Happy Birthday Frankie Lee Sims!

Remembering blues rockin' daddy Frankie Lee Sims on his day with a couple of cookers.

Watch Alela Diane perform "Émigré" off her new album Cusp

Here's Alela Diane performing "Émigré and "Dry Grass & Shadows" at La Cigale in Paris on Thursday night.

Tickets on sale for Ursula Rucker @ Lula Lounge, June 7

Ursula will be accompanied by Hugh Marsh, Rich Brown, Thompson Egbo-Egbo and Don Pham. Get tickets here.

Happy Birthday Duke Ellington!

Remembering the great Duke Ellington on his day with "Afrique" – his 1970 collaboration with Conny Plank.

Don't miss Houston soul crew The Suffers @ The Horseshoe, Sunday

Check out The Suffers' new video for "Do Whatever" off their forthcoming Everything Here album out July 13 on Shanachie. 

Not The Music featuring Joe McPhee @ The Music Gallery, Sunday

Here are a couple of interviews with saxophone great Joe McPhee followed by his classic "Nation Time" from 1970. 

Whaddya mean you don't know Joe Bauer

Here's the title track off 1970 hippie jazz gem Moonset by Youngbloods drummer Joe Bauer featuring Banana and Steve Swallow.

Happy Birthday Blossom Dearie

Remembering the great Blossom Dearie on her day with an appropriate number for a rainy afternoon. 

Pratt & Moody hit on contemporary soul classic with "Words Words Words"

With the stone-solid backing of Cold Diamond & Mink, Pratt & Moody's harmony soul gem could break beyond the funk scene. 

The Surfrajettes vs. Britney Spears

"Hello Britney – Toronto instrumental combo The Surfrajettes just did a surf-style cover of Toxic... you're gonna need to hear it."

One For The Weekend: The Chats

Here's the brilliant video for "Smoko" by Oz punks The Chats who proudly hail from Queensland's Sunshine Coast. 

R.I.P. Charles Neville, 1938-2018

Sadly, Neville Brothers' saxophonist Charles Neville passed away today at his Massachusetts home.

Whaddya mean you don't know The Dream

Terje Rypdal's Norwegian psych crew The Dream cut this Jimi Hendrix homage for their Get Dreamy debut in 1967.

Mr. Bongo reissues rare Pat Thomas Introduces Marijata album

Here's the  album's best joint "Mother Africa" which wasn't issued on Strut's Pat Thomas comp "Coming Home"

Jim McCarty's album + book launch @ Lula Lounge, Tuesday

Legendary Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty (left) recalls his time with Jimmy Page and crew in Nobody Told Me! 

Best known as the drummer and singer/songwriter of The Yardbirds, Jim McCarty is at the Lula Lounge on Tuesday night to celebrate the release of his new album Walking In The Wild Land and his autobiography, Nobody Told Me! My Life with The Yardbirds, Renaissance and Other Stories written in conjunction with veteran rock biographer Dave Thompson.

Jim has long had a special relationship with Toronto. Beyond staying here while touring the States with The Yardbirds, Jim has also collaborated with local musicians on various solo recordings, including his latest album Walking In The Wild Land which was cut at Number 9 Studios with producer/bassist George Koller and mixed by the legendary Terry Brown.

George will join Jim on stage with Tom Reynolds (keyboards), Ben Riley (drums), and Drew Jurecka (violin, reeds along with guests Christian Antonacci and the Willows. Jim will be performing songs from his new album (and perhaps a Yardbirds tune or two) after reading a short excerpt from his engaging memoir which boasts an introduction penned by his old Yardbirds bandmate Jimmy Page.

Lula Lounge is located at 1585 Dundas West and doors open at 6:30 pm. Showtime is at 7:30 pm sharp and tickets are $20 at the door. Check out the title track from Jim's new album Walking In The Wild Land below.

R.I.P. Bob Dorough, 1923-2018

Sadly, the great singer/songwriter Bob Dorough passed away earlier today in Mt. Bethel surrounded by family. 

Washington Post obituary
New York Times obituary
NPR obituary

Caitlin Rose opening for Brian Fallon @ Danforth Music Hall, Tuesday

Don't miss Nashville's fabulous Caitlin Rose making a rare Toronto appearance at the Danforth Music Hall. 

Ronnie Hawkins vs. Chuck Willis

See if you can spot any similarity between Ronnie's Southern Love and Chuck Willis' Whatcha Gonna Do.

Nightseeker album release w/ Bad Waitress, Bueller @ The Horseshoe, Saturday

Nightseeker's epic 3069: A Space-Rock Sex Odyssey is out now! Watch their "Shotgun Beer" video after the trailer below.

Country great Gary Stewart sings Motown for RSD!

Delmore Records dug up two unissued demos of Gary singing Motown classics for the perfect RSD single.

Here's the scoop from the Delmore label...
Anyone that knows the Delmore label knows that we are huge Gary Stewart fans. We've been working on a full length compilation of unreleased Gary for longer than some of you have been alive, and eight(!) years ago we rescued the headneck classic Grandma's Roadhouse from private press obscurity.  And now, we are ecstatic to announce the release of the rarest of all of Gary's previously unreleased recordings as a limited edition 7" single for Record Store Day 2018.

Five years before "She's Acting Single (I'm Drinking Doubles)", Gary Stewart was paid $30 to sing on a demo of Motown hits country style. The session was arranged by publishing lifer Henry Hurt on behalf of Jobete Music, who was hoping to interest country stars in their catalogue.

Absolutely no one seemed to have a copy of the tape that blew the mind of record producer Roy Dea, sending him on a multi year crusade to get Gary a record deal and to produce his records.  As Dea told the writer Jimmy McDonough in the Village Voice in 1988, while discussing that first exposure: “I never knew anyone who blew me away like Gary, an’ I seen Elvis, Hank Williams – all of ‘em. You get hooked on Stewart. He’s like a damn drug.”  The legend of this recording has appeared in nearly every story written about Stewart, but the tapes were presumed lost.

Recently discovered after a ten-year search, and released for the first time ever, the Mowtown seven-inch single is an essential addition to your Gary Stewart jukebox. Available in smart record shops worldwide on Record Store Day, April 21st. Listen to Gary sing the Four Tops classic "Baby I Need Your Loving" below. Read about the single in Rolling Stone – who told them about Gary Stewart?

Caroline Rose & The Go Rounds @ The Dakota Tavern, Friday & Saturday

One For The Weekend: Googoosh

Here's the ever-stylish Googoosh singing "You're Cute"

Margo Price @ Danforth Music Hall, Wednesday

The bottle might let you down but Margo Price won't – check out the performance clips below.

UK jazz rising star Nat Birchall discusses Cosmic Language

Hear the interview Barry Smyth conducted with Nat following the album's lead track "Man From Varanasi" 

Khruangbin, The Mattson 2 @ The Mod Club, Tuesday

Don't miss Texas twisted Thai-funk trio Khruangbin throwing down with the twangy twosome of Jonathan & Jared Mattson tonight.

Watch the new Bad Waitress video for "Acid Brain"

The new Bad Waitress EP Party Bangers is out Friday. They're opening for Nightseeker at the Horseshoe Saturday. 

Toronto – Bad Waitress are set release their rip-snortin' new Party Bangers: Volume 1 EP on Royal Mountain Records this Friday (April 20).  The Toronto-based punk crew have a number of tour dates in support of the EP including a show at The Horseshoe on Saturday (April 21) opening for label-mates Nightseeker (fronted by Deaner of FUBAR infamy) who are also launching their new opus the same night, 3069: a Space-Rock Sex Odyssey.

Bad Waitress is a fierce and playful punk rock slap to the face comprised of four young women on a mission. Vocalist/guitarist Kali-Ann Butala moved to Toronto from the Northwest Territories five years ago, with the specific intent to play kick-ass music with other women. The band’s debut release,  2017's Doll Creatures of the Valley EP – mixed and mastered by Kali-Ann – plays along this theme in a cheeky and subversive way, with the biting “We’re Girls,” (“We’re girls/We’re here/We’re ready to fight”) to the witchy chanting of “Devil’s Vagina,” and the EP’s title track which begins with eerie, doll-like voices before the heavy guitar takes over.

But it would be wrong to pigeonhole the artists-formerly-known-as-Nude-Dogs as just girl punk. Their influences may include such punk stalwarts as Fugazi and Gang of Four, with comparisons to acts like 7 Year Bitch and Babes in Toyland, but there’s a little something extra mixed in there, too. Butala’s Howlin’ Wolf tattoo is what she and guitarist Katelyn Molgard initially bonded over. The whole band – rounded out by drummer Eva Moon and bassist Jessica Maxwell – describe themselves as inseparable, and the enjoyment they have from making music together is certainly palpable.

Check out the clip for "Acid Brain" followed by a list of upcoming Bad Waitress dates.


Bad Waitress on tour
April 21st @ The Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto ON - with Nightseeker
May 18th @ St. Andrew's Hall - Detroit MI - with Rise Against
June 8th @ the Sanctuary - Ridgeway ON - with Hollerado

Happy Birthday Henry Mancini!

Here's the brilliant opening sequence from Orson Welles' Touch Of Evil scored by the great Henry Mancini.

Bassholes vs. Alger "Texas" Alexander

Beverly Glenn-Copeland @ The Jam Factory, Sunday

Don't miss Beverly Glenn-Copeland's rare T.O. performance tonight – whatever the weather. Check the interview below.

B-Side wins again: Cyrus Erie

"Get The Message" was released as the flipside of the "Sparrow" single by Eric Carmen's pre-Raspberries crew Cyrus Erie. 

Eleni Mandell releases a new clip for "Don't Forget How Good It Is"

Watch Eleni's beautifully shot video for "Don't Forget How Good It Is" below. She's touring Spain in June. 

Eleni in Spain
04.06 Barcelona (SP). Old manufactures damm-DELICATESSEN
09.06 St. Sebastian (SP). Altxerri Bar (Club 44)
10.06 Zaragoza (SP). Delights-Bombo y Platillo
11.06 Castellón (SP). Center Culture-Sons Castelló
12.06 Madrid (SP). Cc Galileo-CiudaDistrito

Whaddya mean you don't know Esplendor Geométrico

Spanish 80s industrial trio Esplendor Geométrico are featured on the new La Contra Ola comp from Bongo Joe. 

R.I.P. Nathan Davis, 1937-2018

Remembering multi-instrumentalist Nathan Davis with a rare performance clip with Freddie Hubbard and Art Blakey. 

One For The Weekend: Tubby Hayes Orchestra

Here's Tubby's orchestra performing Sasa-Hivi, composed by Peter King (right), off the album Tubbs' Tours.

Dennis Coffey's smokin' performance with Lyman Woodard Trio to be released

Dennis Coffey's rare recording from Morey Baker's Showplace Lounge is being released by Omnivore on June 1. 

A previously unissued live set from Detroit in 1968!

Dennis Coffey is a guitar legend. From his early work with The Royaltones (who also backed other artists like Del Shannon) — to his run through the Motor City’s independent labels as a session ace — to his pioneering and legendary work with The Funk Brothers, backing band to massive Motown hits like “Just My Imagination,” “Ball Of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today),” “War,” “Cloud Nine,” “Someday We’ll Be Together” and “Band Of Gold” among many others — he's one of the most important six-string slingers on the Detroit scene during the 60s.

And Dennis didn't slow down for one second during the 70s either as he struck out on his own and had a million selling hit with “Scorpio,” in 1971. He continued his studio session work (notably appearing on “Boogie Fever” by The Sylvers), scored films and produced other artists’ albums like Gallery’s Nice To Be With You and Rodriguez’ cult classic Cold Fact.

The 2000s have found Dennis appearing on the big screen including the 2002 film Standing In The Shadows Of Motown and the 2012’s Searching For Sugarman. And to this very day you can find him playing every Tuesday night in Detroit.

One Night At Morey’s: 1968 is drawn from the residency at Morey Baker’s Showplace Lounge in Detroit by the Lyman Woodard Trio. The trio consisted of Coffey on guitar, brilliant organist, Lyman Woodard, and drummer Melvin Davis, and could be found at Morey’s once a week. They played to a dedicated, often repeat, audience so the band kept the repertoire fresh and changing. One Night At Morey’s: 1968 follows last year’s Hot Coffey In The D: Burnin’ At Morey Baker’s Showplace Lounge released by Resonance Records, also drawn from the Morey’s residency, but with an entirely different track list.

All tracks on One Night At Morey’s: 1968 are previously unissued and come directly from the vaults of Dennis Coffey and producer partner, Mike Theodore. Tracks include original compositions, “Big City Lights,” “Mindbender,” and “Union Station,” as well as surprising and funky covers of “Billie’s Bounce” by Charlie Parker, “Burning Spear” by The Soulful Strings (written and arranged by Richard Evans), “Cissy Strut” by The Meters, “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles, “Groovin’” by The Young Rascals, and “I’m A Midnight Mover” by Wilson Pickett co-written by Pickett and Bobby Womack. Check the track list followed by a preview trailer below.

One Night At Morey's: 1968
I’M A MIDNIGHT MOVER
ELEANOR RIGBY
CISSY STRUT
GROOVIN’
BURNING SPEAR
IT’S YOUR THING/UNION STATION
MINDBENDER
BIG CITY LIGHTS
BILLIE’S BOUNCE

Tiki Collective's Muse album launch @ Lula Lounge, Thursday

Jaymz Bee unveils the Tiki Collective's Muse album, featuring Tyra Jutai's exotic Mood Indigo – check the clip below.

Nineties Nostalgia: The Oblivians

Here's some rarely seen archival footage of Greg Cartwright and his Memphis maulers way back in the 90s.

Analog Africa readies African Scream Contest 2 for June 1 release

Check out "A Min We Vo Nou We" by Herman Laléyé's Les Sympathics, a highlight of African Scream Contest 2.

Les Lullies, Tommy & The Commies, B-17 @ The Baby G, Saturday

Montpellier malcontents Les Lullies tear up the Baby G tonight Slovenly-style. 

Sarah Shook reintroduces the drinking song to country music

The bottle never let Sarah Shook down as you'll find out on her great new album Years on Bloodshot Records.

One For The Weekend: Melody Aces

Here's Ignace D'Souza's classic "Asaw Fofor" which will appear on Analog Africa's African Scream Contest 2.

Happy Birthday Peter Case!

Here's an entertaining interview with the incomparable Peter Case from 1987.

Low Doses, Zorton & The Cannibals, The Do-Nothings @ Duggan's Basement, Friday

Don't miss NYC's Low Doses with Zorton & The Cannibals at Duggan's Basement – show starts at 9 pm sharp. 

Patsy's Rats, First Base, Tough Age, Binos @ Hard Luck Bar, Wednesday

Power pop fans should check out Patsy's Rats featuring Patsy Gelb (Howe's daughter) and Billy Jeans tonight. 

Happy Birthday Muddy Waters!

Remembering the great Muddy Waters on his day with an Aristocrat label classic.

Drive-By Truckers, Erika Wennerstrom @ The Mod Club, Wednesday

Watch the Drive-By Truckers play an almost completely different set from the previous night, lasting well over 2 hours.