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Folk Rocker Multi-Instrumentalist Sammy Duke Encourages Empathy on Jangly, Inspiring “Speed Of Life”

Music

Eric Alper

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Sep 15, 2022

Folk Rocker Multi-Instrumentalist Sammy Duke Encourages Empathy on Jangly, Inspiring “Speed Of Life”

New mindsets and new beginnings can be challenging to usher in, but Waterloo, ON-based folk-rock artist Sammy Duke aims to motivate and inspire in his new single “Speed Of Life” – available now – from his album of the same name.

Using imagery from a real-life motorcycle ride heading southbound towards Lake Erie, Duke sings of chasing the horizon on a long-and-winding journey rife with highs and lows. He leaves the concrete jungle of the city behind, along with the billboards and neon signs, and all the information overload that leads only to complication. Soon, we’re in nature on the bike beside him, experiencing the fear and exhilaration of roads unknown:

Moving fast to roads uncharted: the pressure runs high
Without knowing what lies ahead, we look to what we’ve left behind
But as we set our gaze to the horizon, and see this new world unfold
We’ll keep our sights on the pathway to where our stories will be told…

Duke’s voice is husky with experience, but the guitar is jangly and the beats head-bopping and upbeat, and so we begin to have faith that this journey just might lead us to somewhere okay.

“For many of us, it can be a frightening experience to step into an unknown future – and it’s important to recognize that these feelings are entirely normal,” Duke says. “It’s our choice whether we use each new experience to spread love and empathy, or to remain stagnant and choose a path of selfishness. Many of the songs on this album reflect an eagerness for new beginnings, and stepping forward from the darker parts of lives.”

Sammy Duke is an unmistakable presence the moment he starts performing onstage. Called a “troubadour prog-rock[er]” (No Depression magazine), this literal one-man-band uses each limb to perform on a variety of instruments, including guitar, foot synths, foot percussion, and even his elbow in the case of his famed “elbow chimes.” Through his infectious live energy, Sammy Duke enchants audiences with spontaneous spurts of crowd participation, self-deprecating wit, and thought-provoking lyrics within his folksy-fusion music that blends elements of world-beat, rock and soul. “And if you’re still not convinced, Duke’s bluesy voice will get you.” (CBC Music)

Alli Bean Challenges Love’s Push-Pull, Hot-Cold Dynamic on Funky, Bluesy “Twenty Questions”

Music

Eric Alper

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Sep 15, 2022

0

Alli Bean Challenges Love’s Push-Pull, Hot-Cold Dynamic on Funky, Bluesy “Twenty Questions”

A lover who withholds is often frustrating, at best. With that, multi-award-winning Victoria, BC-based jazz songstress Alli Bean captures the dynamic’s push-pull perfectly in her new single “Twenty Questions,” from her recently released album, Outside Voice.

Framed as a series of increasingly probing questions for her lover, “Twenty Questions” features a funky, head-bopping groove, saucy and soulful vocals, and a chill “Doo doo doo” chorus over rollicking piano. Basically, it asks – in a detached and curious way – why the guy is such a damn narcissist:

What do you dream about while I awake from dreaming of you?
While I try to turn my light out, what is it you do?
Where do you go when you don’t have a plan?
Who are you when you’re not the front man?

The narrator inquires, somewhat sadly, why such a lover won’t let anyone in, but her smarts and self-respect get the better of her over and over again, as she challenges: “Why am I freezing in the heat while you’re struttin’ around so cold?” The overall message is a tried-and-true “you’re so vain,” so that the woman doing the calling out emerges as the song’s embattled hero.

It’s a theme that’s overarching on the album, recorded in its entirety in Bean’s tiny home studio during the pandemic. “Outside Voice is a culmination of works created along a personal growth journey,” Bean divulges. “We go through life making moves, and choices aren’t always conscious. By chasing people and seeking external validation, we find ourselves in dicey situations, leading us astray from what matters.

“When I realized I had this issue,” she continues, “I turned inward and began really asking myself what I was relentlessly pursuing – what did I need to let go of in order to find it? In that process, I said goodbye to a lot of habits and ideas that got in the way.”

Alli Bean is a multi-award-winning Canadian powerhouse blues/jazz/pop-influenced songwriter and vocalist. Drawing influence from a multitude of artists including Wynton Kelly, Horace Silver, Fiona Apple, and Amy Winehouse, her compositional style leans toward the bluesy, funky side of the street, with a twist of jazz and a dash of sass for good measure.

Brian Eno: A short tribute to Can

Music

Eric Alper

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Sep 15, 2022

0

So, why does German experimental rock band Can matter? Let Brian Eno tell you in under one minute.

Video: The Ramones on “Sha Na Na” in 1979

Music

Eric Alper

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Sep 15, 2022

0

Video: The Ramones on “Sha Na Na” in 1979

“The fabulous new wave singing group” The Ramones make a glorious appearance on the greatest show in the 1970s, Sha Na Na.

SiriusXM Launches “This Is Your Life” Comedy Channel

Music

Eric Alper

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Sep 15, 2022

0

SiriusXM Launches “This Is Your Life” Comedy Channel

SiriusXM today announced the premiere of “This Is Your Life,” a new limited-engagement comedy channel dedicated to the legendary documentary series of the same name. The special programming is available now through October 7 on SiriusXM channel 104, with the episodes also available as podcasts on the SXM App.

Premiering in 1948 on radio before transitioning over to TV, “This Is Your Life” paved the way for reality television. On “This Is Your Life,” host Ralph Edwards surprised his unsuspecting honorees with their friends, family, and colleagues who shared hilarious anecdotes about the celebrity guest in front of a live audience. Starting today, SiriusXM will showcase select episodes featuring classic stars including Betty White, Ann-Margret, Andy Griffith, James Brolin, Joe Frazier, Debbie Reynolds, Dick Van Dyke, Don Rickles, Carl Reiner, and many more.

Check out a sneak peek of “This Is Your Life” where Betty White gets surprised by host Ralph Edwards at a photoshoot:

In addition to airing on SiriusXM channel 104, listeners can also tune into the “This Is Your Life” comedy channel on their phones or connected devices at home via the SXM App. Streaming access is included for most subscribers. Go to https://www.siriusxm.com/ways-to-listen to learn more.

GRATEFUL DEAD MEET-UP 2022 to be shown in theaters on November 1 & 5, 2022

Music

Eric Alper

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Sep 15, 2022

0

GRATEFUL DEAD MEET-UP 2022 to be shown in theaters on November 1 & 5, 2022

The 2022 Grateful Dead Meet-Up at the Movies is set to hit big screens worldwide on Tues., Nov. 1, with additional screenings across the U.S., Canada, and select territories on Sat., Nov. 5. This highly anticipated fan event, “Grateful Dead Meet-Up 2022” is in celebration of the 50th anniversary of one of the Grateful Dead’s most iconic gigs from the Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Apr. 17, 1972. The performance was part of the band’s legendary Europe ’72 tour and resulting blockbuster live album, which was released 50 years to the date of the Nov. 5 screenings.

Presented by Trafalgar Releasing and Rhino Entertainment, tickets for “Grateful Dead Meet-Up 2022” go on sale on Fri., Sept. 23 at 10:00 a.m. EDT at www.MeetUpAtTheMovies.com.

This ground-breaking concert broadcast event was the Dead’s first major live concert broadcast anywhere, and a first in Danish television history. Now, fully restored and color corrected in High Definition with audio mixed from the 16-track analog master tapes by Jeffrey Norman, and mastered by David Glasser, Tivoli 4/17/72 features nearly an hour and a half of the Grateful Dead (Jerry Garcia, Donna Jean Godchaux, Keith Godchaux, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, and Bob Weir) at a peak of their performing career. The show’s many highlights include an overview of the Dead’s 1972 touring repertoire, including magnificent versions of “China Cat Sunflower,” “I Know You Rider,” “Big Railroad Blues,” “Truckin’,” and many more of the Dead’s classics, as well as the first live performance of “He’s Gone,” and other new songs including “Ramble on Rose,” “Jack Straw,” and “One More Saturday Night.” Pigpen, on what would prove to be his last tour with the Grateful Dead, is well-represented by three songs, including the broadcast’s opening number, “Hurts Me Too.”

“Grateful Dead Meet-Up 2022” is the culmination of a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Europe ’72, with newly remastered versions of the original album being released earlier in the year along with an unprecedented 24-LP boxed set of four complete shows from the tour, available exclusively at dead.net. Earlier this year, “The Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast,” the official podcast of the Grateful Dead, kicked off its fifth season with an in depth, 10-episode look at the tour.

My Next Read: ‘SHOT! by Rock The Photography’ of Mick Rock

Music

Eric Alper

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Sep 15, 2022

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My Next Read: ‘SHOT! by Rock The Photography’ of Mick Rock

The iconic photography and tales of famous musicians and rock-and-roll legends, all from “the man who shot the Seventies” himself, Mick Rock. “SHOT! by Rock” is out on November 22, 2022.

Born in 1948 in Hammersmith, London, Michael Rock became a photographer after graduating from college, and developed his visual style with photos of the local rock music scene in England. Soon thereafter his photography career took off, going higher and higher with each new musician he shot for. His work is embodied in this text, full of luscious, color-saturated photography of some of the most dynamic and enthralling musical acts and stars in rock history—and likewise filled with amazing and amusing behind-the-scenes stories of musicians from Mick Jagger to Miley Cyrus and beyond.

Instrumental in creating so many iconic images in music history, from Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” to David Bowie’s Life on Mars video, Mick has had major exhibitions all over the world, has featured in the 2016 documentary, SHOT!, and his work has secured his reputation alongside his subjects as an icon of rock.

A sure-fire hit with rock and musical history fans!

Drummer Stewart Copeland’s Long-Lost 1980s Star Wars Spinoff Theme Song

Music

Eric Alper

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Sep 15, 2022

0

Drummer Stewart Copeland’s Long-Lost 1980s Star Wars Spinoff Theme Song

The Police former drummer Stewart Copeland wrote and performed the opening theme song — “Trouble Again” — for the Star Wars Droids animated television series back in 1985.

Ori Dagan Announces Tour in Canada: “CLICK RIGHT HERE” For His Latest Album

Music

Eric Alper

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Sep 14, 2022

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Ori Dagan Announces Tour in Canada: “CLICK RIGHT HERE” For His Latest Album

Toronto, ON-based Jazz impresario, Ori Dagan, invites you to Click Right Here on a brand new album of jazz tracks that’ll leave you swinging, sashaying and singing along.

Pairing with Simone Denny for the completely recreated “Video Killed The Radio Star” (originally recorded by the Buggles), Dagan is slipping a quarter into a nostalgic jukebox with this reimagined classic. With Click Right Here, Dagan slips into his songwriting shoes to provide an album stacked with originals.

Joined by the assistance of his exceptionally talented group of musicians (Nathan Hiltz [guitar]; Attila Fias [piano]; Alex Bellegarde [bass]; Ben Wittman [drums]; Alison Young [alto saxophone]; Colleen Allen [tenor saxophone]; William Carn [trombone]; Andrew McAnsh [trumpet]) with arrangement by Rebecca Hennessy, Dagan sets the pace with modern take on a familiar genre. His approach on Jazz is invitational, exciting, and as much new-wave, as it is pure and true-to-form on jazz-o-nomics.

“Even though ‘Click Right Here’ is my fourth studio album, it represents a lot of firsts for me,” says Dagan. “Thanks to my first FACTOR recording grant, for the first time in my career I was able to record with an 8-piece band featuring a 4-piece horn section, a dream come true for just about any jazz singer inspired by the swing era.”

The scat singing front man with the natural, fluid, bop-inflecting vocals and flair hails inspiration from Ella Fitzgerald, Lester Young, and Sheila Jordan (a heroine of his he was able to record a duet with in 2017). Dagan’s catalogue includes S’Cat Got My Tongue (2009) and Less Than Three <3 (2012). In 2017, with the support of over 200 crowdfunding contributors, he created the visual album Nathaniel: A Tribute to Nat King Cole, a first of its kind in the jazz genre — a collection of 12 music videos that garnered him invitations to headline around the world, won critical acclaim and recognition at film festivals worldwide, as well as an official showcase at SXSW. During the pandemic, Dagan kept himself busy by entertaining en masse with live streaming “Jazz It Up” - a weekly concert garnering more than a million views collectively. Dagan devoted his episodes to the greats - Nat King Cole, The Rat Pack, Louis Armstrong and more. “Maybe the most important first is that all the songs on this recording are original,” Dagan says of Click Right Here, adding: “I have been singing jazz standards and swinging pop songs for over 20 years, and I love doing that, but honestly singing my own songs feels like a completely different art form; this project has inspired in me an immense respect for the craft of songwriting and for the courage to share one's own songs.” Following his sold-out Toronto launch of "Click Right Here" at The El Mocambo, Ori made his European debut with a Macedonian tour to packed shows in Ohrid, Stip and Skopje, and closed the Skopje Summer Festival to a thunderous ovation. ‘Click Right Here’ surrenders willingly to the musical language of swing and bebop, juxtaposed with lyrics that relate to the 21st century, and “especially to the digital ‘Hashtag World’,” remarks Dagan, adding: “From social media to online dating, pocket dialing to identity theft, in the past quarter of a century the way we live our lives in the Western World has drastically changed, and it was really meaningful to be able to reflect on these changes. I had never heard a jazz album like this, which made the process of writing it both challenging and rewarding.” Dagan plans to take the album worldwide, with a stop in Israel for the first time in his career - a milestone moment for this Jewish artist taking the world by storm. “‘Click Right Here’ finds me swinging timely original tunes with an 8-piece group, transitioning from an old-school crooner into a jazz singer-songwriter. It took a pandemic to make this happen, but I am so glad that ‘Click Right Here’ is finally here,” says Dagan. Ori Dagan tour dates:
September 17: 4:20pm South Coast Jazz
October 14: Chapelle Historique du Bon-Pasteur, Montreal QC
October 16: Stewart Hall Cultural Centre, Pointe Claire, QC
October 17: Grand Théâtre de Québec, Quebec City, QC
October 18: Maison de la culture Ahuntsic, Montreal QC

Chart Topping, Award-Winning Canadian Country Artist Deborah Lynn Serves Up a Refreshing Fun “Rosé All Day”

Music

Eric Alper

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Sep 14, 2022

0

Chart Topping, Award-Winning Canadian Country Artist Deborah Lynn Serves Up a Refreshing Fun “Rosé All Day”

It’s summertime and the livin’ is so much easier when you can uncork the perfect sunny day, good times, weekend songs and get that lakeside party started. Award winning Canadian country artist Deborah Lynn is totally up for that and pouring on a refreshing, deliciously fun new single with “Rosé All Day.”

The kind of day made for a sparkling song like “Rosé All Day” is exactly what inspired Deborah Lynn to write it, along with some much needed “me time”.

“Last summer I took some time to myself to recharge and decide what I wanted to do,” explains Deborah Lynn. “I had quit my job and wasn’t sure what was next. We took a solid 6 weeks as a family to relax and just enjoy a Canadian summer.”

That idyllic feeling of pure, blissful downtime made its way right into this hook-powered country romper that goes down like the smooth, lightly sweet beverage of Deborah Lynn’s summer preference.

“I wanted to write something upbeat and fun for summertime and sunny Saturdays at the lake mean drinking rosé with the girls,” says the Frankford, Ontario-based singer-songwriter. “So, I stuck to what I know and started on a tune about wine. I wanted a summertime anthem for ladies like me that aren’t beer and whiskey drinkers but still love a good ‘ole traditional country tune.”

I got my feet up high and my hair undone
There’s nothing to do but soak up the sun
If you’re getting’ up, pour another one
And leave the bottle

With a double down stomp-stomp and an irresistible sing-along chorus that Deborah Lynn punches through with her bright, sassy vocal, “Rosé All Day” is headed for a coveted spot on the much-loved list of summer party anthems. Even though everyone will undoubtedly feel the good times rollin’ with “Rosé All Day”, it’s true that Deborah Lynn definitely had a target audience in mind while writing the song.

“There are so many country songs about whiskey, tequila and silver bullets and only a few about wine,” notes the 2020 Breezeway Entertainer of the Year nominee. “My goal with this one was to write a song that connected with all the “county girls” that just don’t fit into that stereotypical country song.”

Yeah I could have a glass of red or some chardonnay
But all I’m looking for is a little Rosé

“Rosé All Day” follows up Deborah Lynn’s Spring 2022 release, the touching and emotional “Something Good” and marks another musical milestone for this rising star since she hit the top of the Canadian Indie Country Countdown in 2020 with her debut single, “Revive a Ghost”. That out-of-the-gate success led to Deborah Lynn being nominated for a Josie Award for Best Female Country Song.

Born and raised in Stirling, Ontario, Deborah Lynn started singing, playing guitar and sharpening her songwriting skills from a young age. However, music was put on the backburner after college while she tried her hand at being a small business owner in Toronto. Then, a fateful trip to Nashville reignited her artistic passion and put her back on the road to becoming a rising country music artist. For Deborah Lynn, watching her debut single rocketing all the way to the top of the Canadian Indie Country chart cemented that decision to change career course.

Then, Deborah Lynn’s Josie Award nomination became the latest indication of the sensational response from audiences everywhere to a genuine artist looking to push the boundaries within country music. In the case of her latest single, that means leaving that well-worn, whiskey path behind and creating a song specifically with the rosé-loving ladies in mind.

“I feel it is a good representation of me as an artist and as a person,” says Deborah Lynn. “I’m not 21 anymore but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like to kick back and enjoy a hot summer day with the girls.”