Tag: montreal journalist rick keene music

Rick Keene Music Scene – A Candid Chat with the Singer of The Guess Who; Derek Sharp

It’s not easy being a Hobbit …

 

Lead singer and principal songwriter of the new Guess Who album Derek Sharp, is filled with energy.

Perhaps enthusiasm is a better adjective as the band are on the brink of introducing the new album and tunes to the world.

 

Please listen below to my chat with Derek  about many things including one tune from the upcoming disc.

Derek? What’s up?

 

 

Visit The Guess Who Here !

 

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Rick Keene Music Scene – Spencer MacKenzie ; Canada’s Next Guitar Great?

Hard to have the Blues when you are nineteen years of age.

Sometimes – the classroom is all around and unless you are paying attention; the teacher remains invisible.

That is not the case with Spencer MacKenzie as he makes his way up the musical ladder. Already winning the best new artist at The Maple Blues Awards at the age of seventeen – Spencer is someone to watch and listen out for.

Spencer? What’s Up?

Visit Spencer Here !

Visit Trois Rivieres en Blues Here !

 

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Rick Keene Music Scene – Trois Rivieres en Blues 2018

No Blues – no popular music. That is the fact.

Men like Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson and Elmore James – the framework for what we now know as ‘auto-tune’. These men would be rolling in their graves if they knew how their hard work has been destroyed by computers.

 

That is the great thing about Blues music and the players that play it. Real. Authentic. True.

Please listen below to my chat with Brian Slack about some of these musicians that will be in

Trois Rivieres from Aug.23rd – Aug.26th.

 

Brian? What’s up?

 

Visit Trois Rivieres en Blues Here !

 

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Rick Keene Music Scene – George Thorogood Isn’t ‘Lonesome’ on His First Solo Record

Bad to The Bone …

Who on this planet does not know that opening riff followed by the words in the song ‘Bad To The Bone’? Chances are – aliens circling overhead in their spacecraft hear it every time George Thorogood and his Destroyers play it live.

It has been a long and storied career for Thorogood – starting as a hard working solo act making a name for himself on the club scene. John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, The Rolling Stones and Howlin’ Wolf – just a few of the men who influenced George to pick up a guitar and start playing.

15 million albums sales and more than 8,000 live shows later – George has released his first solo record paying respect to all the Blues guys that influenced hm.

Please listen below to my chat with Lonesome George about the new album and his upcoming show with The Destroyers Aug.23rd at

Trois Rivieres En Blues. 

George? What’s up?

 

Visit George Right Here !

Visit Trois Rivieres en BluesHere

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rick Keene Music Scene – The Guess Who’s Original Drummer Garry Petersen Talks Music and The New Guess Who Album

Garry Petersen knows good music.

Aside from the fact Garry started drumming before Rock n Roll was a ‘thing’ – Petersen also was part of one of the biggest selling Rock bands of all time.

The Guess Who,at one point, were outselling The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Not bad for a guy (and band) from Winnipeg Manitoba.

Fast forward to 2018 and Garry ( who – along with original bassist Jim Kale own the rights to the Guess Who name) is hoping to grab North America by storm once again.

The current line-up of The Guess Who (a non-stop touring unit who have never ceased playing ) are poised to release a brand new album in September.

Please listen below to part one of my chat with Garry and stay tuned for part two along with my chat with lead singer and guitarist Derek Sharp.

Garry? What’s up?

Visit The Guess Who Here !

Rick Keene Music Scene – ‘ Wave 21’ Adding a Much Needed Country Element to the Montreal Music Scene

Every musician is – a little bit Country …

Following in the true vain of the roots of popular music, Mary-Lynn Doroschuk ( daughter of Stefan Doroschuk of Men Without Hats fame) is bursting on to the music scene with fresh and creative Country / Rockabilly / Pop songs.

Poignant lyrics with crisp riffs and energetic upbeat tempos are balanced nicely with the touching tones of melancholy within the album’s balladry.

Please listen below to my chat with Mary-Lynn and hear some great tunes from

Wave 21.

Visit Wave 21 here !

Rick Keene Music Scene; Jazz Festival Review – Dr. Lonnie Smith; Doin’ Only What He Can Do

The word legendary. Tossed around like a flea – bit peanut monkey sometimes.

In the case of Dr. Lonnie Smith – it is he who is tossing the primate around …

Commencing his career in the late fifties alongside George Benson – Smith used his knowledge as a multi-instrumentalist and student of Jazz, Blues, Gospel and R&B to rise to the top of the Jazz world as master of the Hammond B3 organ.

Dr. Lonnie Smith has been the most sought after player in the Jazz world for over four decades and at Le Gesu as part of The Jazz festival, the good doctor and his trio showed why.

Jonathan Kreisberg and Jonathan Blake are both powerhouses in their own right. Trading unique craftsmanship with each other with Smith holding back to let them shine. If not for Smith’s ‘ jolt you from the seats’ playing – Kresiberg and Blake almost legendary themselves. Blake especially on the drums, combining fierceness and finesse – power and purring to go with a genius’ work.

Some Jazz leaders are perfectionists by birth. Not allowing others to breathe within a song as their visions are superior to others in their own advanced minds. Dr. Lonnie Smith is a genius as he paints with his ‘paint box’ in front of him yet he allows his trio to paint with him. He is the teacher yet his lessons are by participation and not by dissociation. Guiding – yes. Ruling with a steel hand – indefinably no.

What some have done for their instruments ( Hendrix on guitar) in the public eye – Smith has done for the Hammond B3 organ in not only the Jazz world, the music world period.

They don’t give the NEC Jazz Award to just anyone after all.

Visit Dr. Lonnie Smith here !