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Choosing a band or a DJ: What to do?
When you are looking to entertain your guests, one of the primary questions regarding entertainment is whether to hire a live band or a DJ to deliver the music. The choice generally is easy: it comes down to cost, and DJ’s are cheaper. They play the exact tunes that your guests know and love from […]
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Yes! You Can!
We went to see Yes play at Toronto’s Massey Hall yesterday (April 11). That’s my back-of-the hall iPhone photo. They delivered a flawless performance, playing three albums in their entirety, and ending with “Roundabout.” Just like the Rolling Stones and so many others, they dispel the myth that live performers have an expiry date, and […]
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Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Lucy
Today (March 30) is Eric Clapton’s birthday. Of course the man needs no introduction, so I would rather talk about Lucy. Mr. Clapton is known as one of the pre-eminent and most famous users of the Fender Stratocaster, definitely a guitar that suits his clean and melodic style. But he was not always a Strat […]
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Steven Tyler and the power of networking
Today (March 26) is Steven Tyler’s birthday. As the flamboyant front man of Aerosmith he has made a great living playing in and leading one of the world’s most famous rock bands, while not taking himself too seriously. The staccato vocal rhythm prevalent in a lot of his tunes comes from the fact he was […]
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Here’s to Zappacosta
Recently we played a birthday gig in Toronto, and our client requested that we play a tune by Alfie Zappacosta, since he was a cousin of hers, and there was a chance he would be at the party, and might even want to come up and sing with us. We were only passingly familiar with […]
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The Ancient Art of Weaving and Band Telepathy
Whether you are a fan of the Rolling Stones or not, one of the most fascinating things about them is their guitar musicianship. When people talk about great guitarists in the worlds of rock, blues and R&B they often highlight virtuosos like Eric Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan, who admittedly can play clean and fast […]
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Pink Floyd’s The Wall
On this day (March 22) in 1980, Pink Floyd’s single “Another Brick In the Wall Part 2” was released, and it stayed at number 1 on the US singles charts for 4 weeks. The Wall remains one of my favorite albums of all time, and the movie, directed by Alan Parker and illustrated by Gerald […]
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Ike Turner’s Pantsuit is in Beijing
Just got back from a trip to Beijing – a wild place – the biggest city I have ever seen – glass high-rises form the canyon walls, eight-lane streets from the canyon floors, and they extend in every direction. In Beijing, drivers use the gas-pedal-and-horn technique. No braking. Cars slip in and out of lanes […]
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Walkin’ in Memphis
I went down to Memphis in the Spring of 2010. I wish I could say we went down as a band, but that time has not quite come yet. I went down on business, but mainly so that I could walk the streets of that hallowed city. It isn’t hyperbole to say that there truly […]