Corby's Orbit

Corby's Orbit
Listening in All the High Places illustration by John Kricfalusi

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Asa - The Way I Feel

I feel pain when they try to bring me down
But as long as this world keeps turning round
I know it won’t last forever
Ok ok my life is moving
But demons are fighting
Ok ok tears are dry now
But demons are fighting

I feel like I’m floating through existence
I feel like I’m living after time
I feel like I’m forced to break the silence
Is that a crime? Is that a crime?
I feel like we’re all following shadows
And shadows they don’t know where to go
I feel like I’m waiting for tomorrow
While today wastes away

It’s not that I don’t know
It’s not that I can’t see
It’s not that I haven’t noticed
It’s driving me insane
It’s not that I don’t know
It’s not that I can’t see
It’s just the way I feel
It’s just the way I feel

I feel like a child without a father
And mama tries oh lord knows mama tries
I feel like the world is on my shoulder
I wonder why, wonder why
I feel like I’m not the only one who’s frustrated
I feel like something’s going wrong
I can’t escape it
I feel like the destinies of those meant
To be the best
Are in the hands of liars now the world is on fire

I feel like we’re not angry enough
That while we wait, time’s ticking away
I feel there’s gonna be an explosion!

It’s not that I don’t know
It’s not that I can’t see
It’s not that I haven’t noticed
It’s driving me insane
It’s not that I don’t know
It’s not that I can’t see
It’s just the way I feel
It’s just the way I feel

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmania.com/the_way_i_feel_lyrics_asa.html
All about Asa: http://www.musictory.com/music/Asa

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Playlist for Show of Friday, 19 August, 2011


Illustration by Jean Yves Lemoigne
Playlist for Corby’s Orbit on CKLN.FM, Show of Friday, 19 August, 2011
Host Paul Corby, guests Mike Angus and Greg Lawson
 (brought to you by Love, Hope and Optimism)
11-2 p.m. online. Canadians in red.

11:00 Songs for Jack Layton
Asa – The Way I Feel
Mike Angus – Swallow It Whole / Interview / Be There (You Won’t) / Italy
Kevin Gordon & Lucinda Williams – Down To The Well
Justin Townes Earle – Can’t Hardly Wait

Blues for Jerry Leiber and Nicholas Ashford
Tim Vaughn –Hold Onto My Head
J.J. Grey & Mofro– On Air
Donald Fagen – Ruby Baby
Ashford & Simpson – Get Up And Do Something
Steven Ambrose – Strike My Name
The Beatles – Kansas City

12:00 Eklektik Breezes
Jay Atwood & Susan MacCorkle – Tomorrow Never Knows
Jaz Klash – The Gift
Tasseomancy – Healthy Hands Will Mourn You
Strippers’ Union – Nala
Jorge Martinez – Del Corazon Al Alma
Bahamas – Try, Tried, Trying
Rebekah Higgs -  Girl In The Sweater
 Political Séance
The Paint Movement – Young Lights
The DoneFors - Carry
David Bowie – Panic In Detroit
Young Artists For Haiti – Waving Flag (Alternate Version)

1:00   I Roy spotlight, selected by Greg Lawson
Super Fly / Sidewalk Killer /Alright Alright
Togetherness / Keep On Spinning / Education For Free
Cow Town Skank / Prime Minister / Pusher Man
Devil’s Brother-In-Law / Frankie J and Melinda
Black Man Time / Move Up Roots Man / Peace
There Must Be A Way
Determinations – Sweet Night Dew
Viking’s Remedy – Jackie, Ancel & Winston / Sleeping Dub / Tonight

Thank-you Jack Layton : They'll Call You Freedom



From Jack Layton, MP, Député

Re: Revocation of the CKLN-FM license
February 3, 2011
Dear Chairman von Finckenstein,
I am writing with regard to the CRTC’s recent decision to revoke the license of
CKLN-FM radio.
Independent, community-based radio is essential to our broadcasting system.
Diversity of ideas and analysis is important for a healthy democracy. For these
reasons, CKLN was created many years ago.
I understand that CKLN may have previously fallen out of compliance with CRTC
regulations. The station’s staff, however, has made efforts to remedy these past
problems. They are making progress and are determined to meet all the
requirements of their license renewal.
In light of these efforts, I believe the revocation of CKLN’s license to be
significantly premature. To echo the dissenting opinion of CRTC commissioner
Louise Poirier, I believe that the measure adopted is disproportionate to the fault
in question. It would have been more prudent and consistent with the
Commission’s common practices to issue a mandatory order accompanied by
close monitoring of the licensee. This would have constituted fair treatment for
CKLN Toronto.
CKLN has always worked hard to provide a voice to the marginalized and to
speak out against inequality.  It is vital that these voices not be silenced.

Should the decision of the CRTC to revoke CKLN’s license be appealed, I would
strongly urge the commission to reconsider the severity of the measure they
have decided to implement.
Yours Sincerely,
Hon. Jack Layton, MP, P.C.
Toronto-Danforth
Leader, New Democratic Party of Canada

Vintage Vinyl Paradise


1.      People who don't need air, food or money are sometimes referred to as vinyl collectors. As many as had heard were at CKLN today to pick up legendary amounts of rare and immaculate records, from over 30 years of programming in local community radio at their Vintage Vinyl Sale. Labelled "CRFM" or "CKLN Do Not Steal", thousands of disks passed into private collections and dealerships, at prices that would make a yard sale regular hesitate to bargain further.
        Surprising quantities of classical, soundtrack, jazz and even mainstream titles were stacked on floors, tables and corners amongst the alt. rock, funk and roots music that the station rose to prominence with in the 80's. (Hmm... not much reggae at all! ) The avalanche of Canadian content was inspiring, setting off memories of bands long forgotten. (Damn! Why didn't I grab that Vital Sines record?). Whole catalogues of artists were on sale. I realized that I had bought many of these titles from hearing them on CKLN in the first place.
      What DID I pick up? 
      Thanks for asking! 
      Here's an insight into my programming from now 'til Christmas:


1    Andre Previn  - Irma la Douce sdtrk. (scratchy but nice)
2.       Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers – New York Scene ( Live meditations with Blanchard, Mulgrew Miller, Donald Harrison)
3.       Bill Connors  -  Of Mist and Melting
4.       Bonnie Raitt  -  Home Plate (Her best band: Freebo, John Hall, Bill Payne, Gary Mallaber and Jim gordon's horns)
5.       Captain Beefheart Tribute Album, V.A.  – Fast ‘n’ Bulbous
6.       Carmen McRae -  Carmen Sings Monk ( Immaculate, one of the best jazz vocal albums ever made.)
7.       Crosby / Nash  -  The Best of… 
8.       David Bromberg  -  My Own House / Sideman Serenade
9.       Don Pullen / George Adams Quartet  - Song Everlasting
10.    Ed Bickert /Rob McConnell  -  Mutual Street (against all odds, the sweet interplay of trombobe and guitar duets)
11.    George Winston / Darol Anger / Mark Isham – Country
12.    Hot Tuna – Double Dose (Live)
13.    J.D. Souther  - Home By Dawn
14.    Jack Bruce / Robin Trower – Truce
15.    James Newton  -  Echo Canyon  / James Newton
16.    John Bottomley  -  Library of the Sun
17.    John Sebastian  -  The Four of Us  /  Real Live
18.    Kalahari Surfers – Living in the Heart of the Beast
19.    King Biscuit Boy w. Crowbar  - Official Music (Almost whooped when I saw this one)
20.    Kronos Quartet  -  White Man Sleeps
21.    Laura Nyro  - Season of Lights (Live)
22.    Maria Muldaur  -  Sweet and Slow
23.    Maxine Sullivan  -  1944-1948
24.    Mike Murley –The Curse
25.    Mimi Farina  -  Solo
26.    Muddy , Koko, Willy Dixon Etc. – Blues Deluxe
27.    Nadine Sutherland  -  Until
28.    Norman Blake & Tony Rice  -  Blake & Rice 
29.    Paul Kelly and the Messengers – So Much Water So Close To Home
30.    Paul Winter  - Earthbeat (with Russian Choir )
31.    Phil Ochs   - A Toast to Those Who Are Gone
32.    Ranking Roger  -  Radical Departure
33.    Richard Burton – The World of Dylan Thomas
34.    Rick Roberts – The Best Of…/ Windmills
35.    Ricky Skaggs & Tony Rice  - Skaggs & Rice
36.    Susannah McCorkle  -  No More Blues (with Emily Remler on half the record)
37.    The Double Six of Paris - The Double Six of Paris
38.    The Go-Betweens  - liberty Belle & the Black Diamond Express
39.    Tom Rush  - Ladies Love Outlaws
40.    Plus many e.p.’s and compilations 
     I would have gotten more, but, seriously, I took all I could carry.

             Thanks to Mike and Chris (above) and Jacky for organizing a smooth, fun and unique shopping experience.


Sunday, August 21, 2011

Expresso Abso Tracto at the AGO Toronto


Dave and Linda and I went in out of the solar geometry of the August gorgeosity yesterday and visited the tracings, marks, stains, and discolourations that were jammed into the fuel lines of art in the late forties and burst into Abstract Expressionism New York.
Arshile Gorky, the Groucho Marx of the anti-glyph, met us at the door, with three succinct arguments against symbolism. "What do you feel?", he asked, and we had to dig deep, because we already knew his answers. Tragedy. Loss. Pain. And the intangible secret wind blowing behind the canvas draperies of beauty.
Big paintings were in scarce supply, but two huge exclamations by women dominated the next level of revelation. Eliminating the figures and organic imagery characteristic of the feminine eye, Joan Mitchell and Helen Frankenthaler bend us backwards, up into the scrutiny of emotional calligraphy.
Jackson Pollock is well represented, though nothing big enough to get lost in has travelled from New York. His Easter lily painting is a generous moment of pure colour in the complex grotto of his famous splatter.
Louise Bourgeois, on paper, and a wall or two of black and white photography by Siskind and Harry Calahan illustrate how second-nature this way of seeing has become to our strategic repertoires in these later days of image solution.
A totemic sculpture of wood, rope and ceramic opened the way to the colourfield experiment. As the pretense of connection to the visceral starts to dissolve in the far expeditions of Rothko and Motherwell and the chill of Franz Kline, our interest became critical.
After the drunken collapse of the AbEx style near the end of the exhibit and the gift shop hazard, I suggested we return to the front hall to thank Gorky (and his brothers, William Baziotes and De Kooning, who was playing jazz on the harp of the traditional female figure in a well-lit corner) for a wonderful eye-party. No one had invited Paul Klee or Charlie Parker, who would have been honoured to have been thought of as the most original of expressive avatars. Invite yourself sometime, see what you think. And feel.