Category: Live Music

Remembering Tony Sheridan

Tony Sheridan, Live
Tony Sheridan, Live (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tony Sheridan, an early Beatle (Ok the Beat Brothers), he is one of only 2 men (the other being Billy Preston) to be credited on a Beatle song, and the only person to sing lead on a Beatle single, passed away on February 16, 2013. All the stories have been told, so no point in rehashing them.  Suffice to say that the Beatles first album was released as “My Bonnie” by Tony Sheridan and the Beatles.  The band’s name was changed to Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers as the word Beatles sounded too much like the German word for penis.  I wonder how they dealt with that as the Beatles became more and more famous.

He was an original rock & roll artist, but migrated to more of a jazz player as his career continued.  He continued recording right up to 2008.  Here is a sampling of his work.

Shake It Some More, recorded in 1966.

With The Beatles

Some more recent material

Song Of The Day – Donovan Woods – “Put On Cologne”

Donovan Woods
Donovan Woods

I’m going to give you a 2fer today.  Donovan Woods is a Canadian singer-songwriter out of Sarnia. Ontario.  This song, “Put On Cologne” is off his 3rd album, “Don’t Get Too Grand”.  I say a 2fer as I found a live version that I thought was very good and put it up first, followed by a studio version.  I really enjoyed the live version, great voice used by a very unpretentious artist in a very casual setting = GOLD.

Donovan Woods on Twitter

Donovan Woods on CBC Music

Donovan Woods on iTunes

 

The Live Version:

The Studio Version:

 

Song Of The Day – Regina Spektor – “The Calculation”

Regina Spektor playing in the West London Syna...
Regina Spektor playing in the West London Synagogue, February 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Dropping by to say hi, another crazy day.  Today we have Moscow born, now New Yorker (with stops in Italy and Austria) singer songwriter, Regina Spektor, with her great tune “The Calculation”.  This version is live and in glorious HD from London, UK.  Great song from a highly under rated artist.

 

 

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Song Of The Day – The Monkees – “Goin’ Down”

The Best of The Monkees
The Best of The Monkees (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It has been a tough week.  Been to busy to sit at the keyboard, with more hecticness to come. Blogging will be slow until next week.  Having said that, we did find time to finish off Breaking Bad to current.  Heard this song on the credits(great show for music) and had to smile.  I mean, The Monkees!!.  Still, a great song, good enough to make song of the day.

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Song Of The Day – Mo Kenney – “Sucker’

Mo Kenney
Mo Kenney (Photo credit: Mira Shemeikka)

I originally posted this as one of my 2012 favourites and have chosen to go back to it as it deserves its own place here.  Mo Kenney is a rising artist out of Nova Scotia, Canada.  She is but 22, yet has played and recorded since 14.  This song has put her on the map somewhat up here in Canada, and should receive more recognition elsewhere.  The video is a duet with another terrific talent, Joel Plaskett and recorded live at CBC.  The song has an interesting feel to it in my mind.  Very subtle, yet powerful, very simple yet unique.

Mo Kenney Home

Mo Kenney on Twitter

Mo Kenney on iTunes

 

 

Remembering Alvin Lee

Alvin Lee
Alvin Lee (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

March 6th was a tough day.  The world also lost Alvin Lee, guitarist, leader and singer of Ten Years After.  This band is one of those bands that etched a big place in the soundtrack of my life, this song in particular. “I’d Love To Change The World“.  It has a short interview at the beginning and gets cut off at the end, Oh well.

 

 

The band hit its stride at Woodstock, and contributed to the idealism of the 60’s and early 70’s.  Terrific player, great band, he will be missed, Alvin Lee, dead at 69.

 

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Song Of The Day – Wilco – “I Might”

Wilco at Austin City Limits Fest Sep 2004
Wilco at Austin City Limits Fest Sep 2004 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Chicago based Wilco performed this song “I Might” on Letterman a few years back.  Together since 1994, they might be the best to never hit major mainstream success. This is not to say the have not been successful.  The have had some number 1’s, and might be, as Rolling Stone once said. America’s most consistently interesting band.  They have also been labelled as the Radiohead of the USA.  They keep putting em out, and we keep listening.

Song Of The Day – David Byrne – This Must Be The Place

English: David Byrne playing at Austin City Li...
English: David Byrne playing at Austin City Limits 2008 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I heard this on Later with Jools Holland the a while back.  I needed to put this up.  First, I know it is the Talking Heads who did this, but hey, it is David Byrne.  Second, it proves he is still around, at least in 2004 and third, what a great song.

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Remembering Donald Byrd

Cover of "Places & Spaces"
Cover of Places & Spaces

On our recent trip to Spain, we were sitting in a small tapas bar in the Born area of Barcelona.  We were enjoying some great food, and some excellent wine, when a song came on that made us both go, “Who in the heck is that”.  We asked our server who it was and he went to find out for us.  Turns out that it was Donald Byrd, who, unfortunately, passed away on February 4, 2013 at he age of 80.  Having just discovered him (where was he hiding), I was quite saddened by this news,  A great trumpet player, his career spanned 7 decades and included, besides his solo work, stints and recordings with a who’s who of the jazz and blues world.  John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, Sonny Rollins and Herbie Hancock may ring a few bells with you.

He recorded over 40 albums on his own and many more as a sideman.  An outstanding career.  The song I have chosen in memorial, is the one we heard in Barcelona, “Falling (like dominoes)” of his Places and Spaces album, which was recorded in 1975.

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Song Of The Day – Danny Michel – What Colour Are You

Danny Michel performing at the 2006 Ottawa Blu...
Danny Michel performing at the 2006 Ottawa Bluesfest on the MBNA stage/ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One of my favourite Canadian artists, Danny Michel, released this tune last year off his album, “Black Birds Are Dancing Over Me”.  The song, “What Colour Are You” is rife with Latin rhythms, which make sense as it was recorded in Belize.  You ever been to Belize?

Danny is one of those unsung types (no pun intended) who has never had major success, yet, has managed to record 12 albums since 1998.  Very prolific, and one of those hard-working  types that earns every new fan.  I was turned on to him through his album “Valhalla” released in 2006 and have been a loyal fan ever since.

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