Indie Music Canada (Books and DVDs too)

Hot and Sweaty Jazz at the Rex - Hendrik Meurkens Quintet

2010-07-12T07:12:00.001-04:00

The night was hot - almost too hot for the likes of Toronto. Yes the G20 riots are fast becoming a distant memory, and the same street that saw so much breaking glass and smashed police cars is back to normal. On this same street is where you will find The Rex. This is The IT place to see some great jazz performers. The other night was no exception. In 40 degree heat Hendrik Meurkens and his quintet enthralled an extremely hot sweaty crowd with a killer performance.

Check these clips out from that night. These guys really excelled, even with the heat. Hendrik is a virtuoso on both the harp and the vibes - and he's also got some great in between songs patter. After the first set he joked that the band had to get off stage to change their shirts, with all of the heat in the room. For all it's charm, The Rex is not air conditioned, so performers and the audience were dripping with sweat after only a few minutes.

Kudos to the band though - from these clips it is clear these guys were the coolest in the room!

Divine Brown kills with New Classic RnB Set

2010-06-13T12:41:00.004-04:00

Gail you missed a good one!

Going to a show in the year 2010 ain't like it used to be back in the day.
Now it is not uncommon to see lots of folks with their cell phones and digital cameras up in the air around the stage.

Last night Divine Brown and her band put on a killer show at the Pickering Jazz Festival, of all places. Thanks to the bundles of cash OLG throws at these types of events Ajax residents were able to get up close and personal with a class "A" RnB singer and her smokin' hot band.

Check these clips out from last night, and then I'll write about why I stopped taping...

As you can see I had to be really close to the stage to get these images. I use a few cameras for my You Tube postings, but I really still like my little FujiFilm camera that doesn't have a zoom function when video taping. This is the camera I was using for the Divine Brown stuff. Anyway, into the fourth song one of the sound guys comes over and says "I'm sorry you are too close to the stage - you must move back." Well I'm used to the security blowhards when going to shows at the ACC or The Skydome (I still refuse to call it by it's other name), but at a small jazz fest in Pickering Village? Anyway, I just packed it in and went for a beer and some jerk chicken.

Not sure what this incident says about Divine Brown, her entourage or the state of live performances in the 21st century.
What do you think? Is it OK to be real close to the stage when watching a band? Is it OK for fans to film and post clips to You Tube? I think that question has been answered - mostly yes.

After the show I asked Divine permission to post and she said "of course".
Gotta say Miss Divine is great to talk to and wonderfully gracious. She's also got great taste in footware, and loves soul food!

Post a comment with your thoughts...

Kensington Market - Hotbed of musical talent

2010-06-06T08:48:00.000-04:00

There is more to Toronto than the CN Tower and the G20 noise cannon! Take a walk around the Kensington Market area and you'll find music on the street everywhere.
Check some of these folks out - guitar players bringing their sound to the people. In front of the liquor store, and guitar players on the patios of the pubs...you gotta love Toronto!

Caretakers take on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show

2010-04-29T11:28:00.005-04:00

Jeffrey, Lena and Norm along with Barry Mac brought their accoustic sound to Caledon recently to join DJ Rick Jones and Tom Beyer live in studio.

The new CD Unfinished Thoughts has just been released and it is anything but unfinished. Recorded at the Hamilton landmark Vibe Wrangler Studios this first release for the band has very polished and rehearsed sound. The big wooden studio where they recorded this release has a real warmth that comes out in the Caretakers sound.

The Caretakers emerged from the current hub of Canadian Music - Hamilton Ontario several years ago. But they could have easily stepped off a stage in Greewich Village - circa 1964. With folk music at their roots and the cultural grit of a working class city upbringing, this band fuses Peter Paul and Mary style harmonies with REM inspired melodies with a sometimes swampy '70's inspired southern rock groove.

The Caretakers music speaks to your heart and your mind. They are making music for people who remember a time when folk music was king, and the lyrics and thoughts behind the music meant something. The Caretakers sing about war, animal cruelty, and domestic strife - they are probably not going to be the subject of an 18 year old's tweet any time soon. And that's probably just all right by them.

Check out this clip from their live unplugged radio studio performance...

Gogol Bordello one of the best concerts so far in 2010

2010-04-22T09:24:00.002-04:00

Ever heard of this band? Let me fill you in.
This large combo played a sold out show at the Sound Academy this week and it was one of the rockinest shows I've seen this year.

Gogol Bordello is a Gypsy punk band from the Lower East Side of New York City. It was formed in 1999 and is known for its theatrical stage shows and persistent touring. Much of the band's sound is inspired by Gypsy music. The band incorporates minor-key accordion and violin (and on some albums, saxophone) mixed with punk and dub.

“Gogol” comes from the name Nikolai Gogol. As one of the most influential writers in Russian and Ukrainian literature, Gogol paved the way for the likes of Kafka and Dostoevsky. He also serves as an ideological influence for the band because he "smuggled" Ukrainian culture into Russian society, which Gogol Bordello intends to do with Gypsy/ East-European music in the English-speaking world."Bordello", in Italian, refers to a brothel or a "gentleman's club". The band was originally titled Hütz and the Béla Bartóks, but Eugene Hütz says that they decided to change the name because "nobody knows who the hell Béla Bartók is in the United States". The band played their first show as the unofficial band at an after-hours club called Ohuetz on Ridge Street, where they became the house band and DJ Hütz became the house DJ.

Gogol Bordello's first single was released in 1999, and since then they have released four full-length albums, and one EP. In 2005 the band signed to punk label SideOneDummy Records. The band has toured tirelessly throughout Europe and America on numerous international festivals and toured with such diverse bands as Primus, Flogging Molly, and Cake. In an interview with NPR, frontman Eugene Hütz cites Jimi Hendrix and Parliament-Funkadelic as among the band's main musical influences. They have mentioned Manu Chao, Fugazi, Zvuki Mu, Sasha Kolpakov and The Clash as influences as well.

Arkells CD Jackson Square now available on CHCanada.com

2010-04-06T14:30:00.001-04:00

These lads from the Hammer have a lot to be happy about. There is a real buzz about this band and it's easy to see why. Rock n Roll is not dead - just watch this clip and you'll see what I mean.

Their newest release, for which they won at the Hamilton Music Awards is Jackson Square...pick it up by going to this link:
http://www.chcanada.com/product/7972/Canadian_Sounds

Old school licks with a power and energy seldom found nowadays. Check em out here - caught at the Hamilton Music Awards a few months back.

Ben Somer and Matt Paxton Live on the radio

2010-04-01T10:37:00.017-04:00

The Hockey Song - what can be more Canadian than hockey and Paul Coffey. Ben Somer brings his A game to the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show and busts out this jem. It is an oldie that he has been playing recently at his latest gigs. Ben's latest release can be purchased by going to:
http://www.chcanada.com/category/Indie_Music?r=dfyt

Matt Paxton is a singer songwriter who is also touring with Ben at the moment. They have a similar sound - the new folk sound for the 21st century. These guys are good friends - just don't ask them to play together - they won't. But it was a lot of fun having them in the studio. Like old friends they joked and kidded each other about a variety of subjects. Oh to be able to broadcast what is said while the mics are off!

Take a listen and look at Matt - he also debuted a new song on the Indie Radio Show.
Check these guys out when they come to your town - you won't be disappointed.

Juno Awards set to rock the "Rock"

2010-03-30T09:42:00.002-04:00

CTV and The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) have revealed that rap artist Classified, folk-pop artists Great Lake Swimmers and poetic lyricist K’NAAN are now the final performers confirmed for THE 2010 JUNO AWARDS broadcast, airing Sunday, April 18 on CTV.

Go to this link for purchase CDs from many of these artists:
http://www.chcanada.com/category/Indie_Music/a
Billy Talent
Blue Rodeo
Classified
Drake
Great Lake Swimmers
Johnny Reid
Justin Bieber
K’NAAN
Metric
Michael Bublé

Broadcast in high definition and 5.1 surround sound, THE 2010 JUNO AWARDS,
Canada’s Music Awards, airs Sunday, April 18 on CTV for the second time from the
Mile One Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Here are the Great Lake Swimmers caught live early one morning this spring on CBC Radio One's GO...

Ben Somer and Matt Paxton live on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show

2010-03-23T14:29:00.001-04:00

Indie music fans you are in for a treat next Wednesday when two of Canada's new minstrels come to play.

Ben Somer and Matt Paxton are the new faces of Canadian singer songwriters. In the tradition of Leonard Cohen, or even Neil Young, these two performers have both released new music in the past year. They have been touring across Canada together and Ben just finished a great appearance at Canadian Music Week.

We are honoured to have them on the best indie music show on the planet (I am slightly biased). Rick Jones and Tom Beyer ask the questions and will provide the mics, for both performers to play live in studio.

Be sure to tune in Wednesday March 31st as these new Bob Dylanesque performers talk about life on the road, their inspirations, and where to get a good pad thai while on the road!

Big Star's Alex Chilton - Indie music's original Star

2010-03-18T12:18:00.005-04:00

If you don't know who Alex Chilton is you are not alone. He was only 17 when he sang the hit song "The Letter" by The Boxtops back in 1967. He didn't write it but he sure did sing it. Sounding a lot older than he was, there was an emotional depth to his delivery.

Fast forward a few years to 1971 and Alex joined the power-pop group Big Star, with Chris Bell, recording at engineer John Fry's Ardent Studios. At Argent Sound they had the luxury of working for many months on what would be their first album #1 Record Chilton and Bell co-wrote "In The Street" for Big Star's first album #1 Record, a track later known as the theme song of That '70s Show. But at the time this was not a hit record. In fact nothing from this record hardly got any airplay, never mind a hit record.

The group's recordings met with little commercial success but established Chilton's reputation as a rock singer and songwriter; later alternative music bands like R.E.M. would praise the group as a major influence.

He continued to tour and perform with many indie bands,always with a hardcore loyal following but never regaining the success he had when he was a teenager.

He came through Toronto in the early '90's playing at the Horseshoe Tavern. He had a new bass player who had a music stand for the sheet music he read off during the entire show. It was brilliant to see Chilton - he took requests from a rabid and rapturous audience. When I yelled out "The Letter" he smiled and dutifully played a heartfelt version of the song.

By the mid-1990s, he added to his schedule concerts and recordings with the reunited Box Tops and a version of Big Star that included two members of The Posies, Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow. A new Big Star album, entitled In Space, with songs penned by this lineup, was released September 27, 2005, on Rykodisc.

Chilton continued to perform live yearly, with sporadic solo, Box Tops and Big Star shows in theatres and at festivals around the world.

Chilton was taken to the hospital in New Orleans on March 17, 2010, complaining of health problems, and died the same day of a suspected heart attack. He is survived by his wife, Laura, and son, Timothy.

Here is a clip from the first Big Star album...

And here is a band that has the same indie asthetic as Big Star. Many indie bands owe a lot to Alex Chilton. Another great musican is now jamming at that big jam session in the sky!

Bob Lefsetz at Canadian Music Week

2010-03-15T10:08:00.002-04:00

Last Friday in Toronto the weather was bleak. Black storm clouds broke and by mid afternoon the dark clouds opened and the wind howled. Toronto was in the midst of an early spring deluge.

Fitting weather for a talk on the future of the music industry.

If you are in an indie band, or if you are an indie band fan, Bob Lefsetz is a guy you want to know. There are many music commentators who are in the back pocket of the giant music industry players, so you don't get the real story from them.
Bob Lefsetz is completely different. He is an outside insider, who tells it like he sees it - and he sees a lot!

Check out this clip before reading further:

Here is a direct quote from Mr. lefsetz on the future of the music biz:

"Winners start off in the wilderness. They do it their own way. They stick to their guns. They work incessantly and they never give up.

Whew. That just does not sound like enough people in the record business, on either side of the fence, talent or businessman.

We live in a confusing, crazy world. But one thing is constant. The winners pay their dues. And it's not solely time on the chain gang. No, there's a ton of anxiety involved. Questioning yourself, taking risks, sticking to your guns when no one believes in you.

It's every man for himself out there. Shouldn't be, but it is.

There's a safety net in Canada. In Sweden. That's the socialism you decry. But in the good old United States, the game is stacked against you. Those with power, with money, have erected walls to keep you out. And if you think kissing butt is the way to get ahead, you're delusional. It's not about how you can get signed, it's about how you can beat Universal at its own game. You've got to be smarter than Lucian Grainge. Believe me, these people exist. And they're gonna be the winners. They're the ones we're gonna be reading about in "Vanity Fair" five years from now."

Overdue straight talk about the music industry and how it is up to YOU to propel the music biz forward.

It's a brave new world, and we'll all part of it! There has never been a more exciting time to be part of the music industry.

"How the fat cats take their coffee" - Torontoist Blog

Indie Bands Come out at Night at the Canadian Music Fest

2010-03-12T07:13:00.004-05:00

Hundreds of bands and only so much time to see them in. What a great Canadian Music Fest line up this year. I've come across some incredible new (well new to me) bands from across the country, who have converged on Toronto. First up is a musical combo out of Victoria BC...check this clip out filmed on the first night of the festival...

Their Laid back west coast sound blends nicely into the Queen Street west asthetic.

In addition to the wicked bands playing around town there are professional music seminars and panel discussions happening at the Royal York Hotel until Sunday.

Back to it this morning with more seminars - a little bleary eyed, but all in the name of Rock n Roll!

I'll leave you with one more band - they have driven down the road from Cobourg Ontario. Winners of the numerous battle of the bands in the last couple of years, this band is ready for "break out" status...

Canadian Music Week getting underway in Toronto

2010-03-09T10:34:00.009-05:00

Oh what to see and do this week? There are so many amazing acts are in town for the traditional harbinger of spring - the annual Canadian Music Week! This event is shaping up to be a powerhouse of information and celebration. Celebrating Canadian music is all it's forms. There will be an indie awards presentation, a film festival,the conference with a bunch of musical experts, and of course live entertainment.

Highlights are going to be numerous. For starters - Ben Somer, Huron, Sean Ashby, and even WordBurglar are around town performing for lucky music fans.

Here are some You Tube clips of what you can expect over the next few days. More indie band clips are on the DirkFimbob You Tube channel - recorded exclusively for the channel! Do yourself a favour and check some of the shows or check out the conference. It is a must do for anyone in a band, or anyone who loves new music...
http://www.cmw.net/cmw2010/index.asp

Here are some clips of a few of the bands performing in conjunction with the music conference...

Great Lake Swimmmers early morning Surprise

2010-03-01T10:32:00.000-05:00

Well the CBC Radio One's GO audience was geared up and ready to see and hear "Zeus" perform early Saturday morning. But who shows up, completely unannounced to do the show - The Great Lake Swimmers!

Now you probably know that the Great Lake Swimmers are doing amazingly well. They just came back from performing in China, so they have become music ambassadors of the world. They have a few songs that are getting some radio airplay (wow, in Canada?!), besides the CBC airplay I might add. I was in Pizza Pizza a couple of weeks ago, and one of their videos was on the PP channel. When you hit Pizza TV channel you know you are cooking with hot oil, as the old record industry saying goes!

Check out the three clips from CBC on the DirkFimbob channel...here is one to get you started...

Tom Wilson Debuts new song on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show

2010-02-26T11:33:00.008-05:00

"Big Chief" is the latest from Canadian troupador Tom Wilson, of Lee Harvey Osmond fame. He is also in the Canadian Traveling Wilburys' - Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, and is having one of the best years of his life.

The new song was co-written by his son Thompson Wilson, of the band Harlan Pepper.
Check it out on the You Tube Clip supplied here. The entire interview will be uploaded to this blog shortly. We talked about life on the road, drugs, early life for Tom, and his love of painting. Also the passion he has for his hometown of Hamilton comes out during the interview.

The man is a true gentleman, even though he does look like a demonic Jesus - but don't let the look fool ya!

Lee Harvey Osmond's "A Quiet Evil" can be purchased by going to:
http://www.chcanada.com/category/Indie_Music?r=dfyt

Coen Brothers - The Indie movie makers

2010-02-23T11:31:00.015-05:00

We talk about music on this blog for the most part, but we are going to branch out into other disciplines - namely movies and books.

Keeping with our indie aesthetic why don't we explore the Coen Brothers, as their newest DVD comes out. "A Serious Man" is the latest release from the quirky brothers who started making movies back in the '80's with the low budget film noire "Blood Simple."

"A Serious Man,” like “No Country for Old Men” and “Burn After Reading,” is fundamentally a shaggy dog movie. It's funnier than either of those movies, but it also has more gravity to it. This is something of a homecoming for the brothers, who grew up in the heavily Jewish Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park in the 1960s. They are hardly sentimental about the old neighborhood - but their smart-alecky nihilism feels authentic rather than contrived — you understand, maybe for the first time, where they are coming from.

“A Serious Man” continues their decade-by-decade, movie-guided tour of American history. The ’60s is pot, the Jefferson Airplane and slightly shifting attitudes towards sex. Apart from a Korean student and an unfriendly neighbour, Larry the "serious man" lives surrounded by his own kind: lawyers, dentists, doctors, colleagues, and a too-friendly neighbour.

And the local details are, in the end, incidental. “A Serious Man” is, like its biblical source, a distilled, exaggerated account of the human condition. The punch line is a little different, but you know the joke - and it’s on you.

Just like Fargo, with the in jokes about the good folks in Minnesota, or the crazy world of The Big Lebowski, The Coen Brothers are keen to put you on edge, in a world that seems normal enough, until you scratch the scab and find something rancid underneath. And in a way isn’t that how real life is anyway?

Pick up your copy by going to:
http://www.chcanada.com/product/6603/DVD_New_Releases

Lee Harvey Osmond Unplugged on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show

2010-02-19T14:49:00.003-05:00

The King of Indie Music Tom Wilson will be performing live on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show, and chatting about his various musical projects.

Wilson is a prolific singer songerwriter who is in a couple of big bands at the moment - Lee Harvey Osmond and Blackie and the Rodeo Kings.
Listen in as Tom talks about life, love, loss, painting, the road and a bunch of other stuff.

If that's not enough, we also have up and comer Ben Somers performing live in studio. He'll also chat with Tom Beyer and Rick Jones about life on the road, and the inspiration behind some of his songs.

Both of these fine artists are from Hamilton Ontario. Their CDs can be purchased and shipped to you super fast by ordering at:
http://www.chcanada.com/product/5489/Music_New_Releases

The CHCanada.com Radio Show, can be heard by going to the Radio Caledon website at:
http://www.radiocaledon.com/

The pod cast of the show will be available for uploading after the show on this very same blog.

Here are clips of Ben Somers and Tom Wilson performing cuts off their new records.

Constantines up for an Indie Award

2010-02-17T11:32:00.003-05:00

Canadian Music Fest has announced who the nominees are for the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards, "The Indies". The event will take place on Saturday, March 13 at 8:00 p.m. at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto.

The Indies acknowledge, promote and honour achievements of Canadian and international artists in the independent music sector. Tickets for this event can be purchased for $20 at Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.ca, www.canadianmusicfest.com, www.indies.ca, Rotate This and Soundscapes.

This year's performers include Desperate Union, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Plants and Animals, Great Lake Swimmers and Constantines. The show will be broadcast live to air on XM Satellite Radio's "The Verge" and recorded for future broadcast on Galaxie.

Metric and Alexisonfire lead this year's Canadian nominees with four nominations apiece, followed by Phoenix with three nominations in the international categories.

And the nominees are.........

CHARTATTACK.COM FAVOURITE ALBUM
Alexisonfire - Old Crows / Young Cardinals (Dine Alone)
Great Lake Swimmers - Lost Channels (Nettwerk)
Japandroids - Post-Nothing (Unfamiliar)
Joel Plaskett - Three (MapleMusic)
Metric - Fantasies (Last Gang)

ASTRAL MEDIA RADIO FAVOURITE SINGLE
Danny Fernandes - Fantasy (CP)
Deborah Cox - Beautiful U R (DECO/Image/E1)
Faber Drive - G-Get Up and Dance! (604)
Marianas Trench - Cross My Heart (604)
Metric - Gimme Sympathy (Last Gang)

FAVOURITE GROUP/DUO
Constantines (Arts & Crafts)
Handsome Furs (Sub Pop)
Metric (Last Gang)
Patrick Watson & The Wooden Arms (Secret City)
Tegan and Sara (Vapor/Sire)

FAVOURITE SOLO ARTIST
Coeur de Pirate (Dare To Care)
Dan Mangan (fileunder:music)
Joel Plaskett (MapleMusic)
Julie Doiron (Endearing)
Timber Timbre (Arts & Crafts)

FAVOURITE VIDEO
Alexisonfire - Young Cardinals (Dine Alone)
Danny Fernandes - Fantasy (CP)
Lights - Drive My Soul (Underground Operations)
Marianas Trench - Cross My Heart (604)
Theory Of A Deadman - All or Nothing (604)

FAVOURITE LIVE ARTIST/GROUP
Alexisonfire (Dine Alone)
Arkells (Dine Alone)
Metric (Last Gang)
The Trews (Bumstead)
You Say Party! We Say Die (Paper Bag)

In addition to the nominees above, The Indies will once again present the Galaxie Rising Stars award and $5,000 bursary, sponsored by Galaxie. The award is part of the Galaxie Rising Stars Program, an original program that sets out to discover, encourage and promote emerging artists. Unlike the other award categories, the Galaxie Rising Stars Award is the choice of the nation's music critics. Music journalists from print, TV, radio and online media are asked for their top five Canadian independent releases of 2009. All submissions are then boiled down to a shortlist from which these same critics choose the most deserving recording and select Canada's emerging breakthrough artist of the year.

For further details and voting procedures visit the Indie Awards website at www.indies.ca

Gonna be a great night. Indie bands get your music to these folks to be eligible for next year's awards.

Here are Constantines caught last April Fools day at The Phoenix in Toronto...

Hawksley Workman - Politico commentator?

2010-02-08T08:56:00.005-05:00

You gotta check this You Tube video out. Here is the scenario. CBC Radio One's GO show had a great bit where they invited singer songwriters into the studio and asked them to put lyrics to music that the studio audience submitted! How cool is that?

Only on GO. Yes that's right - the show gave the audience five minutes to come up with some song lyrics and professional songwriters went to work and made complete songs out of them.

Hawksley Workman was the cream of the crop. He mashed up two different sets of lyrics from audience members, and went to town on them.

Only on GO will you find such hilarity. The political bent of the lyrics makes this little tune even more effective. The proroguing of parliament has been a gift to the chattering classes!

Have a laugh and check this one out.

btw: big news for the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show...we have Tom Wilson, of Lee Harvey Osmond, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Junkhouse live on the show for an unplugged set February 24th. Gonna be a great one!

Barry Mac the new Ian Tyson?

2010-02-02T08:07:00.004-05:00

The very idea of a "romantic cowboy" conjures up images of lonely cowboys on the range missing their woman folk left back at the ranch. There is a long history of romantic cowboys, including the interesting genre of "cowboy poetry." Singer songwriter Ian Tyson has a body of work that merges country music with the poetry of the cowboy.
Barry Mac carries on that tradition. With his songs of love found, and love lost, this urban cowboy sings with his heart on his sleeve.

When he's not in Grant Avenue Studios recording his love songs, you can find him out in his Jeep finding mud holes to get winched out of. Or flying out of Mount Hope airport in a Piper Warrior buzzing the farm fields south of Hamilton.
Mac (as he's known to his friends and fans) lives each day like it was his last. And his music reflects that reality.

If you are in Hamilton on Thursday February 4th be sure to check out Barry Mac and his band has they perform at his record release party. The album release party is being held at at This Ain't Hollywood in Hamilton's north end.

Check you this You Tube clip recorded on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show. It features Barry with Caretakers front woman Lena Montecalvo.

Woodhands rocks on a Saturday morning

2010-02-01T08:05:00.001-05:00

One of the best things about going down to particpate in CBC Radio One's morning show GO is the amazing talent you see first thing in the morning.

Case in point is these guys - Woodhands. They have been touring around Europe, have a big following in England and have even performed in China!
So here they are real early on a Saturday morning. They bring a lot of energy, as you can see in the clip.

Check them out and let me know what you think. Being an indie band does not mean you are only able to tour locally. This band is breaking out worldwide, with Canada, their home being the last to get on board. CBC Radio One's GO and DirkFimbob on You Tube will change that!

Mississippi Kings get crowned on the Radio

2010-01-29T08:11:00.003-05:00

Alright alright, sure the title of this blog is a bit obvious but come on - check out the attached clip and see if you don't agree. We Canadians can sometimes not see the forest for the trees...the mountain right in front of us. These guys are HUGE in Europe - headlining shows in Italy and selling out wherever they go. Here in their home country - not so much.

This act has it all - killer players and some wonderful vocals and arrangements to their songs.

A new EP is being release by the band soon. In the meantime check out the clips of the MK's unplugged. A couple of rare clips are up on You Tube. More to follow.
The entire performance will be uploaded to this blog page shortly. You will be able to upload it as a podcast - for your entertainment pleasure!

In the meantime if you want to pick up their wicked first CD, please go go:
http://www.chcanada.com/product/6195/Canadian_Sounds

Hamilton Indie Bands Live on the Radio

2010-01-25T11:47:00.002-05:00

We are pumped to have a bunch of Hamilton Bands join us on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show this coming Wednesday. The bands you'll hear performing in the Caledon Radio Studio are as follows:

The Cartakers
Matt Paxton
Barry Mac
and the fabulous Mississppi Kings. If you listen to the show you know we like this act. They have a classic rockin' sound that mixes blues and funk with equal messure. It is an interesting stew of influences. Even the songs they cover are interesting - case in point is this attached video of them performing the old Marvin Gaye classic "What's Goin' On" with all proceeds going to charity. Now that's putting your money where your mouth is!
Be sure to tune into Radio Caledon on Wednesday night from 8 till 10 EST to hear some really unique performances. And if you miss the show, you can upload it from this blog.

A Challange to all True Artists and Songwriters

2010-01-22T09:15:00.011-05:00

With the whole world seemingly going to hell in a basket, where big banks and corporations are taking all of the money and turning the time back to where there is a monied elite, where the rest of us are left grubbing for scraps from their table the big question becomes "what are the artists saying about all of this?" Well, nothing as it turns out. Huge changes are occuring, massive inequities are forming all over the world and what do the singer songerwriters - our proverbial canaries in the coal mine - have to say about all of this? Again - nada.

So I throw down a challenge to all thoughtful songwriters - wake up! Get your head out of the sand and look around and notice what is happening. Take a stand and write something worthwhile about how you view the state of the universe. It is not enough to write about your bling, or your girlfriend.

I came across this email posting on Bob Lefsetz' amazing music blog from guitarist Danny Kortchmar which is worth repeating:

"A message to the Killers ..the yeah yeah yeahs .. mgmt...fall out boy..etc..try writing ONE song that has the power and truth of The Pretender, or Millworker by JT, or anything by Bruce or "Not Dark Yet" by Dylan or "Won't Get Fooled Again...how 'bout it,"Monsters Of Folk? Do you have enough ass in your britches?

Don't look like it...

The Supreme Court just decided to turn over the whole policital process to the corporations...any one got any thing to say about that? Ting Tings? Killers? Lady Gaga? Anyone?

It's not bad enough that our leaders are of no help...where are the "artists"?

If you have nothing to say except "look at me" then... f*&% you...remember when music used to mean something? Get your head out your collecitive asses and write something that speaks to the hearts of men (and women) or go away.."

Danny Danny Kortchmar is a guitarist, session musician, and songwriter. Kortchmar's work with singer-songwriters such as David Crosby, Carole King, Graham Nash, Carly Simon and James Taylor helped define the signature sound of the singer-songwriter era of the 1970s. Jackson Browne and Don Henley have recorded many songs written or co-written by Kortchmar. Kortchmar is credited as Daniel Kortchmar, Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar, Danny Kortchmar, Dan Kortchmar and even Danny Kootch on different recordings.

What Danny is referring to in his rant is the U.S. Supreme court decision yesterday to grant corporations the same rights as individuals. Indeed, in a momentous 5 to 4 decision the New York Times called a "doctrinal earthquake," the U.S. Supreme Court handed down an unprecedented ruling that gives new significance to the phrase "corporate personhood." In it, the Roberts court overturned the federal ban on corporate contributions to political campaigns, ruling that forbidding corporations from spending money to support or undermine political candidates amounts to censorship. Corporations, the court ruled, should enjoy the same First Amendment rights as individuals.

This is a very big deal that should have all who believe the democracy up in arms.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Obama, whose critics on the left have accused him of being beholden to Wall Street, has called upon Congress to "develop a forceful response to this decision."

"With its ruling today," he said, "the Supreme Court has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics. It is a major victory for Big Oil, Wall Street banks, health insurance companies and the other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans."

Check out this link for more information on the subject, and then get out there and write a relevent song on the subject:

http://www.alternet.org/workplace/145322/supreme_court's_'radical_and_destructive'_decision_hands_over_democracy_to_the_corporations/

Haiti Gets a hand in the Hammer

2010-01-21T08:29:00.006-05:00

The musical community in Hamilton continues their outstanding work with a benefit for Haiti. A whose who of Canadian talent will be on hand this weekend to support this very worthy cause.

Bands performing during this two day event are: Feist, Lee Harvey Osmond, Jacob Moon, Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet, Brian Melo and Attack in Black. Also on hand could be sometime Hamilton resident Daniel Lanois.
The Hamilton Spectator is co-sponsoring this event and will be webcasting the show on their site this weekend.

Glen Marshall from Vibewrangler is organizing this fundraiser for Haiti. The shows will be mixed and will be released as a CD for additional fundraising.

You've gotta come and check this one out. It's worth the drive down the QEW. Where else can you see the best in musical talent for cheap, with all of the proceeds going to the hell on earth that is Haiti.

Basia Bulat - Powerhouse singer songwriter on a Winter Tour

2010-01-18T09:01:00.008-05:00

You know an artist is serious about their craft when deciding to tour across Canada in the middle of winter. Basia Bulat is such an artist. Bringing her new music to the Canadian public at this time of year has got to be tough. It is a long drive between gigs, so you know Basia is committed to her art. But maybe it's because she's from London Ontario(in the snowbelt region) that Basia is used to the snow drift driving.

Check out this clip and let me know what you think. Basia was filmed on CBC Radio One's GO stage last Saturday morning. Go to the details area of this You Tube clip for a list of tour dates across Canada.

Do yourself a favour and go and see Basia as she travels across the largest country in the world!

Huron - Critic band pick for 2010

2010-01-15T07:52:00.011-05:00

Now magazine and National Post music critic Tim Perlich was right on the money when, in his "bands to watch for in 2010" column he gives new band Huron the nod.

These guys have seemingly come out of nowhere to rock the planet. Where to start on influences heard in their music. Sometimes sounding like The Beatles in their white album faze - think Helter Skelter, mixed with the darkness and light of Wilco. They've got the boogie rock sound of the Allman Brothers Band, but also they have an almost Kraftwerk quality to their music - they do a song that sounds remarkably like that classic europop song Autobahn, but with guitars instead of synths.

So, in a nutshell these guys are a disciplined rock combo, that your Dad would like. A throwback to the '70's jam band sound, that includes some really wild improvisational forays.

This is especially true of their Wednesday night residency at the Dakota Tavern in Toronto. Each Wednesday night since November they have been rocking the house with a couple of sets. Then, indie rock legend Ian Blurton joins them on stage for a set of his music, and finally a sprawling jam session to cap off the night.

Bring your earplugs – put them firmly in place and be prepared to be shaken. They play loud, inventive original rock n roll. The best place to see them is at the Dakota Tavern – a small intimate club that is one of the best rooms for live music in Toronto, if not all of southern Ontario.

Check out these clips – I’m sure you’ll agree!

btw: we have invited Huron to join us for an unplugged radio performance on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show, heard on the last Wednesday of every month.

Go go http://www.chcanada.com for all of your indie band musical needs.

Rae Sun - Live on CBC Radio

2010-01-12T12:22:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday new up and comer Rae Sun performed live in the studio on CBC Radio One's GO.

Born in Ghana Africa he immigrated to Canada when he was eleven years old. The family made their way to this Country in the coldest month of the year - January.

He performs here with his crack touring band. Check out this clip and let us know what you think.

Chris Murphy of Sloan - Underwhelming on CBC's GO

2010-01-11T09:41:00.003-05:00

Chris Murphy is one funny dude! Not only is he one of the driving forces behind Sloan, he's also got a radio show on CBC (natch). He surprised the early morning crowd at GO on Saturday morning with his unplugged version of the Sloan hit Underwhelmed.

Although his appearance on the show was great (and funny), it was in the question and answer portion of the show where he really shone. This portion of the show does not go live to air, but is for the audience only. They should be broadcasting this portion of the show - totally off the hook and unfiltered!

Off air Chris talked about meeting Celine Dion back stage at a Juno presentation a couple of years ago. He witnessed Celine getting ready for her Juno performance - "is there anything on my teeth" she asks one of her people just before she goes on stage. Yes she is a real person, says Murphy. He also had the line "as Celine gets skinnier, she gets uglier - are we still taping?" Hilarious off the cuff comments that just scream for Chris Murphy to have his own drive program - if CBC could stand the heat of Murphy without a lease!

Check out his unplugged performance on this You Tube clip, performed live on CBC Radio One's GO.

Patrick Dickinson Live on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show

2010-01-04T08:53:00.005-05:00

The clock is ticking and we are into 2010. Just saying 2010 sounds so futuristic. Shouldn't we all be driving flying cars, just like on the Jetsons?

The future belongs to all of us, and Patrick Dickinson is making a future for himself in music. Dickinson has been a frustrated songwriter for most of his life. But in the last couple of years he has turned that yearning into a solid new career path. In the last year he has written and recorded his first CD - "Sweet Weakness".
This year he'll be taking on the road touring around the country bringing his brand of country rock to a dance hall near you.

He joined us on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show in the final days of 2009. Performing three songs live in studio with his guitarist Grant Lyle.

You will be able to upload the the entire performance as a podcast - go to the posting listed as Wednesday December 30, 2009.

Let me know what you think of this new artist. If you like what you hear, his new CD will be available soon on CHCanada.com.

Radio Station of the Year - Radio Caledon

2009-12-30T10:15:00.004-05:00

OK one last shout out from 2009 before we turn over the calendar on this year, and this first decade that was 2000.

These folks, with Rick Jones at the helm have done amazing things for indie recording artists. We at the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show invade the Radio Caledon studios once a month for our show, but Jones does his indie music show once a week!

Indie bands from around the Caledon area, and many bands from Toronto, and even Hamilton make the trip up the highway to be on one of Canada's best Indie Music Radio Shows.

So a Big shout out to Rick Jones, all round music fan, and host of Wednesday night's indie music show Songs From The Woods. Also a shout out goes to Rick Sargent, who occasionally does production for the show.

Be sure to tune in each week for Songs From The Woods, from 8 till 10 EST. The CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show(case)happens on the last Wednesday of the month.

Tonight, singer / songwriter Patrick Dickinson performs live in studio selections from his new release.

Join us by listening in on the radio...in the Caledon Bolton area you can tune into B105.5 in Bolton, or at 102.7 The View in Caledon on the FM dial. Or for everyone else tune in through your computer at:
http://www.radiocaledon.com

Here is a clip from an instudio performance from Peter Bloom, whose CD can be purchased at http://www.chcanada.com

Most Popular Act of 2009 - Corb Lund

2009-12-29T09:02:00.003-05:00

This country act is "the dark horse" of the musical race, to use a gambling term. Here is the lowdown on the Corb Lund You Tube clip attached:
Corb played Toronto for two nights at the venerable Horseshoe Tavern. This is a famous club downtown which has featured all kinds of musical acts - from The Police on one of their first tours, to Stompin' Tom Connors who filmed a movie there.
Anyway, Corb plays The Horsehoe on Friday, into the wee hours of the morning (the encore was played after 2:AM).

Corb gets a few hours shut-eye and then he's up bright and early for his performance on CBC Radio's GO. He had to be there for a 7:30 AM sound check.
In this clip he is performing at about 10:AM on the Saturday morning. He looks and sounds a little bushed. But what a trouper!

The kicker to all of this is that this clip has become the most popular clip on the DirkFimbob Channel. Go figure! Check it out and let me know what you think.

Indie Music Company of the Year - CHCanada.com

2009-12-22T10:38:00.017-05:00

And last, but not least is the company that has allowed me the time and space to write passionately about one of my great loves - Canadian independent Music.
More precisely, kudos go out to Ryan Swain and Mike Smith. These two innovators see the benefit of new media, to actively promote online efforts to bring Canadian indie music to a larger audience. Through You Tube, blogging, radio, Facebook and Twitter, CHCanada.com has been actively getting the word out there about musical acts, waiting to be discovered.

The parent company has been in Canada for almost 50 years. For most of those years they were able to offer amazing deals on music to the Canadian public. Canadians of a certain age will remember the 12 LP's for a penny promotions. As new formats became popular, the music club offered 8-tracks, cassettes, and then finally CDs.
The compact disk is still the best sound when listening to music - hands down better than MP3 files.

The Internet has been a double edged sword for Canadian music retailers - file sharing essentially decimated the music business. So there is no longer a CD club per se. Instead, a new online company was born, and can be found at:

http://www.chcanada.com

Online CHCanada.com carries all manner of indie CDs, major label CDs, DVDs, Blu Rays, T-shirts, and rock n roll books. The membership fee has been waived, so anyone can access the site to enjoy amazing deals. Your Entertainment Dollar goes a lot farther at CHCanada.com than anywhere else.

All of the blogging, You Tubing, and the Indie Radio Show gives us a chance to interact with Canadians on a whole new level. Getting out there listening, and finding new acts, selling their CDs online, and talking about them has given CHCanada.com a street profile, the parent company never had.

So, big props go out to CHCanada.com. Rocking in the free world, and bringing you the best in Canadian entertainment.
Grab a CD from your fave indie act. It is tough to make a living as a musician in this day and age. Profits from the proceeds of the indie CDs we sell go right back to the artist - we deal with each musical act directly.

CHCanada.com is looking forward to helping you with all of your entertainment needs for 2010!

Best Radio Show Host of 2009 - Brent Bambury of CBC Radio One's GO

2009-12-18T08:05:00.005-05:00

There is no bigger friend of Canadian Independent recording artists than Brent Bambury. His name is synonymous with great musical talent from Canada. Brent has been a big booster of new music at the Canadian Broadcasting Corp for many years.

Brent launched his radio career at CBC stations in Saint John, Halifax and Montreal. He began to work for Radio Two's Brave New Waves in 1984, and he became that show's permanent host one year later. Brent became known as a purveyor of obscure and emerging music, and a guide to alternative culture. He stayed up late and drank the best coffee in Montreal.

In 1995 he joined Tina Srebotnjak on CBC TV's Midday. He's since come to his senses and returned to radio.

Brent thinks radio should be kinetic, full of life, fun, outrageous and thoughtful all at the same time. He lives this idea of radio every Saturday morning hosting the best variety show on CBC Radio One - GO.

The generosity Brent shows while hosting is incredible for a National Radio host. Case in point would be the clip attached. Arick Howser is a fan of the show who is in the studio audience on a regular basis. In this clip Bambury has the young aspiring comic come on the show, for a totally unscripted one on one. This just does not happen on most shows - a most generous host indeed.

And the reason for this blog is the music. The incredible live music that pours out of the studio every morning is absolutely ear bending! To get musicians
up that early on a Saturday morning to perform live in front of a studio audience, shows the importance of the show.

Hats off to Brent Bambury - our Radio Show Host of 2009. Must mentions in conjunction with this award are his amazing team - Contest Nana (Nana Aba Duncan), British Pete (Peter Morey), Anshuman Iddamsetty, Jeff Goodes (ex-host of Fresh Air), Bronwyn Page, Erin Noel and David Carroll. Also a big shout out to "Producer Paul" who's ears ensure the music feed going out on the radio show is perfect.

Let's hope this is the future for CBC Radio - relevent, funny, irreverent, and in touch with the audience - a live audience at that. This, and an amazing platform for our Canadian Musical talent!

Tiny Bill Cody - Humourist of the Year - 2009

2009-12-17T11:08:00.006-05:00

Tiny Bill Cody, is of course not so tiny. He's well over 6 feet tall, and is hard to miss in a crowd. But as a musical talent he is heads and shoulders above his compatriots. The other thing Bill has going for him is his absolutely knock down funny die laughing lyrics. In this You Tube Clip from earlier this year, Tiny Bill and a few other folks were asked to write a new national anthem. They were given a half an hour and then were asked to perform the song on National radio.
Bill came on and did an interesting and pretty funny first effort (also found on the DirkFimbob You Tube Channel). Once he heard the other versions he begged to do another one - to hilarious results. Once you hear this song you'll never think of Canada's geography in quite the same way again.

Check these clips out and you'll see what I mean. He's got a quirky, subversive streak to his writing. He's also the guy who did a send up of former deputy Prime Minister Sheila Copps - in the song he talks about Copps loosing her virginity in an auto body shop! Only Cody could get away with that.

2009 - Creator of the Year - Tom Wilson

2009-12-14T08:29:00.007-05:00

The driving force behind the new collective Lee Harvey Osmond is Tom Wilson. He has become the grand sage of the Hamilton Music Scene. This guy is really hard to pin down. Anyone who follows his exploits on Facebook or Twitter knows he's one busy musician.

In the past year, he has fronted his new the Lee Harvey Osmond project, participated in the recording of a new record for his other band Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, and performed with the remaining members of Teenage Head (as the "Sons of the Hammer"). He has found time to also co-host this years' Hamilton Music Awards. He's also a painter and a big booster of the Canadian Music Scene.

All of this action from a guy who is over 50! He puts guys half his age to shame.
He has keen musical insights, and has got a great sense of what makes a song work.
This is clearly evident when listening to his band Lee Harvey Osmond - their Acid Folk tinged "A Quiet Evil" is one of the great new releases of 2009.

So, for all that he has given us this year, and for also being one helluva nice guy, Tom Wilson has won the Creator of the Year!

Two of Tom's CDs can be purchased by going to:
http://www.chcanada.com/product/5489/Canadian_Sounds

Is Hamilton the new Seattle?

2009-12-10T08:18:00.006-05:00

I've had a few days to reflect on my trip down the QEW to Hamilton, for the Hamilton Music Awards. This City has had it's fair share of unemployment and heartache over the last decade, with massive job losses in their manufacturing sector. If you are like most people, your only view of Hamilton is when you are flying along the highway going over the Skyway Bridge on your way to Niagara Falls and the US Border, or on your way to Toronto. It is not a very impressive sight, unless you are in the steel biz. Dirty smokestacks and flames from coke ovens are like a throughback to another era. And maybe they are.

Hamilton is reinventing itself as an arts and music town. With the downtown core neglected and frankly mishandled by local government mis-steps, pricing of real estate is in the basement - a far cry from the high rents and exorbitant costs of Toronto living. So, artists and musicians are flocking to Hamilton - remaking the city. And the whole arts culture is thriving.

Thus the 8th annual Hamilton Music Awards. As host Tom Wilson tells it, many of Canada's musical talent are from Hamilton (including rock royalty such as Daniel Lanois). Lanois has a very nice converted warehouse on Wellington Street in downtown Toronto where he stays when in Ontario, otherwise he owns a house in Hamilton (near Tom’s house) as he always has. Hamilton is Daniel’s hometown. (he also has homes in L.A. and Jamaica). His mother, brother and sister all live in Hamilton. Lanois arrived in Hamilton from Hull at the age of nine with his family, went to school here and established their first studios here, recording with Eno and many others. He still comes to Hamilton a lot to see family and friends. Lanois was the second artist to be given a lifetime achievement award at the HMAs.

Check this clip out of husband and wife team Melissa McCelland and Luke Doucet. This fab couple have come back to Hamilton to live - make the trip down to the Hammer for a show or to see a gallery. You'll be surprised.

Hamilton Music Awards a big success

2009-12-08T08:19:00.006-05:00

What are they putting in the water down there in The Hammer? So many great musicans, this City with the "Mountain" really know how to put on a party. A who's who of Canadian talent performed on the show, including husband and wife team Luke Doucet and Melissa Mclennan who now make Hamilton their home.

Up and comers were in attendence. I had the privlege of sharing a muddy jeep ride up the Mountain to the show with new Country artist Barry Mac and members of the Caretakers, who both have new CDs coming out very soon.

Big props go out to Jane Allison of the Hamilton Spectator and Jeff Martin of Quorum Communications for supplying tickets to the show.

Here is Tom Wilson and his band Lee Harvey Osmond perfoming as part of the awards celebrations...

Lee Harvey Osmond Comes Home - Hamilton Music Awards

2009-12-04T10:34:00.009-05:00

http://www.hamiltonmusicawards.com is where you are going to find all of the info on a great weekend in Hamilton. This City in Southern Ontario has become a hotbed of Indie Music. With low rent, and a funky downtown, the musos and artists are starting to populate this great City.

This weekend it is worth the drive to the Hammer. One band not to be missed is Tom Wilson's new project LeE HARVeY OsMOND. These cats call what they do Acid Folk, which is a pretty good description. This band has been on tour with the Cowboy Junkies all over Canada, and down into the US.

The new LeE HARVeY OsMOND CD can be purchased by going to:
http://www.chcanada.com

Nothing beats a hometown show - Tom and the band are stoked to be playing back in Hamilton.

Check them out this weekend, as part of the Hamilton Music Awards. The Mississippi Kings will also be particating (their most excellent CD can also be purchased at CHCanada.com), along with a bunch of other local acts. Don't miss it!

Symphony Of Nine - Prog Rock comes to Caledon Radio

2009-11-27T08:39:00.003-05:00

Wednesday night we had a great performance by a Toronto Band on the verge of greatness. With their new CD Radio, Symphony of Nine are a band that is unique in sound. All of the members are too young to remember the hay day of progressive '70's rock - in fact some of the members weren't even born in the '70's. But their sound is a throw back to the "Classic Rock" sound. Shades of Styx, Queen, Kansas, and even Wings sneak into their groove.

They came in and played unplugged on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show. Check out one of their performances on the attached You Tube Clip. If you like this band check out their entire unplugged set by uploading the podcast of the show. It can be found at the Wednesday November 25, 2009 link. Drop me a line and let me know what you think of this new band...

Most Funky Band Of 2009 - Elastocitizens

2009-11-20T08:32:00.002-05:00

On a hot sweaty July evening this band got the audience all hot and bothered with their brand of funk. Part Prince, Sly and the Family Stone, Jamiroquai - these Toronto cats are serious about their dance funk. With the whole vibe on the fun tip, leader Steve McCarthy is a bandleader channeling George Clinton. He had a serious skiing accident a few months before this clip was filmed, so that is why he is sitting down during the show. In fact Steve was the only one sitting at this show.
The rest of the crowd were up on their feet movin' to the groovin'. Check out the clip for yourself...

Most Original Band of 2009 - Hank & Lily Show

2009-11-16T15:30:00.001-05:00

This band took me completely surprise at this years North By Northeast Music Festival in Toronto this past summer. These cats came out looking like they were completely out of their minds! Weird clowns, back-up singers dressed as nuns, a female drummer who had no drum seat and stood as she played and sang. And the guitar players looked absolutely strange with their bizarre ant eater type face masks that they wore. This iswhy the vocals sound so out of it - they sound like they are singing into a tin can.

Crazy, wacked out for sure - but boy did they entertain. Don't ask me what any of it actually means, if anything.

This band for me was the most entertaining, and frankly disturbing acts I saw all year.

Best Instrumentation of 2009 - The Hidden Cameras

2009-11-11T08:39:00.003-05:00

This band had the most interesting instrumentation of any bands seen in 2009. What pop band can claim to have a harpist (real harp player, not a harmonica), and a cello player and an upright bass player in the band?

Here The Hidden Cameras perform live in the CBC Radio One's GO studio early one Saturday morning.

They are like tonic to sooth your aching mind. Relax and float downsteam listening to this...

Toronto Blues Band on the Street

2009-11-06T10:29:00.003-05:00

We are moving towards the end of the year (how time flies) so it is time to start to look back on the year that was. For me one of the best shows of 2009 was on the street - literally. Fathead is a great blues band that has been around for quite a while. The singer is an expat American (Georgia-raised lead singer JOHN MAYS. He has had a storied career that began in the Southern gospel tradition, crossing over into Doo-Wop, R&B and Blues, not to mention a stint with the Godfather Of Soul JAMES BROWN.

Along with band leader AL LERMAN (harp and saxophone) FATHEAD's core has remained constant since 1992, offering ace musicianship, soul stirring harmonies and incendiary live performances. Guitar ace TEDDY LEONARD is showcased in this clip, along with iconic drummer BUCKY BERGER (he has played with many Candian icons from Rough Trade to childrens' entertainer Mister Dressup).

To find such a great band playing on Queen Street at the annual Beaches Jazz Fest was a joy.

Check out this clip - one of the best of 2009.

Funky Ladies heat up the Radio Studio

2009-11-02T08:06:00.002-05:00

Saidah Baba Talibah, the Canadian singer/songwriter has been performing most of her life. Singing back up vocals for a who's who of Canadian artists, she is now putting stuff out on her own.

With some solid support from her sisters, including the incredible guitar playing of Donna Grantis, these ladies have to be heard.

Check em out on My Space, or click on the video link below to see and hear the ladies in action!

Sing Merry Christmas with the Caretakers

2009-10-28T14:47:00.007-04:00

Download a free MP3 of the new Christmas song, "Sing Merry Christmas"
and support the Stephen Lewis Foundation and Hamilton AIDS Network.

December 2nd is World AIDS Day. The Caretakers and Vibewrangler Studio family want to thank the hundreds of people who have made donations to these organizations over the past year.
"Sing Merry Christmas" is brought to you by new Hamilton band The Caretakers.

All round cool dude and Hamilton music scene shaker Jeff Martin is the man behind this worthwile charity song.

Check out the link to this Christmas song and let's give Jeff big props for putting it out there.

Watch for The Caretakers first release, due to drop soon. They will also be in attendance at Sunday's Hamilton Music Awards, taking place at Mohawk College.

Sing Merry Christmas

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Sleepy Cowboy sings the gambling blues

2009-10-26T09:45:00.001-04:00

Corb Lund is travelling this great big country from coast to coast singing his brand of new country. He's got a great way with words, and his songs are actually about something. He sings about losers, real cowboys, and gamblers. In fact this song is written about him. Yes he's the one looking for that one game that will make his fortune.

A real trouper he showed up early one Saturday morning with just his guitar. With only a few hours sleep, Corb rose to the challenge and performed two songs on CBC Radio's GO.

Rappers Delight on CBC Radio's GO

2009-10-21T09:42:00.000-04:00

More or les and his band of pj clad rappers and dj's rocked the house early one Saturday morning on CBC Radio's GO.

Check em out...intelligent and thoughtful rappers, more Gil Scott-Heron than Akon.

Playlist - CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show - Wednesday October 14, 09

2009-10-16T15:17:00.011-04:00

Another great night was had by all when Tom Beyer brought a fist full of indie CDs to share with Rick Jones and his faithful listeners. Each month Tom brings a bunch of music in for Rick - most of it availble through the CHCanada.com website (http://www.chcanada.com/)

This week Peter Bloom came in to play live for the first portion of the show. Along with fellow guitarist Adam Langley they performed four different songs live in studio (catch all the clips at the DirkFimbob You Tube Channel).

Other beats that Rick and Tom grooved on were:

Sweet Weakness - Pat Dickinson (soon to be released) This play was the world premiere!

Don't Make A Fool Out Of Me - Ireland Brothers Band

What's Going On - Mississippi Kings
Sailing On The Ocean - Mississippi Kings
I Tried So Hard - Mississippi Kings

Baby I'm Alive - Crossbac

Codeine - Ben Somer

Blue - Astrid Young

Common Disaster - Cowboy Junkies

Come To Me - Sean Ashby -

Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Hurtin' Me - Ted Hawkins

Falling In Love Again - Pat Dickinson - (soon to be released) This play was the world premiere!

All of the music played on the indie radio show is, indeed Canadian Independent music. All of the selections can be found on CHCanada.com (except the Pat Dickinson CD - which will be released shortly).

Peter Bloom Comes to Visit The Radio Show

2009-10-15T09:27:00.004-04:00

Peter Bloom and East Coast Adam were on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show recently performing some tunes off the latest record "Random Thoughts (from a paralyzed mind)".

Peter Bloom has had quite a ride getting to where he is today. He started out in the 1990’s as the singer and drummer for Montreal alt-rockers The Elementals. Bloom hung in through several style changes that saw the band turn into a more traditionalist and more successful rock band re-titled Furious Styles.

Now with this new release he is ready to take on the world. The English language version of the record has just been released. He has recorded the record in the French language, and there are plans to do the record in Italian and Spanish!

Take a listen to this unplugged version. The CD will be available soon from CHCanada.com

Dragonette comes home

2009-10-13T08:36:00.010-04:00

Check out this You Tube clip caught early one Saturday morning at the CBC Radio Studio. Dragonette moved to England a number of years ago and have had a very successful run in the UK. They have now relocated back to their home turf in Toronto.

These folks are real professionals, getting up before the sun comes up to perform for the nation. They usually play with a full band, complete with a drum kit. But check them out here - performing most of the music tracks on the computer. Sorry to burst anybody's bubble who heard them on the radio, who thought the music was all being performed by an in studio band complete with a bass player and drummer. This should still be considered "live" - nowadays the computer plays a bigger and bigger roll in what constitutes a live performance.

Dave Bidini Talks about rock, hockey and Canada

2009-10-02T11:53:00.011-04:00

Just in time for the hockey seaon, fellow blog readers may like this interview with Dave Bidini. This is part one of the interview. He talks hockey, Canada and rock.

Off the beaten path a bit, but he is always a lot of fun. Bidini is co-founder of Rheostatics (one of Canada's hidden treasures) and is now in BidiniBand. He is currently touring to promote his new album "The Land is Wild".

Montreal Mystique is a website that explores the intersection of sports, the arts and culture.

http://www.montrealmystique.ca/

Canadian Hip Hop gets it's due

2009-09-30T14:48:00.001-04:00

Canada's Wordburglar is our answer to Eminem - wicked beats with a lot of fun thrown in. Who says hip hop can't be accessible? Who says hip hop has to be about gansta rap (OG - original gansta) and the objectification of woman? Hey don't get me wrong, I'm down with the scenery in some of the videos, but today the whole trip seems way over the top.

Burgie, as he's known to his peeps is keepin' it real in this clip. Check out Burgie as he raps about all things Canadian - what can be more real than a rapper who rhymes about Canadian Tire money and poutine!

Sean Ashby on the CHCanada.com Radio Show

2009-09-26T10:58:00.004-04:00

With Rick Sargent manning the board, Rick Jones and Tom Beyer co-host singer songwriter Sean Ashby on the CHCanada.com Radio Show.
Sean is the first guest of the 2010 season. The CHCanada.com Radio Show is a monthly Radio show, featuring new Canadian independent musical acts, coming to you live from the studios of Radio Caledon.

CHCanada.com Radio Show now a Pod Cast

2009-09-25T09:48:00.006-04:00

There is a new Radio Show dedicated to Canadian Independent Artists - it's the CHCanada.com Radio Show, live from the Caledon Radio studios. This new show is in conjunction with Songs From the Woods, the indie radio show bringing Radio-land new and upcoming recording artists.

Once a month (usually the last Wednesday of the month)the CHCanada.com Radio Show will feature live guests in studio. Show hosts Rick Jones and Tom Beyer will talk about upcoming shows, chat about faves, and generally have a great time uncovering new and obscure Canadian independent recording artists.

What is an indie recording artist? This is an act that doesn't have a record deal with a major record company. This is a musical act that uses it's own financing to put out a CD and then goes out on the road to actively promote the record that they have put their heart and soul (and $$$) into.

We like these people! We think they need exposure to music lovers everywhere. That is what the show is all about - bringing you some wicked new artists who believe in what they are doing, and are not afraid to put their money where their mouth is.

So check the radio show out on Radio Caledon, or listen to the pod casts that are available for downloading on this blog. All of the shows will be stored and can be listened to at your request.

http://www.radiocaledon.com

Sean Ashby live in Toronto & on the Radio

2009-09-16T15:59:00.007-04:00

Sean Ashby is making a name for himself as a tremendous solo artist. His name may be familiar to Sarah McLachlan fans - he is her guitar player who has performed around the world with Sarah. Ashby performed at the Cadillac Lounge this past Friday night. He opened for teen geetar phenom Jimmy Boskill at this great venue on Queen Street West.

Be sure to check out Sean's unplugged performance on the CHCanada.com Indie Radio Show from 8p.m.till 10 p.m. on Caledon Radio (B105.5 FM & at 102.7 FM in Bolton). Also this show will be streamed live online at CaledonRadio.com.

If you miss it - don't worry...we'll make the performance available right here on this blog.

Indie Bands - let your freak flag fly

2009-09-14T13:35:00.014-04:00

Risks pay dividends. Turns out the audience is much more open to change, much more so than the record industry might realize. But you've got to have the public’s trust. Short term thinking not only killed our financial system, but our music distribution system too. You've got to be in it for the long haul, you've got to have staying power.
Once upon a time we respected radio, lived to listen. We are bringing those days back with the CHCanada.com Radio Show. We will consistently play new and unique Canadian music you're not going to hear on many other private broadcasters.
Music used to be the foremost exponent of creativity. Those days are coming back in the indie scene. It's all about putting out great music, that sells itself, for a long time. An artist puts out something good and word will get out on the Internet.
When we find something that resonates today, we tell everybody we know about it. The key is to get hearts and minds. Convince us you're good first, then we'll decide whether we want to give you our money.
New Canadian Indie bands deserve our attention because most bands are in it for the long haul. Bands in Canada have an easier time learning their craft – and earning your trust by working at their music, perfecting their music. That’s why so many people around the world wonder what we put in the water. Bands in Canada don’t have to have a number one hit record right out of the box. And that’s because we have the social safety net in Canada. You’re not going to go broke if you land in the hospital. We still care about each of our citizens, so artistic types can take chances and can create music that is eclectic and quirky.
Let's celebrate and give major props to the indie music scene in Canada!

Cuff The Duke does CBC Radio

2009-09-11T07:51:00.003-04:00

Cuff the Duke - or is that Duff the Kook? That was a line CBC host Brent Bambury used on the band last night at a pre-taping of the CBC Radio Show GO, airing this Saturday.
This indie band - a darling of the indie circuit is ready to break out into the mainstream with their new CD being released this week.
Check this clip out of the band performing live in the CBC studio.

CBC Radio's GO goes live again this season

2009-09-10T10:00:00.001-04:00

The best CBC Radio has to offer will be back on the air each and every Saturday morning from 10 till 12 EST. Host Brent Bambury, who used to be on late night on Brave New Waves returns with his wacky fun filled show. One of the best things about the show are the indie musical guests who perform live in studio. The cream of the crop of Canadian indie artists perfom on the show.
Check this performance out from last season...

Havelock Rocked this year

2009-08-21T10:28:00.002-04:00

If you've never been to the Havelock Country Jamboree don't be fooled by the name. It kinda sounds like some sort of old fashioned country hoedown - but it ain't. Some killer smokin' hot bands kept the well lubricated crowd on their feet (many a little shaky on their feet) all day and all of the night.
Here is one band that just blew me away - the Ireland Brothers Band. With that name I was thinking penny whistles and east coast type music. Boy was I wrong! These guys scorched the stage with their performace.
Check this video out of the performance. More of this band can be found on the DirkFimbob You Tube Channel...

Teak Rivers to play Havelock Country Jamboree

2009-08-13T10:24:00.001-04:00

If over 100,000 country fans grooving in a massive display of music solidarity is your thing you gotta get to the Havelock Country Jamboree this weekend. This is gonna rock your Jukebox in a big way.
Teak Rivers is a new band that won some real acclaim last year when they were voted the fan favourites of 2008. On the strength of that vote they have been invited back this year to perform on Saturday afternoon - a prime slot starting at 3:PM.
Gary Brown and the boys are ready and willing to give me their all when they hit the stage on Saturday. Stay tuned to this page to hear all about the back stage shenanigans, and brushes with greatness (Randy Travis is on the bill Saturday)!

YouTube - Teak Rivers and the Handsome Shadows - That's What I Want"

2009-08-08T00:29:00.002-04:00

This is the first video from this new band. They were the voters choice at last year's Havelock. These guys are one of the biggest outfits to hit the stage this year. Excellent cross over Country Rock, with Gary Brown at the helm. Gary has his roots in an '80's band called The Tenants, who had a worldwide hit with "Sherrif".

CHCanada.com Radio to go on the air

2009-08-06T14:36:00.001-04:00

Big news for the promotion of Canadian Independent Artists...CHCanada.com Radio Show is due to start airing at the end of the month. We are partnering with Caledon Radio and will be heard from 8 until 10:PM EST every Wednesday night.
True Indie Canadian Artists that are will be featured live streamed online at: http://radiocaledon.com/
If you are lucky enuf to live in the Caledon area you can tune into B105.5FM, or at 102.7FM in Bolton.
We are interested in profiling up and coming artists who are truly indie artists. Many acts now call themselves "indie" but are affiliated with major labels and are still essentially major label acts - they are indie in name only. We are interested in bands who have produced CD's themselves and are needing assistance in getting their CD's to the public. With most of the stand alone music stores disappearing there will soon be no where to sample and find new music. We are happy to fill that niche.
We also still believe in the CD format! MP3's just don't sound as good, and at times just disappear off your hard drive. If you buy a CD it is yours for life!