Remembering Italian soundtrack maestro Piero Piccioni on his birthday

Raising a glass to Piero Piccioni with his amazing score for Piero Zuffi's 1970 crime drama Colpo Rovente and more.

Watch cajun accordion great Nathan Abshire sing "Pine Grove Blues" and more

Here's some rare footage of cajun accordion legend Nathan Abshire in action during the late 70s.

Ron Mann's "Clairtone" doc about the 60s Canuck hi-fi company screens @ Hot Docs, Dec 5

Jazz legend Oscar Peterson and Frank Sinatra were both fans of Clairtone's futuristic "Project G" home listening system... sweet! 

Here's the scoop...

Acclaimed director Ron Mann delves into the captivating rise and fall of Clairtone, an audacious Canadian electronics company founded by Peter Munk (Barrick Gold) and David Gilmour during the vibrant 1960s. 

For a decade, Clairtone Sound Corporation captured the spirit of the times: sophisticated, cosmopolitan, liberated. From its modern oiled-walnut and teak stereos to its minimalist logos and promotional materials, Clairtone produced a powerful and enduring body of work that epitomized iconic mid-century design. 

Clairtone soared to international acclaim, becoming a symbol of Canadian ingenuity and modernity; however, after six years of spectacular growth, Clairtone’s collision with economic challenges led to their dramatic decline. 

Writes Peter Munk's daughter Nina Munk: "As some of you know, my father Peter Munk and David Gilmour founded Clairtone Sound Corporation in 1958. For a brief but dazzling stretch it was one of Canada’s most admired companies, celebrated for its sleek designs and daring advertising. Clairtone's Project G hi-fi became a symbol of the Swinging Sixties: Hugh Hefner had one, Frank Sinatra too, and Oscar Peterson swore his music sounded as good on the Project G as it did live. 

"A new documentary tells the story of Clairtone’s meteoric rise and spectacular fall — a story of audacity, beauty, and the boundless optimism of invention. When the director Ron Mann asked me to narrate the film, I didn't hesitate. Not only because Ron is a superb filmmaker, but because Clairtone was my father’s “first love,” as he often said. More ruefully, he once told the New York Times, “Clairtone was the single most formative experience in my life because it was so traumatic.”

"I was born the year Clairtone collapsed — the year my father remembered as the worst of his life. Clairtone has always loomed large in my imagination, as it did in his. A few years ago, together with the curator Rachel Gotlieb, I wrote a book about the company. And now this. If my father were still alive, he'd be over the moon to see this story on screen.

"The world premiere is Friday, December 5 at Toronto's Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, where Ron and I will be speaking. Tickets are still available. A national tour follows with screenings in Montréal, Vancouver, Victoria, Halifax, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, and Kingston."

Ron Mann's "Clairtone" documentary premieres at Hot Docs Cinema (506 Bloor St. West) on Friday (December 5) at 6 pm with Ron Mann and Nina Munk present. For upcoming screenings near you, check out the dates listed below and/or visit the Films We Like site in the links section. Check the clips featuring Clairtone co-founder Peter Munk, his Clairtone operation and their products. 

LINKS

Films We Like Clairtone

One For The Weekend: Michelle David & The True-Tones

Michelle David & The True-Tones preview their new Soul Woman album for Record Kicks with "Running" – watch the clip below. 

Soul Woman by Michelle David & The True-Tones

Dutch/US combo Michelle David & The True-tones is back with a new TNT dynamite Soul 45 that features two new heavy hitters from the upcoming studio album “Soul Woman” out via Record Kicks on February 27th. You can pre-order the album right here: https://recordkicks.lnk.to/SoulWoman.  

Once again, The True-tones lay down solid foundations for Michelle David to do her thing. On the A-side, the floorshaking soul pearl “Speak To Me” is an irresistible up-tempo tune where Michelle's powerful voice carries the load, leaving room for groovy guitars and bold horns. “Speak To Me”… Over and Over.. You'll soon find yourself singing along to this irresistible melody. On the B side, the Motown-influenced soul stormer “Running” perfectly captures all the power and raw energy of MDTT. A real northern soul stomper! Watch out, the 45 is limited to 600 copies worldwide (now sold out).

Raised in New York, Michelle David started singing at the age of four and joined her first group, The Mission of Love, when she was five. During her career, she toured the world with Broadway musicals “Mama“ and “The Sound of Motown,“ “Glory of Gospel,” “Mahalia” and recorded backing vocals for artists such as Diana Ross and Michael Bolton. This all happened before releasing seven critically acclaimed gospel-infused albums with the True-tones. Michelle David & The True-tones together know how to put on a glowing evening of classic soul. With their upbeat grooves, powerful vocals, and strong melodies, they have already conquered many festivals and numerous clubs. 

Having played renowned festivals such as Pinkpop and North Sea Jazz, the band toured extensively in Europe from Spain to Scandinavia, leaving memorable impressions wherever they play; delivering an unforgettable live experience. In addition, the band’s discography has also been praised; receiving an Edison nomination (the Dutch Grammy) for “The Gospel Session” in 2019, while “Truth & Soul” was named Album of the Month on FIP radio in France and Album of the Year at Craig Charles’ BBC Radio 6 Music. Their last album “Brothers & Sisters” (2024) marked their debut with soul-specialist label Record Kicks and confirmed them at the peak of the international retro-soul scene. The group did numerous radio and TV performances and were even invited to play their music at the Winter Olympics 2022. 

Check out a performance of "Running" followed by the video for "Speak To Me" below.  

R.I.P. guitarist/songwriter Steve Cropper 1941-2025

Sadly, influential guitarist Steve Cropper – co-founder of Booker T and the MGs – has passed away at 84. He'll be greatly missed.

Robert Plant selects his fave Nonesuch records and talks about 'em

Robert Plant paid a visit to the Nonesuch Music Library to talk about a few of the records he found inspiring. 

Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant – a self-described "nerdy collector," constantly exploring new sounds – recently spent some time rooting around the Nonesuch Music Library and pulled a few albums off the shelves he found to be inspiring. Check out his discussion of the records he selected right here. Watch Robert discuss record collecting while on tour with guitar player JD McPherson right here.    

Watch a recent Neba Solo performance below. 

Remembering Jean-Luc Godard on his birthday

Remembering influential filmmaker/journalist Jean-Luc Godard on his birthday with a 1980 Dick Cavett interview and more.