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The Big Band sound going Indie?

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I love that traditional Big Band sound, the feel, the excitement I get that flows through my veins after listening to a great track. The voluminous of bands like Bassie, Goodman, and Canada’s own Arthur Miller are just some of the bands that I remember listening to as a kid. Along with some RUSH, KISS, Steely Dan, YES, Zeppelin … I really had quite the eclectic musical tastes back when I was a kid. Now a days when I come across something new in the Big Band genre, it always stirs my curiosity.

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.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=175ygZD5VzA&feature=related

Keep on Jammin’




The Rockin’ Roll Bagpipes

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Today’s bagpipe’s are a perfect pitch for the aggressive rock scene. Think about it, they were played during war time to help charge solders into battle with their heart thumping electrifying tone. The emotional effect that the bagpipe has on most of us seems like it would work well in the aggressive music world. Have you ever heard bagpipes played live? For me, it elevates my blood pressure to the point that, it is forewarning me that something special is about to take place.

“Celtic punk and folk-tinged hardcore band from the South Side of Chicago.” Fans, Bawinkel says, are “stoked”: “As soon as the bagpiper walks out on stage, the crowd just flips out.” Tobin Bawinkel, Professional Piper

Yes, bagpipes are back, albeit somewhat changed from it’s original inception. The bagpipe renaissance came from Scotland, where acts began to spice up their sound. Lately creative new bands like the White Stripes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have incorporated them into their tunes. The modern pipers have brought us their unique interpretation of classic tunes on YouTube with a real neat spin in unexpected musical settings. For example putting them into everything from traditional carols to songs like Thunderstruck from AC/DC.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aiil6xW9Lb0The Swiss Death Metal Group Eluveitie

When exploring this latest evolution in the bagpipes, I realize that alternative piping is not a huge scene yet but one that should be investigated a little further. A band called Real McKenzie’s helps in the push for the new Celtic punk sound. They take the familiar Scottish chant and elevates the experience many notches.

Then there are acts out there that even consider the bagpipes everything from, dare I say, bluesy all the way to progressive bagpipe-jazz-aboriginal-fusion?

Now the last thing that I want to bring up is, do you know that someone has invented an electronic bagpipe? I know that this would be a fabulous addition for a favorite local band called Wilton Said to look into. What do you think Wilton?

No matter what your perception of the bagpipes, there certainly has been a bit of a resurgence in this classic instrument as of late that will eventually pass by you in some musical form in the near future. I’m not sure if this means that Lady Gaga might take a shine to this instrument but hey, never say never!

So are there any pipers out there that want to put their two cents in here? If you think that your style on piping is great then send us a link to your site to further investigate and open us up to the new world of piping to all.

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’

BTO founders being sued

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The driving force behind BTO (Bachman-Turner Overdrive), Randy Bachman and Fred Turner, is now being sued by it’s remaining member’s. The former band mates, Robin Bachman and Blair Thornton, are suing the pair for using their own names.

After the group broke up in 1977, the lawsuit claims Randy Bachman and Turner signed away the rights to the BTO name to their two former bandmates and agreed not to use the Bachman-Turner Overdrive name without the consent of the other parties.

The lawsuit states that Randy Bachman and Turner signed two further deals in 1984 and 2002, saying they wouldn’t use the Bachman-Turner Overdrive name in connection to new recordings and live performances. CTV

The 1970’s Supergroup, made some great music back in the day. Randy and Fred were the brains behind the collection of musicians and I think that they should be able to use the name that they branded. I know the law is against them but when does common sense come into play in something like this? That’s all I have to say.

Here is my Top seven most loved BTO songs!

  1. Lookin’ Out for #1
  2. Not Fragile
  3. Let It Ride
  4. Takin’ Care of Business
  5. You Ain’t Seen nothing Yet
  6. Take it like a man
  7. Gimme Your Money Please

Keep on Jammin’ Randy and Fred!

Waking up Canadian, eh?

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Are you one of those people who live outside of Canada, looking for an alternative citizenship and wondered what it would be like waking up Canadian, well then check out this video for more incentive!

Our economy is nice, the people are nice, the water and air is nice! So come on, just Wake up Canadian, eh?!

Keep on Jammin’


Look who was on The Colbert Report

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To my amazement, an old friend of mine from high school, Carl Wilson, was on the Colbert Report the other day. Colbert had him on his show so he could talk to Carl about his new book. His book is about his hate and then his developing interest in some of Canada’s Celine Dion’s music.

You see he started out a hater and wondered why so many were fascinated with her music … in the end he came to like or at least “be able to listen to” some of her music.

The book is called Let’s Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste.

It is so nice to see someone that you know doing so well in his/her related field and then to be interviewed on a popular talk show and have it turn out to be a fantastic hit was a bonus!

When I woke up the other day, my wife put a postie on the breakfast table for me. At first I thought, like most men do when they see something like this is, what did I do now or what do I have to do later? Upon reading the message, I was quite taken back to have read a shocking memo. Before going to bed, she had noticed a familiar name listed as a guest for that nights Colbert Report. She then recorded it on our PVR (TIVO) machine so I could view it later to see if I knew the interviewee. Thank God she did because it was Carl Wilson from my old high school in Brantford, Ontario!

After seeing it for myself that evening when I returned from work, I had to check out Facebook to see if anyone else saw it. As it turned out, a few people did! Then I checked out one of his web sites called Zoilus and found a real neat video of a actor named James Franco being interviewed while on the Red carpet at the Oscars about what some of his guilty pleasures are. He then brought up Carl’s latest book. It seems like the little guy from Brantford does good, way to go Carl!!!

L-R Me, Yuergen Beck, Carl Wilson and Mike McGraw

Keep on Jammin’ Carl

Canada’s Streetheart

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I never knew this, but the band Streetheart was Canadian band! Hum, something else for us to be proud of!

These guys were the first big rock concert that I saw at Ivor Wynne Stadium (originally Civic Stadium) in Hamilton! This was when Under my thumb was huge back when I was younger!

The band had so many hits over the years that they just seemed to be one of those bands that stood the test of time.

They weren’t always in your face, but were there politely sitting in the background, waiting for their turn.

Songs that stick out in my mind were Action, Hollywood, Here comes the night and Snow White.

Anyone else heard of these guys? I’m not sure if they were just big in Canada, but remained mainly obscure in the rest of the world.

Keep on Jammin’

How long should an election take

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This past Sunday, the Prime Minister of Canada, dissolved the government, thus opening the door for an October 14th Federal Election. From start to finish, the process will take 37 days.

This, I promise, will be a short (just like me) general post!

My wife in I live in the Danforth area of Toronto, which happens to be in Jack Layton’s NDP ridings. The biggest musical supporters are the Barenaked Ladies, which I find outlandishly entertaining! I’ve never seen them live before, but I hope to ends this little streak soon.

So my question here is, why does it take America about 2 years to do it? To us Canadians, it seems like the US elections has been dragging on for years now. This isn’t a regular length of time, is it? Why is it taking so long?

Keep on Jammin’

Max Webster coming off the moon

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Just in case you have not heard of these guys, here is a little ditty and my old band Pylis played way back in the day.

It has everything you want in a tune to play live! It’s fun, difficult to play and most of all IT’S A CANADIAN BAND!!!!!

Enjoy!

Keep on Jammin’
Max Webster R.I.P.

Canada’s own Ken Greer

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Ken Greer has to be the best Canadian guitarist/slide guitarist/keyboardist that has ever flown (for way too long in my eyes) under the radar that I know of! He certainly has to be the most underrated Canadian guitarist that I have ever heard. And I have my brother in-law to thank for this.

He has it all, he plays it all and he understands it ways we can only dream about. Ken Greer has that special something that we all strive for in our own playing approach. Seeing him play with Tom Cochrane was like seeing a wall of sound hit you right in the face. It was like going to a nice old church with an organ that has 75 foot pipes with all the stops out. We experienced what it must of been like for people when they were first exposed to Phil Spector’s revolutionary wall of sound.

They guy plays his slide like it is a freight train rolling through you head one moment, then he tickles the plastic ivory like my buddy Tony F. from my old Pylis days! He then will pick up his axe and then blast off with some back up rhythm guitar playing that makes you just shake your head … that’s what I did throughout his show with Tom Cochrane at the 2008 Canadian Open.

I’ve been trying with no real luck in finding some of his stuff on-line to show you so if you have anything on this guy then PLEASE send me a link! I just want to give you a little taste of what it was that we experienced that faithful night.

Keep on Jammin’

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