Corby's Orbit

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

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Playlist For Show Of 26 July


Commissioner of Selection: Paul Corby 

( Brought to you by Vector Grants, Interior Arts Counselling and Emergency Artists)

5-7 p.m. Fridays online http://www.radioregent.com/ and at tunein.com .  

Guests: Tony Quarrington & ZoeyAdams 

Podcast here https://www.mixcloud.com/paul-corby/ 
*( MIXCLOUD is currently down. So new uploads until such time. Archive shows are still available.)

Click On Pictures To Enlarge 

Canadians in Asterisk’d RED. 


5:00 Epically Epic Epicosity


* Kaia Kater ~ The Right One ~ Grenades ~ @ Roy Thompson Hall Patio Wednesday 31 July 6 p.m.

8 The Achromatics ~ Moctezuma ll ~ Give Me That Beat ~ @ College Park Thursday 1 August 12 p.m.

* Nomadic Massive ~ Let It In ~ Times NEW DISK

5:20 Strategic Ingestments

* Al Qahwa ~ You & I ~ Cairo Moon NEW DISK ~ @ Hugh's Room Live Saturday 10 August and on Corby's orbit next Friday 2 August

* Ariana Gillis ~ Rock It Like Fantastic ~ The Maze NEW DISK ~ At Ossfest Saturday 5 p.m.

Texas Tornadoes ~ I'm Not That Kat Anymore ~ Zone Of Our Own 

Eddy Clearwater ~ Walls Of Hate ~ Reservation Blues (Bullseye 2000)

* Chain Mail ~ Psych Level 4 - Purple ~ The Psychedelic Suite NEW DISK

5:40 High Joltage

* Ian Tamblyn ~ Arc Of Dreams And Prayers ~ Angel's Share

* Laura Viers ~ Drink Deep ~ Saltbreakers 

The Delgados ~ The Light Before We Land ~ Hate

* Mose Scarlett ~ I Can't Get Started ~ Precious Moments

6:00  Mose Definitely

* Tony Quarrington & Zoey Adams ~ Interview /. How Do I love You / Now And Then ~ PRE- Release ~ @ Tribute To Mose Scarlett @ Tranzac Wednesday 7 August 7:30

6:20  Entrancing Transits

* James Gordon ~ In The Dying Days Of The Empire Of Oil ~ The Heritage Hall Sessions NEW DISK

* Haley Richardson & Quinn Bachand ~ Dark Slender Boy ~ When The Wind Blows High & Clear NEW DISK

* Shari Ulrich ~ Love Is Everything ~ Back To Shore NEW DISK ~ @ Hugh's Room Live 


* Stacey Renee ~ Don't Wanna Wait ~ @ Beaches Jazz Festival tonight and Saturday at 1980 Queen St. E. / The Salty Dog

Art Neville (December 17, 1937 – July 22, 2019) and The Meters ~ Mardi Gras Mambo ~ Fire On the Bayou 

6:40 Climax Change

Marcus Valle ~ Guanabara ~ Bravo Chill

*Amanda Tosoff ~ Concept 2010 ~ Looking North ~ @ The Old Mill Saturday

The Beach Boys ~ Long Promised Road ~ Surf's Up










Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Sattalites and The Orbit Room Tribute to Jojo Bennett: The Fugitive Gets Some Justice


Jamaican composer, arranger and trumpeter, Joseph "Jojo" Bennett, a graduate of the famed Kingston musical crucible, Alpha Boys' School, went on to joinByron Lee And The Dragonaires, recording several albums with them before staying in Canada after the group's show there at Expo 67. In 1970 he returned to Jamaica, releasing the album "Groovey Joe".
                                                            Click on photos to enlarge

He then returned to Canada in the late seventies and joined Ernie Smith & The Roots Revival, (ABOVE) touring and recording with them into the early 80's. At this point Jojo put together an ensemble of young Canadian musicians and became the leader of the 
Juno Award winning Canadian/Jamaican reggae/pop band The Sattalites, earning much media attention and a broad audience with many videos and six albums to their credit.




A celebration of his talents and accomplishments took place this past Sunday. By four p.m. a sizeable crowd had climbed up into the Orbit Room, which has provided a weekly residency and headquarters for the band since Jojo's semi-retirement. Greeted by the fragrance of a large pot of ital corn soup and a steady mix of Bob Marley music, there were at least six or seven people singing along with each song at any given moment. 

Hosted by his long time confidante and original lead singer Fergus Hambleton (left), whose son Graeme played alto sax on the show (right), three sets of standards from the Jamaican songbook offered a retrospective of Sattalites personnel and showcased many guests who have been influenced by their sound during the group's tenure as Canada's top reggae band.





Right: Original Sattalites soundman and guitarist/singer Jeff Holdip and Neville Francis.

                                                                  


Orbit Alley, a long hallway leading to the patio, became part of stage right as a scrum formed around the single microphone there. Left, trombone man Dizzy, and vocalists Michael Garrick and Rah Lion, crucial percussionist Smasher and keyboard don Sam Weller jockey for position and hold their corner..




                   Below: The gracious and glorious Tanya Mullings. "I'm here for Uncle Joe." 




Set One L to R: Neville Francis, Rah Lion, Jojo Bennett, Axe, Graeme Hambleton, Rick Morrison, Fergus Hambleton, & Sam Weller

Set Two L to R: Neil Chapman, Pablo Paul, Jesse Dubmatix King, Fergus, & Bill King





Set Two ska closer: Dizzy, Bruce McGillivray, Jason Wilson

Saturday, July 13, 2019

Playlist Corby's Orbit Show Of 12 July

                                             Illustration by Davide Bonazzi 

Commissioner of Selection: Paul Corby 

( Brought to you by Imaginary Menageries, Mythological Ideologies and Hypothetical Aesthetics)

5-7 p.m. Fridays online http://www.radioregent.com/ and at tunein.com .  

Click On Pictures To Enlarge 

Canadians in Asterisk’d RED. 


5:00 Anthem Bombs


Heart ~ You're The Voice ( Studio Version )~ Greatest Hits @ Budweiser Stage Sunday

* Michael Jerome Browne ~ Louisiana 1927 ~ That's Where It's At NEW DISK

Don Drummond ~ Cornerstone / Musical Communion ~ Greatest Hits ~ Don Drummond Tribute @ Junction City Music Hall Thursday 18 July

5:15 Joâo for Now 

Joâo Gilberto (10 June 1931 – 6 July 2019) ~ Tim Tim Por Tim Tim / Bim Bom ~ Stan Getz' Big Band Bossa Nova / Beaches Latin Carnival @ Woodbine Park Sunday

Jimmy Buffett ~ Grapefruit Juicy Fruit ~ The Great Jimmy Buffett ~ @ Budweiser Stage Saturday  

* Audrey Ochoa Trio ~ Afterthought (mixed by Battery Poacher) ~ Afterthought NEW DISK

5:30 New Mode Songs

* James Hill & Anne Janelle ~ Heart Shaped Tattoo ~ Many A Moon (Borealis) NEW DISK

* James Gordon ~ When You Live Out On The Sidewalk ~ The Heritage Hall Sessions (Borealis)  NEW DISK

* Irish Mythen ~ The Bravery ~ Little Bones NEW DISK

* Annie Sumi ~ Time Is A Dream ~ In The Unknown ~ @ Burdock Monday 15 July 6 p.m.

 * Layla Zoe ~ Ghost Train ~ Gemini  NEW DISK

5:55 Games of Dance


* Cassie & Maggie ~ The Willow Hits ~ The Willow Collection ~ @ Yonge Dundas Square tonight

John Reischman ~ Gold Mountain Blues ~ Walk Along John

Tananas ~ Seven ~ Sound Offerings

* Yuka ~ Fela City ~ Giant Insects ~ @ The Island Grill / Kingston, Ontario tonight

Billy Branch & The Sons Of Blues ~ Hate To See You Go ~ Roots & Branches: The Songs Of Little Walter NEW DISK (Alligator)

Ben E. King ~ Young Boy Blues ~ The Ultimate Collection

Jessie Mueller & The Original Cast of Waitress ~ She Used To Be Mine ~ Waitress July 9 - Aug 16 at the Ed Mirvish Theatre


6:20 Woke Music

* Joe Hall ~ How Many Miles To Babylon ~ The Songs of Tony Quarrington ~ Tony Quarrington @ Tranzac Saturday with Q&A

Jakob Dylan & Dhani Harrison ~ Give Me Some Truth ~ Save Darfur ~ Dhani Harrison @ Scotiabank Arena Thursday 18 July with ELO

Eva Cassidy ~ People Get Ready ~ Songbird 

* Minotaurs ~ Witched And Wildered ~ AUM

The Mamas & The Papas ~ Words Of Love ~ 16 Of Their Greatest Hits

6:40 Filament Marrow

* Alexis Baro ~ Stolen Moments / Havana Banana ~ Havana Banana ~ @ Poetry Jazz Cafe tonight

Tom Waits ~ Heart Attack and Vine ~ Heart Attack and Vine ~ The Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation @ Linsmore Monday







Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Downchild Goes Uptown For Their 50 Year Anniversary

“What a great night to be playin’ the blues, eh?” ~ Chuck Jackson
L.to R.: Michael Fonfara, Paul Shaffer, Donny Walsh, Mike Fitzpatrick, Chuck Jackson, Dan Aykroyd, Gary Kendall, Pat Carey, Pete Jeffrey
The stained alleyways and decrepit staircases that germinated the talent and sustained the weight of Toronto blues history were still pulsing with pungency  just a few blocks south, but on the opening  Saturday night of TD’s Toronto Jazz Festival, Downchild went uptown to the cheers of fans, family, jazz freaks and the filthy rich of upscale host neighbourhood Yorkville Village. While a closed-off Bloor Street West cascaded with tourists and surplus celebrants from that day’s Dyke march and that week’s Raptors bacchanale, hospitality was high-priced, with a beyond-meat burger running to $13 and bottled water bringing in $3 for that evil Nestles. But the throng on the street effervesced nonetheless, with parasols, electric sunglasses, feather boas and at least one live boa constrictor. 

Then the aquiline tones of backstage moderator Dan Aykroyd invited the mixed crowd / human gumbo stew at large, “including families and rainbow friends, to give a big smoke city welcome to the founder of a fifty year legacy of worldwide music and fun: Citizens, I give you one of your own: writer! composer! raconteur! vocalist! guitar-slinger! harp-master! archivist! And the leader of Canada`s blues band extraordinaire and inspiration for the Blues Brothers, Mr. Downchild, Doctor Donny Walsh. And! This! Is! The Downchild Bluuuuues Band.”
The band summarily kicked out with a tight hour-and-a-half revue of rhythm and moans, shouts and swing, hot-dogging solos and thumping grooves that won over blues wannabes and long time congregants alike with its punch, provocation and sincerity. Politicos were elsewhere. Unlike the other cherry photo ops happening around town, this one was decidedly `for the people` and the mood was mellow and celebratory.
Guitar icon David Wilcox brought the night`s first power surge, calling out band members in song and hypnotizing the audience with his circuitous slide statements and boisterous inclusiveness. 





Blues barker Chuck Jackson got the crowd to chant along on a relaxed and swinging Dewdrop Inn, and displayed the variety of his chops on cajun and soul styles along with some supportive harp scorching. 
Donny Downchild made the best of his glory moment with lots of easy going slide and frequent amped up solos on the misery whistle. The collective force of Fonfara, Kendall, Neal and Fitzpatrick, with the contribution of consistently funky horn spikes by saxman Pat Carey and trumpeter Pete Jeffrey, 
throbbed an insistent pulse into a long roller coaster evening of rhythm, behind such royal sparklers as California`s Gene Taylor, Helsinki`s Erja Lyytinen, Thunder Bay`s Paul Shaffer, formerly of The World`s Most Dangerous Band, and finally Ottawa`s Dan Aykroyd,
who weighed in with his classic take on Sam & Dave`s Soul Man and the Blues Brothers` expropriated Downchild hit, I`ve Got Everything I Need (Almost). Shrugging his way back and forth across the stage in shades and black fedora, he eventually herded all the players back into the jumbotron spotlight for a rousing finale on Flip Flop and Fly, which crested in high style before the night became casually undone, dispersing an audience of thousands into that vivid dark blueness that every Saturday holds in common. What a great night to be hearing the blues, eh?
Originally published at Roots Music Canada

Saturday, July 6, 2019

Playlist For Corby's Orbit Show Of 5 July

Commissioner of Selection: Paul Corby 

( Brought to you by Respiratory Stories, Pulmonary Poetry & Intestinal Essays)

5-7 p.m. Fridays online http://www.radioregent.com/ and at tunein.com .  

Guest: Jean Paul De Roover

Click On Pictures To Enlarge 

Canadians in Asterisk’d RED. 

5:00 The Current Fantasy


* Lydia Ainsworth ~ Floating Dream ~ Phantom Forest  NEW DISK ~ @ The Garrison Saturday

Skerryvore ~ The Rise ~  Skerryvore ~ @ Hugh's Room Live tonight

* Nomadic Massive ~ Times ~ Times NEW DISK

5:15 Afro Festooning (Afrofest @ Woodbine Park all weekend)

Tony Bird ~ Mango Time ~ Sorry Africa

Valérie Ékoumé ~ Se Yaya ~  Kwin Na Kingué NEW DISK (de Paris / Cameroon)

Ladysmith Black Mambazo feat. Sarah McLachlan ~ Homeless ~ Long Walk To Freedom

5:30 Love Levels 


* Jean-Paul De Roover ~ I'd Do Anything / Interview / Ragged Angel ~ Love NEW DISK ~ CD launch  @ Tranzac Tiki Room Tuesday 9 July 7 p.m. + @ Union Station 12 pm Monday 8 July

* Abigail Lapell ~ Ask Me No Questions ~ Getaway ~ @ Tranzac Saturday 7 pm for Early Birds with Raine Hamilton

* Kalon Hart ~ I Think You Know ~ Love Is Surrender NEW Release ~ @ Burdock Thursday 11 July 

6:00 Heart Dizzies

* Tanika Charles ~ Cadillac Moon / Since You Been Gone ~ The Gumption NEW DISK



Otis Gayle ~ Voyage To Atlantis ~ Love Is A Thing ~ @ Woodbine Park Friday 19 July with Reggadiction for Studio One Tribute  + guest artists King Selah, Terell Jervis, Dvocalz, Lilly Mason & Dizzy Minott of Arsenals: 100% Kick-Ass Ska + special guests DJs JChameleon & Selectress SunShine as part of Beaches Jazz Festival

Mélisande ~ Si L'Amour Prenait Racine ~ Les Millésimes ~ @ Yonge Dundas Square tonight for Franco Fête

Maxi Priest ~ Same Old Story ~ Maxi Priest 


* Feist & Maria Doyle Kennedy ~ Century ~ Pleasure ~ @ Calgary Stampede tonight

6:30 Guitar Sands

The Beatles feat. Ringo Starr BornJuly 7, 1940 (age 79 years) ~ I Wanna Be Your Man ~ Live At The BBC

* Ray Montford ~ Spirit Runner ~ Many Roads 

* Andrew Vivona ~ Try To Dream All Day ~ Enough Nuance 

Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile ~ Untogether ~ Lotta Sea Lice

6:45 Marketable Remarks

Billy Branch & The Sons Of Blues ~ Juke ~ Roots And Branches: The Songs Of Little walter NEW DISK (Alligator)

* Alex Fournier ~ Dusk ~ Triio NEW DISK ~ @ Tranzac Tuesday 9 July for Mouse Food and Two Way Street + Toronto Music Listings

John Prine & Steve Goodman ~ Souvenirs ~ Affordable Art ~ The Songs Of  John Prine & Steve Goodman @ Free Times Cafe Thursday 11 July / (Above) ~ Serbian girl in Belgrade 17 03 2019