For Michael Eaton, normally it is all about the sax. On the album Dialogical, it is not about the sax. It is about creating a ‘voice’ from several ‘voices’.
Please listen below to my chat with Michael and hear some great tunes!
Soul Train, the television show which featured Gino Vannelli as it’s first ‘white’ performer is long gone. Gino, on the other hand, is improving with age.
The sixty-six year old native Montrealer returned home this past weekend on the heels of his first album of new material in over a decade. Wilderness Road is the name of Gino’s twentieth album and it may rank as one of his best.
On Friday and Saturday night at Place des Arts, Montrealers got a taste of the new album along with Vannelli’s greatest hits. They also received a profound example of what made Gino famous in the first place.
Sure Gino had the looks for the seventies. The sex appeal of John Travolta long before Travolta exited his T.V Barbarino character and emerged as Danny in Grease and Tony in Saturday Night Fever. Travolta should be thanking Gino with a regular paycheck.
Aside from the image, what separated Gino from the pack of both Italians and non Italians, was his attention to detail and his inner belief system. Those two elements (and persistence) made Herb Alpert of A&M Records pay attention. Much the same way the crowd at Place des Arts did on Saturday night. Rarely does an artist gather such focus between songs. Five hundred pins dropping would not be heard as each ear hung onto every word Gino spoke.
The reasons for the attention span is simple. Gino’s voice and his band’s precision. Aside from a couple of songs in Vannelli’s arsenal ( I Just Wanna Stop, Living Inside Myself, Wild Horses), Gino’s songwriting has not been easy to classify. His songs are diverse, complex and simple. His arrangements are unique and lean towards perfection. The audiences at a Gino show are given musical gifts before he opens his mouth.
People I Belong To, Nightwalker, Feel like Flying, Apaloosa, Black Cars, NightDrive (along with the songs mentioned above) contain vocals by Gino which are that of a much younger man. Some people are blessed with a singing ability and then there are ‘those’ blessed to hear it.
Two of the songs from the new disc showcased both Vannelli’s vocals and his songwriting brilliance. Yet Something Beautiful and Older N’ Wiser.
Both songs inspired on two fronts. Musically, Older N’Wiser displays Vannelli’s Jazzy versatility while Yet Something Beautiful is pure Dicken-esque in it’s brilliant storytelling. Gino’s vocals on the latter reaching depths not heard from anyone half his age. The vocals alone leaving the audience speechless in awe.
Like most ‘classic’ artists – the unfortunate part of Gino Vannelli 2019 is commercial radio’s unwillingness to play the new tunes and a hunger for the old tunes from those only wanting to live in the past. Fortunately for Gino, his band is not a ‘cover’ band and are talented enough to play the new album in it’s entirety if the demand is there. Fortunately for Gino, his band can also play the complex rhythms and arrangements of the past.
In short – Gino and his mates are ready for Soul Train 2.0
Ben Winkelman is an accomplished pianist now and by no means an ‘artist’ behind the kit. Does his first instrument play into his mentality on his latest disc Balance? Perhaps …
Please listen below to my chat with Ben. Hear some great tunes as well !
Elizabeth Shepherd is a traveler. Physically and spiritually. Searching for new within herself and within the world of music.
Her latest release brings her back to Montreal to discover things that were always under her nose. In the album Montreal– Shepherd brings the listener on a trip through her hometown.
April Wine are forever etched in the consciences of Canadian music fans.
When original bassist Jim Henman asked his former band-mate from Woody’s Termites to join April Wine; everything changed. For the better.
What followed was one of the great success stories for a Canadian band. Hit after hit turned into one of the best live shows this Country has seen.
Principal singer, songwriter and leader Myles Goodwyn set the bar high for all Canadian songwriters in Rock n Roll. Goodwyn, also set the bar high for Rock ballads as well.
Fittingly, his autobiography is titled “Just Between You and Me’, a mirror name for the video and song which superimposed April Wine onto stages South of the Border and worldwide. The song which made April Wine a household name in North America.
Myles traveled backwards to tell the tale of his years inside and outside of April Wine. Now he is travelling backwards once again.
The Blues were an essential part of Goodwyn’s musical fabric and the sixty-nine year old musician is paying homage to the genre which helped ‘sculpt’ him as a young man growing up in New Brunswick.
Please listen below to my chat with Myles as we touch on the early days of April Wine and Myles’ new disc;
April Wine are forever etched in the consciences of Canadian music fans.
When original bassist Jim Henman asked his former band-mate from Woody’s Termites to join April Wine; everything changed. For the better.
What followed was one of the great success stories for a Canadian band. Hit after hit turned into one of the best live shows this Country has seen.
Principal singer, songwriter and leader Myles Goodwyn set the bar high for all Canadian songwriters in Rock n Roll. Goodwyn, also set the bar high for Rock ballads as well.
Fittingly, his autobiography is titled “Just Between You and Me’, a mirror name for the video and song which superimposed April Wine onto stages South of the Border and worldwide. The song which made April Wine a household name in North America.
Myles traveled backwards to tell the tale of his years inside and outside of April Wine. Now he is travelling backwards once again.
The Blues were an essential part of Goodwyn’s musical fabric and the sixty-nine year old musician is paying homage to the genre which helped ‘sculpt’ him as a young man growing up in New Brunswick.
Please listen below to Part One of my chat with Myles as we touch on the early days of April Wine and Myles’ new disc;
The Bostonian -turned-Montrealer-turned New Yorker was a rose in Montreal’s flower garden the brief time she lived here. One of those voices that could place an infant to sleep or raise the hairs on the back of Nina Simone’s neck.
Emma has turned her career towards the Big Apple with a new life, new / old friends and a new relationship. Did I mention the new record? Ocean Av?
Please listen belowto a few tunes from the new album and words from Emma on the recording ( life? ) process.
Pianist Mike Jones has spent the past fifteen years playing magic. Sorta …
Jones is the pianist for the Las Vegas magic act of acclaimed magicians Penn and Teller. A gig which Mike would not change for the world. Not only does he choose the music, Mike also enjoys a stationary existence. No ‘on the road’ gigs or – very few.
Please listen below to some tunes off the album ‘Roaring’ and hear Mike explain his roots, his magical career and his solo efforts.
And what does The Simpsons TV show have to do with this?
Sometimes we hear music composed by a name we do not know. That music is adored globally, wins awards and yet the composer goes relatively unnoticed in everyday life.
Such is the case with Jimmy Van Heusen.
Van Heusen was instrumental ( no pun intended) in the career of Frank Sinatra. Penning ( among other songs) ‘Come Fly with Me’, a huge success for Ol’ Blue Eyes.
Enter Daniela Schachter.
Like most of us, Daniela enjoyed and even played Van Heusen’s tunes without really knowing much about the four time Oscar winning composer. Like most of us – Daniela was intrigued and dove straight into Van heusen’s vast catalogue.
The result?
The new album; Vanheusenism
Please listen below as Daniela explains the album and educates us on the music of
Laila Biali is not a household name. She should be.
This talented singer and songwriter has rubbed microphones with the likes of Sting and more recently with Lisa Fischer ( Rolling Stones, 20 Feet to Stardom).
Please listen below as Laila speaks of her new album ‘ House of many Rooms’ (feat.Lisa Fischer), her upcoming show in Montreal on February 28th and her THOUGHTS on Sting, Lisa Fischer and David Bowie.
Carol Welsman – February 5th. Upstairs Bar and Grill
They are all over the place in Montreal these days. The Bell Center, the House of Jazz, Upstairs Bar and Grill – just a few of the venues housing such amazing talent.
Please listen below to hear some tunes from some gals and discover where you can buy tickets!
Gary Moffet of April Wine fame did not ‘like to Rock’ as a teenager.
Although the now sixty – six year old guitar player is better known as a Rock n Roll guitarist, his true passion shines through in his most recent endeavors.
Moffet is a producer, arranger, composer and songwriter. A student of music and a player who has an ear to draw the best out of his contemporaries.
Gary has two collaborations on the go and both of them return the guitarist ‘ full circle’ in his musical ways.
Please listen below as Gary speaks of his upcoming album, his show on the 24th of October and playing with a guitar player pre – April Wine who ‘ has his chops’ .
Such is the case with The Record Breakers. A bunch of teens with so much devotion to their craft, it makes adults appear lazy.
This is probably one of the reasons The Record Breakers have played more gigs than most Montreal bands this past year.
Please listen to a couple of songs from two of the members as well as a new tune by April Wine alumni Gary Moffet. Stay tuned tomorrow for my interview with Gary ….
In the conclusion of my talk with Taurey Butler – the talented pianist discusses what made Oscar Peterson so good. He also praises Oliver Jones and explains the difference between the two men …
Enjoy some music, some talk and … some funny moments as Polka leads into ‘dangerous’ territory.
Leslie ‘Snooksta’ Alston is a schooled drummer. Not a classroom aficionado but a sidewalk one …
On the ‘streets’, paying attention to other musicians is what makes the former ‘Snooky’ great. Playing with Freddie James or singing and drumming on a cruise ship – Leslie is an act worth writing home to …