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Best Canadian band that you never heard

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Well this is a follow-up post from my last one.

Most music lovers in Ontario in the 80’s, were exposed to and grew up with some of the most extraordinary musical talents. But the ones that were

I bet that these guys would have done well for themselves in the European market. Bands of that era especially Saga, which had a huge cult following in Germany, shows that it can be done! Some of them tended to just peter off a bit in their later stages of the European introduction.

I just thought that I would introduce to you all, to an eye opening Canadian talent that changed my view of how to play in a uniquely Canadian way. Some of you I highly recommend you listen to this a couple of times, to really appreciate it. The guys are truly showing us here their advanced interpretations of just how to play their music to us here. Imagine the guys who influenced them!

I would just killed to play this song live with the old Pylis band. Our keyboardist Tony could play anything on those damn black boxes of his! The guy is just way too modest for this world (you got that Tony?).

So without further adieu … Ladies and Gentlemen … FM!!!

Oh, BTW, Nash is the guy in the bandages.

This little ditty is of them during their Gary Neuman period. There is a great hint of Roxy Music and Yes in there to tantalize your musical ear as well.

Keep on Jammin’




The Perfectionist

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This is another song from Saga that we played in Pylis. The song starts up with an acoustic guitar that then goes into an electric. My Gibson RD Artist fulfilled that dual roll quite admirably I must say.

It wasn’t until recently that I re-visited this song on my Larrivee L-03 acoustic.

The lyrics were just fascinating to listen to and the guitar forms are much more complex then I remembered. As you may or may not know, I’m not a lyricist by any stretch of the imagination. I just pay attention to the level of difficulty of the guitar, the overall structure and emotion that a song provides.

Later on I will start teaching people how I “interpret” how a song is played. So check out this song, and try to pick out all of the guitar progressions and remember them when I start video taping my version.

Keep on Jammin’

The Harp Guitar

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This instrument, the Harp Guitar, is the sweetest and most challenging one to perfect. Some of the great musicians to play this instrument have been Robbie Robertson, Steve Howe, Pat Metheny just to name a few.

The Harp Guitar is considered beautiful to the eyes and ears. Even Gibson was a Guitar Harp producer. We have a great Canadian woman who creates these missing links to the musical past and she is, Linda Manzer.

I have chosen Michael Hedges to illustrate this to you today. Unfortunately, like all the great ones, he is no longer with us. He was only 43 when he pasted away from a car crash.

The Guitar Harp has the appearance of a mythical instrument from the days of Robbin Hood, the Lutes of 1265 C.E. (C.E. = Common Era, used to be called A.D.) or the Baroque period. An ageless instrument at that!

I have never seen one up close but if I could be alone with one for a moment or so, I would try to decode this thing once and for all. I have tried my luck on a Lute and it was really fun to play. I love the sound and the action on the Lute. The neck is wide and the length is short, which makes it easier to play in my eyes. I suggest that if the opportunity presents itself, you should take full advantage of the moment to broaden your musical horizons.

Keep on Jammin’, (even Harp style)

The Canadian Guitar Festival

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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

The guitar solo that I can nail the best

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This is the solo that I know I can pull off live with no hesitation. I do not consider myself as a lead guitar player but others might object to this. I do not wish to be thrust into the limelight because musically, I feel uncomfortable with it.

The band that I played this song/solo with was called “Pylis”, pronounced “Pie-lis”. We were a band from Brantford Ontario in the early 80’s. Saga was the style of music that we naturally gravitated to. It was challenging to us and we could reproduce live quite effortlessly.

The first guitar solo on this song was something that I could not wait to play. It had to be played with a steady fingers and the ability to milk the hell out of every note! In my opinion, it was one of the best songs we played.

Tony, the keyboardist and my best friend, was the backbone for this one. His abilities to play many keyboards at once left not only myself but others to say, “How the hell did he do that?” The sound that he made doing this was sooo huge that it honestly boggled my mind how he could play it to a “T” at will. When he played it, it was like listening to the album without anyone else playing. WOW!

Aldo, the bassist, was way too much fun to hang out with. Too bad the bonehead didn’t come out to Tony’s “80’s band Reunited” held Oct. 10th/2004 at the Hard ball in Milton Ont.! (I have to acknowledge Tony’s wife, Laura, for all the support that she gave for this memorable event. If it wasn’t for her, it wouldn’t have been the success that it was.) Aldo was one of the singers in the band and he could pulloff Geddy Lee like no one else.

Now for the drummer, Chris W. He was like the older brother that I would love to drink to excess with one minute then, wrestle him to the ground. He was a tall and lanky fellow. This made it child’s play to me. Being a little guy, I always went for his ankles and then just pushed him over for starters! He had such the perfect voice for this song that it made you wish that you could sing it just like he did. His drumming was 2nd to none. He had this Silver Slingerland 8 piece kit, the one that Neil Peart used in 1975-76, that was out of this world and boy could he play like it as well!

So here is the tune that I’ve been talking about, so just sit back and enjoy!

Keep on Jammin’

“We’ve just lost the nicest guy in rock & roll.” Boston

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“We’ve just lost the nicest guy in rock & roll.” This says it all.

On Friday March 9, 2007, in southern New Hampshire around 1:20 P.M., the world not only lost the nicest guy in R & R but the greatest “Arena Rock” vocalist ever in my eyes. Mr. Brad Delp sadly took his own life at his home. He was 55 years of age. I honestly wish I was there trying desperately to talk him out of it. This man’s vocals really helped me turn into a guitar player who was trying find a direction to go towards. He will truly be missed by millions of people.

The Boston Fan site is just full of memorials that really hit home.

These guys summed up to me what it is to be the average guy’s stadium-rockers. I had hoped to have seen the rock legions this summer when they went on tour, for the first time in a long time. Wow, what a blast we would of had.

Just let your imagination run totally wild for a second. Imagine playing this tune with the band live while being the first guitar player! I do this every time I’m driving alone on the highway. When this tune comes up, I wish I had # 11 on our volume control in the car!

Mr. Brad Delp, I hope that you have found your peace. May God have mercy on your soul and may your soul rest in peace.

Mia Rose

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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’

Two words – Marty Delaney

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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’

Listen to great new musical artists at Unsigned.com

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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.

A Realization that I can play guitar

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I was just surfing while listening to one of my favorite Canadian musicians of all time, Bruce Cockburn (B.C.). I came to the realization that I am finally playing like a great guitar player of the 80’s, Mark Knopfler.

In grade 8, a song came onto the music scene that was really new and refreshing. It was a band called “Dire Straights”. The song that caught my ear was “Sultan of Swing”.

The guitar player was just a jammin’ on this tune. His name is Mark Knopfler. This popular song at the time was a song that I just had to play. I was taking lessons from the best guitar teacher of all time, in my mind, C. Peterson. I had requested that he show me how to play this tune and he said that he had already figured it out.

Mr. P. was just unreal at figuring out anything in on guitar. So off he went and started to show me the song. It was fun and challenging to play, just the way I liked it. After a couple of lessons, I could play the song pretty much inside out, which is the way he taught me.

While playing the song for many years, I decided to re-visit this song to see if there was any other way(s) to improve playing it. Mr. Peterson introduced me to the technique that Mark Knopfler used on the song but I thought that this guy was one of those off beat musicians that would fade after a short success, boy was I wrong.

I had listened to this song repeatedly over the years,and I noticed subtle tones that I had missed while playing. When I played it, it had a crisper sounding to it then what he had. His version almost had a muddled sound. In my younger years listening to the song, I had noticed that, and I thought it was just the recording technique at the time and that was it. So I then tried playing it with just my fingers and wow, it was really hard to play.

Being a classical guitar player, I was use to using my fingers but had to use my nails to attack the strings but, this guy used his thumbs and at a lightning like speed during his solo’s to boot! I tried and tried and tried but I could not get the calluses on the sides of my fingers that I really needed to pull of the song so I went back to the original way of playing the song.

Now fast forward to 2 years ago when I fell in love with the B.C.’s style of finger picking. The attack technique used here was different from my classical training but I loved the sound he got out of his axe. It was just plain fun to listen to.

So today while I was surfing and listening to B.C. at the same time, I was listening to this song called “It’s Going Down Slow” and “Mamma just wants to barrelhouse all night long”, from Waiting for a Miracle (1987). Today I can play these ones not bad and I just enjoy listening to them. It was at that moment that I noticed the similarities between both techniques and it had just dawned on me that, I can play guitar.

Keep on jammin’

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