Sometimes, poems are written in the dark … Thoughts and feelings piercing the blackness like a knife profound with emotion. Last night at Place Des Arts – Susie Arioli and her excellent group of musicians delivered lines on a platter spun with golden oldies. The patrons or as the English say; the punters – recipients of a catalog smitten by the Great America Songbook. Who … Continue reading Susie Arioli; Concert Review
Jazz crooner Susie Arioli did not plan on being a singer… Art – or rather drawing, was her thing. In fact , she even enrolled in a four year Fine Arts program at Dawson College in Montreal. Something she did not finish because it was too confining for her free – spirited ways. ‘It is a lot of work being an artist.” Says Susie. ” … Continue reading Susie Arioli; Changes are Standard
The men behind the scenes. The backbone of most bands. The guys whose mistakes can nullify anything in a heartbeat … To narrow down a list of the best drummers is next to impossible – here is a (rim) shot at just that … Ginger Baker Stewart Copeland Jimmy Chamberlain Terry Bozzio Keith Moon Mike Portnoy Neil Peart John Bonham Gene Krupa Buddy Rich Related … Continue reading Top Ten Drummers
David Usher performed at Club Soda on Thursday night. The former front man for Moist brought his solo act and a new album along for the ride. ‘Songs from the Last Day on Earth‘ is Usher’s eighth solo album since his former band left the scene in 1997. There is not a big difference between the sounds now and then except for Usher’s softness shining … Continue reading David Usher – Moist for a Few …
A record collection contains many gems. The Dave Clarke Five, the Kinks, the Monkees, the Who, the Stones and the Beatles. Six groups which make up a good contigent of the British Invasion. Now – if it were possible to sit and listen to all these bands plus a few more in one night – LIVE, would a music fan sit at home? Of course … Continue reading The Hi – Fins; Everyone’s Cup of Tea
The scene …? Brutopia. The place …? Downtown Montreal. The feeling in the air …? General malaise and spookiness. The reason …? Hallowe’en! A shiek on drums, a nun on bass, a conehead on guitar, a giant – sized man of Haitian descent on vocals and a straight – unabashed Mexican on the congas … The name of the band? Kebeko … The type of … Continue reading Rick’s Rockin’ Hallowe’en Bash (or How I Met Mick Jagger )
If Angels could sing like Carolyn Fe; they would … This may seem like a cliche, it is and it is not. Depends whether or not you have listened to the c.d. Original Sin. The same – titled first track commences with crickets as the bass line. An acoustic guitar soon joins the chorus. Sitting on a porch with an apple in hand maybe? Just … Continue reading Carolyn Fe Blues Collective – Original Sin; C.D Review
Some of your relatives may be celebrating a birthday today. Maybe you are … ? You are not alone: 1917, Papa John Creech, violinist, Jefferson Airplane 1944, Gladys Knight, singer 1945, John Fogerty, guitar, vocals, Creedence Clearwater Revival 1949, Wendy O. Williams, singer, The Plasmatics Also on this day; 1964, The BBC received over 8,000 postal applications for tickets for The Rolling Stones appearance on … Continue reading This Day in Music History
LAST year, Rolling Stone magazine put together a commemorative issue announcing its top 500 albums of all time. Listed among the selections was a flood of four-sided classics. Here are the top 10 double albums, according to Rolling Stone’s critics. 1. Exile on Main Street — Rolling Stones (1972) 2. London Calling — the Clash (1979) 3. Blonde on Blonde — Bob Dylan (1966) 4. … Continue reading What’s Your Favourite Double Album?
Father and Son; Album Review They say to play the blues well, one must go through hard times. Tommy Falls and his son Derek, live with the memory of someone dear who lived and died through very hard times. Is it any wonder their inaugural album is so good …? Father and Son could be considered a throwback to a different time. An era that … Continue reading The Mother Jones Band! Greatest R and B Band in Montreal …!
Get in your car! No – wait! Run back to the house and grab Roger Wall’s new CD – Midnight Ride! For a long drive, there is nothing better for a Jazz fan to keep the toes a tappin’… Kansas – born Roger Walls brings fifty years of experience to the disc, a half century of knowledge accumulated partly by working with some of the … Continue reading Album Review – Roger Walls; Midnight Ride
Le ‘Set – Up ‘ Toting a box of beer up a flight of stairs on a Saturday morning led to an encounter that would shape the rest of my life. Who knew? I was toiling as a waiter in a restaurant named Cajun Blues. The establishment was the ‘outcast ‘among the several bars and restaurants situated in the picturesque town of Ste. Anne … Continue reading Just Between You and Me
Rick Keene Music Scene 