Feed the Fish

More Architectural Mapping at Branchage Festival

Upper and Lower Canada

I missed doing my show last week because I had 5 days off between jobs, so up the St. Lawrence we went. In Montreal, the best band I saw was from Toronto: Rich Brown, Larnell Lewis, Robbie Botos, and Luis Deniz Rinsing The Algorithm to a big mellow crowd that produced rising waves of applause at every opportunity. Also mind-blending was Jose James, Chic Gamine, and Treasa Levasseur laying Lean On Me into a rowdy midafternoon pub with a silencing authority. On Friday,it was my first Lou Reed show. I had seen Zorn's massive Masada the night before. They walked onto a stage, along with Laurie Anderson, that contained no drums or vocal mics and began making long notes, loudly. It was not organized in any way that I could appreciate. I like dissonance and spontaneity more than most, but it was the worst sounding and most insensitive musical performance I've ever heard on a professional level. A disgrace to an otherwise brilliantly-run and positive festival. Coming from the meticulously hospitable atmosphere of Montreal to the TD Downtown Jazz's Chaka Khan / Macy Grey show was like going from church to prison. Why can't the city put up bleachers on Dundas Square street south of the venue? Cars were threatening fans all night. Families were sitting on the dirty sidewalks. And when a woman had her purse stolen, the crowd was forced to deal with the thief. There was NO police presence in the square, in contrast to last weekend's armed encampment. I went to look for help and found only two security guards near the subway. Not even a cruiser parked nearby. Last night the real Toronto had to suffer for their fine music and leisure. Montreal proves every year that that is not necessary. I have lived in T.O. all my life, and I find this neglect shameful.

Protest Playlist June 25 2010

Corby’s Orbit

2010/06/25

START	SONG TITLE/ITEM	ARTIST
11:011	Show intro and Station I.D.	Corby
11:02	The Unrest That Keeps Us True	Sons Of An Illustrious Father
11:07	Fearless / You’ll Never Walk Alone	Pink Floyd
11:13	Track Listing and Station I.D.	Corby
11:14	Don’t Take Everyone For Your Friend	Duke Robillard
11:20	Cash on the Barrelhead	Anders Drekup
11:23	Interview with Michael Bate for Grievous Angel	Corby
11:31	Drug Store Truck Drivin Man	Gram Parsons
11:35	When You Gonna Wake Up?	Lee Williams & The Spiritual Q.C.’s
11:39	Rant, Track Listing and Station I.D.	Corby
11:42	The Future	Leonard Cohen
11:46	Caboose	Jaron Freeman-Fox
11:49	Interview with Jaron Freeman-Fox	Corby
11:59	Waterfall (live performance)	Jaron Freeman-Fox
12:05	Never An Easy Way	Morcheeba
12:12	Interview with Jon Brooks and "War Resister" by Jon Brooks	Corby
12:30	God is in the House	Nick Cave
12:36	I Wish I Was Home	Michael Brennan
12:40	Interview w. Jon Brooks	Corby
12:44	Can You Blame The Poor Miner?	Maria Dunn
12:47	The Big Ones Get Away	Buffy Ste-Marie
12:50	Interview w. Jon Brooks	Corby
12:54	Wasteland of the Free	Iris Dement
12:59	Brave Parade	Lynn Miles
1:03	Interview with Jon Brooks.	Corby
1:10	Kigali	Jon Brooks
1:16	Track Listing and Station I.D.	Corby
1:18	No More	Roni Size
1:22	Coming Soon	Beautiful Nubia
1:26	Poor Man Story Long	The Emotions
1:29	Change The System	Ronnie Davis
1:32	Track Listing and chat with Greg Lawson	Corby
1:36	I’m Indebted To You	The Groovers
1:39	The Voice Of The People	Stranger Cole & Jimmy Riley
1:43	Fly Away with Local Listings	Vin Gordon & The Upsetters
1:47	Licky Licky	“ “ “ “
1:50	I Want Justice	Lee Perry
1:53	Give Love a Try	Prince Buster
1:56	Sign Off and Station I.D.	Corby
1:57	We The People	Ellen McIlwaine

Songs of Protest, Hope and Conscience

I MC'd a show of enragees, provocateurs and politically charged singer/songwriters at Hugh's Room last night. Jon Brooks retooled Buffy Ste. Marie's Universal Soldier for the current conflicts of the world and achieved an enthusiastic audience response with an original song ( you can listen at the end of the post ) about the misuse of creative and activist energies that struck deeply at the audience's sense of purpose. He also guested on my show yesterday, bringing in discs by Nick Cave, Maria Dunn and Michael Brennan to illustrate his convictions about the artistry required to make an effective statement in song.

Lynn Miles added a few verses to Neil Young's Ohio to decry the corporate takeover of Toronto and the world. Jory Nash put a fresh muscle of commitment into the great Sam Cooke's A Change Is Gonna Come, and Crabtree & Mills revived the spit and spirit of the civil rights movement with a rare Len Chandler tune, To Be A Man. The John Henrys focussed on the resistance of the media to protest music, and the persistence of American churlishness through an interesting historical tune, Patriot Song. Anthems abounded, spirituals and marching songs resonated, and love of the word, effectively used, was shared. A political charge was conducted throughout the room and hopefully, beyond.

Protest Song of the Day ... by Canada's greatest songwriter

Buffy Sainte-Marie The Big Ones Get Away

Hey, Baby I just got back from town

Where the bribes are paid
Honey, they turned my offer down
They say the deal's already made
So now I gotta stand and watch
While it all comes down
And the buzzards and the hawks
And the judges and the mob
Circle round

Now if I were the queen of all the world
I would go in chains just to see you free
Of the ropes that bind you
And the role you play
And the pride that hooks you
While the big ones get away

Love junkies wanna change the world:
It quickly stays the same
Money junkies hire all the smart ones
Power junkies run the game

One step at a time
Polarity Hill
If the bad guys don't get you, baby
Then the good guys will
With angels on the take
And the gangsters in the yard
Hey don't the wars come easy
Hey don't the peace come hard

Now if I had a way to reach the sky
I'd grab that crescent moon
Wield it like a knife
Save you from the lies
From the ropes that bind you
And the role you play
And the game that hooks you
While the big ones get away

Dreadzone Bonus