Category Archives: Music

BLUES LEGEND STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN LIVES ON THANKS TO ACCOMPLISHED MUSICIAN DAVE RYAN AND HIS MUSICIANS

A tribute band is a music group who specifically plays the music of a well-known music act, evoking a sound, look, time, place of a past (or, in some cases, current) popular artist whose loyal fans want to recapture the spirit of the original.  Sadly, many music purists think that being a tribute band is equivalent to being a cover band – skilled musicians who play other artists’ hits you hire for a wedding or filling out the weekly performance bills at clubs and bars. But it takes a considerable talent to actually inhabit the style, the musical interpretation and the stage delivery of a respected artist who is no longer with us.

Yes, a true tribute band is something very special: they play lick-by-lick, capturing the unique sound of the original artist. The vocals, the staging, the wardrobe, even the instruments played are the same or as close to original as possible.  The supremely gifted DAVE RYAN,  Founder and lead vocalist/guitarist for The SRV Experience and, more recently, The ZZ Top Experience, goes even further; he has sync’d his band’s live performances with videos of their inspirations – Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble and ZZ Top – which are played on giant screens behind the band on stage. To watch such an accomplished artist as Dave and his musicians is to be back on the road with Stevie or the ZZ’s – his presentations are a fully immersive audio/visual experience that amaze dedicated fans as well as engaging audiences new to the now-legendary artists. Stevie Ray Vaughan was killed in a plane crash over 30 years ago, but just listen….Dave will transport you back in time to one of Stevie’s exciting concerts (he even sports Stevie’s blue peacock tattoo on his chest!).  I asked Dave to share his thoughts on performing in front of die-hard SRV and ZZ Top fans and here is what he told me….Dave, when did you first pick up a guitar and/or any other instruments?  Apparently, I started playing the drums at age 2. I switched to guitar at age 13 and fell in love with it, averaging 4 hours of practice a day some days.

Prior to launching your own SRV Experience, did you play with any other bands?  I played in some other bands but nothing as focused or as enjoyable.

What first drew you to Steve Ray Vaughan’s music? And when did you realize your amazing resemblance to the guitar legend?  I always knew about Stevie; I first saw him on the MTV videos but it was watching his El Mocambo performance in Toronto in 1983 that gave me the “deer in the headlights” reaction. I started learning one of his songs then another and another and suddenly I had 7 songs. I decided at that point to start up a tribute show…having to learn another 30 songs, of course.  I give a taste of what it would have been like to see an SRV show. I realized several years ago that I was able to deliver a very high-level respectable facsimile of Stevie Ray.

You must have put in thousands of hours of rehearsing and learning his playing style, vocals, stage presence – how did your early audiences respond to what you presented on stage?  Yes, I’ve averaged a thousand hours per year over 16-17 years. Early on audiences were very receptive. As the project grew and became more polished, we started getting standing ovations and booked many theatre shows. We always got a very appreciative and receptive audience.

“This is music of the highest order, playing and paying proper tribute to these Texas Blues/Rock legends.  Not to be missed”…Q 107 Radio, Toronto

Vaughan’s influence has inspired hundreds of artists since his untimely death, and his legacy lives through you with the SRV Experience – do you feel the responsibility and weight of perpetuating his legend?  I don’t feel a responsibility but It feels really good to know that I’m helping to keep and build his legacy, keeping his music fresh in people’s minds.You’re a brilliant artist in your own right, do you ever feel like stepping out from behind the “tribute” brand to pursue your own original music?  I’ve written many songs and would like to revisit that one day and finish the many songs that I’ve started. Possibly become my own recording artist.

More recently, you created another performance entity, that of legendary southern rockers ZZ Top. Combining the two bands on one bill satisfies both blues and rock audiences – how are people responding to the ZZ’s?  People are very receptive of the dual show as well as ZZ Top on its own. We go all out and model our show on the 1979-1980 Rockpalast era (an annual televised German concert) of ZZ when they were in their musical prime. We have the authentic look, beards and all, and are delivering note for note performances of their greatest hits. At a recent show at the Aeolian in London, Ontario, we were honoured with standing ovations for each band. “Musically and visually the real deal…a must-see performance!” Q107’s John Garbutt

2024 looks like it may be a busy year for you – can we expect to see SRV/ZZ perform at any of the big music festivals now that Covid seems to be in our rear-view mirrors and crowds are coming back to the big gigs?   We’ve played many blues / rock / RibFest shows in the past and we’re looking forwards to playing more this year! We’re hoping to be booked into the Orangeville Blues/Jazz this summer and working on many more.  With Covid fading, audiences are starting to come back to live shows and we’re hoping that venues will keep filling up more and more as this year progresses.Thanks, Dave, I can’t wait to join your next audience!  Look for The SRV & ZZ Top Experience performing in your area over the summer and early fall, and music festivals are confirming their appearances as I type!

Follow Dave on Instagram: @the_srv_experience  or visit the SRV Experience website: http://www.srvexperience.com/

New book covers history of the Rickenbacker guitar from the roaring 20s thru the 21st century.

RICKENBACKER: Guitar Pioneers of the Electric Guitar
By Martin Kelly and Paul Kelly
Published by Firefly Books, October 2023
336 Pages – Hardcover
Price: $59.95
ISBN: 9780228104476

When I learnt about this new book on the history of Rickenbacker guitars, I jumped at the chance to review it; back in the 90s I dated a talented rock guitarist who had a stunning 12-string “Ricky” that I would polish after each gig (so I could brag “I’m with the band”…LOL). It was the Roger McGuinn version with a sunburst design on the front – it was gorgeous to look at and to listen to. I knew that Rickenbacker was a prestigious company and some of the best musicians played them, along with their Gibsons, Fenders and Gretsches.As the promo page from publisher Firefly states “electric guitars are not simply musical instruments. At their best, they are iconic works of art, a marriage of form and function that has come to symbolize the very essence of 20th century pop culture.”  Most fans and players recognize Fender and Gibson as brand leaders in the music industry, but Rickenbacker, a small family-run business with roots stretching back to the very invention of the electric guitar, remains one of the most important makers for nearly 100 years of the company’s history from its founding in 1931 to the present day. George Harrison favoured his Rickenbacker throughout the Beatles era then through his post-Beatles career.Iconic artists such as Roger McGuinn, Jimi Hendrix, Geddy Lee, Randy Bachman, Susanna Hoffs, Tom Petty, Paul McCartney, Paul Weller….the list goes on but the history of the Rickenbacker company itself is even more impressive. The story begins in Los Angeles during the roaring twenties when two young men, George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacher (yes, that’s the original spelling), met and ended up revolutionizing music by electrifying it and changing how we heard the sound for ever. Back then, guitars were part of bands and orchestras but the sound they made acoustically was muffled and hard to hear over the brass and percussion sections. George and Adolph went through many amplification ideas and experiments such as attaching sound horns or inserting diaphragm discs into the body of the guitar before they decided upon electrifying the instrument to offer greatly increased volume and a “crispness” to the playing that cut through other instruments.

This book is an encyclopedic history to educate and entertain both guitar collectors, players and enthusiasts, and those who simply love music. The rarely seen 1920s and 30s blueprints of newly invented electronic instruments are fascinating, and the vintage photos show the development of Rickenbackers over the past nine decades. Authors Paul Kelly (below) and Martin Kelly (2nd below)……have done such deep-diving in their research that this book is crammed with photos – it’s a must-have for anyone who appreciates pop, rock, blues, punk, grunge, even big band and classical sounds.

Available online from Amazon or Indigo and all fine bookstores.

CANADIAN BLUES BALLADEER DAVID DEACON RELEASES NEW ALBUM “GOOD DAY GOOD NIGHT”

I had the pleasure of attending the album release party for DAVID DEACON at Toronto’s The Rivoli last night. His new 8-track album, released Oct. 6th is titled Good Day Good Night and features original songs based on his own life experiences, having lived and survived seven decades of thrills, near tragedies and multiple career changes. Sung in his signature bluesy balladeer style, each track will ignite our own imaginations and memories, and sitting there last night I was reminded of so many of my own experiences over a lifetime of similar length and diversity. I had the pleasure of chatting briefly with David backstage (pictured above) and was able to interview him a few days prior to his concert so I’ll let him share his thoughts in his own words…..

David, congratulations on your new album. It sounds like your original songs are the culmination of an exciting and diverse lifetime and multiple careers. What inspired you to create this 8-track album Good Day Good NightThis album has been driven by a combination of new thoughts I wanted to explore and a change of style in the music itself. I have been moving towards more lyrical songs as opposed to the poetic lyrics and bluesy sounds that tended to drive earlier work. Now I have a greater focus on melody and groove, and I have been enjoying the simplicity of work that lets the hook carry more of the momentum in the whole piece. I think one of the most interesting parts of any creative career is the evolution of the artists viewpoint. Mine has evolved to a less complicated structure in both sound and lyric.

This and your earlier 2023 album, Four, come two decades after your previous album Strangers in the Morning…what took you so long?  It was a combination of things, but a large part was money. There came a point where I needed to focus on making a living again. The good thing is, when I started writing again, the hiatus meant there was a lot of material that seemed to come out quickly and easily. Over the last 2 years it has resulted in 13 new songs and 5 reworked ones, which I feel is about as prolific a period as I have encountered. There also now seems to be a pattern in my life where I leave painting for awhile and then come back to it or leave writing for awhile and come back to it. Maybe this is similar for a lot of people, but with two different disciplines to work in the gap is greater with me.

Many of the tracks on GDGN are based on life’s struggles, disappointments, challenges – at age 70, do you feel good/better times are ahead of you now?  I think that most of writing comes out of the struggles, the journey as some would say. When things are going brilliantly, we don’t tend to reflect on it too much, we just enjoy it. I always liked the quote from Emerson which goes “The people who stop at life’s first success are the world’s spiritual middle classes.” I think the more engaged we are in life, the more likely there will be struggles and disappointments, but all good learning comes with an element of struggle. I think my writing celebrates the struggle but doesn’t get lost in it or maudlin about it. I hope that’s true….and yes, I hope I continue not to “go gentle into that good night”.

How important are your paintings and visual arts and do they inspire your lyrics…or visa versa?  My art seems to come from much different thoughts than my lyrics, although all my visual work focuses on people and pretty much all my writing does as well. It’s just you are engaging a different set of reference points. The old saying a picture is worth a thousand words is to me not true, but a picture can precipitate an emotional or intellectual response that is very different than words. I think that is why I tend to be doing one or the other, not both at the same time.

As a big auto racing fan, I have to ask you about your earlier experiences in endurance racing and prior to that, your motorcycling career. I understand you suffered near-catastrophic injuries coming off your bike, then switched to cars….you just don’t give up! Is that how you’ve tackled all your different endeavours?  I remember the first time I raced at the 24 hours of Le Mans and going down the Mulsane straight at 220 miles an hour (approx. 360 KPH). Racing in the eighties was still very dangerous at that time, with two men being killed that weekend. There was a place called “the kink” which before they put in the chicane on the Mulsane to slow things down, was daunting. The car would skitter a little and I finally did it for a few laps flat out and it scared the hell out of me. I told Hans Stuck this (who was driving a sister car) when I got back in the pits and he said “don’t worry David, after a couple of hours, you will be used to it”. It was really funny, but it didn’t feel funny at the time. But there I was at one o’clock in the morning and going flat out through the kink with my lights only lighting up the entry point not the apex, and not really even thinking about it anymore. I think that was my most tangible moment of understanding that we just have to drive through fear. Taking on a renewed music career at this stage in my life means that I am still trying to drive through fear.What do you hope your fans/listeners get from your music? And where can they purchase CDs or listen via streaming services?  Where people can get my music is on every streaming channel, such as Spotify, You Tube, Apple Music etc. Believe is my distributor and they ensure its availability through all the sources.

As to what do I think people might get from my music? I think hopefully they like the sound and groove but also, I know that when I read a book I underline passages which say something particular to me. I think I have a point of view on life which is a fairly rich way to draw the best out of experiences both good and bad. It is essentially based on a philosophy of “you are what you do” and tries to put emphasis on being sure to be fully engaged as much of the time as possible. As a result, I believe a lot of people might underline some of my lyrics if they read them in a book.

You can hear David’s new album via your favourite streaming platforms such as…Spotify, Amazon, YouTube, Apple, etc.
And you can follow him on social media:
Facebook –  Facebook.com/DavidDeaconMusic
Instagram –  @ddeaconmusic
Twitter/X-  @ddeaconmusic

David’s been getting lots of media attention on radio and online so watch for upcoming concerts, and make sure you check out all the tracks on Good Day Good Night – I guarantee at least one will speak to you!  Thanks to Kevin Pennant of Pennant Media Group for the invite.

CityTV Premieres New Series About Forgotten Black Canadian History

A new five-part docu-series called Black Community Mixtapes produced by OYA Media Group will premiere on CityTV Toronto (and across the country) on Sunday Sept. 24 at 7pm EST. The television series breathes new life into the personal archives gathered by individual Canadians to shine a light on life-changing moments in Black Canadian history.  Created and directed by the award-winning Canadian filmmaking team of Alison Duke and Ngardy Conteh George (pictured below), the show explores the cultural riches of Black Canadian history that are often stored and forgotten in crates, file folders and photo albums that have never been documented or recognized by national institutions. Says Duke (pictured below)….“We are not just filmmakers. We are first and second generation Canadians who actively try to better understand Canadian history. Producing films within the Black community for over 20 years gave us incredible access to personal archives which have helped to fill in the gaps. I hope that people see this series as a stepping stone to learning more about Black history here in Canada and that it sparks curiosity in all us to dive deeper into our own family’s archives.”The series follows KhaRå Martin, a young Toronto filmmaker, musician and actor, who embarks on a quest to rediscover Canada’s Black history and as host of the show, she speaks to Black Canadian archivists, musicians, artists and cultural change makers as they walk us through the rich world of Black Canadian culture. Here’s a sneak peak…

Some of the most notable people featured include former Much Music VJ’s  Michael Williams and Master T as well as radio deejays DJX and Ron Nelson. Other cultural icons from the Black community include nine time carnival queen Joella Chrighton, screenwriter and playwright Motion, artist Natalie Wood, photographer Michael Chambers, writer George Elliot Clark, cultural centre owner Itah Sadu and Vintage Black Canada archivist Aaron Francis.

Congratulations to OYA Media and the team….I can’t wait to watch and learn!
Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackcommunitymixtapes

 

BIRDSONG FOUNDATION’s 1st LIVE FUNDRAISING CONCERT IS A HUGE SUCCESS!

As the song says…”Oh, what a night”! I’m so pleased for my friend and colleague, Margaret Konopacki, who presented a fabulous showcase of singer/songwriters who live with mental health issues and/or substance use disorders for whom she created the nation-wide music charity, BIRDSONG FOUNDATION. Visit the website to see what it’s all about:  www.birdsongfoundation.com.  Last night, June 9th, at The Duke tavern and club, several of her artists performed original songs with the backing of The Long Black Cadillacs band, and the nearly-full house enjoyed  a night filled with blues, pop, hip-hop, folk and rock songs. I spoke briefly with Margaret just before the concert started…

Yes, her anticipation and excitement was palpable. Due to the sad loss of her talented singer/songwriter son, David Martin, four-and-a-half  years ago, she founded this supportive charity that records, publishes and promotes songs written by artists who struggle on a daily basis with mental health challenges. The show started off with Thomas Messenger, then Jordan Gow (see below) Tommy Messenger had a blast on stage with Earl Johnson and his band, the Long Black Cadillacs…as you can tell here.

and the delightfully spunky Ashley Bell had fun with her song, “Best Advice”…

Singer/songwriter PK shared his “Just Breathe” with the crowd (pictured below) accompanied by musician/music producer Bryant Didier who also sat in with the band….…and Jhmal King brought his unique hip-hop/blues song, “Never Settle”, to the stage and even got a couple of dancers up on the floor

Margaret was extremely touched when long-time friend and Nicolas Cage’s movie stand-in (wow, what a gig!) Marco Kyris showed up – he flew in all the way from London, UK, just for the concert.Big thank you to radio personality and podcaster Aaron Badgley who helped MC the night, shown here with Maggie on stage…At the end of the concert, Margaret was very moved when Jordan Gow sang the song her son, David, wrote for her shortly before he passed away….visit the Birdsong website to read the story behind the song and behind the Birdsong mission. Jordan was very emotional, too.Jordan’s mum and dad were there to support their talented son and we were grateful to them for running the door and taking the cover charges.Lots of kind and generous people showed up, including Andrew Cann who drove in from hundreds of miles away with a cheque for $500 he raised for Birdsong (bravo, sir) and we’d like to send out a big THANK YOU to venue manager Donna Riddell and her amazing staff who hosted the concert for Birdsong. https://theduketoronto.com/  Thanks also to Kerry Doole of FYI Music News for the great blurb – it’s great to receive media support.

Margaret had the entire show video taped for future sharing so follow Birdsong on Fcbk, Twtr and IG, all accounts linked on their website:  www.birdsongfoundation.com

HELP BIRDSONG SOAR ON #GIVINGTUESDAYCA NOVEMBER 30th

My dear friend MARGARET KONOPACKI recently launched BIRDSONG New Music Foundation, a new national Canadian charity supporting songwriters/musicians living with mental health issues and substance use disorders in tribute to her late son, David Martin (pictured below with Margaret), a songwriter and singer who struggled with these problems throughout his life.Margaret has spent the past 3 years creating the foundation that publishes, records and promotes songs written by Canadian musicians who would otherwise not be supported by mainstream record labels, and next Tuesday November 30th marks the first fundraising initiative Birdsong has launched, participating in the annual global charitable event, www.givingtuesday.caIt is with great excitement and anticipation that Birdsong New Music Foundation is participating in this year’s #GivingTuesdayCa fundraising event – the very first outreach for our new national music charity. As thanks for your donation, we will be releasing the first 3 songs & videos from our upcoming compilation album Birdsong: First Flight 101 (due for release in 2022) as thanks for supporting musicians living with a mental health diagnosis or substance use disorder. Donations will also help to create the change necessary for people living with mental illness. BirdsongFoundation.com is the voice for change through music and art. – Margaret Konopacki, Founder & CEO of Birdsong New Music Foundation Canadian Charitable Organization No.: 777564873RR0001 

Money raised on Giving Tuesday goes to production costs for recordings as well as towards next year’s cross-country tour supporting the album release and shows featuring the Birdsong artists. Artists retain all copyrights and Birdsong hopes to launch it’s own record label by 2023.  Birdsong Foundation works with people who have chosen to share their vision by composing and performing songs, not only as a form of expression but often as a means of survival. All of our composers/musicians agree that music has saved their lives. Lyrics are the story – new music is the method!

So don’t forget….next Tuesday November 30th, help Canadian songwriters soar….please visit the official donation page: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/giv3/119679  and please share using #GivingTuesdayCa on your social media.

 

AUDIENCES WELCOMED BACK TO LIVE MUSIC SHOWS – JIM GELCER CELEBRATED WITH HIS SHOW AT TORONTO’S JAZZ BISTRO!

Toronto-based musician and composer, JIM GELCER, was thrilled to play his first LIVE public performance on Thursday November 4 at the venerable Jazz Bistro in downtown Toronto.  Covid had caused all music venues to shut down over the past 20 months and we were certainly anxious to see musicians return to the stage – Jim was joined by Rob Piltch (guitar), Ross MacIntyre (bass), Rob Neal Christian (sax, flute, piano)…..pictured belowI sat down with Jim at the Aroma Café on Bloor St East a few days prior to his show, and asked a few questions about surviving the Covid lockdown, what it feels like to be back performing LIVE, and his new side gig teaching students from around the world via an online learning academy.

Jim, you had a great gig November 4th at Toronto’s Jazz Bistro – was that your first live show since Covid restrictions eased and audience capacities increased?   Yes and no. I had a couple of shows last summer when they first eased the restrictions a bit, and there have been a few private events as well, but this is really my first club date as a band leader in 18 months.

You performed with 3 other great musicians: Rob Christian on sax, flute & piano; Rob Piltch on guitar and Ross MacIntyre on bass. Were you looking fwd to working with your fellow musicians after all this time?   Absolutely! Especially this killer band. I’m a connector. And one of the things I like to do is bring people together who I think should know each other and would enjoy playing or working together. I’ve worked with each of these musicians individually, but never all three together and I think it’s a wonderful combination of talent.

 

Has the Covid isolation period offered any positive opportunities such as time to compose or arrange, listening to other musicians’ work?   Yes, indeed! I was quite busy during Covid with film scores, production, and songwriting collaborations. In fact, I’ve just finished co-writing three Christmas songs with Jon Mullane, a songwriter from Nova Scotia, that will be released on his upcoming Christmas album (look for it on his Spotify, or wherever you listen to music).

 

You studied music as well as philosophy, so has a serious music education helped you with your career? So many new/young musicians have never picked up an actual instrument or learnt how to sight-read music – do you think there is still a need for traditional learning or do you feel music’s future lies with computers?   A couple of years ago, I was lucky enough to be invited to teach music at the Toronto District School Board. I am so grateful for that, as it sustained me during Covid, and got me into teaching, which I had not done much of previously. During the pandemic I also started teaching privately, and have had students from as far and wide as Germany, Ukraine, Hawaii, and all over North America. So, yes, I believe that there is still a need for traditional learning.

If people want to learn more about you and your music, do you have a website or social media they could follow?  Yes, I’m on Facebook (facebook.com/jgelcer). I’m also on Instagram and Twitter as @jimgelcer. And I’m even on Wikipedia! My website is www.gelcer.com

I’m so glad you had an enthusiastic audience at Jazz Bistro, must have been so great to play live again. And continued success with your music students around the world. (www.outschool.com)

GRAMMY® WINNER RICKY KEJ & ROCK LEGEND STEWART COPELAND RELEASE STUNNING “DIVINE TIDES” ALBUM

A few years ago, my recording client, Ron Korb, Canada’s Grammy-nominated flautist and composer, turned me onto the music of RICKY KEJ (pictured below), the prolific American-born Indian composer and recording artist, with whom Ron had collaborated on a number of recent tracks.Grammy® Award-winner Ricky KejNot only was I blown away by the sublime beauty of Ricky’s music but also the exquisite music videos he produces, and his compassion and dedication to the environment. When I heard about Ricky’s latest album, DIVINE TIDES, a collaboration with the legendary drummer from super-group The Police, STEWART COPELAND, I knew I had to reach out personally and have a chat with Ricky.Grammy® Award-winner Stewart CopelandFirst, who is Ricky Kej? He was born into a family of doctors in North Carolina, USA. After his family moved to Bangalore India, Ricky studied at the prestigious Bishop Cotton Boys’ School where his passion for music developed. He started playing keyboard and guitar for various rock bands in India but after high school, he chose to pursue his education in the field of dentistry to please his parents. Five years later in 2005, he graduated as a dental surgeon but ironically, he did not practice dentistry for even a day after he was awarded his degree. Ricky started producing jingles for television and radio, and in a span of four years he had produced over 1,000 jingles for various clients like Levi jeans, Air India, Blaupunkt, IBM, Toyota, Nike, etc.

Ricky released his first lounge album Communicative Art – Lounge from the Bay in 2003 to rave reviews, becoming a commercial success in the “lounge” category. Songs from this album have found their way into over 20 international compilations, and his second album Kamasutra Lounge released in 2007 featured Indian musical legends such as Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma, Ulhas Bhapat, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Ajay Pohankar, etc. This, too, was a critical and commercial success, being released in the United States under the ‘Water Music Records’ label.  That same year, Ricky took on the project of composition for the film Accident where he directed the music for 6 songs and background score. Since then, he’s composed and scored for several shorts and documentaries and produced numerous music videos in both long and short form. He’s released 20 albums and has been featured in two dozen compilations. So let’s hear from the master himself about his life, his career and DIVINE TIDES…..

When/how young were you when you realized you loved music and had the gift to compose and play?  Ever since I remember, I have always been in love with music. Even as a child, my ears have always been more important than my eyes. While most of my classmates in school were fascinated by television and cartoons, I was hooked to my music system. I would dissect songs I heard to try and figure out the instruments used, the musicians playing those instruments, and I would learn about different cultures and people through music. I was also passionate about the environment. It was through my music that I fell in love with our natural world and I have always found a deep connection between music and nature. I have no idea why, but we had a baby grand piano at home, and a guitar. So I started off by trying to make music on those instruments. Much later as an adult, after I already embarked on a thriving professional musical career, I took a formal education in music to avoid what I perceived could be a handicap in future.grammyWho were your musical and spiritual inspirations when you started your career in entertainment and musical healing for the planet?  I have loved the styles of Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and AR Rahman because they have never let genre boundaries define them. All that they did was make music that they strongly believed in and collaborated with some of the best musicians and individuals across the globe. The world was/is their musical canvas. After I won the Grammy Award in 2015, I decided to dedicate my life and music towards creating environmental consciousness through my art and there has been no looking back. Although my music is global, it is strongly rooted in India. I am a huge fan of various Indian art forms and I have always been inspired by ancient Sanskrit phrases and traditional Indian music. The ancient Indian texts were filled with musical verses and those verses spoke about co-existence and environmental consciousness.snskritHow has Covid impacted your ability to reach your fans – have you performed concerts or presentations online during the world’s lockdown?  I miss performing my music to a live audience. Live concerts allow me to connect and interact directly with my audience and to ensure that they leave my concerts with a renewed love for our planet and hope. It is always an amazing feeling to look at an audience and realise that I have succeeded in emotionally connecting with them through my music. The pandemic has hit the entertainment industry very hard. The music industry is extremely dynamic and different professionals in the industry rely on each other. Performing artists, production companies, event management companies, sound engineers, recording studios and everyone else involved is stuck in limbo at the moment especially here in India. I performed multiple virtual concerts over the course of this pandemic with my last three online concerts watched by an estimated 200 million viewers from around the world. It is all about adapting to the times and our surroundings, because no matter what pandemic hits us, music will never leave our lives.

This creative collaboration with Stewart Copeland has produced a unique series of recordings and videos, with an innovative release of single tracks and accompanying videos from now until September. How did you come up with this concept?  I had been working on a follow-up to my Grammy® winning album ‘Winds of Samsara’ and had catalogued some of my favourite ideas. Recordings were delayed because of my relentless touring schedule and when the pandemic hit, it presented an opportunity for me to spend time in my studio and kick-start this project again. I reached out to Stewart and was thrilled when he said yes to making this album with me. I have always relied on technology for all of my recordings and Stewart, too, is high on technology and has one of the most amazing home studios. That helped us record seamlessly during the pandemic. Stewart and I recorded our portions individually and it all came together superbly. Despite the pandemic, we are thrilled to have created an album that celebrates life and will create a wave of much-needed positivity in our audiences.Grammy® Winner Stewart CopelandStewart Copeland has always been my musical hero, and I have been a life-long fan. Working with him was like attending the best masterclass imaginable. Stewart is not just the Founder and drummer of one of the biggest-selling bands in history ‘The Police’, he also regularly composes for operas, orchestras, and for over 50 Hollywood movies including the Oscar-winning ‘Wall Street’. Despite reaching the pinnacle of success, he is constantly evolving and learning by exploring new sounds, traditional music instruments and rhythms. We constantly threw ideas at each other, adapted sounds and crafted this album together, piece by piece. All of the songs have strong Indian roots with a fusion of the west and the entire album celebrates the magnificence of our natural world and the resilience of our species.

“One day during the Apocalypse I got a call from Ricky Kej about making an album. He had assembled an amazing collection of exotic musicians, or perhaps I should say deeply traditional musicians, in the exotic context of his inspired production style. The flow of ideas soon became a torrent of recording and music. The spiritual ambience (not something that I’m generally known for) infused my aggressions upon inanimate objects with loving passion. The timpani were ringing! The crotales were singing! Making this record has been a unique adventure in both music and divine awareness.”  Stewart Copeland

“I had been working on a follow-up to the Grammy® winning album “Winds of Samsara” and had cataloged some of my favorite melodies. Recordings were delayed because of a relentless touring schedule, but then the 2020 pandemic hit. Strict lockdowns presented an opportunity to spend more time in the studio. In 2016 I was privileged and honored to collaborate on a song with Stewart Copeland. With the support of industry veterans Ralph Simon and Tarquin Gotch I mustered up the courage to ask him to collaborate with me yet again, this time on a complete album. What followed was one of the best and most fulfilling personal and musical experiences I could have ever asked for. Working with Stewart was like attending one of the best masterclasses imaginable. Stewart is not only a living legend, but an extremely humble human being, filled with positive energy, that pushed us to deliver our very best for “Divine Tides.” – Ricky Kej

Have you made plans for touring once the world is safe for musicians and audiences?  It is hard to make any concrete plans right now since the situation around the world is extremely unpredictable due to lockdowns, suspension of flights, border controls etc. and of course, with the virus constantly mutating. Touring is definitely on my mind but, I guess, for the next few months I am going to work on promoting Divine Tides and try and get as many people to listen to it. Since I have worked so hard on the music, poured my heart and soul into it, I feel I owe it to the music to ensure as many people around the world enjoy it.Grammy® Winner Ricky KejThank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Ricky. And if you would like to learn more about this amazing and much-respected World music artist, please visit his website at: www.rickykej.comDL JCDivine Tides will have a unique launch format: every song will feature an accompanying music video, released from July 7th until September 28th, 2021, as both Ricky and Stewart feel that all of the tracks deserve their moment in the sun. The complete album will be made available on all audio streaming platforms as of July 21st. You can follow the release schedule on this dedicated website:  www.divinetidesmusic.com

CANADIAN COUNTRY MUSIC STAR GRAHAM TRUDE RELEASES LATEST SINGLE AS TRIBUTE TO THOSE SUFFERING WITH PTSD…INCLUDING HIMSELF!

A fellow PR/artist management friend of mine, Michael Stuart Webb, recently signed an exciting new client and when I heard about said client, I knew I had to share his story with my readers/followers. Thanks for setting this up for me, Michael….it’s always great to support friends in da biz!

GRAHAM TRUDE is an award-winning Canadian singer/songwriter and he’s proud to release his brand new single titled PTSD today, Tuesday May 25th.  The song focuses on his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder (or PTSD) which is a mental disorder that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event such as warfare (which was the case for Graham), traffic collisions, sexual assault, child abuse, or other threats on a person’s life. Watch the video – see link at end of this article.Cover-PTSD-01Before embarking on a music career, Graham was a tank crewman in the Canadian military (pictured below), completing multiple tours in Afghanistan, an experience from which he mines a great deal of his deeply honest and raw songwriting. Upon his return home to Canada and discharge from military service, he continued his work on the frontlines as a police officer, during which time Graham was nominated for two lifesaving award and a commendation for a Chief’s Award.meta_eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJjb250ZW50LnNpdGV6b29nbGUuY29tIn0= (2)His heroic service overseas and his law enforcement career had a profound impact on his life as a whole, and Graham was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which led to addictive and self-destructive behaviours. Determined to conquer his demons, Graham sought and found refuge in his music which was instrumental in his recovery. His songwriting references these life experiences, creating powerful lyrics which he combines with edgy guitar riffs and infectious hooks. He is a master storyteller who uses a pop, rock and country fusion beats.

Graham has collaborated several times with renowned multi-Juno award-winning country music producer, Jason Barry, and has also written and performed the theme song for the television show The Real Canadian Joes, and won an Ontario songwriting competition – all this earned him the respect of his peers in Nashville where Trude has spent time perfecting his craft. To celebrate the release of his new single, I spoke with Graham and asked him to share his story and his song with us….2018-07-27 21.46 (2)Congratulations on your new single PTSD – I’m sure it will resonate with so many ex-military, police, firefighters and front-line medical staff. As a PTSD sufferer yourself, did you find the writing process cathartic and healing?  Thank you very much I greatly appreciate it and thank you very much for this wonderful interview. Usually in every song I write there is always some healing for me and it’s a way for me to express my emotions and get it out on paper. I find in my experience with trauma and addiction when I am feeling down or not myself, I love to write music and it helps bring me to a better light.

Were you an army brat or was your military career of your own making? And if so, what inspired you to sign-up?  My military career was certainly of my own making. My father was a chief of police in Collingwood for many years and my brother joined the military shortly after I joined in 2007. There was something about the calling of being a soldier that I always wanted to do and I always wanted to help people which is why I got into policing after as well. It is a personal goal of mine within my life to help people who are going through tough times and feel they are alone. image3I recently worked with an LA-based filmmaker client who produced, wrote and directed a movie (Battle Scars) that dealt with PTSD in the post-Vietnam War era which illustrated how inadequate support was for returning warriors nearly 50 years ago. Have things changed? Did you seek and receive therapy to help you deal with the trauma and your resulting addictions?  I feel that things have changed drastically within the last 50 years, especially in relation to mental health, but we are still not where we should be yet. I know of several homeless veterans, first responders and members of the general public who are dealing with intense mental health issues. During my time of intense depression and anxiety, I can honestly say that without the help of my friends and family I would have been in serious trouble. We need to think of that when we think about the individuals in our lives and how we can help them. Sometimes just being there for somebody is more than enough – it may not seem like it but it definitely is. I am still heavily involved with therapy and my addiction recovery.

Obviously writing and recording this song is going to open conversations within families that had, perhaps, been suppressed – do you have any advice to those living with PTSD sufferers on how to communicate without judgement?  It’s very hard for me to tell other people how to open up with their emotion. Honestly, I found it best to explain it to my family in more of a struggling way. I tried to tell them about it before but it just wasn’t something that they could really understand because they weren’t going through it as well. The best thing in the world that ever happened to me was rehabilitation where I was involved in a process called “rigorous honesty”. This type of honesty is something you need to dig very deep in your life with, it is something that you have to be prepared to part with and to accept. This is not related to bad things that you’ve done in your past but more the dark things that you would take to your grave. When I had the ability to put all these “secrets” out into the universe and ask for forgiveness it was unbelievable how it was received. None of us is perfect but I truly believe life is about growth and learning. image6Have you always been a musician? What’s your musical background – guitar lessons as a kid?  I wouldn’t say I’ve always been a musician but I have certainly been a songwriter ever since I can remember. I learned how to play the basics of guitar when I was very young and taught myself simple songs. From those simple songs I would write lyrics and melody about anything that I was going through. Mind you, most of the songs were probably about girls that didn’t want to date me…. haa haa.

Performing as one half of the Singing Soldiers band (with your brother-in-arms Chris Earl) has no doubt raised your profile with the public and the music industry – how has this transformed or refocused you career goals?  The Singing Soldiers was an incredible experience and it was amazing to be doing stuff with Chris as he is a fantastic musician. Everything that we planned and wanted to do with The Singing Soldiers was a success. I just felt that it was time for me to get back to my roots and continue my solo career.2018-07-27 21.45 (1)I notice you’re also a big fan of ink – you have an amazing collection of tattoos across your body and have even opened up your own tattoo parlour, Rustuk Ink. Is there one tattoo that holds the most meaning for you? And at the parlour, what is the strangest request for a tattoo you’ve ever received?  Yes, I certainly have a lot of tattoos; I was a military guy so I got tattoos all over the world. My wife and I fell in love with tattooing so we decided to open a shop in Wasaga Beach, Ontario. It was very successful and we absolutely loved the shop so much but we had an opportunity to sell it to a larger franchise, and so we took the opportunity. Luckily, we knew music was picking back up and my wife is pregnant right now with our first child which I am extremely excited about.  Needless to say, I would like to place my time and efforts into my family. The most influential tattoo on my body would be my left hand with my army logo and poppies. This is dedicated to all my brothers and sisters who never made it home from Afghanistan along with many of my friends who did make it home but are still suffering. I would certainly say the funniest tattoo we had come in was an individual walk in who wanted a Pringle tattooed on his shoulder. When I asked him why he wanted that tattooed on his shoulder he said because his boss keeps telling him he has a chip on his shoulder! But really, we’ve had a ton of people with extremely interesting stuff and I love it all!

Graham, good luck with the single, PTSD, and as Ontario opens up for live events (hopefully this summer) do you have any plans for concerts or live appearances?  Thank you very much for everything! Live performances will certainly be picking back up once the world opens up again. We have a wicked show ready to roll and are looking forward to playing some great venues! Luckily, being with the Michael Stuart Webb Media Group has offered me some exceptional opportunities to share my music. Thank you all I look forward to meeting you and hopefully seeing you at a show.
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With his new release, this soulful, gentle giant who possesses that rare combination of extreme vulnerability and playful bravado, delivers his message loud and clear: whatever personal war you are currently fighting, you are not going into battle alone! 

Here’s a first look at Graham’s music video…and I encourage my readers to download the track via your favourite streaming platform. Thank you for supporting Canadian musicians…and thank you for your service, Graham Trude.

Follow Graham on IG: @grahamtrudemusic or visit his website to learn more about this talented singer/songwriter: https://grahamtrude.com/

COOL CALIFORNIA BAND BRINGS GARAGE/INDIE ROCK VIBE TO THIS YEAR’S “VIRTUAL” CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK

Last week, I read an interesting Fcbk post from Boyce & Hart (award-winning pop/rock songwriters) via The Monkees’ Fcbk account about a young indie band out of California covering one of the 60’s iconic hit-writers’ songs, (I’m not your) Stepping Stone which was originally recorded by Paul Revere and the Raiders but it was The Monkees who created magic with the tune. As many of you know, I’m a huge Monkees fan – I used to argue with my BFF at high school who was better, The Monkees or the Rolling Stones (LOL) – then in the 80’s I got to work press for the eastern Canadian leg of their original reunion tour (sans Mike Nesmith). Below, hanging with Davy Jones backstage pre-show in Toronto.Davy-Jones-80s-tour-197x300Needless to say, I was intrigued by this groovy young band, the VELVET STARLINGS, and clicked thru to their cover version of “Stepping Stone”…WOW! Big juicy sound, great licks, fab vocals. Bravo, boys! I was hooked and said so by leaving a comment on the Boyce & Hart page who seemed to like my response. So when the songwriters of a classic pop song endorse your cover version, you must be pretty damn good. VELVET STARLINGS MAIN BAND 1The band was founded by young lead singer, guitarist & organ player Christian Gisborne, brothers Foster Polling (drums) and Hudson Polling (bass), and new addition Ashton Minnich on second guitar.  I wanted to make sure I shared news of my latest discovery with my music-lovin’ friends and industry colleagues so I reached out to the band who is participating in this year’s virtual version of Canadian Music Week and asked them a few questions….

Congratulations, lads, on your participation in this year’s CMW, even though it’s online only. How has Covid quarantining and travel bans affected your new album launch and reaching new audiences?   We’ve actually finished 2 albums during Covid and we’re finally putting out our debut album “Technicolour Shakedown” this summer (to be distributed by AWAL/The Orchard in US.)! While Covid did put a damper on touring, it gave us the time we needed to really focus in on the music. We’ve started doing a lot more livestreams and such so that’s been pretty fun getting to connect with people mid-song, playing requested songs and what not.

Has the band participated in any online concerts or socially distanced events over the past year, and if so, how were you received by fans?  Yes! We did a livestream benefitting Alexandria House, raising money for displaced women and children. It was super fun as we had to learn how to do multi-camera editing which ended up being the reason for our new extremely DIY music videos coming out this summer…haa haa!  We’ve played a couple of socially-distanced local shows and they’ve been pretty fun, I think people are ready for live stuff to come back – just gotta get on that vaccine!VELVET STARLINGS PRESS MAIN BAND 2 808How long have each of you been playing/performing? And do any of you have formal music training?  Drummer Foster says:  I started playing when I was about 12, and my brother, our bass player, Hudson started playing when he was about 10. We both took music classes at our middle school and high school, but we really started getting serious about music when we started playing in high school bands. That’s around the time we figured out that we really just liked playing rock n roll as opposed to the jazz and classical music we’d play in school.  Lead singer, guitarist and keyboardist Christian (pictured below) says:  I guess with music I took the same approach as Brian Wilson, McCartney and Lennon. I learned to play by ear for most part, found all of the chords in my Beatles songbook and just applied them to my own songwriting. I had heard that George Martin made sure Lennon & McCartney didn’t learn to read and write as he thought it would confine them creatively. I wanted to play organs and keyboards after hearing Alan Price (The Animals) & Ray Manzerek (The Doors) – those guys are huge influences.10_VelvetStarlings_SkylerBarberio_53A3819What drew you together as a band? Was it style, genre or simply the love of music creation?  Christian:  I met brothers Foster and Hudson at a Cage the Elephant show and we’ve been friends ever since. Ashton used to play in their band and now we’re all rocking out together. I think growing up in a time when everyone at school worships Drake and Post Malone definitely contributed to the ‘want’ to find other people who dig rock’n’roll and organic instruments. We all love the same bands and it all just somehow worked out.

Being an oldie, I am truly impressed with your musical influences from the 60’s – legendary artists such as The Stones, Hendrix, Zeppelin, Iron Maiden…even Humble Pie! Did you each discover these groups via your parents (or grandparents)? And what appealed most to you about the rock/R&B grooves? Foster:  We just love rock’n’roll. The energy of playing music in a room or outdoors and getting a reaction out of the audience is really what we love to see each time we play, and we work hard to try and squeeze it out of an audience at each concert. Of course, this has a lot to do with what music we were introduced to when we were younger. Growing up during the garage rock revival was huge for us, listening to all these killer bands like The White Stripes or Jet really kickstarted our love of the energy that rock n roll gives off. From that point, you start to really get into it and research who influenced who, and then you just go down the rabbit hole from there.4_VelvetStarlings_SkylerBarberio_53A2967I discovered Velvet Starlings thanks to a Boyce & Hart/Monkees Facebook shout-out …you covered their “(I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone”. Why this song…what did you hear in it that prompted you to cover it with your own style?  Stepping Stone is such a bad-ass moment in their discography. We were gonna try and do Valleri but the solo just rips too hard and I couldn’t figure it out..haa haa. That’s so sick that you worked with them for their reunion tour! Seeing The Monkees live would be the dream – I saw Mickey Dolenz play Pleasant Valley Sunday and Last Train to Clarksville at a mini local festival in Laurel Canyon and just that blew my mind.

Thanks, guys, any messages for your new fans in Canada and around the world?  We’re big fans of Canadian rock’n’roll. Arcade Fire, DFA1979, Mac Demarco. The New Pornographers was actually the last show I went to right before Covid. We’re hoping to make it up to Canada some day…hopefully in 2022.  Toronto & Montreal are on our list of places to rock. We really appreciate Steven Dagenais & Robert Singerman for including us on this year’s CMW line up. The funny thing is we were supposed to be in Toronto in 2020 for CMW & Indie Week, but due to Covid they were postponed along with our official SXSW conference slot and our UK tour. We look forward to getting back out there again playing to a live audience.

Good luck with CMW, fellas – check out news of the Velvet Starlings and other great artists at www.cmw.net (online May 18-21) and I encourage you to visit VS’s own website for more music videos & band news as well as social media links www.velvetstarlings.com

Big thanks to Roger Gisborne, Owner/CEO Sound x 3 Records and Gemma Downes, Label Mgr/A&R/Artist Development at Sound x 3 Music UK for their kind assistance with writing this blog. Band photos courtesy: Skyler Barberio