) of the night.

I’ve never heard of this bar before but you can bet the farm that when I’m in the area, I will go and experience it for myself. Wouldn’t it be neat to meet Neil Young’s brother and chat with him over a beer and get a picture with the guy? Hell ya!

keep on Jammin’

Jeff Healey’s Last Call Jazz CD

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Stony Plain Records released a Jeff Healey’s ” Last Call” Jazz CD on April 6 in U.S.

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

jeff healey's last call cd 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’

The Slash took guitar lessons from Ronnie Wood?

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ronnie Wood Ronnie Wood, legendary rhythm guitar player for the Rolling Stones said that he taught the young Slash some fine pointers in how to play the guitar when Slash was living in England as a kid.

I wonder what Ronnie charged Slash for lessons? It shows that you can never pay too much for a good, or in this case one hell of a good, guitar teacher!

I found this article both funny but interesting. It makes me wonder if Ronnie’s influence played a big part in Slash’s learning curve or just something trivial.

I see similar parallels in styles but nothing that jumps out at me and says, I can see a little bit of Ronnie’s style in what Slash in playing there!

slash

Wood said, “I remember him as a kid spying on me when I was playing guitar and I’d teach him little licks, and now I’m learning licks off him, it’s really good.”

Now it seems that the teacher is no learning a thing or two from the student!


Keep on Jammin’

Jimi Hendrix once played in Engelbert Humperdinck’s band

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Can you believe that Jimi Hendrix played in Engelbert Humperdinck’s band one night late in the 1960’s? Well that is what happened according to him.

So Jimi Hendrix was on tour opening up for Engelbert Humperdinck and Engelbert’s guitar player didn’t show up and he was wondering what he would do. Jimi came up to him and said Hey man don’t worry, I’ll play guitar for you. Engelbert replied You can’t do that, your a star! Jimi then told him, wait a minute, let me check out this place.
Jimi noticed a curtain near the doorway and said, I’ll stand behind that curtain.

englebert asked him You will and Jimi replied I sure will. So Jimi got the music in front of him started playing with the band. Mr Humperdinck says that Jimi sounded like 3 guitars playing all at once. It was the biggest thrill of his life but the only thing that he was so upset about was that it wasn’t recorded! Can you say collector’s item?!

He was on my favorite CBC show called The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos. On the show George invites his guest to talk candid off stage about their craziest or most memorable moment that they had and share it on tape to be shown at a later date. This segment of the show is called Best Story Ever.

I wish that I could of found this video on Youtube and dropped it directly into this post but no such luck. So if you want to see the segment in it’s entirety, you have to do a little bit of leg work here folks! It’s time well wasted.

  1. Go to this link
  2. Cut and paste Engelbert Humperdinck best story ever into the site’s search engine
  3. Hit the red Search Video button to the right of it.

Keep on Jammin’

Jon Anderson from Yes at Danforth Music Hall

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Jon Anderson, the legendary singer from the greatest progressive Rock band of all time Yes, will be performing at the Danforth Music Hall on March 21st, 2010.

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’

Suzy-Qew and the Steelstring Safari band

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An old friend of mine, Suzy-Qew, is a great Indie songwriter. She and her band are called Steelstring Safari.

She was influenced by early guitar playing that she was exposed to during her youth. Ah the old St. Pius elementary school days. Now a days she creates her own unique style from whatever comes into her head and performs mostly for personal enjoyment. If she likes it, she records it.

Her music is currently being showcased on a site called Reverb Nation.

I hope that you could listen to her music and tell us here what style of music you think she is playing!

Here’s what I think of some of the songs on Steelstring Safari’s current album:

  • For Real is a nice catchy tune. I like the bass runs played on the keyboard. Very functional with a bit of airy feeling to it, nice!
  • Another song, Faster, is a tune that is very dreamlike to me. She provides some light U2 overtones and the keyboards are not overstated at all. I never knew that she was into techno! I think it’s beautiful. The video that she has produced herself is very indie in nature and shows her true colours.
  • In Time – Sounds like a classic song just waiting to happen! It creeps up on you without realizing it. I LOVE the acoustic guitar at the very beginning. It resembles the tone of my very first guitar, thanks for the flashback SusieQ! Very simple and straight forward. In Time has both a raw and full sound. Throughout the song they are married into a perfect union of the heart. I never knew Suzy-Qew was that good!
  • Things Have Got To Change. At the beginning I thought that I was listening to a Scott Merritt album. I can’t exactly put my finger on it though. The way she creates this tune makes you sit back and take the whole song apart and that forces you to think about it, which is really what music is suppose to do. I LOVE the Portishead feel on the electric guitar. The background voice going through a mega phone effect is haunting as well. The guitar solo has that surf/garage band sound like a rough Trevor von Drat mixed in with yet again another Scott Merritt influence thrown in for good measure!
  • I Miss You Friend – really good popish tune for sure! I’d like to see Susan Aglukark singing background on this, it would be very distinctive. Not that the band’s background vocals are anything to sneeze at;)
  • Smile has that country feel to it. I’m not really into country except Waylon Jennings and his ilk. I honestly like it!
  • Alone is one of those songs that you can’t help but get caught up in. It seems to come across as fabulous dinner music that everyone loves to listen to. I really LOVE that style that Suzy-Qew’s providing us here! Go Suzy-Qew go!

So check out her site and tell me what you think.

Keep on Jammin’

RUSH enters 2010 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

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RUSH will be inducted to this years 6th Annual Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

rush

The event will be taking place on March 28 at The Toronto Centre for the Arts. Also included in this years inductees is Robert Charlebois.

RUSH declined playing for the event despite the Hall of Fame’s insistence. They instead wanted to follow proper protocol having other acts pay tribute to them by performing their own unique take on some of the RUSH’s most popular songs. Man this is gonna be a great show!

Rush, all the worlds a stageFirst up will be Hamilton folk/roots musician Jacob Moon, at Rush’s invitation, will perform his solo acoustic version of “Subdivisions,” which has gone viral on YouTube.

Then there’s St. Catharine’s own rockers Alexisonfire. They will do their interpretation of Tom Sawyer and last but not least California bass virtuoso and Geddy Lee protege Les Claypool, will do his rendition of The Spirit of Radio.

There will be another tribute to the band by way of a Documentary. It will highlight the rise of RUSH’s past 40 years as Canada’s most celebrated band! it will be by filmmakers Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn titled RUSH: Beyond The Lighted Stage. The premiere will take place at this years Hot Docs Festival from April 29 through to May 9 (see www.hotdocs.ca/festival).

So hats off to the old boys because it’s about time!

Hey RUSH, Keep on Jammin’

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