Category: Live Music

Unusual Cover Versions – “Light My Fire”

I Get the Sweetest Feeling
I Get the Sweetest Feeling (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Playing with YouTube this morning and got inspired to note some, what some may think, unusual covers of some great songs.  To qualify as an unusual cover, it must be a reasonably famous original redone by reasonably famous act.  My first attempt into the world of unusual covers is one done by soul great, Jackie Wilson.  Jackie has a resounding resume of hits, dating back to the 1950’s.  He died in 1984, leaving a legacy that included such hits as Lonely Teardrops and Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher.  He also left us this cover of The Doors classic, Light My Fire.  He recorded it in 1969.  Check it out.

And for comparison, here is the Doors performing the song live on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Song Of The Day – Remembering George Duke

English: George Duke and Miles Davis in 1986 a...
English: George Duke and Miles Davis in 1986 at Montreux Jazz Festival. Français : Miles Davis et George Duke en 1986 au Montreux Jazz Festival. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

The world lost a great one on August 5.  George Duke, the legend, passed away at the age of 67.  Not many careers as fine as this jazz keyboardist, singer, composer and producer.  And collaborator, wow, he played with Zappa on many of his albums and is recognized as a major keyboard pioneer.  Truly an amazing player.  He played with everybody, Al Jarreau, Miles Davis, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, and the list goes on.  Almost 40 albums on his own, innumerable albums as a sideman, he will be missed.  The cut I have posted is unbelievably good.  It is a live video of George and his band at the java Jazz Festival.

 

 

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Song Of The Day – Blackie and The Rodeo Kings – “Got You Covered”

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

 

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings are a Canadian alt-country group.  I enjoy them as the country is more of a country blues sound.  The group has been going strong since the early 1990’s and, in addition to the groups many record, has spawned many solo albums by its members, Colin Linden, Stephen Fearing and Tom Wilson.  A great group to follow as there is some exceptional talent here.  The song I have for you is a live version of “Got You Covered”, which was released as a single in 2011 and was featured on their album, “Kings and Queens”, also released in 2011.

 

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings home

 

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings on iTunes

 

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings on CBC

 

 

 

 

Random Songs From My Phone – KT Tunstall – “Under The Weather”

Cover of "Eye to the Telescope"
Cover of Eye to the Telescope

 

I loved this album.  “Eye To The Telescope” continues to be a regular on my rotation after, what 9 years.  This is one of the great tunes on the disc, “Under The Weather”.  The album, released in 2004, and was her first studio album.  The album gained her multiple Grammy and Brit nominations, winning the 2005 Brit for best female solo artist.  KT Tunstall is Scottish born and plays a mean guitar as well as being a fine singer and songwriter.  Her genre is hard to pin down as she moves effortlessly between rock, pop and folk.  the cut I have selected is a live version, done on Jools Holland in April 2005.  Enjoy, I have many times.

 

 

Song Of The Day – Mo Kenney – “The Great Escape”

Mo Kenney
Mo Kenney (Photo credit: joeri-c)

 

A nice mellow song for a nice mellow Sunday.  Canadian singer songwriter Mo Kenney performs her song “The Great Escape” live at the CBC studio.  The tune comes from her self-titled debut album, released in 2012.  Born in Nova Scotia in 1990, she has a great future, especially if she continues to collaborate with one of my favourites, Joel Plaskett, who produced her record.  Have a great Sunday.

 

Mo Kenney Home

 

Mo Kenney on CBC

 

Mo Kenney on iTunes

 

 

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Remembering JJ Cale

English: J.J. Cale playing the blues
English: J.J. Cale playing the blues (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Nothing to say.  Great artist. JJ Cale passes away on July 26.

 

 

 

 

Song of the Day – Remembering Peter Appleyard

Peter Appleyard with Dick Hyman , 2007 Toronto...
Peter Appleyard with Dick Hyman , 2007 Toronto Jazz Festival (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

British born, but Canadian jazz composer and percussionist Peter Appleyard passed away on July 18, 2013.He was 84.  Born in England, he moved to Bermuda in 1949 , eventually landing in Toronto a few years later.  In the 1950’s and 60’s , he was a staple on CBC radio, performing live on various shows.  In the 1970’s he began touring and playing with the Benny Goodman sextet.  As time went on, his reputation grew as a world class vibraphonist.  He played with such greats as Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, while always maintaining his base in Toronto. Among his many awards were a Juno and the Order of Canada.  Terrific player. I have posted here a couple of tunes, the first a recent live performance of “It don’t Mean A Thing” and an older clip of “Tangerine”.  Both of them have many great artists along with him.

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Random Songs From My Phone – Stevie Ray Vaughn – Little Wing

English: Stevie Ray Vaughan Photograph © Scott...
English: Stevie Ray Vaughan Photograph © Scott Newton Weselex Depository Rights Reserved. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Good evening all.  Lots happened in the last month, and I’ll expand on that all over the next few days.  In the meantime, I just needed to drop in and let you know I am still kicking.  That trip to Alaska in a short while is going to be very therapeutic.  My song of the day is a random shuffle off my phone and boy, did I hit  it big time.  Love this song  Little Wing, the classic Hendrix tune as interpreted by one the great Texas blues-men of all time, Stevie ray Vaughn.  As an added bonus, I have added a Jimi Hendrix and John Mayer renditions of the tune. Enjoy, and we shall talk soon.

Stevie Ray Vaughn‘s cover

John Mayer’s cover

And the original

Random Songs From My Phone – The Commitments – “Mustang Sally”

The Commitments (film)
The Commitments (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

I am adding a new feature to my Song Of The Day category.  I hit random on my iPhone and whatever song pops up is my Song Of The Day.  This feature joins my current group consisting of “Remembering”, “Canada’s Best Music”, “Let’s Explore The Blues” (which I’m resurrecting) and the “Song Of The Day” (which makes up everything else).

 

I couldn’t have chosen a better song to start this series.  The Commitments, filmed in 1991, follows the forming of a soul group in Dublin, Ireland.  It is unique in that the actors were chosen for their musical talent and not their acting ability.  Kind of like the Blues Brothers in that respect.  The result, a terrific movie and an absolutely great soundtrack.  The song that popped up was the Mack Rice classic, “Mustang Sally“.  The song has had a great life, being recorded by Wilson Pickett, Buddy Guy, The Rascals, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and many others.

 

 

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Song Of The Day – Jamie N. Commons – “Rumble and Sway”

Jamie N. Commons
Jamie N. Commons (Photo credit: wfuv)

 

A quick post to let you know I am still around.  Life does trump all from time to time, and recent weeks are one of those trump times.  Enjoy this cut, a CBC2 find once again, Jamie N. Commons performing the tune “Rumble and Sway, live on Conan.  Could be a big one.

 

 

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