Icing on Your Musical Heatcakes; Frosty Friday July 16

From the blast-off T-Bone Walker turbo-guitaristics of "Strolling with Bones", dedicated to Phil Weir, on through the cast of Discoveries at Hugh's Room July 27th (Rehan Dalal, Tucker Finn, Andre Bell, and sparky Stacy Burke), it was a show to dock on, ice up and replenish your audio oxygen. Guest Bruno Capinan spoke intensely about the Brazilian influences (Tropicalia, bossa, electronica) upon his new cd Gozo, and a tribute to the immortal Sugar Minott left ears awash in the scenery of deep rastamusical space. Brazillionaires Gal Costa, Suba, and Sambacana also wafted through the Orbit, and Polaris noms The Sadies led off a set of swamproasted Canadian roots: Jill Barber, Daniel Fred and Julie, and Kathryn Calder from her new disk Are You My Mother? (featuring Neko Case). Orchid Ensemble provided a restful silken pillow of Chinese chamber music in the epicentre of the circuitry, and we all splashed down feathery from the intangible air into beginning of the weekend's wild rumpus.

Never Too Hawt!

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.