Guitars, tips and great music discussions
I imagine that having an extra digit on your left hand must have it’s con’s, but the pro’s might just make it worth it!
Playing a 7 string guitar would come in quite handy with a hand configuration like this? When playing difficult chord progressions like the ones that Bruce Cockburn and John Mayer use, wouldn’t it be nice to have another finger just hanging around the old fret board?
Wow, keep on Jammin’
Note: please play the bottom youtube thingy then start reading the letters, I mean words eh, you hosers.
Oh my God they’re back again! Bob & Doug are having a Two-Four Anniversary coming up this May two-four(when else eh?) on CBC and this is to be the final one, once and for all!
Check out the SCTV site and the Maclean’s article about these guys! PLEASE read the whole Maclean’s one, it is the best of them all!
These guys were HUGE in the 80’s. I remember when they came back to Toronto one time and the cops had to close down the Don Valley Parkway(DVP) for a while! The reason, thousands of well-liquored fans staged an impromptu parade up and down it! Only in Canada, eh?
The song, that I whistled at the Hospital while moving patients around the Surgical floor’s, was one that brings back fabulous memories from my childhood. You know, some of the patients that were on Morphine sang along doing the “koo, oo, oo,oo, koo, oo, oo,oo!” part and it was a BLAST! I even recall figuring out the piano parts and attempting the song live at High School, damn that Geddy Lee and his 10 octave voice!
Does anyone have a close encounter of the hoser kind out there that would love to share with us? If so, you nappy-headed hosers, get those fingers moving right now, eh?
Keep on Jammin’
BTW the wife has a post about Canadian culture and a bit about Bob and Doug too. Check it out.
The Canadian Guitar Festival is something that I have wanted to go to for a while now. Below are some musicians who have been there in the past and hopefully they might nudge you into going this year if you can. I realize that having these many videos in a row looks odd but I am just trying to showcase a great show.
Keep on Jammin’
If you are really interested in going, this is an excerpt form an e-mail that was sent to me this morning about the camping arrangement. It really sounds like it is going to be a blast! Hope to see you there.
“The festival takes place on a 24 acre spread known as the Odessa Fairgrounds and the camping is on site. The camping is considered ‘dry’ with no running water or AC but is on the grass as it were..
We have showers on site, indoor washrooms and portable toilets placed in closer proximity to folks throughout the property.
A camping spot is guaranteed if you want one (given the space we have) but your site is what you choose when you choose it. There really are no bad spots. So when the tickets go on sale, all you need do is purchase a camping pass ticket for yourself and any other in your party over the age of twelve and you’re set for the weekend.
Del Vezeau
Vezco Productions Inc.
163 Main St
Odessa Ontario
Canada K0H 2H0
613-386-8878
1-888-506-1418
613-386-8879 fax
vezco@cogeco.ca
www.vezco.com
www.canadianguitarfestival.com
A couple of years ago, the wife and I, decided to get a new TV. Well it wasn’t so much as decided to get a new TV, our Sony was dying! We’d turn it on and it would take 15 to 30 minutes to warm up and show us what was on the television screen. We thought about getting it fixed, but getting it fixed would cost about the same amount as buying a brand new regular TV of the same size. That’s when we decided to not only get a new TV, but to get one that was HDTV ready.
I only wish that I’d discovered the Testfreaks.com website before we went hunting for a new television. The TestFreaks site has LCD and Plasma TV articles. Reading the articles of the various television brands and models would have made picking out a new TV so much easier since it has so many TV ratings.
Well, I’ve found the site now, and I’m bookmarking it. When we get around to renovating our basement the DLP TV that we did end up purchasing may get moved to the basement, or we might end up getting another new TV for either the living room or renovated basement. The TestFreaks site will come in handy the next time I’m doing research on the different types of televisions and brands.
If you’re shopping for a new television set be sure to look at the articles on TestFreaks before you make your final decision.
The guy plays this song so well on his ukulele that, it makes me want to go out and buy one.
I’ve been to “Strawberry Field” in New York city, right in front of the Dakota Apartments where John Lennon lived and unfortunately was fatally shot.
I was in New York in 1986 and I can tell you it’s a fabulous city to visit, not to mention living there would be a blast. The feelings that we all felt when we were right there at Strawberry Fields in Central Park, was quite intense.
Anyways, just listen to this song then follow the chord progressions that he does, in concert with his strumming, and it is just the most wonderful tune to be exposed to. Enjoy!
Try to, keep on Jammin’, like this guy
Boy do I miss this guy on TV!
We all, I hope, were exposed to this delightful kids show in the late 60’s & 70’s. I made sure that I got up in time to watch this show. The theme song reminds me of 59th St. Bridge Song (Feeling Groovy), but until today, I haven’t heard the tune. When playing this song, Feeling Groovy, I’ve tried to include some of the words from the theme song and people just jump in and sing along.
I’ve tried to look for it on the cartoon channels with no success.
My brother just called a minute ago and he remembers this show growing up and we chatted for a while on this subject. When we finished up with this topic he muttered, “you’ve got way too much time on your hands”.
Jimmy, played by Jack Wild, is the guy on this adventure that I always wanted to be. He was always having a blast with this Pufnstuf fellow. His best pal was a living flute called Freddie and Witchiepoo, which some of my buddies called a very old girlfriend of mine at the time, was just hilarious with all of her antics and her buddies. H R Pufnstuf, was the Mayor of this living Island that Jack washed up upon.
I hope that you enjoyed this blast from the past!
Keep on Jammin’
I am not a big follower of the modern day pop singer but, this girl is someone to follow.
She is pretty and has a eerie and haunting alto voice while still obtaining a soaring soprano range that reminds me of Alanis. Mia Rose is the type of singer that you will remember where you were when you first heard her sing. I know, this sounds odd coming from me but, she really is!
On YouTube, she also plays an original piece of hers on her classical guitar. She seems quite relaxed while playing and her overall technique is not that bad either.
I hope that I can honestly say that I do in fact remember where I was when I first heard her voice.
Keep on Jammin’
Have you ever been to a bar and heard the most interesting guitar player staring right in front of you playing like a possessed man on stage? Well that happened to me last year.
My wife, sister, brother in law, Stevie cakes (long story), and myself went to a bar that is in our neighborhood which I have always wanted to visit. It’s called The “Eton House“. It’s commonly known as the “Greek/Newfie” bar in this area.
A newfie is of course a person from the Canadian province of Newfoundland. It’s just a nickname that the rest of Canada and possibly the world has for the people that come from that province. Newfie’s are the nicest people in the world that you will ever meet. We have many Newfie friends. If the world had more of them, there’d be no wars, honestly!
So, there we were. We had a lot of light refreshing beverages in us at the time and the music coming from the outside speakers of the music playing in the bar sounded fast and furious. It sounded like a band but to our surprise,it was a single guy alone, playing acoustic guitar with some machine in the back ground playing drums and keyboards.
His chord progressions are similar to the ones that I play, but when he adds some little riffs to the songs, it’s just like he’s some kind of mad genius, hell bent on blowing you not only out of your seat, but the building as well! He blows you away with his ability to play.
If you are ever in Toronto on a Saturday night, it would be a crime not to see this guy. He is a musician that you can’t help but love. His voice is great and his selection of tunes would make a dead person tap their foot as his energy is intoxicating!
A couple of weekends ago at the Eton House, Marty and the kids were having a fund raiser for his niece and her mother. His niece has a disease that has to be treated at a hospital, in the capitol of his province which is far from the little village they live in, in Newfoundland. The money raised that night was for some pocket change for her mother to use while she is receiving treatments. God speed on her recovery!
A co-worker from the hospital had told me of their plight, and the event gave me an excuse to go and see this great guitar player again. She had also informed me that she knew Marty personally. I was introduced to him and talked for a while during one of his breaks. He said that he remembered seeing me there watching him perform. It was probably the envy energy that I was directing towards him that probably caught his attention those nights.
While chatting, he asked me if I might be interested in playing with him in a band with another guitar player and a stand up bass player. We would be playing more progressive acoustic folk music and performing at venues where the audience was there for the music and not just the beer.
I told him I would think about it. Wow, what a lucky break for me! I still have to get back to him but the answer is a definite YES!
Stay tuned for further updates.
Keep on Jammin’
Now this is a song that I will attempt when I get a moment or so.
I heard Bruce do an acoustic version of this one on the radio and as usual, they didn’t announce which album it was from. Is it just me or, does this tick you off too? As said best by Charlie Brown “AAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!”
I love the use of his wammie bar on his guitar. He is the type of player who will either use or not use an effect and pull it off right both ways. This is what I shoot for when choosing a song that I want to play. If I can’t tackle a song correctly then I’ll try and try again! However, if I can’t, then I be a man and just let some get away!
Keep on Jammin’
A couple of months ago my wife introduced me to this great new site called Unsigned.com. It’s a site dedicated to giving independent music and vocal artists an outlet to be heard on the internet.
The site is a great place for unsigned artists to create a profile and upload their music. The website now has over 4000 artists and listeners using the site on a regular basis. When visiting the site you can find musicians that play in a variety of genres such as Rock, grunge, hip hop, metal, country, jazz, and New-Wave Artists. The variety is fantastic, and I’m sure anyone who loves music and enjoys discovering new bands will like Unsigned.com.
I mentioned New Wave artists because, believe it or not, I used to really enjoy new wave music. New wave has changed since it first came out in the 80’s but it’s still a great genre. At this time there’s 13 different artists listed in the New Wave category. You should visit and have a listen, or if New Wave isn’t your thing check out some of the other types of music that the independent artists have uploaded. You’ll be hooked on Unsigned.com before you realize what’s happening.
When I get my act together I’m going to have to upload some of my work onto the site. Then you’ll be able to hear some of my music too. Come to think of it, I’ve got a few friends that would probably be interested in Unsigned.com. If they upload their music I’ll be sure to let you know.