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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’




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’

Treme my favorite show on HBO!

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I think that the best TV series out there today is a show called Treme that is on HBO.

The character development is fabulous, the feel to the show seems very honest but the best part of the show is hands down the music! The traditional New Orleans sound that they have there makes me want to sell the house and move on down to the promised musical land!

My wife and I were scrolling through our PVR guide a few months ago and came across a show about post Katrina New Orleans in the 7th Ward. We thought that it was going to be one of those cheesy shows with no substance or originality. When we first read the descriptions/info about the show, my first thought was that Treme was some bad documentary about the area and that it was not true to what really is going on there.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPVMxuoarbg

Even though I’ve never been there, watching Treme makes me curious about what it’s really like, this distinctive and historical American city. Has anyone out there been there before? If you watch this show and been there, are there similarities to both?

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 Door’s When Your Strange

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The new release of home movies from Jim Morrison and the Doors was released in theaters on April 9th, 2010.

I loved the 1991 movie called The Doors written by Oliver Stone and Randall Jahnson. My wife and I saw it when it was in theaters back then and we, along with of close friends at the time Ben & Joanne, loved it! It was neat to see something new about the band but I am more of a documentary kind of guy. Did you see it when it came out?

On a side note: If your a big Door’s fan, then you will be looking forward to up coming movie about the band titled The Last Beat.

I found a neat video review from Movieweb and it was interesting to watch. It was with the three remaining members of the band, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore and Robby Krieger. Manzarek said the this doc. is “the anti- Oliver Stone” movie and will act as “the true story of The Doors.” OK, you sold me right there Rick!

Now with the help of personal footage, archival footage and Morrison’s own never-before-seen film, the band has assembled a new documentary called, When You’re Strange, which opened in theaters on April 9th. Movieweb

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMMo3EmIfJw

So are you a big enough fan to go out and see this doc?

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’

Pink Floyd stops sales of individual songs by EMI

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Pink Floyd band membersPink Floyd has stopped EMI from selling individual songs on their on line store. Pink Floyd has always created concept albums that are meant to be listened to uninterrupted from start to finish. This is the band’s trade mark that that they are fighting for her folks. The super group had to wait for the result of a British court ruling this week that ruled in favour of the band ideals! Good for the band!

I can see that some fans might be only willing or able to pay for certain segments, which EMI considers individual songs, of the album. EMI is saying that is what the public wants and that is what they will get come hell or high water! This model of business would certainly bring in more revenues for EMI. And as we all now know, EMI is in big trouble, just look at some previous posts on this blog.

From a business perspective this is a sound platform to explore. As for the artistic integrity of the bands ideals … To add insult to injury for EMI, they also have to pay the band’s legal costs, estimated at £60,000. Even the Rolling Stones left these clowns in 2007 when the current owners, bought by Mr. Guy Hands of the British private equity firm, Terra Firma Capital Partners, in 2007. Losers!

Now rival Warner Music, led by Edgar Bronfman Jr.(Canadian boy), is said to be watching EMI’s problems with baited breath. Warner tried to buy EMI four years ago and may soon get a chance to buy it, as they say, for a song.

The British court ruling stopped EMI’s single song sales from Dark Side and other Pink Floyd albums, pointing to a contract forbidding the band’s albums from being sold in any other form without written consent. EMI had argued that the contract applied only to records, not downloads. The judge disagreed, saying the contracts protected “the artistic integrity of the albums.” Many of Pink Floyd’s albums are designed as continuous entities with songs flowing into one another.

So I hope that this will be a standard template for future artist’s contracts that they will sign with their record/distribution company. Imagine you being in a contract like this, with everything clearly stated in black and white and you give the company the benefit of the doubt but you still get screwed like this? I’d be be, how about you?

Keep on Jammin'(and read the fine print before you put your name to a document)

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