Corby's Orbit

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

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Carolyn Wonderland in Toronto

I saw two very different shows this weekend: on Friday the second night of Xavier Rudd at the packed Queen Elizabeth Theatre, and on Saturday, Carolyn Wonderland playing to 100 faithful at The Great Hall. Xavier Rudd is an Australian vegetarian with a triple stemmed didgeridoo, a Weissenborn, a Gibson ES 335, and two Zulu sidemen whom he barely acknowledges. He spoke little but platitudes to his college audience, played songs with strong heartbeats and "wo-wo" call-and-response sections that made me wish for Sting. His songs repeat the same philosophy of love the earth, free the people and let's see what happens. The first song arrived at peak energy in a cloud of weed and then slackened off through the rest of the night as the formula worked its way through...djembe solo, audience on stage for one song ( security close at hand), helicopter dance, singalongs, and, when in doubt, wo-wo it out.
Carolyn is an extremely talented Texan guitarist and singer (and trumpeter!), evoking all the fierceness and tenderness of an Ellen McIllwaine reborn. Her band included Kansas City prodigy Guy Forsyth, Cole El-Saleh on keyboards, and a knife sharp rhythm squadron. The band's zone of humour and creativity grew organically to support Carolyn's spontaneous, inventive musical powers and warmth. She gave time generously to showcase Guy's songs and his talents on guitar, harmonica, uke, saw, and repartee. The gorgeous ripple-finished Telecaster that she stood and sat with all night put out more smoke and firecrackers than Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull over the course of a set that included blues, rock, gospel, and cumbia, and soulful replays of songs by Janis Joplin, Johnny Winter, Bob Dylan and Terri Hendrix. It was a great opportunity for Toronto to get to know a vivid new interpreter of modern song. The small audience of old and young responded with loud affection. "Make Toronto weird!" was one shouted request. Don't miss her next time. She just might manage that.

Friday, May 14, 2010

All Drums from Senegal

Sometimes I Sits and Thinks, and Sometimes I Just Sits


So... where's the playlist?Because of computer retooling, to comply more closely with CRTC guidelines (see above), my show playlists will be on paper for the next few weeks. Wonder no more.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

CKLN Perseveres


At a CRTC hearing on May 12, CKLN members pictured above took another step towards reviving
the station from the abuses of mismanagement that have been hindering our progress. Confidence and improved morale will be audible. Stay tuned!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Drummers' Dream stars and director In Orbit Friday

This is Nasyr Abdul Al Kabir on drums with Dizzy in 1985 with his dad Sayiid and Walter Davis Jr. on piano. He will be on the show with OMG Dennis Chambers from Parliament/Funkadelic and Raul Rikow from Santana. They are the stars of Hot Docs' feature Drummers' Dream by John Walker, who wanted to grow up to be a drummer, but instead became one of Canada's most prestigious dokko directors. He'll be talking up the film and the drummers will be making BIG SOUNDS. Drumroll please!
Playlist May 14
gundecha brothers raag shivranjani tears on a lotus sense world music 11:03

delhi to Dublin SOS planet electric factor 11:07

dylan murray if you wanna give white wing roots soul clap11:11

justin nozuka unwoken dream you i wind land and sea golden train 11:16

massive attack flat of the blade heligoland virgin1 1:21

brenna mac crimmon evlerine varagele usandim events in small chambers green goat11:25

punjabi 45 clinton luaka bop wb 11:28

novalima / azu madre! Remix tumbala coba coba remixed cumbancha 11:33

andrew downing on the sun silents black hen 11:38

here lies love florence and the machine / david byrne& fatboy slim nonesuch 11:43

meg Hutchinson being happy the living side red house 11:47

eugene ripper tech know me punks and pushers er 11:52

tanya philipovich page 79 secret fiction romance tp 11:58

los campesinos in medias res romance is boring arts and crafts 12:03

the spill canvas crash course realities ep reprise 12:07

david myles run away turn time off turtlemusic 12:12

justin curtis and sally jo no apology intended shoulda known better lazy J 12:18

alyssa delbaere sawchuck red river medley a tribute to walter flett

metis fiddler quartet 12:22

merle haggard / george jones sick sober and sorry kickin out the footlights bandit12 : 27

carolyn wonderland throw my love miss understood bismeaux 12:30

j.b hutto and the new hawks soul lover rock with me tonight bullseye12:34 Y

sharon jones & the dap kings she ain't a child no more i learned the hard way daptone12:38

razia babonao zebu nation cumbancha 12:42

the caravelles you don't have to be a baby to cry hard-to-find 45's eric 12:47

eliana cuevas canaima vidas ec 12:53

zap mama / the roots rafiki luaka bop wb 12:57

At 1:00, interviews with the director (John Walker) and stars (Nasyr Abdul Al Khabyr, Raul Rekow, and Dennis Chambers) of Drummers’ Dream took up the last hour of the show.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Musical Megavitamins Playlist April 30th


sugar minnott

nah follow no fashion

inna reggae dancehall

heartbeat

11:02

lazo

sun and rain

passin thru

lazomusic

11:06

humble & demolition man

crazy world

toronto's best

dj chocolate

11:11

xavier rudd

shy to ground

koonyum sun

fontana

11:15

don rooke /michelle willis

northland holiday / wishful protection / cast a net (live) / sin

is this tomorrow

hencorp

11:22

bjork

innocence

voltaic

nonesuch

11:25

melissa mcclelland

go down matthew

thumbelina a prelude

orange

11:30

david byrne / fatboy slim

the rose of tacloban

here lies love

nonesuch

11:34

run with the kittens

dog / interview / little fawn (live) / caledonia

myth in the sky

rwtk

12;30

BUFFY ST. MARIE

DARLIN DON'T CRY

UP WHERE WE BELONG

UNIVERSAL

12:55

CRAIG DAVID

ALL ALONE TONIGHT

SIGNED SEALED DELIVERED

UNIVERSAL

1:01

cypress hill

pass the dutch

rise up

priority

1:06

sharon jones

money

i learned the hard way

daptone

1:10

jeff beck/joss stone

there's no other me

emotion & commotions

atco

1:15

little walter

roller coaster

hate to see you go

chess

1:19

raoul & the bigtime / julian fauth

please don't go

blue midnight

bm

1:23

mastrzofthayoonavrce

the flame that reigns eternal

mastrzofthayoonavrce

mastrz

1:27

ross neilsen & the sufferin' bastards

afflicted / badlands

redemption

bootsoup

1:31

microbunny

gravity and air

49 swans

`microbunny

1:35

benny goodman / teddy wilson

the world is waiting for the sunrise

let's dance

proarte

1:40

talvin singh

traveller / listings

chillout

marks & spencer

1:44

she& him

vol.2 song 4

1:49

scott lanaway

all our yesterdays

mergers and acquisitions

acon

1:54