My November Blog Reaches Orbital Pinnacle

 This month represents the highest number of hits ever recorded on the blog in its 10-year climb up the blogspot analytics graph: 4,377 views! 

Thanks to all the artists and my other co-conspirators of the past and the ear future for their creative contributions and dedication to showcasing new Canadian music. Orbiting ever onwards!

Playlist For Corby's Orbit Show of 26 November 2021 with William Carn and Tara Davidson

 

Commissioner of Selection: Paul Corby 

5-7 p.m. Fridays online

Podcast Available At: https://www.mixcloud.com/paul-corby/podcast-for-corbys-orbit-show-of-26-november-2021-with-william-carn-and-tara-davidson/

Guests: William Carn & Tara Davidson of CD9

(Brought to you by Black Holistics, Ecliptic Calypsos, & Comet Attractions)

5:00: Keeping Track Of Expanses

* Kaytranada feat. H.E.R. ~ So So ~ Intimidated EP ~  NEW RELEASE @ History 30 December

* Raine Hamilton ~ Eclipse ~ Brave Land  PRE RELEASE (Out 21 Jan. 2021)

* Beatrice Deer ~ The Storm NEW RELEASE

* Danny Brooks & The Rockin` Revelators ~ Forbidden Fruit ~ Garth Hudson Presents : A Canadian Celebration of The Band (Curve Records) NEW RE-ISSUE

* James Noble ~ Focus NEW RELEASE

* The Fretless feat. Celeigh Cardinal ~ Earthly Days ~ Open House  NEW RELEASE

Malcolm Holcombe ~ Into The Sunlight ~ Tricks Of The Trade  NEW RELEASE

* Newberry / Verch ~ Martin Luther`s Tree ~ On This Christmas Day  NEW RELEASE 

5:30 Making History

* CD9 ~ Interview with William Carn & Tara Davidson / Home / Wisely If Sincerely ~ The History Of Us NEW RELEASE

6:00 Afterglow - Best of 2021 Part 2

* Kaitlin Thatcher ~ Moving On

* Rich Aucoin ~ Walls Remix ~ United States

* Joni NehRita ~ Where We Belong ~ Love & Protest

* Broke Fuse ~ Strawberry Moon ~ Rocket Ride

* Jane Mathew ~ No One ~ Such Perfect Lives

* Isaac Murdoch & Matt Epp ~ Indian Song ~ You Were Chosen To Be Here

* The Bubbles ~ Six Feet Closer

* The Weather Station ~ Atlantic ~ Ignorance

 

* Tush ~ Fantast ~ Chrysalis

* Sarah Jerrom ~ Plastic Stuff ~ Dream Logic

* June Garber ~ He Never Mentioned Love ~ Off The Carousel 

* Alex Cuba ~ I Think Of You ~ Mendo

* Shawna Caspi ~ Celebrate ~ Hurricane Coming     (photo by Shawna Caspi)

6:45 Audio Borealis

* Archie Fisher & Garnet Rogers ~  The Last Leviathan ~ Off The Map

* Bywater Call feat. Meghan Parnell (@ Women's Blues Revue tonight) ~ Talking Backwards 

* Tabby Johnson (@ Women's Blues Revue tonight) ~ O Canada ~ Just A Taste

Carn / Davidson Nonet In Orbit Today

 

Corby's Orb-HITS! Best of 2021 Part 2

 

This Orbit Has 22 Musics

 

Playlist For Corby's Orbit Show Of 19 November 2021 with Best Songs of 2021 Part 1

Commissioner of Selection: Paul Corby 

5-7 p.m. Fridays online

Podcast Available At: https://www.mixcloud.com/paul-corby/podcast-for-corbys-orbit-show-of-19-november-2021-with-best-songs-of-2021-part-1/

Guest: Fergus Hambleton

(Brought to you by Turbulent Tributaries, Ravaging Rivers and Qu'est ce - que - c'est-uaries )

5:00: Begin Or Begone

* The Sadies ~ Stop And Start NEW RELEASE

* Jr. Gone Wild ~ Behind The Wheel ~ Still Got The Jacket NEW RELEASE

* OMBlGllZl ~ Residential Military ~ Sewn Back Together PRE RELEASE

* Haviah Mighty feat. Dia Burger ~ So So ~ Stock Exchange NEW RELEASE

* Graham Brown Band ~ Let's Get High (On Love) ~ Spirit And Soul NEW RELEASE

OST Kahini Aivida-Naa Kehna ~ Rock And Roll Soniye ~ The Taste Of Indian Music

Laura Mvula ~ Green Garden ~ Sing To The Moon

*  PUP ~ Waiting ~ NEW RELEASE

* Julie Doiron ~ Snow Falls In November ~ Goodnight Nobody ~ @ Horseshoe Tavern Wednesday, 8 December

5:35 Significant Magnificence

* Fergus Hambleton ~ Jackie Mittoo's Drum Song ~ Jazz Lovers' Society vol.2 NEW RELEASE

* T. Buckley ~ Wildfire ~ Frame By Frame (Fallen Tree) NEW RELEASE

* Over The Moon ~ Ian Tyson's Someday Soon ~ Chinook Waltz (Borealis)  NEW RELEASE

* Jaffa Road ~ Ya'Ala Ya'Ala ~ Until When NEW RELEASE

* Don  Macdonald ~ La Tormenta ~ Shifting Sands PRE RELEASE

                                                     photo by Julie Blues Doctor Hill

* Aphrose ~ Make Your Mark ~ Element ~ @ The Supermarket tonight

* Silla & Rise ~ Pandemonium ~ Silarjuaq NEW RELEASE

6:15 Orbital Hip Parade - Best Songs of 2021 Part l

* Dana Sipos ~ Light Around The Body ~ The Astral Plane  

Jungle ~ Keep Moving ~ Loving In Stereo

* The Human Rights ~ Working ~ Reggae Strong 

Cassandra Jenkins ~ Hard Drive ~ An Overview Of Phenomenal Nature

* Celeigh Cardinal ~ The Tragically Hip's Ahead By A Century

* Big Little Lions ~ Only A Friend Like You ~ The Singles

* Ronley Teper ~ Crazy Times ~ Everyone Loves A Good Story

* Bobby Dove ~ Early Morning Funeral ~ Hopeless Romantic ~ @ The Horseshoe Tavern Wednesday, 24 November

* The Halluci-Nation ~ Stay ~ Another Saturday Night 

* Sammy Duke ~ Fly Away Child 

* Prince Enoki feat. Jocelyn Barth ~ Impossible 

Hiatus Kaiyote ~ Get Sun ~ Mood Valiant

* Carn Davidson Nonet ~ Goodbye Old Friend ~ The Story Of Us ~ CD Release @ The Rex Hotel Wednesday - Saturday, November 24 - 27 -and- on Corby's Orbit next Friday, 26 November.

Above: Sammy Duke, Beverly Kreller and David Newland at Speak Music Be Kind Festival in the Tranzac, January 2020.

New Canadian Music - Beaming You Up Every Time

 

A Profusion of Excellent Sounds & Dancing at Muhtadi's Annual Drum Fest

T-Dot Batu

 At Toronto's Wychwood Barns this past Sunday, bright sunshine and scores of percussion stars turned out to appreciate and show sincere admiration for the cultural contributions of drummer, teacher and activist Muhtadi. His annual Muhtadi International Drumming Festival is now in its 21st year and a grand profusion of excellent sounds & dancing accompanied the 6+ - hour event, which could be heard far and wide in the Hillcrest neighbourhood, just west of Casa Loma. Below, Njacko Backo plays the kora with his wife.

Despite many funding challenges, and this year's epithet-laden conflict over a potential cancellation, Muhtadi and his dedicated band of volunteers and performers have maintained an unbroken, twenty-one year string of FREE annual festivals, providing a unique platform for mutual respect, unity and joyful multicultural celebration of life in Canada. 

Muhtadi Thomas immigrated to Canada from Trinidad and Tobago in 1974. His musical talents have allowed him to master the djembe, bongos, congas, timbales, steel pan, and a wide assortment of other percussion instruments. As many of you may already know, Muhtadi suffers from Parkinson's disease.

Since he has so often freely given his time and talent to many individuals and causes, his organization wants to retrofit his home and purchase mobility aids so that he can remain in the comfort of his own space.The event was also meant to raise awareness of Muhtadi's Parkinson's Home Care Fund.

Maracatu Mar Aberto.

Below: Hummingbird Tassa Band from Trinidad & Tobago.

Beginning with a drum circle, which focussed energies and summoned weekending families and friends to the already bustling community center, the day developed steadily through a programme of ensembles and solo artists that led to a culminating roar of rhythm that set bodies in motion, drumsticks afire and a benevolent
smile across Muhtadi's countenance as he sat ringside and applauded with obvious enjoyment at every act, many of which have been encouraged and trained by him in his career as a music educator.

A special sideline of the event was the presence of David Hynes' Conundrum (seen here with Festival organizer, Muhtadi's Brother Joe Thomas}, which gave all present a chance to connect to deep tones and thundering rhythms. It was surrounded by children, musicians, neighbours and dogs for much of the afternoon. 

After wave upon wave had pulsed through the physical and metaphysical metabolisms of the gathering, it was left to  amazing soloists and jammers to sanctify the proceedings with sunset performances and to return spirits to earthly levels, having enjoyed a magical musical day and the aura that had been cast by one man over an entire city. Like the voice of rhythm, forever forward, Muhtadi. 

Master Drummer Amadou Kienou from Burkina Faso

Video features part of the performance by Maracatu Mar Aberto.

This was originally published at https://www.rootsmusic.ca/

Playlist for Corby's Orbit Show of 12 November 2021 with SATE, Nick Maclean and Brownman Ali

 

Commissioner of Selection: Paul Corby 

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

Podcast Available At: https://www.mixcloud.com/paul-corby/podcast-for-corbys-orbit-show-of-12-novemnber-2021-with-sate-nick-maclean-and-brownman-ali/

Guests: SATE, Nick Maclean & Brownman Ali

(Brought to you by Sinister Ministers, Insincere Premiers and Preventative Representatives)

5:00 Single Bells

* String Bone ~ Wow! Oh Yeah! NEW SINGLE RELEASE

* Sophie Lukacs ~ Falling NEW SINGLE RELEASE

* Caro Lopez ~ El Latin Dance NEW SINGLE RELEASE

* David James Allan ~ Nobody ~ The Architect NEW SINGLE RELEASE

* Robert Priest ~ = 10 Civilians NEW SINGLE RELEASE

* Men I Trust ~ Seven ~ Untourable Album @ Danforth Music Hall 19 January 2022

* Adam Solomon's Afropop Experience ~ As It Is @ Drom Taberna Saturday 20 November 7:30 - 11:30 NEW SINGLE RELEASE

* Janette King ~ Found A Way ~ What We Lost NEW SINGLE RELEASE

* Alessia Cara ~ You Let Me Down ~ In The Meantime   NEW RELEASE

* Ian Lake ~ The Bottom NEW SINGLE RELEASE

5:40 SATE and Sound

*SATE ~ Interview with SATE / Howler / Weight On Me / Nobody ~ The Fool NEW RELEASE

6:00 Declarative Touches

* Philippe Côté & Marc Copland ~ Alchemy l ~ Bell Tolls Variations & Fleur Revisited NEW RELEASE

José González ~ Visions ~ Local Valley NEW RELEASE

Chad & Jeremy ~ Oscar Hammerstein ll's If I Loved You ~ The Best Of Chad & Jeremy

J.Ele ~ Will You Be Mine ~ Get Down NEW RELEASE

* Michie Mee feat. Xentury ~ Willing Able ~ NEW SINGLE RELEASE

* ZOOM feat. Shawn Kellerman ~ Chocolate Cake ~ Chocolate Cake NEW RELEASE

Dawn Richard ~ Boomerang ~ Second Line NEW RELEASE

6:35 Hear Today 

* Nick Maclean ~ Taste That Piano / Interview with Nick Maclean & Brownman Ali / Footprints / Blackbirds / Zion ~ Can You Hear Me? NEW RELEASE

* Jr. Gone Wild ~ What Can You Do ~ Still Got The Jacket NEW RELEASE

Another Orbit-rary Event

 

Friends And Family Call To Mind Beloved Promoter & Broadcaster Ron Gaskin At Toronto Island Gathering

 

Gaskin & Rebecca Campbell at a favourite venue - The  Imperial PUBlic Library

On one of those miraculously clear and deliriously bright October Sundays recently, a church in a quiet harbour on Toronto Island was filled up to its legal limit with celebration and fond reminiscences of a man who had staged many memorable performances there in its warm and resonant space during his lifetime. St. Andrew by-the-Lake was an epicenter of strong emotion, hot toddies, and pumpkin pie for a day dedicated to impresario / DJ Ron Gaskin's life and legacy as part of the Toronto and international musical community.

The church bell rang brightly just before Ron's son Callum

took the stage in his Dad's vintage buckskin fringe jacket ("It smells like him") to summon the attention of friends, family and dogs into a state of that whimsical thoughtfulness which was characteristic of Ron's habitual state of grace. 

 Performances and testimonials evolved with caprice and growing intensity, including music by some of his former compadres Rusty McCarthy and Maja Bannerman (right) 

,

Arnd Jurgensen (left), Joe Sorbara and Steve Sladkowski (below), and Rebecca Campbell with Tim Posgate. 

 The tributes to the man were by turns hilarious and deeply moving, recounting his association with such pivotal cultural innovations as The Free School at Rochdale, a way-ahead-of-its-time health food store in Peterborough, CCMC, The Music Gallery, This Ain't The Rosedale Library (owner Charlie  below),

CKLN.FM, The Guelph Jazz Festival, Rough Idea, and countless productions and subversions, building to a teardrop crescendo with the overflowing love expressed by his brother Mark, his sister Donne and finally, his mother Eleanor,

who told us all to "Go out and share some of this love that you feel today with other people, and spread my son's spirit."     

    

     

               Above L to R: Tim Posgate, Donne, Eleanor and Mark

And then, Anne Bourne, who had slipped quietly behind the piano, brought down a heavenly rhapsody that reminded us by example of Ron's message - that music can express truths  and heal pain beyond the power of words.     

Memories of Ron Slideshow