In Old Time music, most standards are by convention usually played in particular tunings. It doesn’t mean they have to be played in certain keys, just that they usually are. This simplifies things for players jamming, for instance. If the tune is going to be… Read More
So what do you do when an 81 foot dead, potentially explosive whale washes up on the beach in your town? It happened in Trout River Newfoundland. Who knew that beached whales were explosive? Not me. It presents a problem for the town. Nobody wants… Read More
NASA is coming out with a new spacesuit make-over. It’s about time.
April Verch is a great Canadian fiddler from the Ottawa Valley. She is also a fabulous step-dancer, as you can see in this clip featuring the April Verch Band performing Sandy River Belle. Now here’s nice version played on the cookie tin banjo, by morbanjo… Read More
We watched a delightful documentary tonight called Pressure Cooker. It’s a film by Mark Becker and Jennifer Grausman, and it follows a Philadelphia high school Culinary Arts class as they get ready for a competition for major college scholarships. The kids come from a variety… Read More
Right now our neighbourhood is being visited by squillions of little black flies. I think they’re aquatic, because the closer you go to the water the more there are. My guess is they are some kind of true fly, what fly fishermen would call a… Read More
Do you know Cathy Barton Para and Dave Para’s music? Old time music from Missouri… I could pretty much listen to them all day. Here’s one more, Saddle Old Kate
Regular readers know that I have a painting show happening now at Yumart, here in Toronto. I don’t usually write much about my paintings. I like to let them speak for themselves. However, I was asked quite a few questions about the works at the… Read More
The first 500… Bobby Bare The 2nd 500…..The Proclaimers
Here’s Count Basie with Little Jimmy Rushing (Mr. 5X5!) on vocals. Sent for you yesterday and here you come today. This tune rocks. Basie and Rushing were both favourites of my father’s. He’d say, “Listen to Basie’s piano, son, just listen”. He used to play… Read More
27th Street 