Music

Ska/Reggae Legends Speak

Submitted by cashbox on Thu, 05/23/2013 - 09:31
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Submitted by Michael Williams
Photo at right: Desmond Dekker

Back in 1955, Chris Blackwell heard blind pianist Lance Hayward and his band at the Half Moon Hotel in Montego Bay, Jamaica. He decided to sell Jamaican music to the world. His first production, Millie Small “My Boy Lollipop” sold 7 million records in 1962. It was the biggest ska to achieve world-wide success until he released Desmond Dekker’s, “ Israelites “, with Island Records in 1968. The early days of the Jamaican music industry gave birth to Ska/Reggae and are brought to life in Perry Henzell’s 1972 classic film “The Harder They Come”. The hero of the film, played by Jimmy Cliff, is an uneducated country boy who sang like Sam Cooke.  In his hunger to become famous he is talked into signing away his song’s publishing and performance rights.( His music was included in the sound track of the film.)

This sounds like the story of most artists in the beginnings of their music careers. Recently, I got to talk to Dennis Alcapone, Leon Delroy Williams, Dawn Penn and Willi Williams about those early days.

Freedom For The Song Completes Upgrading & Colour Correction Phase Of All Video Material

Submitted by cashbox on Thu, 05/23/2013 - 09:25
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Submitted to Cashbox Canada

Mel Shaw, president of Canada's Recording Legacy, has announced that the very important initial  upgrading & colour correction phase of all materials for  FREEDOM FOR THE SONG have been completed.

"Freedom for the Song" is a special 25th Anniversary salute to the elimination of the compulsory license for recorded music. The law had been in effect since 1924. Shaw was the Campaign Director of the TWO CENTS TOO LONG copyright change campaign   in 1986 & 1987. He comments that "Freedom for the Song" will bring to light for a new generation, a digital multi media presentation for schools showing a time of great achievement for creative songwriters.

During the inaugural phase Shaw gathered all existing video, audio, print, newspaper clippings, and all other materials from such sources as the Government question period tapes, CTV morning shows, local and various newscasts along with statement and interview tapes produced by Shaw.

The process included the conversion of all stored video materials that were created in 1986/1987 from such divergent sources as EMTEC 3/187 AMPEX KCA -60 Sony BCT-3 Beta Cam Scotch T120 / SCOTCH 120 / KODAK.

TSO Season Finale & a 200th Birthday Party for Wagner and Verdi at Luminato!

Submitted by cashbox on Wed, 05/15/2013 - 23:53
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Submitted to Cashbox Canada

For Rhapsody in Blue (June 1 & 2), one of the most popular American concert works, conductor Bramwell Tovey will take to the piano to play Gershwin’s beloved jazz-infused Piano Concerto. Before leading the orchestra in Elgar's Enigma Variations– a series of charming musical sketches about the composer’s closest friends –Tovey, an eloquent host, will share some of the unsolved mysteries of the work’s “secret” contents. The June 2nd performance is at the George Weston Recital Hall (Toronto Centre for the Arts) and also features Bernstein’s “Overture” to Candide.

Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell returns to the TSO (June 5, 6 & 8) to perform both classical and folk-inspired works. When Bell performed with the Orchestra in 2009, the Toronto Star raved that “the way [Joshua] can make his instrument and the music sing, in every sense of the word…makes him one of the world's finest musicians.” With TSO Music Director Peter Oundjian at the helm, Bell is joined by double-bass soloist and composer, Edgar Meyer, in the Canadian première of Meyer’s TSO Co-commissioned Concerto for Violin & Double-Bass. Joshua Bell will join Music Director Peter Oundjian onstage for a lively post-concert chat!

Russ Kelley Crazy Shades Of Blue

Submitted by cashbox on Wed, 05/15/2013 - 23:45
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Submitted by Don Graham

Did you ever have a singer or artist that impressed you many years ago as having an awesome talent and wonder what became of them and their gift?  Russ Kelley is that artist for me.

I met Russ back in the days of the great folk scare of the 60’s when coffee houses in Montreal were as prevalent as Tim Horton’s stores are in present day Ontario. We both had guitars and hung out at the various venues in town soaking up the incredible musical vibe. Russ was part of a folk group and I would go see them perform at places like The Coalbin, in the basement of a church downtown. Russ had something special even back then. A natural on stage with a unique voice and delivery. Later, as part of a rock/country folk group called Proof, Russ was rockin’ stages and making records.

As is the way of life we went our separate ways and lost touch and I didn’t see or hear from or about Russ for years. I would often wonder what became of him and his talent. Then, this year , my question was answered! Thanks to the internet and digital music Russ Kelley reappeared, better than ever.

Daniel Casavant English Lyrics From a French Soul

Submitted by cashbox on Wed, 05/15/2013 - 23:39
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Submitted to Cashbox Canada

Hot off the critical success and international airplay of his first studio recording, ‘Nine At The Time’ singer/songwriter Daniel Casavant unveils his latest offering ‘Soul Reunion’, a five-song, mini EP of original tunes penned solely by this talented musician.

The singer/songwriter takes you on a personal life’s journey through the tracks of Soul Reunion…“When Time’s Runnin’ Out”, “Park And Fly”, “More Than A Lover”, “Two Times One Of A Kind (In Your World)” and “Heavenly High” (Live).  The first single release, “Park And Fly” recentlyreceived an honorable mention from the Song of the Year Songwriting Contest.

Adding to Casavant’s rich, haunting vocals and acoustic guitar playing on the EP are Sébastien Cloutier on keyboards, bassist Marco Desgagné,Daniel Marsolais on electric guitar, drummer Nicolas Paul-Turcotte playing drums with vocals and tambourine from Lisa Grenier.

‘Soul Reunion’ was produced by Daniel and Daniel Marsolais and recorded and mixed by Pierre Messier & Mathieu Dulong  at Montreal’s Piccolo Studios with live recording by Dominic  Boulay.  The EP was mastered by Marc Theriault of Le Lab Mastering, with art and photography created by Frédéric Deschênes.

The Mother’s Day Jukebox

Submitted by cashbox on Thu, 05/09/2013 - 11:53
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Submitted to Cashbox Canada

Last week with Mother’s Day at our weekly ‘huddle’ it was a unanimous vote to devote this week to mothers everywhere.

The interesting thing is how many artists had such influences from their Moms, and then we realized how many songs had the word Mom and Mamma in them. So once again our Jukebox creator and mastermind, Lee Vyborny of www.tropicalglen.com has compiled a great list of songs for you to enjoy for Sunday May 12, Mother’s Day.

Canadian Singer/Songwriter Bruce Cockburn Donates Archives to McMaster University

Submitted by cashbox on Thu, 05/09/2013 - 11:34
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Submitted by Cashbox Canada

Bruce Cockburn, one of Canada’s best loved musicians and composers, has donated his archives to McMaster, including his notebooks, musical arrangements, gold records, letters, scrapbooks, nearly 1,000 recordings, and even three guitars.

“These are my tools, my rough drafts, my mementoes and my trophies. Together, they form the roadmap of my working life,” says Cockburn. “I’m pleased they will have a safe and permanent home in a place where they may be useful to others.”

The collection includes 32 of Cockburn’s notebooks from 1969 to 2002. Through their pages, one can trace the development of individual songs, sometimes from single thoughts to finished lyrics, all set randomly among pages of sketches, observations, budgets, set lists and other notes. The notebooks offer a real window into the artist and activist’s imagination, creative process and his life as a working musician rising to international prominence.

Cockburn talks of the three guitars he has donated:


A  Guild 12-string, model F212-NT, serial 51968, 1971
“That is on a couple of albums, You’ve Never Seen Everything (2003), for sure, and I think it’s on Breakfast at New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu (1999) … We had trouble amplifying that one for live shows. It didn’t come with a built-in pickup. I replaced it with a 12-string Manzer.”

Within Rust Not your Average Vantown Band

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 04/26/2013 - 03:40
Within Rust

Story: Lenny Stoute

We tend to look to Montreal for the next new things but increasingly,Vancouver is becoming the new Montreal. While the rapid success of the Yukon Blonde type sound spawned its share of clones, Vantown ‘s got its own brand of diversity going on. The groundwork laid down by pioneers Nardwar and Neko Case continues to yield up crop after crop of Left Coast mavericks with something to shout about.

Meet Exhibit A, Within Rust. In their own words.

Living Color Still Vivid After 25 Years

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 04/26/2013 - 03:30
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Submitted by Michael Williams

Photo Credits:  Petra Richterova

PHOTO: Vernon Reid and Michael Williams

Twenty five years ago Living Color released “Vivid”. Their debut album, fostered Mick Jagger, took the world by surprise. They were opening for Robert Palmer at Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto. Being a big Robert Palmer fan since Vinegar Joe, I was at the show.  His 1985 release of “Addicted to Love” and its high fashion video dictated the way the crowd was dressed that night – men in suits and women in long gowns. This was not a Living Color crowd! While I loved their performance, the audience barely clapped.

After the show I went backstage. It was quiet. I pushed open Living Color’s dressing room door and saw the long faces of disappointment. I stuck my head in and said to them, “You were great! Come see me at Much Music”. Corey Glover, the lead singer, did and that was the beginning my wonderful relationship with Living Color.

Twenty-five years and several Grammys later, including one for “Vivid”, Corey Glover and I sat down and talked before a recent  Living Color show at the Opera House in Toronto.

MW:  Twenty-five years ago it all started to happen. How does it feel now in retrospect?
CG: Old, very old. I never thought I could last 25 years in anything so I am good with this!

Luminato Festival Returns to Toronto – June 14-23, 2013

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 04/26/2013 - 03:19
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Submitted to Cashbox Canada

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