Playlist for Show of 1 November 2013

Host: Paul Corby      

Radio Regent is now available on ROGERS Channel 60 in downtown T.O.

(brought to you by God Save Loquacious Green, Neon's Early Light & True Paycheck Love)

5-7 p.m. online http://www.radioregent.com/ and at tunein.ca .  Canadians in Asterisk’d RED.

Videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/CorbysOrbit?feature=mhee

5:00 Sardonic Majesties

Janelle Monae ~ Good Morning Midnight / Primetime feat. Miguel  NEW DISK

*Rae Billings ~ Daughter Of Nothing ~ Walls and Fences Friday 8 Nov. @ The Casbah, Hamilton NEW DISK

*The Matinee ~ Let Her Go ~ We Swore We'd See The Sunrise ~ @ The Dakota Tuesday 5 Nov.

Lou Reed (1942-2013) feat. Booker T. & The MG's ~ Foot Of Pride ~ 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration of Bob Dylan

5:20 Modern Wilderness

Anthony B. ~ Dem No Like We ~ @ Sound Academy Saturday

*Chris Velan ~ Hunting Season ~ Solidago @ The Rivoli Sunday, 3 November

Luciano ~ This Is The Time ~ @ The Opera House Saturday

5:35 Echo- logical Alternatives

*Karyn Ellis ~ Rust ~ More Than A Hero @ Pressed in Ottawa Saturday, 9 November NEW DISK

J.D. Souther ~ New Kid In Town ~ The Eagles @ ACC Wednesday 6 November

*Kensington Market ~ I Would Be The One ~Keith McKie @ Heliconian Hall / Yorkville Reunion Saturday/ Sunday

*Joel Plaskett & The Emergency ~ This Is A Message @ Danforth Music Hall Saturday 8:00 & 9:30

6:00 Nourish // Cherish

*Braids ~ Hossak ~@ The Great Hall tonight

Cliff Martinez ~ Ladies Close Your Eyes ~ Only God Forgives Sdtrk NEW DISK

*The Strumbellas ~ Sailing ~ We Still Move On Dancefloors @ The Horseshoe 30 November NEW DISK

6:15 Produce Section

*Cowboy Junkies feat. Doug Paisley ~ Senior Prom ~ The Kennedy Suite NEW DISK

*Jim Byrnes ~ City Lights ~I Hear The Wind In The Wires produced by CFMA nominee Steve Dawson
*Kelly Joe Phelps ~ Brother Pilgrim ~ Brother Sinner & The Whale produced by CFMA nominee Steve Dawson

6:30 Highway Probery

Old 97's ~ Melt Show ~ Too Far To Care ~@ The Phoenix Saturday

*The Stanfields ~ Up The Mountain ~ For King & Country @The Rivoli Sunday 17 November

*Corin Raymond & The Sundowners ~ Ol' Fort Mac ~Paper Nickels  CFMA nominees for Ensemble Of The Year

*Joel Fafard & Joel Schwartz ~ Sittin On Top Of The World ~ @ The Gladstone Tuesday 12 November

6:45 Novembriquettes

*DMBQ ~ The Calling ~ Reunion @ The Rex Saturday ~ with Toronto Music listings superinscribed

*Elizabeth Shepherd ~ Pourquoi Tu Vis ~ @ Jazz Bistro Sunday 

*Lemon Bucket Orchestra ~ Fanfare `Lume, Lume CFMA nominees for Emerging Artist, World Group, Traditional Album & Instrumental Group of the Year

For more insights into the CFMA's coming up next weekend, please consult my piece at Roots Music Canada > http://www.rootsmusic.ca/canadian-folk-music-awards-2013-part-1/

Chromantics

Playlist for show of Friday 25 October

Host: Paul Corby      

Radio Regent is now available on ROGERS Channel 60 in downtown T.O.

(brought to you by Shark De Soleil, Manta Cabaret, & Les Fisherables)

5-7 p.m. online http://www.radioregent.com/ and at tunein.ca .  Canadians in Asterisk’d RED.

Guests:Mike Field

Videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/CorbysOrbit?feature=mhee

5:00 Sonic Scenery

Jeff Beck ~ Hammerhead / Corpus Christi Carol @ Sony Center Saturday

*Mike Field ~ Rush Mode / Interview / Play For You

5:15 Replenish Lines

*Mark Berube ~ Hurricane /  Quiet Little Scream ~ June In Siberia @ The Dakota Tavern Tuesday 29 Oct.
*Braids ~ In Kind ~ Flourish // Perish @ The Great Hall Friday 1 November
*Zaki Ibrahim ~ Draw The Line ~ Every Opposite @ Adelaide Music Hall tonight

5:30 Souled To The Highest 

Kirk Whalum feat. Robert Randolph ~ Everything Is Everything / Donny Hathaway  ~ You've Got A Friend ~ Donny Hathaway Gospel Tribute @ The Rex Tuesday / Wednesday Oct. 29-30

Cyndi Lauper ~ What's Going On (Club Version)  @ Massey Hall Sunday

5:45 Blues Salad
Taj Mahal ~ The Calypsonians ~ Sacred Island  @ Koerner Hall Wed, 30 Oct.

*Carlos Del Junco ~ Nine Below Zero @ Hugh's Room tonight

Eric Burdon ~ Invitation To The White House ~ @ Massey Hall Saturday

*Joёl Fafard & Joel Schwartz ~ State Trooper @ The Gladstone Tuesday, 12 November

6:10  Acoustic Figures

*The Fugitives ~ Love Affairs ~ Everything Will Happen ~@ The Rivoli Wed, 30 Oct.

*Karyn Ellis ~ River ~ More Than A Hero @ Pressed in Ottawa w. Kim Beggs Sat. 9 Nov. > > > > > > >

Neko Case ~ Calling Cards ~ The Worse Things Get...

*The Stanfields ~ Mariner's Grave ~For King And Country


Punch Brothers feat. Chris Thile~ Flippen (The Flip)~Chris Thile @ Koerner Hall tonight




6:40 Steeples And Spires 

Dizzy Gillespie (b. Oct. 21 1917) ~ Friday Night At The Cadillac Club ~ Rhythmstick

*Ron Davis ~ Blue Modules ~ @ Lula Lounge Sunday 8:00 & 9:30 (Toronto music listings adrift on the surface)

The Beach Boys (Brian Wilson & Al Jardine @ The Sony Center Saturday) ~ We'll Run Away / Do You Remember / Hushabye ~ All Summer Long (1964)

A Pair of Queens Wins Hands Down

Playlist For Show Of 18 October

Host: Paul Corby      

Radio Regent is now available on ROGERS Channel 60 in downtown T.O.

(brought to you by Infinity Fair, Cosmospolitan & Auroras' Digest)

5-7 p.m. online http://www.radioregent.com/ and at tunein.ca .  Canadians in Asterisk’d RED.

Guests: Matt Fullbrook of K.C. Roberts and the Live Revolution and Meaghan Blanchard

Videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/CorbysOrbit?feature=mhee

5:00 No Boundaries Just Edges

Orquestra Cubana De Musica Moderna ~ Vehicle ~ Si Para Usted 2

Alice Russell ~ Universe (Dusty Remix) ~ Pot Of Gold Remixes @ The Garrison tonight

*Skydiggers feat.Alejandra Ribera ~ I Am Cuba ~ She Comes Into The Room / 25th Anniversary @  The Winter Garden Saturday new disk

Moby feat. Cold Specks ~ Tell Me ~ Innocents (Arts & Crafts) new disk

5:20  Concrete Jugglers

Peter Tosh w. The Wailers ~ The Letter / The World Is Changing ~ Peter Tosh Tribute at Lee's Palace Saturday

*K.C. Roberts & The Live Revolution ~ A Beautiful Blastoff / Interview with Matt Fullbrook / Cupid @ The Phoenix on Hallowe'en new disk

5:45 Blue-bricating Ointments

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown ~ Sometimes I Slip ~ Alright Again (Rounder)

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band ~ Nutpopper #1 ~ The Original Lost Elektra Sessions

6:00 Yukon Goals

*Kim Beggs ~ A.J. Goddard Shipwreck / A Sailor's Daughter / Oh Boy / Not Only From The Whiskey ~ Beauty and Breaking new disk CD release @ The Monarch Pub Thursday, 24 October & @ FMO Saturday

6:15 Anticipatory Democracy

*Cloe Bernard & Eddie Paton ~ Tout Ca ~ Rendez-Vous new disk CD Release @ The Lula Lounge Thursday 24 October

*ROAM ~ Hymn To Her ~ @ Lula Lounge Wed. 23 October 

*Karyn Ellis ~ Cosmic Cowboy ~ More Than A Hero new disk CD release @ The Monarch Pub Thursday, 24 October & @ FMO Saturday

*Meaghan Blanchard ~ Jenna's Song / Interview / She's Gonna Fly ~ She's Gonna Fly new disk @ The Cameron House Saturday 9 p.m.

*The Fugitives ~ Bigger Than Luck ~Everything Will Happen new disk CD release @ The Rivoli Tuesday 29 October and on Corby's Orbit next week

*Mike Field ~ Arizona Avenue / Balkan Swing @ Harlem tonight and on Corby's Orbit next week, with a meringue of Toronto music bubblings airbrushed on top

*A Tribe Called Red ~ Look At This ~ @ BLK BOX Saturday X Avant VIII

Ev'ry buddy is talking about this: Musical Frontiers with Lalah Hathaway & Snarky Puppy

Mimi Oz Plays Her Card

The wizardry of Mimi Oz

by PAUL CORBY

Originally published at http://www.rootsmusic.ca/

Meet Mimi Oz : wiry and tawny – raisin eyes crinkle inside shreds of coconut hair – and she’s an eloquent observer of flashlight darknesses.

Artistry has spread a path before her since childhood. Mimi says filling notebooks with her thoughts, “feeling emotions through words” became a secret life for her in the pre-teen years in Toronto’s west end.

A passion for creating visual art carried her through her teens. Traces of her graphic work can be found on the inner sleeve of her first record, Three Of Swords, which she released this year. In 2010, she made the difficult decision – for a shy person – to start singing her poems out loud. Touring the open mics of downtown T.O., she piqued the ears of another multi-faceted artist,Bobby Wiseman, to whom she dedicates the record with: “To the wisest of all men.” He responded to her music at the Tranzac one night by suggesting that they record a few songs together. At the same time, she began giving away all her work on paper and canvas to friends and family.

“I just got tired of taking care of all the material I don’t need,” she says. Wiseman began collaborating with Mimi in structuring her songs. “He made me consider what the song is really about,” she recalls. “Putting the words into the right shape, too. I had always thought of rhyme as a hindrance to expression, but if it’s done well, it really helps you to get the most out of a song.” With much of her material in different stages of development, it was necessary to align them to a theme.

“I had made a lot of bad decisions, gotten into some unfortunate circumstances, travelling, living in Mexico, and I was walking down the street with a friend. There was a card on the street in front of me and he said, ‘You’d better pick that up.’ It was the Three Of Swords from a strange Tarot deck; it is an indicator that pain must be seen as a learning experience, a symbol of the heart emerging from darkness.”

The event is dramatized in her first video, for The Thief.

Using that moment as a touchstone, the songs began to fall into order. From the first lyric, “Morning window song…” there is a discernible upward arch to the album. Through the gauze of Mariachi, electronica, torchy jazz and Japanese pop textures that decorate her voice, Mimi stays true to the course of betrayal, heartbreak and forgiveness that animate her narrative.

“There is such a variety of shading to her voice,” says singer Jocelyn Barth, a member of Mimi’s band, The Wizards. “The first time I heard the record I thought it was a compilation of different singers.”

The intensity of emotion that drives her recorded performance ignites even a few cover songs by Sam Larkin, Warren Zevon and Jose Luis Perales, which fit in with the redemptive concept of the record. The challenge of performing with the new band is not only to re-imagine the music on the ornately-textured disk, but to return to the pain that inspired it. “You get further away from pain,” Mimi reflects, “and you become closer to who you are, even though it still exists. The job for me is to expose truths about addiction, loneliness and suffering with fascination rather than obsession.”

Currently, she finds herself writing darker songs, and following compositional vectors suggested by jazz, blues and traditional folk music. A recent trip to New York has inspired a desire to design a poetry book, perhaps as an insert for her next record, and maybe even to start making art again. A Spanish word prefaces the booklet inside Three Of Swords: disfrutar, meaning to bask, to revel, to delight or luxuriate. Certainly Mimi Oz has earned this opportunity for a major disfrutar and has generously provided a musical landscape in which her listeners can do the same.