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Bare Naked Ladies-less

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As you may or may not know, Steven Page, one of the founders of the Bare Naked Ladies has now left the band to pursue a solo career. The crazy boy band from Scarborough Ontario is saying good bye to one of the masterminds behind their great success for the past 20 years!

I for one, like his old band. They were lots of fun and full of unbridled enthusiasm on stage. They brought out the kid in you and that really is what makes them a stand out act in today’s copy cat music world.

Steven Page’s first solo attempt (while still with the Bare Naked Ladies) was called The Vanity Project.

I only started to listen to bits and pieces of The Vanity Project while writing this post and it’s not that bad. Hit and Run is played in an open tuning format that has a nice, full feel and sound to it. The one called These Wasted Words reminds me a Toronto band called Needy Fingers. So Young, So Wrong, So Long is the type of song that one takes on a long road trip and Here Today And Yesterday has that incredible Klautu aura about it! I think I might pick it up!

My wife and I always wanted to see BNL live, but never got the chance. I guess they’re another great Canadian act that we never get to experience. Don’t get me wrong, The band The Bare Naked Ladies will still exist without Steven Page and perhaps we’ll see them play someday, but it probably won’t quite be the same. At this time the remaining members of The Barenaked Ladies do not plan on adding a new singer – they’ll continue on as they are and in fact are in the process of getting ready to go on Tour later this year.

Steven and the boys were not there to blow you away playing speed music or had that in your face onstage persona.

Steven Page was the one guy in the band that everyone could relate to. He is the modern day resonance man, and that is what he is about to do again. His next venture will be in the theatrical arena. He is the musical composer for the Thomas Patterson Group, Bartholomew Fair at the Stratford Festival. This appears to be a natural progression for him to follow. I think that he will eventually gravitate towards the stage, not the orchestra pit.

Steven Page’s style of guitar playing is very simple and straight forward and very much to the point. Nothing fancy at all in his approach but, it does the trick. His rhythm guitar playing is his bread and butter while playing in the band, plus he has done the odd little guitar solo here and there.

While reading the Toronto Star at work the other day, I noticed an article about Steven Page. It was about his first public musical exposure to the world since leaving the Bare Naked Ladies (BNL). He will perform as a solo act in the Neil Young tribute show coming up Wednesday, June 10 at Massey Hall here in Toronto. It will be part of this years Luminato festival of arts and creativity. I wonder what he will try and pull off at this gig, it’s anybody’s guess really.

As for Stevens adventure into the world of theatre, I am not sure if it will involve him in front or behind the stage. I can envision him in serious roles, desperately attempting to shake off the type casting of his kid like antics on the musical stage with BNL. I think this will be good for him. It will be an adventure that we will all be watching closely. So best of luck to Steven Page in his future endeavors!

My question to you all is, will he reach the lofty heights in his new career as he did with the Bare Naked Ladies?

Keep on Jammin’




Ever hear of Roxy Music

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This is one of the best of the British Progressive Rock band that brings back the best from my memories of the 1980’s music scene.

The band had everything going for it. Great vocals, musicians and most importantly the music itself!

When ever I hear any of their fantastic compositions, I love all the memorable moments that I associate with them!

I never had the honour of playing this style of music with my old band Pylis but if I could turn back the hands of time, Same Old Song would be the one I would have played with them. This is the best in my mind. Which one is yours.

Keep on Jammin’

The Four Freshmen

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The Four Freshmen is a group of singers that were formed in the 1950’s. Their improvisational, free flowing form of singing was revolutionary to the main stream music scene of their era.

They helped influence so many a great band that I thought that I would pay them homage on this site!

I was talking to an older man the other day and during our conversation, he mentioned this band. He told me that if I liked the vocal structure of the early Manhattan Transfer or the Beach Boy’s, then I should at least familiarize myself with them to help me in my continuing musical evolution. Ok then, I will take him up on it. Boy that old guy knows his music!

The Four Freshman were not your typical barbershop quartet! Their style of singing was so tightly intertwined that it was just plain genius, then comes revolutionary! They took the old saying of milking something for all it’s worth to an entirely different level.

You can see their direct influence on this one song that the Beach Boys play, but I can’t for the life of me remember it right now! Ahhhh! The song was a slow tempo and A Capella at first, but the vocal chord structure and tonal quality just makes my knees buckle every time I hear it! It’s one of those songs that can change your life, musically speaking. Yes I’ve tried Google/Youtube thank you!

See can see the Four Freshmen’s singing technique in Manhattan Transfer sound as well. I was first exposed to Manhattan Transfer by my old singing teacher at SJC in my home town of Brantford. The way that they could jump from one style to another in a heart beat was amazing! The sound dynamics from PPP right on up to FFF can hit you like a fast moving train. Their songwriting ability creates a song that will stick in your head for hours after hearing it for the very first time. They seemed to do this quite effortlessly … and they got this from the Four Freshmen without a doubt.

The Four Freshmen pioneered a revolutionary new style of close-harmony vocals that set the stage for bands like the Beach Boys, Spanky & Our Gang, the Hi-Lo’s, the Manhattan Transfer and countless others

So now go out there and check out the Four Freshmen for yourself and see if my way of thinking about these guys are right or not. Please write back because I’d love to hear you views. Oh ya, plus your get bonus points for helping me figure out that one Beach Boys song … I hate when that happens, especially in public ahhhhhhhhhh!

Keep on Jammin’

Moog Taurus Pedal

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The Moog Taurus pedal is an analog synthesizer that is played with your feet. It helps fill out the song your playing with that real church pipe organ/deep base register sound. The best example of this sound is when The Police used this pedal at the beginning of Don’t stand so close to me. This ancient, blast for the past, is precisely what your looking for, if you want that little extra something for your sound!

If you’ve ever seen a church organ up close or in pictures, then you may have a better idea of what this instrument looks like. Hey, if you ever went to someone’s home and they had one of those ‘ol cheezy home organs, then you’d have a good idea as well! The Moog Taurus pedal looks exactly like the pedals at the bottom of these organs. You play it with you feet!

The Moog Taurus Pedal has been around for ages. Bands that have or had them in their musical arsenal are bands like RUSH, YES, Pink Floyd, the Police and many other rock, fusion and metal performers from yesterday, right up to the present day scene!

The thing that got me thinking of this was while playing with CounterPoint the other night. Chris Noto, the best bass player that I have ever had the privilege of playing with, brought it up while taking a break. He said his brother has one and that he’d love to get it from him if he could, and believe you me, this guy REALLY knows what he is talking about. The way this guy plays the bass, if he had one of these things, it would sound like he is playing 3 instruments at once! Just imagine what it could do with your sound.

So check out the links on this page and learn for yourself what this could do for your band’s sound.

Keep on Jammin’

Playing Guitar with CounterPoint

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So on Thursday Oct. 30 I was jamming with Counterpoint!

This is the band that was playing in the 2008 Nuance Art Rock festival. This experience was one that I will remember for years to come.

The guys in CounterPoint are looking for a guitar player that will help round out their unique sound. As you’ve read in some of my other posts on this blog and on my Guitar Licks and Tips site, I have been very excited about how these guys approach song writing and how they play, because they achieve that BIG FAT sound that I LOVE.

The guys from CounterPoint

They asked me if I wanted to jam/try out for the guitar player role for these masters of progressive rock, when I saw them that fateful night at the show. I hummed and hawed about this for months it seemed (really it was only a couple of weeks). Then finally one night I said to my wife, what the heck and just threw my hat into the ring! That night I had a lot of trouble sleeping. In the back of my mind I was saying to myself Am I really ready for this?

We then set a date to get together. It was delayed a few times because of this, that and the other thing, but finally we got together.

When we sat down in the rehearsal hall, Rising Star Studios, I was finally relaxed. You couldn’t find a nicer bunch of guys. We sat and talked for a while, they even brought a couple of beers to make the jam more relaxing, nice touch.

I just stuck to my coffee because I had the songs that I went through at home in my old brain box running in overdrive and I didn’t want to mess anything up! As a rule I don’t like to drink when I play guitar, unless it’s at a campfire or just goofing around here and there. While jamming with guys of this caliber, you need to have your head screwed on correctly! As it turned out, these were just your regular kinda guys and I had absolutely nothing to worry about.

Keep on Jammin’

Electric Hendrix Vodka

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There is a new tribute to the greatest guitar player of our time Mr. Jimi Hendrix. The tribute is called Electric Hendrix Vodka. The story now is taking a turn for the worst, just like the unfortunate one that it was named for.

A company, with the help of the House of Hendrix, started to pay homage to the great Jimi, with out thinking about one very important thing … they forgot to tell Experience Hendrix, the company that runs Hendrix’s estate what they were doing. Now, according to a local radio station Q-107, the product is being pulled from shelves due to licensing issues.

I’ve been searching online for a while now and there isn’t a straight forward answer as to what the reason was that brought on this ruling. The only thing I found was something about the family being broken into 2 camps. They seem to be fighting for whatever piece of the pie they can get? One big happy dysfunctional family I guess? If you can shed some more light on this one for us then please bring us into the loop! I for one can’t follow the bouncing ball.

Here is an overview, in point form, of how it started nice, then somewhere along the way it turned ugly

  • 2005 – Craig Dieffenbach begins Electric Hendrix LLC with the blessing and involvement of the Jimi Hendrix family.
    – Owners of Parent Co. Electric Hendrix LLC include Jimi’s brother Leon Hendrix, Joe Hendrix and other friends and family members of Jimi Hendrix.
  • 2006 – (January) Electric Hendrix LLC rescues, moves and begins renovation of the childhood home of Jimi Hendrix. Electric Hendrix LLC also assisted in securing a new marker for the grave of Jimi’s mother, Lucille Hendrix
  • Present – reps for the “Hendrix Experience” the organization that manages the Hendrix estate won a court battle against the makers of Electric Hendrix vodka. One of the company’s owners was Leon Hendrix, Jimi’s brother, and the head of Experience Hendrix is Janie Hendrix, Jimi’s step-sister.
    (from Michael Stone-AudioPros)

So why can’t we just get along? Here’s an idea, lets have a drink!

Keep on Jammin’

Rebel Wheel at Nuance 2008

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Rebel Wheel at this years Nuance 2008 was like the icing on a perfectly made musical cake! Once again, real nice line up there Wilton!

This Ottawa band played with so much feel and expression that night. Their sound was great and their approach to music showed a level of writing that I have not seen in many years. If they keep this up, then this will not be the last that we see/hear from these guys! Watch out for them.

Their on stage presence is that of a bunch of fun loving friends that are just jammin’ in a hall, and you just happen to be there at that point in time! They first gave me the impression of a Bare Naked Lady that meets a Jazz fusion band. I think that the BNL’s are the most entertaining band to see live!After a short period of time, I soon realized that there was much more to them then meets the ears. It honestly looked like Rebel Wheel was having a blast!

The true leader of the band is David Campbell. I loved some of the Steve Howe influences that he used in Tempra, but more on that stuff later! His approach to the guitar is wild! It was enthusiastic and intriguing to watch him jam. Aaron Clark, the drummer of the band and the guy I bought a shot of that black ouzo for, was funny … but he certainly is the back bone of the sound.

Gary Lauzon is the bass player of the band. He also had the best playing stance of anyone that played there that night … he was sitting down in a chair the whole show. Ah, Leon Redbone, I get it! Don’t get me wrong, the man was re-inventing how the direction of bass playing maybe going towards! His technique with his hammer on’s where something to behold. Very neat way to play the bass!

Now last but not least, there is Angie MacIvor. Who wouldn’t want a player like her in your band. Her sax, voice and keys were nice touches everywhere she put them into a tune. Not over powering at times, but intense when you really needed it! She added that Shuffle Demons feel to them, that night, LOVED IT!!!

So I have to give the Rebel Wheel band a 2 thumbs up! Now, go and check out their site for dates in your area and see for yourself … they are worth the drive.

Rebel Wheel, Keep on Jammin’

CounterPoint at the Nuance 2008 show

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CounterPoint is the kind of band that you DO NOT want to miss seeing live at least once in your life. These guys are just that good.

I read their bio’s from the evenings program and it was so nicely done that I have decided to show you all what was in it.

Member Biographies taken from the Nuance 2008 program:

Rick Kazmirchuk, Keyboards & Backing Vocals.

In February of 2008 he went out on my own to start the CounterPoint project as I wanted to write a more aggressive style of progressive rock. I needed to find players with a high level of musicianship to pull this off which I am happy to say has been accomplished with Jeff Morrison handling vocal duties, Chris Noto on bass and Joe Pawslowski on drums.

Joined my first band (Purple Haze) at 15 playing cover material and some original. Worked with numerous original bands over the years (Meshiana Wish, The Wish, Spinal Tramp, Media, NRG) still writing and performing original material and playing more cover material that was progressive-oriented along the lines of SAGA and Genesis and played in a SAGA clone band in the early 1980’s.

In 1986 I joined CERAFIM and was the major contributor and influence to the writing of the band’s
music in the styles of progressive and contemporary rock. CERAFIM went on to record 4 well received CD’s and is still musically active through Internet radio stations and is distributed internationally by a number of independent record labels.

In January of 2005 I ventured into a new musical partnership as keyboardist with the Canadian original progressive rock band THE LAST PLACID DAYS OF PLENTY.

Chris Noto, Bass guitar

Chris has been playing bass guitar since 1972 and has been surrounded by music as far back as he can remember as his father Sam Noto is one of the best jazz trumpet players in the world.

Chris brings a unique style of bass to the band, a cross between prog rock greats such as Chris Squire (YES) and Greg Lake (ELP) as well as a be bop jazz influence from his father. Chris grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada and moved to Toronto in 1975 and has been here off and on ever since.

Chris opened for the band Mountain in Las Vegas when he was a mere 21 years old. He has played with keyboardist Rick Kazmirchuk in NRG, CERAFIM and a brief stint with the Last Placid Days of Plenty before teaming up with Rick as bassist for the CounterPoint project.

Joe Pawlowski, Drums & Percussion

I’ve been playing drums for almost 30 years. My main influences are Gene Krupa, John Bonham, Carl
Palmer, Billy Cobham, Bill Bruford, Neil Peart and Mike Portnoy. I have been in a variety of different bands, from Rock, Jazz and Progressive.

I plan to give you a blow by blow description of their show in upcoming posts in the future. Stay tuned for more … I promise it will be more then worth the wait!

CounterPoint, Keep on Jammin’

Lorne Hind at the Nuance 2008 show

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Lorne Hind from LorneHind360, was a natural opening act to kick start the Nuance show. He is also listed as the only instrumental band to play that night as well!

Lorne Hind

Lorne began his musical career in his hometown of Whitby, Ontario. As they say, good things grow in Ontario! Sorry that was a bad one, but there is absolutely nothing wrong in his playing style at all.

There at the impressionable age of 9, he was enrolled in the prestigious Royal Conservatory of Music. I started taking lessons from a teacher with these accreditation, but as you know some people are natural instructors and some … well not so much.

As a student of guitar, he was taught music theory, classical guitar and wanted to take what he fathered there and move on to learn about the electric guitar. This is where he found his first love.

He said that his knowledge of music theory was a little shaky in the beginning stages but, that didn’t stop him from forming a teenage garage band. Now let this be a life lesson here kidz, don’t think that you’re not good at playing any instrument at first try. If you keep up the love and the drive, you CAN and WILL achieve anything that you set your old brain box to do.

At the age of 16, his parents moved the family to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Now while residing in the USA, Lorne concentrated his efforts on teaching himself more about music theory and the structure of songwriting. This is something that I did, but the structure of songwriting is the only thing that has eluded me still to this date!

So while looking over his site, take note of when and where he is playing and go out and see him live. Like myself watching him for the first time, you’ll probably say, who the hell needs Jeff Beck when we have Lorne!

Keep on Jammin’

Nuance 2008 Music Festival

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This was a celebration of Art/Progressive music scene in Toronto. In it’s 3rd year, I find it was more than what was advertised in the Toronto media.

I once again proudly proclaim that this years 2008 Nuance Art Rock Festival was a massive success!

I just can’t say enough great praise for this event. If you live in the Toronto/GTA area and your a big lover of Progressive rock, then keep your eye out on all of my blogs for next years event. Having missed the last couple of years, I feel that I have lost an opportunity to see other bands of this great musical genre and help keep this torch alive for future generations to come!

So check out some of my links to see what it is that I am talking about!

Keep on Jammin’ Nuance

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