It's official... school's out for summer!

Celebrating the last day of school today with Alice Cooper on Top of The Pops from 1972. 

U.I.C. with Enchanters, Ohmno @ Monarch Tavern, Friday

The mighty U.I.C. kick off Canada Day weekend celebrations tonight with Enchanters and Ohmno at the Monarch. Doors at 8 pm.

Get tickets for U.I.C.'s show at the Monarch Tavern (12 Clinton, 1 block south of College) right here. 

One (or Two) For The Weekend: The Stoics

San Antonio's Stoics released their sneering garage punk double-sider on Brams in 1967, recently reissued by Okto-Bone Rekkids. 

Here's the scoop from Okto-Bone Rekkids...

The Stoics from San Antonio, TX shouldn't require much introduction; since their sole 1967 single was first comped in the early 80s, both sides have been held in VERY high regard, not just for the quality of the songs and musicianship but also its extreme rarity (I read that only 150 copies were pressed—can anyone verify?). It's also quite well established that the original pressing suffers from poor quality, so it gives us great pleasure to disclose that this new issue has been taken from the original masters and sounds MONSTROUS, benefitting from a fresh remaster courtesy of noted historian, Alec Palao! This new 45 also represents the ONLY official 7" reissue in more than 50 years; forget the AWFUL Garage Greats bootleg—this is the real deal!

Brand new limited edition vinyl 7" + insert—only 700 copies pressed! Currently less than 40 copies remaining from the reissue pressing. Get a copy via Bandcamp right here. Listen below. 

 

Enchanters share rippin' "Tar Pits" ahead of Monarch Tavern show Friday

Classy Craig Daniels and his Enchanters crew are back with "Tar Pits" – see 'em with U.I.C. at the Monarch Tavern on Friday.

Check out the new Enchanters track "Tar Pits" via Bandcamp right here. Get tickets for their show with U.I.C. over here.

Happy 70th Birthday Mitchell Froom!

Celebrating the 70th birthday of producer/keyboardist Mitchell Froom with a couple of tunes and some chats about making records. 

Programme 4 cleverly celebrates/skewers 70s shag-carpet culture

Rachel Lichtman's brilliant Programme 4 parodies of 70s television shows and advertising should delight fans of SCTV.  

Writes Programme 4 creator Rachel Lichtman...

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Programme 4, an independent television channel that I created and have been working on for over 3 years. It clocks in at 58 minutes and has been described as a “portal”, so light some candles and settle in! I will have more to say about it in the coming weeks, but for now: 

Programme 4 has begun its broadcast day. See what’s happening! 

Check it out right here. 

Happy Birthday David "Honeyboy" Edwards!

Remembering blues great "Honeyboy" Edwards with some performance footage, 50s recordings and a Pete Welding interview. 

UK Afrobeat crew Kokoroko rock the OLG Grove mainstage, Wednesday

Don't miss Kokoroko – led by trumpeter Sheila Maurice-Grey – tearin' up the OLG Grove tonight at 8:45 pm for Jazz Fest. It's free! 

For more info about Kokoroko and more, check out the Toronto Jazz Fest site right here. 

Malika Tirolien takes over the Jazz Fest's Village Stage, Tuesday

Montreal's Malika Tirolien brings the uplifting sound of her HIGHER album to the Village Stage tonight at 8:30 pm. It's free!

Here's the scoop...

Malika Tirolien is a Guadeloupean vocalist, producer and songwriter based in Montreal, Canada. She has become an internationally recognized artist through her numerous collaborations with Snarky Puppy, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Richard Bona, Alain Jean-Marie, Lara Fabian and more. She is also the lead singer of Grammy-nominated group Bokanté and a band member of 4 times Grammy winner Jacob Collier. Her self-produced debut album, ‘Sur La Voie Ensoleillée' (2014) – representing "EARTH" as part of a tetralogy based on the elements – garnered great reviews while reaching #5 on the R&B/soul Canadian iTunes charts. 

Her latest album, HIGHER, co-produced by Michael League (Snarky Puppy, Bokanté, Ground Up Music), was released in February 2021 and showcases a new genre called HighSoul, mixing Jazz, R&B, Soul and Hip Hop. It is the second instalment of the tetralogy and symbolizes "AIR." Despite the pandemic, Malika was able to tour the album across Canada and in the US, Brazil and in Europe where she opened for Snarky Puppy on a 12-date tour. Can't wait for the "FIRE" instalment. 

Check out a few recent performances below. 

Dream Syndicate's Days Of Wine & Roses gets deluxe 4CD reissue

The expanded 4CD edition of Days Of Wine and Roses boasts 31 previously unissued recordings and 10 rarities! 

Here's the scoop...

The Dream Syndicate reveal a newly expanded 40th Anniversary Edition release History Kinda Pales When It and You Are Aligned: The Days Of Wine and Roses (4xCD Expanded Edition). Collecting 54 songs from the original line-up, including 10 hard-to-find rarities and 31 never released recordings.

An exceptional early ‘80s guitar-powered gem, remastered in full and includes a wealth of unreleased material. This newly expanded 4 CD collection includes tracks from main protagonist Steve Wynn’s earlier combo 15 Minutes, the debut EP, astounding cover renditions (Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin, The Who), recordings of the band’s first ever rehearsal, along with several visceral live concerts live concerts pre-dating the recording of their album.

Celebrating the album’s 40th year, this beautifully housed bookback edition also includes 30 pages of liner notes by band historian Pat Thomas, new interviews with Kendra Smith, engineer Paul Cutler and producer Chris D, rare photos, gig posters, and more.

History Kinda Pales When It and You Are Aligned: The Days Of Wine and Roses (4xCD Expanded Edition) was released by Fire America on June 23. Get it right here. Outside of the US, this special release will be available digitally only. Check out the complete track list followed by a Dream Syndicate performance in Milan, Italy shot on October 16, 2022.

Dream Syndicate Days Of Wine and Roses 40th Anniversary Edition

Disc One: Original Days of Wine and Roses album + Down There EP

Tell Me When It's Over

Definitely Clean

That's What You Always Say

Then She Remembers

Halloween

When You Smile

Until Lately

Too Little, Too Late

The Days of Wine and Roses

Sure Thing (Down There EP Version)

That's What You Always Say (Down There EP Version)

When You Smile (Down There EP Version)

Some Kinda Itch (Down There EP Version)

 

Disc Two: Even More Hot Rocks (no hits & out of phase cookies)

That's What You Always Say  (15 Minutes / 7 inch Single Version)

Last Chance For You (15 Minutes / 7 inch Single Version)

Too Little, Too Late (Rehearsal Version, 1981)

Definitely Clean (Rehearsal Version, 1981)

Is It Rolling, Bob? (Rehearsal Version, 1982)

A Reason (Rehearsal Version, 1982)

Like Mary (Rehearsal Version, 1982)

Outside the Dream Syndicate (Rehearsal Version, 1982)

Last Chance For You (Rehearsal Version, 1982)

Unknown song with lyrics  (Rehearsal Version, 1982)

Some Kinda Itch (Live at KPFK, 1982)

Disc Three: Crackling Noises Ok - Do Not Correct

Until Lately  (Live at 1313 Mockingbird Lane, CA, 1982)

Sure Thing (Live at 1313 Mockingbird Lane, CA, 1982)

Then She Remembers (Live at 1313 Mockingbird Lane, CA, 1982)

It’s Gonna Be Alright (Live at 1313 Mockingbird Lane, CA, 1982)

Halloween (Live)

That’s What You Always Say (Live)

Sure Thing  (Live)

Definitely Clean (Live)

Too Little, Too Late (Kendra vocal) (Live)

When You Smile (Live)

Some Kinda Itch (Live)

That’s What You Always Say  (Rehearsal Version)

Road Runner (Rehearsal Version)

Instrumental (Rehearsal Version)

Disc Four: Live'r Than You'll Ever Be

Tell Me When It’s Over (Live at the Country Club, Reseda CA, 1982)

That’s What You Always Say (Live at the Country Club, Reseda CA, 1982)

Sure Thing (Live at the Country Club, Reseda CA, 1982)

Then She Remembers (Live at the Country Club, Reseda CA, 1982)

Halloween (Live at the Country Club, Reseda CA, 1982)

Definitely Clean (Live at the Country Club, Reseda CA, 1982)

When You Smile (Live at the Country Club, Reseda CA, 1982)

Happy Birthday T-Model Ford!

Remembering badass bluesman T-Model Ford on his birthday with a couple of sweet clips of the Tail Dragger in action.

Whaddya mean you don't know Vernis P. Paul aka Vernis Pratt

Connetsville's Vernis P. Paul aka Vernis Pratt cut 3 singles for Nashville's Avenue South in '69 then vanished in his sisters shoes.

Singer/songwriter Gurf Morlix rings in strawberry season in Ontario

Austin's Gurf Morlix, who summers in Muskoka, enjoys the local harvest. Check out Gurf's great new album I Challenge The Beast. 

Here's the scoop on Gurf's new album...

This should've been the sleeve for I Challenge The Beast

I Challenge the Beast is a collection of 9 songs that could only have come from Gurf Morlix. He has been called ‘the Edgar Allan Poe of Americana music’ (Alan Cackett) and though you won’t find any ghosts in these musical stories, there is plenty of the dark, brooding poetry that characterizes both writers. And yet – we still listen. 

Because the lyrics are not only captivating but relevant, the voice is mesmerizing, the instrumentation both innovative and provocative. His inspiration may be found in the lyrics “It’s passion and hunger that feeds my soul” (Beautiful Crazy World) and “I’m colder than steel, but my heart is true,” (The Beast.)

Morlix has a way of writing songs that are both personal and universal. The opening track, "Heart," explores varied manifestations of the heart, from the one broken by a lover to a “heart on the spit over the coals” to the heart in the ICU. 

The title track, "The Beast," speaks of a battle, perhaps with addiction, but this song also telescopes out to encompass any inner struggle a person might face. Perhaps the album's most beautiful song is "Beautiful Crazy World," (listen below) a bittersweet ballad that feels like a lullaby- “Livin’ till you die, is all part of this beautiful crazy world…” 

"Coil of Barbed Wire" is the comic relief of the album with the refrain “Love is as delicate as a coil of barbed wire.” We get a history lesson in the true story of "Miss Nellie’s Place," (listen below) which starts out as an upbeat dance tune, but ends in tragedy. "World on Fire" expresses what so many feel today, as literal flames of wildfire, war, and climate change, and intangible ones of socio-political conflict threaten “everything that matters….” 

Throughout the album are beautiful vocal harmonies, and they are all Gurf. Indeed, the album is all Gurf. No need for credits, as he performed every instrument and vocal. He also engineered, mixed and mastered every song at his own Rootball Studio in Austin. 

Get a copy of Gurf's new album "I Challenge The Beast" via Bandcamp right here. 

Check out a few songs followed by Gurf's recent chat with host Seth Walker for South Austin Music which, despite the preparatory research, is a bit rough going. 

Happy 80th Birthday Georgie Fame!

Toasting UK Hammond hero Georgie Fame on his 80th birthday with a short interview, some live clips and a few classic cookers.

Jarvis Cocker and Richard Hawley lend a hand with Asteroid City soundtrack

Jarvis "Levi" Cocker and Pulp pal Richard Hawley did a fine job for Wes Anderson with "Dear Alien" & "You Can't Wake Up." And yes, that's Seu Jorge up front.

Various Artists – Asteroid City Soundtrack 

1. ‘WXYZ-TV Channel 8’ – Alexandre Desplat

2. ‘Last Train To San Fernando’ – Johnny Duncan and the Bluegrass Boys

3. ‘Indian Love Call’ – Slim Whitman

4. ‘April In Portugal’ – Les Baxter

5. ‘Ida Red’ – Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys

6. ‘Pachelbel: Canon And Gigue in D Major’ – Henk Bouman, Musica Antiqua Köln, Reinhard Goebel

7. ‘Opening Ceremony With Awards Presentation’ – Alexandre Desplat

8. ‘Jingle Jangle Jingle’ – Tex Ritter

9. ‘Orange Blossom Special’ – Bill Monroe, The Bluegrass Boys

10. ‘High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)’ – Tex Ritter

11. ‘Cowboy’s Lament’ – Burl Ives

12. ‘Viewing Of The Astronomical Ellipses – Alexandre Desplat

13. ‘Rose Marie’ – Slim Whitman

14. ‘Indian Love Call – 1944 version’ – Slim Whitman

15. ‘Sixteen Tons’ – Tennessee Ernie Ford 

16. ‘The Cattle Call’ – Eddy Arnold

17. ‘Special Seminar At The Playwright’s Request’ – Alexandre Desplat

18. ‘Dear Alien (Who Art In Heaven)’ – Asteroid City cast

19. ‘Kaw-Liga’ – Johnny Duncan, The Bluegrass Boys

20. ‘Emergency Assembly’ – Alexandre Desplat

21. ‘A Bewildering And Bedazzling Celestial Mystery’ – Alexandre Desplat

22. ‘How High The Moon’ – Les Paul, Mary Ford

23. ‘The Streets Of Laredo’ – Bing Crosby

24. ‘Freight Train’ – The Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group, Nancy Whiskey

25. ‘You Can’t Wake Up If You Don’t Fall Asleep’ – Jarvis Cocker

Get a copy of the Asteroid City soundtrack right here. 

Electric Eels double-LP Spin Age Blasters anthology due July 7th

Scat Records is releasing the Electric Eels' 28-track Spin Age Blasters comp on July 7th. Read all about it. 

Here's the scoop...

A world unto themselves, Cleveland’s beloved art terrorists the electric eels did so many things first it boggles the mind. Though they never entered a recording studio, there is a wealth of 4 track recordings made by Paul Marotta.in the spring and summer of 1975 that have cemented their legacy.

It’s been nearly 10 years since any of this material was commonly available, so we’ve assembled what we consider the be-all, end-all of electric eels compilations. When Scat released "The Eyeball of Hell" in 2001, that cleared the archive of unreleased material and put things to rights, like including the original 45 version of "Agitated" absent from all previous comps. For the Spin Age Blasters 2 LP set, we've gathered all the best tracks/versions from all previous comps of the last 35 years, and sequenced it in classic double album style for maximum flow between tracks while giving each side it's own personality. 

Think of it as one lifelong fan’s perfect mixtape – all the best tracks in their best versions in a sequence that flows while providing differentiation between the 4 sides. Mastered by John Golden. Available on black vinyl or metallic silver (limited to 300 copies, Scat web exclusive). 

 Pre-order a copy directly from Scat Records right here. See tracklist followed by credits and a few vintage Electric Eels recordings below.

Report this album or account

Cate Blanchett joins Sparks on stage at Glastonbury

Check out the Sparks performance of "The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte" with Cate Blanchett at Glastonbury along with the video. 

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio @ OLG Grove, Sunday

The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio rocks the OLG Grove at Victoria College tonight at 9:30pm. Check out DJ Agile's set at 8:40pm.

Jazz Fest Mixdown: Spinning Jazz with Pete Evans

Listen to two solid hours of 60s and 70s jazz gems selected by DJ Pete Evans right here. Check the track list below. 

Spinning Jazz (from June 18th) with Pete Evans

Horace Silver – Song For My Father

Joe Lee Wilson – Song For My Father

Joy – Martini Sweet

Harold Land – Chocolate Mess

Johnny Lytle – Moon Child

John Patton – Blue John

Teddy Edwards – Sandy

Barry Harris – Sun Dance

Ramsey Lewis – Bold And Black

Reuben Wilson – Hot Rod

Reuben Wilson – Sweet Tooth

Reuben Wilson – Stoned Out Of My Mind

Reuben Wilson – Sugar

Joe Bataan – Triste

Moacir Santos – Sampaguita

Johnny Pacheco – Sugar Frost

Johnny Rivera – Boogaloo Que La Traigo

Houston Person – Crazy Legs

Hank Mobley – 18th Hole

 

Deniz Tek tears it up in Paris with Keith Streng on drums!

Yep, that's The Fleshtones guitarist Keith Streng pounding drums behind Radio Birdman's Deniz Tek at La Dame de Canton. 

R.I.P. Jesse McReynolds, 1929-2023

Sadly, bluegrass singer/mandolinist Jesse McReynolds, of Jim & Jesse fame, has passed away at 93. He'll be greatly missed. 

LINKS

Bluegrass Today Jesse McReynolds passes

Stax songwriters' demos released as Written In Their Soul 7CD set

The seven-disc Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos is out now via Craft Recordings. 

Here's the scoop...
In its heyday, Stax Records was synonymous with soul music’s biggest stars – from Otis Redding and Carla Thomas to Sam & Dave and the Staple Singers. But behind their iconic hits was a talented team of songwriters. Craft Recordings celebrates the work of these unsung heroes with a brand-new collection, Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos. Set for release on June 23 and available for pre-order today on CD and digital, the 7-disc box set includes 146 demos (140 previously unreleased) from Stax’s legendary roster of songwriters, including Bettye Crutcher, Homer Banks, and William Bell. From early sketches of classic ’60s and ’70s hits to never-before-heard songs with full-blown arrangements, Written in Their Soul offers fans a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of the storied Memphis label.

Compiled by Grammy-winning producer Cheryl Pawelski, the songs featured on Written in Their Soul fall into three categories: demos that were released by artists at Stax or its subsidiary imprints, including Volt, We Produce, and Enterprise (CDs 1–3); demos by Stax songwriters that were released by artists on other labels, such as Atlantic and Decca (CD 4); and a trove of hit-worthy recordings that were never released (CDs 5–7). Adding context to these songs are notes by Pawelski, plus a new essay by Emmy® and GRAMMY-winning writer/producer Robert Gordon (Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story) and Stax’s original Director of Publicity and 2x Emmy® winner Deanie Parker, who later served as the founding President and CEO of the Soulsville Foundation, which encompasses the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, among other educational organizations. Ms. Parker, who joined the Stax fold in 1962, was also a songwriter at the label.

“Demo recordings are often tossed off without inhibition, just writer and tape recorder sharing an intimate space,” writes compilation producer Cheryl Pawelski. “I love all these songs as they tumbled out for the first time. They’re filled with the joy and magic of discovering something that wasn’t there moments before. Suddenly, there it is, a song filled with the hope of finding an audience, of saying something, of moving someone.” That magic is palpable throughout Written in Their Soul, which captures some of America’s best songwriters laying down their ideas (often for the first time) on tape.

Sir Mack Rice

What fans might find the most striking is hearing the label’s biggest singles in their earliest incarnations. Such examples include Mack Rice’s acoustic demo of “Respect Yourself” (a 1971 hit by the Staple Singers), written alongside Luther Ingram. Gordon and Parker include an anecdote from Rice, who revealed that the song came about from a conversation with Ingram. “One of us said, ‘A guy got to respect himself out here to get anyplace, you know?’ So it hit us both at the same time – that’s a good title, ‘Respect Yourself’ is a good title.”

“I have my old guitar upstairs,” Mack continues, “I’m messing with that… And I started writing the song. The words just hit me, like God just give me the words. About thirty minutes, I had the whole song.” Fellow songwriter Bettye Crutcher suggested giving it to the Staple Singers, and an R&B classic was born. Yet, Gordon and Parker emphasize how demos (like this one) can differ vastly from the final version. “Some demos become the exact map followed and some, like ‘Respect Yourself,’ spark a new interpretation…. When Mack created it on an almost-tuned guitar, it sounds a lot more like Talking Heads or some other driving punk rock song than it does the epitome of the Staple Singers’ message music.”

Another fascinating example is Henderson Thigpen’s “Woman to Woman,” which became a signature hit for Shirley Brown in 1974. The idea for the song first came to Thigpen when he heard his wife talking about two women fighting over the same man. “When two men get serious,” Thigpen recalled, “they say, ‘Let’s talk man to man,’ so I thought of these ladies saying, ‘Woman to woman, let’s hash this out.’”

Gordon and Parker point out that the “Woman to Woman” demo is notable in that it is voiced by a male artist, but written from a female perspective. This, they say, “is an expression of a great songwriter’s skill – the ability to inhabit any character, even those not of their gender. While it was a matter of economics for the songwriter to sing across gender boundaries – if the writers brought in an outside vocalist, they’d have to pay them or have a fee taken from their royalties – the real achievement is the writers’ ability to so comfortably imagine themselves as someone else.”

Not all of the demos stray far from their final versions – in fact, fans may recognize some songs immediately. Homer Banks’ demo for “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right” (written with Carl Hampton) is a prime example. Originally intended for the Emotions, the song was shelved, only to be discovered two years later by Luther Ingram. The singer-songwriter, who stayed true to Bank’s demo, turned the song into one of the biggest hits of 1972.

Gordon and Parker note that the strength of this demo gave the songwriting duo greater creative responsibilities. “The similarity between [the] demo and Luther’s final release was strong enough to push Homer and Carl into taking more control of the sessions. ‘We found other producers were literally copying the demos and having hits,’ Homer [recalled]. ‘So…we simply decided that we were going to produce!’”

Another hitmaking duo, David Porter and Isaac Hayes is also represented in this collection, leading a sweetly harmonized demo of “You Make A Strong Girl Weak,” written for and performed by one of the few girl groups at Stax, Jeanne & the Darlings. While the trio never released the song, it was issued in 1965 as a B-side by the short-lived group, the Premieres.

Stax was also home to several female songwriters – a rarity at that time. One of the label’s first big stars, Carla Thomas, was a prolific writer who penned her debut hit, “Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes),” when she was just 15. Thomas’ work is exemplified here on multiple demos – the majority of which she would record herself – as well as several unreleased songs, including “Let’s Be Sure” and “It’s Up to You.” In 1964, while under contract at Atlantic Records, Thomas also scored a hit with the Deanie Parker/Steve Cropper tune, “I’ve Got No Time to Lose,” the demo of which is featured in this box set. Some of Parker’s unreleased work is also highlighted, including demos of “Spin It” and “Nobody Wants to Get Old” with Mack Rice.

Bettye Crutcher

Among Stax’s most prolific songwriters was Bettye Crutcher, whose songs in this collection include solo compositions as well as collaborations, including works with her hitmaking team We Three (featuring Homer Banks and Raymond Jackson). But Crutcher had plenty of challenges to overcome, explains Parker. “She realized that there were barriers, that the writers had turf, and to be a woman in that environment was extremely difficult.

Crutcher, who passed away last October, told Gordon and Parker, “These guys just didn’t want to accept a girl coming in there doing what they were doing… I really was going to have to win them with my work, they were not going to give me any edge.” Written in Their Soul offers more than two dozen demos by Crutcher – a testament to her talents and tireless work ethic. Adds Parker, “I’ve never seen anybody who could write as many songs in one sitting as Bettye – she was like a machine!”

In the late ’60s, when Stax split with Atlantic Records and became an independent force, that productivity helped keep the label afloat, as Crutcher penned a string of hits for newcomers like Johnnie Taylor and the Staple Singers. The latter group, which is represented throughout Written in Their Soul, performs a particularly powerful demo of “Top of the Mountain,” written by Crutcher and Marvell Thomas. The stripped-down recording, which showcases Mavis Staples’ powerful vocals, appeared on the group’s 1968 Stax debut, Soul Folk in Action. Another demo from that album, the William Bell/Booker T. Jones-penned “Slow Train” (performed by Bell) is another standout track.

Other highlights from Crutcher’s rich collection of work include the previously-unreleased feminist anthem by We Three, “Too Much Sugar For A Dime.” Written In Their Soul includes two versions of the song: a raw demo, performed by Homer Banks, followed by a flashier rendition by Crutcher that features a full band, backup singers, and supremely funky guitar licks by Bobby Manuel, who frequently collaborated with the songwriter. Manuel and Crutcher also shine in the full-band demo for “All Day Preachin’,” which was recorded by the Soul Children in 1972.

While it is thrilling to hear the early workings of classic Stax tracks, an equal portion of Written In Their Soul is devoted to the songs that never made it out into the world. Many of these tracks are fully-realized studio recordings that were sent to publishers for copywriting purposes. In addition to the previously-mentioned unreleased demos, highlights from this section include two tracks featuring Otis Redding sound-a-like, Willie Singleton. Working with Henderson Thigpen and his team, the Rochester, NY singer performed the songs “Somewhere in Somebody’s Heart” and “Love Treaty,” both of which could have easily been soul classics. Other notable selections include would-be hits that were written and performed by stars like Frederick Knight (“I Like the Way You Groove Me”), Eddie Floyd (“Don’t You Know I’m All Alone” and “‘Till You’ve Been Loved By Me,” both collaborations with Steve Cropper), and William Bell (“It’s No Secret,” written with Booker T. Jones).

Looking back at the breadth of demos collected here, Parker marvels, “This music has lasted over fifty years, and it’s still being studied, emulated, enjoyed. It has earned the right to become a tool used to teach a new generation: Culture. Music. Arts. Man’s humanity to man. There’s so many lessons to be learned from these demos, from the Stax vault, from the songwriters at Stax…. But every great song starts with something that hits you.”

Get a copy of Written In Their Soul right here.

Check out the trailer video along with clips of Eddie Floyd's demo of "634-5789," the Bettye Crutcher-voiced version of "Too Much Sugar For A Dime," the original Homer Banks take of "If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)" better known by The Staple Singers and Mack Rice's "Three Meals A Day" along with a couple of surprises.  

Alex Pangman w/ Ross Wooldridge Septet and Asiko Afrobeat Ensemble @ Avenue/Bloor Stage, Saturday

Alex Pangman joins Ross Wooldridge's septet on stage today at 3:30 pm followed by Asiko Afrobeat Ensemble at 5:30 pm. It's free!

Here's the scoop from the Toronto Jazz Festival...

Multi-instrumentalist Ross Wooldridge in a composer, arranger, producer, conductor, transcription specialist and educator. He co-leads traditional jazz band the Dixie Demons with trombonist Dan Douglas, and maintains a busy career of playing and recording with his Tribute to the Benny Goodman Sextet, and Tribute to Artie Shaw and his Gramercy 5, and his various big band shows such as Benny Meets Artie – the Hits of Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman. Notable names he has recorded with are Peter Appleyard, Don Thompson, Alex Pangman, Jaymz Bee, Terra Hazelton and the late Jeff Healey.

Leader of Toronto's Galaxy Orchestra, Ross has written many of their arrangements and produced their CD “Tribute to the Kings of Swing” which is played regularly on radio stations across North America. Two new albums from the Galaxy Orchestra are scheduled for release soon. Notable are his critically acclaimed recordings Tribute to the Benny Goodman Sextet Volumes 1 and 2, Scuttlebutt – a Tribute to Artie Shaw and his Gramercy 5 and two Dixie Demons recordings “Live at the Rex” and “Fossil Fuel”.

Most recently Ross produced and arranged the new album by Brenda Brown “Life Among Giants”, a dynamic recording featuring a stellar big band and concert orchestra.

Ross teaches elementary school band classes for the Toronto District School Board.

Although Alex Pangman grew up a couple of generations late to have sung with Benny Goodman, the vibrant vocalist is proud to be known as Canada's Sweetheart of Swing. With pipes aplenty, Juno nominee Pangman possesses the requisite taste, talent and knowledge of an avid record collector to breathe new life into the enduring songs of the classic jazz era. When she’s not singing, she’s also a broadcaster on JAZZFM.91 on her program Swing Set.

A superb song stylist, the gifted Toronto scenemaker and singer has built a loyal fanbase amongst jazz listeners and swing dancers alike through her critically acclaimed work surrounded by her wonderful Alleycats and Sweet Hots trio in the studio, nightclubs and concert halls. This includes several stellar shows at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, plus major jazz festivals across Canada, including at Massey Hall for the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, where she opened for Willie Nelson. Rhythm is her business, and so she’s proud to have worked with guitarists Bucky and John Pizzarelli, plus Jeff Healey. Since her miraculous 2008 lung transplant, her voice has also taken her to America, England and Scotland. She’s got Moxie!

The Ross Wooldridge Septet feat. Alex Pangman hits the Avenue/Bloor stage at 3:30 pm with the Asiko Afrobeat Ensemble at 5:30 pm. They're both free! Watch Alex perform "Slow Boat To China" with the Ross Wooldridge Septet followed by Asiko Afrobeat's performance at Afrofest 2021.  

 

R.I.P. Peter Brötzmann, 1941-2023

Sadly, saxophone powerhouse and visual artist Peter Brötzmann has passed away at the age of 82. There won't be another like him. 

LINKS

The Wire Peter Brötzmann (6 March 1941-22 June 2023)

Dollar Bin Delights: Ron Collier Tentet

The Ron Collier Tentet album for CTL brought togetherToronto jazz scene aces Fred Stone, Guido Basso, Ed Bickert, Archie Alleyene, Bernie Piltch & Bill Britto. 

Happy Birthday Harry Partch!

Remembering influential composer/inventor Harry Partch on his birthday with The Outsider documentary. 

One For The Weekend: Guy Hamper Trio

Check out the house rockin' instro "Man In The Mouth Of A Cave" featuring UK Hammond hero James Taylor & Billy Childish.

Here's the scoop...

Superb 45 featuring two Hammond-led instrumentals. The A-side is taken from The Guy Hamper Trio’s second long player due out on Hangman Records. The B-side is exclusive to this release. Billy Childish fills in the details. 

A Side: ‘Man in the Mouth of a Cave’

I have painted St. Cuthbert’s Cave, Northumberland on many occasions and decided that it was imperative that I write a great jazz /beat theme all about it. (Important info: After Viking raids monks from Lindisfarne wandered the north-east carrying the body of St. Cuthbert. Legend has it that they took refuge in ‘St. Cuthbert’s Cave.’) I wrote the song with my friend Jamie Taylor in mind to have his way with it, which he does to thunderous applause – I should imagine.

B Side: ‘107 Sleepless’ (alternate take)

‘107 Sleepless’ is a tune I wrote in the early 1980s when me and Mick Hampshire would stay up the entire weekend writing songs for our group The Milkshakes. (We lived at 107 Rochester Street, Chatham.) About 3am Sunday morning we would be flagging and sitting there senseless. I would play this jazz riff over and over for some unknown reason. Meanwhile it should make a nice theme tune to some yet to be written HBO series and make me a millionaire – I should imagine.

Get it here. Have a listen to the A Side below. 

 

R&B great Jackie Shane gets a Heritage Toronto plaque

Black trans trailblazer Jackie Shane is getting a plaque near the site of the Sapphire Tavern at Richmond & Victoria at 9:30 am. 

Celebrating Jackie Shane with a commemorative plaque

Jackie Shane with Frank Motley

It's long overdue, but the groundbreaking work of black transgender R&B belter Jackie Shane is finally being acknowledged in Toronto on Friday (June 23) with a Heritage Toronto plaque near the site of the old Sapphire Tavern. Formerly housed on the ground floor of the Confederation Life building on the north west corner Richmond & Victoria, The Sapphire Tavern is where the classic Jackie Shane Live album was recorded with twin trumpet-blowing bandleader Frank Motley along with pianist Curley Bridges and released in 1967. Jackie Shane left Toronto and left the music business in 1971 to care for her ailing mother in Nashville. 

While Jackie Shane's electrifying performances and house-rockin' 45s were well-known within the record collecting community all through the 80s and 90s, whether the hugely popular Toronto entertainer was still alive wasn't clear. I'd heard rumours that Jackie was dead while others insisted she was now  living a quite life in the southern U.S. but there were no solid leads. In 2009, when I interviewed Curley Bridges – who convinced Frank Motley to hire the singer for the Motley Crew after seeing a spellbinding Montreal performance – he had fond memories of working with Jackie but had zero contact for decades   (read a brief excerpt from the interview here). The CBC audio-documentary I Got Mine: The Jackie Shane Story (listen to it here) produced and presented by Elaine Banks in 2010 got  more of the general public wondering "what happened to this amazing performer I've never heard of?" 

The Jackie Shane Live album was recirculated on CD as Live At The Sapphire Tavern in 2011. Then, in 2015, the Polaris Music Prize instituted their Heritage Award to recognize historically important Canadian album releases and the Jackie Shane Live album was surprisingly shortlisted for the honour. As you might expect, it didn't make the grade. Perhaps 2025 then? But as interest in Jackie Shane seemed to be building it wasn't clear where the singer was, if indeed she was still alive. With a good bit of detective work, Douglas McGowan, an A&R rep from Chicago's Numero Group, eventually found her still residing in Nashville which led to the first artist-sanctioned release of a career-spanning retrospective in 2017. The double LP/CD collection Jackie Shane – Any Other Way (check it out right here) received wide critical acclaim and was even nominated for a 2019 Grammy in the "Best Historical Album" category. Of course, that went to the Voices of Mississippi anthology instead.

Just as the captivating comeback tale of the forgotten trailblazer returning from the depths of obscurity was reaching the general public while trans-related issues were making headlines around the globe, sadly, Jackie Shane passed away at the age 78 at her Nashville home where she lived with her cat Sweetie. But the incredible story of Jackie Shane didn't end with a funeral in February, 2019. 

In 2022, a new Heritage Minute was also created to celebrate the Nashville-born singer whose electrifying performances were a main attraction on the emerging Toronto R&B club scene of the early 60s. A new documentary film, Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story is also currently in the works with plans for a theatrical release in 2024. Hopefully it will include more Jackie Shane performance footage than just the one known 1965 clip of "Walking The Dog" from Night Train. Now would be a good time to conduct a more rigorous search of the tape archives held by CBC-TV in Toronto and Montreal as well as Hamilton's CHCH-TV to find any footage of Jackie Shane in action with the Motley Crew during the 60s. The creative team behind the movie is led by producer Amanda Burt of Toronto's Banger Films who launched a crowd-funding campaign to raise funds towards the creation of a plaque honouring Jackie Shane in Toronto. 

 

Well-timed to coincide with this weekend's Pride Toronto celebrations, we're happy to report that thanks in part to Amanda Burt's advocacy, Friday (June 23) will be proclaimed Jackie Shane Day in Toronto and a Heritage Toronto plaque will be erected at Richmond and Victoria! The plaque commemoration ceremony begins on site at 9 am EST and will be streamed on Instagram starting at 9:30 am right here: https://www.instagram.com/thejackieshaneplaque/ 

DJ Nico spoke to Amanda Burt and Toronto-based music historian Rob Bowman – who penned the extensive liner notes accompanying the Numero Group anthology – about Jackie Shane for her Girl About Town show on  Totally Wired Radio which is archived right here.

Check out Jackie Shane's Heritage Minute along with an interview with Ravyn Wingz who portrays Jackie Shane followed by the 1965 performance of "Walking The Dog" from Night Train and Jackie Shane's Live album below. 

Here's the Jackie Shane plaque at the corner of Richmond and Victoria in Toronto.