One For The Weekend: Young Jessie

Happy Birthday Sid Krofft

Hear Sid & Marty discuss H.R. Pufnstuf, The Banana Splits and their fans,  Liberace and The Beatles. 

Dr. John's Atco/Atlantic singles collection due in September from Omnivore

Omnivore's 22-track compendium of Dr. John's Atco/Atlantic Singles 1968-1974 is out September 18. 

Here's the press release from Omnivore Recordings...

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Dr. John’s Atco and Atlantic sides were clearly the right-place right-time recordings. They put Mac Rebennack on the map and into the ears and minds of music enthusiasts the world over. On September 18, 2015, Omnivore Recordings will release the 22-song compilation Dr. John: The Atco/Atlantic Singles 1968–1974.

The collection contains the six-time Grammy® Award winner and Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s A- and B-sides recorded for the Atlantic labels from 1968-74, among them some of Dr. John’s best-known songs: “Right Place Wrong Time,” “Iko Iko,” “Cold Cold Night,” “Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya,” “Loop Garoo,” “I Walk On Gilded Splinters” and more. Included also are “A Man Of Many Words,” featuring accompaniment from Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton, and the mono short version of “The Patriotic Flag Waver.”

Arrangers and producers include Allen Toussaint, Harold Battiste, Tom Dowd, Jerry Wexler, Eric Clapton, Ahmet Ertegun, and Michael Cuscuna. Writers include Willie Dixon, Huey Smith, Buddy Guy, Allen Toussaint,  Earl King, James “Sugar Boy” Crawford, Alvin Robinson, Jessie Hill, and Mac “Dr. John” Rebennack himself. Musicologist Gene Sculatti wrote compilation liner notes.

From Sculatti’s notes: “Dr. John has proven to be one of music’s foremost generalists, a primary-care cat whose practice extends back some 60 years. His expertise encompasses rock ’n’ roll, swamp pop, New Orleans, R&B, funk, jazz, and the Great American Songbook—and he’s made worthy contributions to recordings by the Stones, B.B. King, Van Morrison, Frank Zappa, Buddy Guy & Junior Wells, Buffalo Springfield, Gregg Allman, and others. The awards (six Grammys and counting) and accolades long ago validated the quality of his output, but it’s the range of what he’s done that truly impresses.

“These Atco and Atlantic sides were clearly the right-place right-time recordings. They put Dr. John on the map and into the ears and minds of music enthusiasts the world over.”

    CD Track List:
1. The Patriotic Flag Waver (Mono Short Version)
2. Mama Roux
3. Jump Sturdy
4. I Walk On Gilded Splinters (Part I)
5. I Walk On Gilded Splinters (Part II)
6. Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya
7. Loop Garoo
8. Wash Mama Wash
9. Iko Iko
10. Huey Smith Medley: “High Blood Pressure” “Don’t You Just Know It” “Well I’ll Be John Brown”
11. Wang Dang Doodle
12. Big Chief
13. A Man Of Many Words (Buddy Guy With Dr. John & Eric Clapton)
14. Right Place Wrong Time
15. I Been Hoodood

16. Such A Night

17. Cold Cold Cold
18. Life
19. Let’s Make A Better World

20. Me – You = Loneliness

21. (Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away
22. Mos’ Scocious

Happy Birthday Betty Davis!

Celebrating Betty Davis' birthday in style with a funk classic.

Sonny & The Sunsets @ Silver Dollar, Saturday

Here's the latest video from Sonny's Talent Night at the Ashram  album out now on cassette and other formats.

Watch Major Lazer's Twin Peaksy video for "Powerful" w/ Ellie Goulding

Check out the ace James Slater-directed clip for Major Lazer's "Powerful" off Peace Is The Mission. 

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue @ Nathan Phillips Square, Friday 9:45 pm

Also on the Panamania bill tonight is Fito Blanko (8:15pm) and Quique Escamilla (7:30pm).

Rico Bell backs into Mekons' comedy spotlight at New York's Bowery Ballroom Tuesday

Watch Rico Bell on the far right at the 1:40 mark of Heaven and Back. 

Expect further thrills 'n' spills with the new Revenge of the Mekons rockumentary DVD.

Then & Now: Toronto Nightlife History book launch w/ Denise Benson @ Nest, Thursday

You can read more about Denise Benson's Then & Now: Toronto Nightlife History right here.

Here's the scoop on who is playing what & when at tonight's launch party for THEN & NOW: TORONTO NIGHTLIFE HISTORY at Nest (423 College). Doors open 7:30pm. Author DENISE BENSON's discussion with STUART BERMAN runs from at 8:30pm to 9:30pm. Hang, catch up with people, and then dance! All of these amazing DJs (set times below) are in the book and admission is free!

MARK OLIVER: 10-10:45pm. Expect rare groove, deep disco, acid house & more ala Mark's Cameron House and Tazmanian Ballroom days. Featured in the Taz, Klub Max, Go-Go, 23 Hop, Guvernment & other club chapters.

PAUL E. LOPES & MIKE TULL: From 10:45-12:15, this dynamic DJ duo drops a mad diverse, chronological mix spanning the 1970s to 2010s. Featured in the Roxy Blu and 52inc, chapters.

JAMES ST. BASS: 12:15-1am: Deep disco, early '90s house & other anthems played at his gay boy nights at Boom Boom Room and Go-Go. Featured in the Limelight, Boom, Go-Go, OZ and other chapters.

DJ BARBI: 1-1:45am: Sexy synthy goodness (Italo disco, nu disco, indie dance, synth pop, old school electro...) as only Barbi can do. Featured in the We'ave, Club 56 and CiRCA chapters.

DEKO-ZE: 1:45 - 2:30: He's stoked to play the likes of Erasure, Depeche Mode, Art of Noise and Disclosure alongside a huge range of house. Featured in the System Soundbar, Footwork and Guv chapters.

Stars @ Nathan Phillips Square, Wednesday

Amy Millan, Torqil Campbell and Stars will be on stage tonight at 8:15 pm followed by Café Tacvba at 9:45 pm. 

Happy Birthday Bob Downes!

Toasting flautist/saxophonist Bob Downes on his day with an Open Music classic on Vertigo.

Diana Krall vs. Betty James

Something tells me we have Elvis Costello to thank for this one.

Remember when Tom Petty played bass with the Dwight Twilley Band?

Tom Petty joined the Dwight Twilley Band for "Chance To Get Away" on Wacko in 1977.

Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires @ Nathan Phillips Square, Tuesday

To get you ready for Charles Bradley's return to Toronto, here's a pro-shot show he did in Brussels last year.

Tia Brazda launches Bandshell album @ Lula Lounge Thursday – watch her new Shine video

For the Lula show, Tia Brazda's band will include saxophonist Chris Gale & fiddler Miranda Mulholland.

TIA BRAZDA'S  BANDSHELL  TOUR
July 23 - Lula Lounge, Toronto, ON (release party)
July 25 - Oswego Musicfest, Oswego, NY
July 26 - Oswego Musicfest, Oswego, NY
July 27 - One Caroline Street, Saratoga Springs, NY
July 30 - Otto's Shrunken Head, New York, NY
July 31 - Sully's Pub, Hartford, CT
August 02 - Stonecat Cafe, Hector, NY
August 07 - Upstairs, Montreal, QC
August 21 - Blu Jazz, Akron, OH
August 22 - Copper Kettle Festival, Creemore, ON
August 29 - Uncorked on Main, Georgetown, ON
September 11 - 189 Public House, Buffalo, NY
September 12 - Bop Stop, Cleveland, OH
September 13 - Cliff Bell's, Detroit, MI

RIP Wayne Carson, 1942-2015

Along with the The Letter, Wayne Carson wrote Soul Deep and She's Actin' Single (and I'm Drinkin' Doubles).

Link Wray's 3-Track Shack sessions from early 70s reissued by Ace using original tapes

Ace UK's fab new two-disc set Link Wray's 3-Track Shack is due August 31. Read all about it.

As the 60s came to a close, Link Wray, his brother Vernon Wray and band decamped to his farm in Accokeek, Maryland where Vernon set up a three-track recorder in an outhouse – the eponymous three-track shack. Three albums resulted from the recording sessions: 1971’s “Link Wray” was originally mooted for release on the Apple label but eventually came out on Polydor, as did “Mordicai Jones” a pseudonymous title that featured pianist Bobby Howard on vocals. “Beans and Fatback” was released by UK Virgin in 1973.

The music was radically different to what Link had previously recorded – raw and basic, but with vocals and acoustic instruments. Many Swan-era fans hoping for yet more rockin' instros for which Link had become famous didn’t quite know what to make of the rootsy detour into gospel, blues and back-porch country. Consequently, sales weren't great at the time which resulted in all three LPs becoming sought-after collectibles that seemed to foreshadow the Americana scare of the early 90s. In recent years, Mark Lanegan covered the song Fire and Brimstone (from 71's Link Wray album) for Nick Cave's Lawless soundtrack of 2012 while Calexico revised the song Fallin' Rain for a bonus track accompanying the European release of 2003's Feast Of Wire album on City Slang.

These three albums have previously been reissued by Acadia/Evangeline via Universal as a 2 CD set dubbed from vinyl sources and the Beans and Fatback closer "Take My Hand (Precious Lord)" was oddly replaced by a cover of Tony Joe White's Backwoods Preacher Man off 1974's Link Wray's Rumble album. For the new Link Wray's 3-Track Shack compendium, Ace has corrected the track listing and returned to the original master tapes for all three albums to present these unjustly overlooked classics in the finest sound possible. Time to find out what you've been missing.

Shuggie Otis @ Lee's Palace, Monday

Happy Birthday J. Plunky Branch & Larry Levan

Here's legendary Paradise Garage DJ Larry Levan's remix of Plunky's Every Way But Loose.

Happy Birthday Elliott McPherson!

Celebrating birthday of singer/songwriter Elliott McPherson with a couple of Dexateens clips. 

Phil & Dave Alvin salute Big Joe Turner on new "Lost Time" album for Yep Roc

Listen to "Feeling Happy" from the Lost Time album out September 18. 

"Here's a jumping track from the upcoming new release by my brother and me, one of four Big Joe Turner songs we recorded on the album. Big Joe was our musical mentor, spiritual guide and lifelong friend so on this record we wanted to finally pay tribute to him. Blaster Gene Taylor struts his stuff on the boogie woogie piano, Don Heffington is rocking the drums, Bob Glaub is keeping everything solid on bass, Chris G Miller is swinging the acoustic guitar while I bash on the loud, electric guitar and my brother shouts the blues just like Big Joe taught him decades ago. Hope you enjoy it." – Dave Alvin

Happy Birthday Screamin' Jay Hawkins!

Remembering Screamin' Jay on his day with the Nicholas Triandafyllidis doc I Put A Spell On Me from 2001.

Ogguere @ Harbourfront, Saturday, 8 pm

Havana rhyme-ripper Edrey Riveri heats up Ritmo y Color with his modern take on Afro-Cuban funk.

One For The Weekend: Darondo

DJ Kenny Dope @ Tattoo, Friday

Happy Birthday Jimmy Scott

Remembering the great Jimmy Scott on his day with a lovely version of The Masquerade Is Over from 1959. 

Juan de Marcos & Afro Cuban All Stars @ Distillery District, Thursday

Despite many lineup changes, Afro Cuban All Stars remain tight under the leadership of Juan de Marcos González. 

Souljazz Orchestra readies Resistance for September – watch their Shock & Awe clip

The Resistance album is slated for release by Do Right! on September 4. Check out "Shock & Awe" below.

Happy Birthday Joe Harriott

Remembering saxophonist Joe Harriott on his day with a few tracks from Hum Dono available again on vinyl. 

Cryptotrips @ The Drake Hotel, Tuesday

Some members of Dartmouth's Cryptotrips may not be ready to let go of their shady math-rock past.

Explore the cinematic magic of San Diego's Sure Fire Soul Ensemble

Fans of Menahan Street Band's orchestrated funk will find a lot to like about the Sure Fire Soul Ensemble's debut. 

Happy Birthday Pedro Iturralde!

Celebrating the birthday of Spanish saxophone great Pedro Iturralde with a vintage flamenco jazz classic. 

New Donnie Fritts doc Undeniably Donnie due in August, album in October

Donnie Fritts' new album Oh My Goodness is out October 9. Watch the documentary trailer below. 

Colombia's Ondatrópica w/ Michi Sarmiento @ Nathan Phillips Square, Monday

Don't miss Colombia's amazing Ondatrópica featuring saxophone great Michi Sarmiento tonight at 9:45 pm.

Happy Birthday Paul Gonsalves

Remembering late great tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves with a couple of post-Ellington corkers from 1964-65.

Behind The Scenes w/ Joe Ely, Stubb, Tom T. Hall

Joe Ely shares a brew with BBQ legend Stubb & Tom T. Hall at the 1978 East Broadway Onion Championship. 

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan @ Harbourfront, Saturday

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan's free noh-wave ritual commences on Harbourfront's West Jet Stage at 8 pm.

One For The Weekend: Drake

Drake has fun morphing into Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Rob Ford among others in his new Energy video.

Happy Birthday Lee Morgan

Remembering trumpet great Lee Morgan with a 1965 BBC set featuring Art Blakey & John Gilmore.

Before They Were Famous: MC5

This autographed photo of the Motor City Five circa 1966 was found at a flea market by Willy Wilson. 

Eleni Mandell raises the stakes for new video

The song Someone To Love Like You appears on Eleni Mandell's great new Dark Lights Up album for Yep Roc. 

Watch the video for Laetitia Sadier's Oscuridad

Breakdown Brass vs. Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg

Brooklyn's Breakdown Brass have come up with a heavy whumping cover of The Next Episode.

Happy Birthday Hank Mobley!

Remembering saxophonist/composer Hank Mobley on his day with a classic Blue Note bossa swinger. 

Ernest Ranglin @ Lula Lounge, Thursday

Don't miss this rare opportunity to see iconic Jamaican guitarist Ernest Ranglin up close at Lula Lounge.

Hear Madlib's crazy cool African Earwax mix