Ever recorded your voice on a cell phone or answering machine, then been surprised at the sound of the playback? This tip and exercises will help you get in touch with the sound of your voice that others hear. It will help you judge your sound as you speak and sing and make you a more intelligent communicator.
Beck’s 13th Album ‘Colors’ To Be Released October 13
Hailed in advance by ROLLING STONE as a “euphoric blast of experimental pop,” Beck’s 13th album Colors has been confirmed for an October 13 release on Capitol Records. Possibly the most aptly titled work in Beck’s storied discography, Colors unfolds in an intoxicating rainbow of auditory tricks and treats, making it a shoo-in for the summeriest smash of the fall season.
Colors is Beck’s first full length offering of new material since 2014’s Morning Phase took Album of the Year top honors at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, as well as Best Rock Album and Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical) category. In addition to the newly unveiled “Dear Life,” Colors includes both Beck singles that preceded it: a new mix of the psych-dance summer jam “Dreams” that NPR hailed as “urgently contemporary and irresistibly vintage” as it gave Beck his second #1 single at AAA radio (the first being Morning Phase’s “Blue Moon”), and the retro-futuristic earworm and USA TODAY Song of the Week “Wow” that had STEREOGUM praising its “big, sweet incandescent hook” and plainly stating “It’s a great song!” while ESQUIRE rejoiced “All hail the return of Party Beck.”
Colors is also available for pre-order at Beck.com in a limited edition deluxe vinyl format featuring two 180g 45rpm red vinyl LPs in a special die-cut gatefold package, with a customizable color transparency cover and 24-page booklet. Digitally, Colors can be pre-ordered through Apple Music, pre-saved via Spotify, and more. The complete track listing for the album is:
Colors
7th Heaven
I’m So Free
Dear Life
No Distraction
Dreams
Wow
Up All Night
Square One
Fix Me
Colors was produced by Greg Kurstin and Beck, with the exception of “Wow” produced by Beck and Cole M.G.N., and “Fix Me” produced by Beck. The album was mixed by Serban Ghenea, except “Dreams” and “Up All Night,” which were mixed by Greg Kurstin and Beck.
Following an August 27 headline engagement at MusicFest NW in Portland OR, Beck will join U2 as special guest on The Joshua Tree Tour 2017. Beck will support U2 on a series of stadium dates beginning September 3 at Ford Field in Detroit and winding up September 22 at San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium. See below for a full list of upcoming Beck shows and continue to check Beck.com for updates and further information.
BECK
On Tour
8/24/17 – Vancouver, BC – Orpheum
8/25/17 – Redmond WA – Marymoor Park
8/27/17 – Portland, OR – Musicfest NW
9/03/17- Detroit, MI – Ford Field *
9/05/17 – Buffalo, NY – New Era Field *
9/08/17 – Minneapolis, MN – US Bank Stadium *
9/09/17 – Council Bluffs, IA – Harrah’s Stir Cove
9/10/17 – Indianapolis, IN – Lucas Oil Stadium *
9/12/17 – Kansas City, MO – Arrowhead Stadium *
9/14/17 – New Orleans, LA – Mercedez-Benz Superdome*
9/16/17 – St. Louis, MO – Dome at America’s Center *
9/19/17 – Glendale, AZ – University of Phoenix Stadium*
9/22/17 – San Diego, CA – Qualcomm Stadium *
* Special Guest on U2’s The Joshua Tree Tour 2017
Fender Releases Limited-Edition George Harrison Rosewood Telecaster
Fender released the limited-edition George Harrison Rosewood Telecaster, inspired by the late musical legend. With only 1,000 units available worldwide, it is a masterpiece that will capture the imagination of musicians everywhere. In conjunction with the Harrison estate, Fender is commemorating his remarkable career with an instrument that embodies his elegantly restrained playing style and sound.
The George Harrison Rosewood Telecaster is inspired by the guitar that Fender built specifically for him in 1968. As the brainchild of Fender luthier Roger Rossmeisl and the finished product of Philip Kubicki, the instrument instantly gained significance as it was the first all-rosewood guitar ever to be produced by Fender and was unveiled in the hands of the world’s most recognized guitarist. Harrison used the rosewood Telecaster while recording some of the most recognizable music of the late 1960s and famously played it during the historic London “Rooftop Concert” in January of 1969. Hand-crafted using the most up-to-date luthier techniques, this new edition is more accessible than the Fender Custom Shop’s George Harrison Tribute Rosewood Telecaster® released in 2016, and provides more fans with the opportunity to celebrate the iconic star.
A modern, more accessible and lightweight version of the original Rosewood Telecaster, the guitar remains true to its heritage with a classic look and unique tone only an all-rosewood guitar can produce. The body is chambered for reduced weight and increased resonance. Other features include a rosewood neck with a laminated 9.5” radius rosewood fingerboard and custom neck plate engraved with an Om symbol.
Fender Releases Jimi Hendrix Monterey Stratocaster Guitar
Fender today announced the launch of its newest addition to the Artist Signature Series: the Jimi Hendrix Monterey Stratocaster; it honors the late and great rock icon, whose persona and legacy is not only synonymous with the Fender Stratocaster, but also rock ‘n’ roll at large. Jimi Hendrix took the world by storm with his incredible 1967 Monterey Pop Festival performance, which he concluded with the sacrificial burning of his now-iconic, hand-painted Stratocaster. First revealed at Summer NAMM 2017 in Nashville, Tenn., and available only for the remainder of this year, the new limited edition Jimi Hendrix Monterey Stratocaster celebrates the 50th anniversary of this milestone in music history.
Jimi Hendrix wholly embraced the Fender Stratocaster as his preferred instrument. Like no artist before or since, his imagination and unparalleled skill as a guitarist created seemingly infinite possibilities for the Stratocaster. Successive generations of musicians have recognized this unique bond between artist and instrument. Iconic performances at the Monterey International Pop Festival and Woodstock have inspired generations of guitarists everywhere to embrace the Stratocaster more than ever.
The Jimi Hendrix Monterey Stratocaster, priced at $899.99, captures all of the energy of his unforgettable set-ending finale at the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967. An homage to the spectacular performance that quite literally burned its way into our pop culture conscience, the Jimi Hendrix Monterey Stratocaster faithfully replicates his hand-painted psychedelic artwork on the body of the guitar. A trio of vintage-style single-coil Stratocaster pickups give this ‘60s-style, Fiesta Red Strat its classic Fender sound. Bell-like and articulate, it has plenty of singing sustain for soloing. The “C”-shaped maple neck bears a vintage-style 7.25”-radius pau ferro fingerboard with 21 vintage-sized frets for a playing feel just like the original. The six-screw synchronized tremolo is perfect for unleashing dive-bombs and other sonic expressions. Fully authorized, the Stratocaster features an exclusive etched Authentic Hendrix neck plate.
Photo Gallery: Colin James with Port Cities at the CNE
All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her at minismemories@hotmail.com
John Lee Hooker to be Celebrated with Career-Spanning Box Set
Craft Recordings, the Catalog division of Concord Bicycle Music, is proud to announce the release of King Of The Boogie, a career-spanning retrospective, honoring blues icon John Lee Hooker. Due out September 29th, the five-CD set delves deep into the catalog of the influential artist, featuring not only his iconic hits, but also rarities, live recordings and several previously unreleased tracks. Housed in a 56-page book, the collection includes a wide selection of photos, taken throughout the musician’s life, plus new liner notes by writer and John Lee Hooker historian Jas Obrecht, as well as by the artist’s longtime manager and friend, Mike Kappus.
John Lee Hooker (1917-2001) was born 100 years ago today, near Clarksdale, Mississippi to a sharecropping family. Throughout the years, there has been some academic debate about his original birth year. However, The Hooker family maintains 1917 as the de facto date. Says daughter Zakiya Hooker, “As we all know there was no great push for accuracy back then in that portion of the community. But we just stick to what my father told us, which was what he was told by his mother.”
As a young man, Hooker worked his way up north to Detroit to pursue his passion of music. By 1948, the artist had a hit on his hands with one of his earliest recordings, “Boogie Chillun’.” From there, Hooker would record over 100 albums throughout the course of his six-decade-long career, building a diverse collection of fans along the way: from folk musicians and beatniks, to the stars of the British Invasion. The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana are among those who cite Hooker as a major influence. In his liner notes, Mike Kappus recalls that, “Everyone who knew John Lee Hooker loved him and felt privileged to be in his presence. While he influenced generations of musicians with his incomparable style, that impact on musicians stepped up to yet another level once they got to know and, universally, love him.”
In his later years, as the bluesman found himself in one of the busiest, most productive eras of his career, Hooker was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Blues Hall of Fame and Memphis Music Hall of Fame; was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and took home four GRAMMY® Awards, plus a coveted Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.
Tasked with narrowing down Hooker’s vast catalog into five CDs, box set producer Mason Williams curated the collection to narrate the artist’s story. “Even at 100 songs, this set is just a snapshot of John Lee Hooker’s incredible and influential career,” says Williams, “but one that takes you on the long journey he took from his early days in Detroit, to his time in Chicago recording for Vee-Jay Records and up through his later collaborations with Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt and Santana, among others.”
King Of The Boogie will be released as part of a year-long, multi-partner centennial celebration, honoring the music and influence of John Lee Hooker, and will be a companion piece to an exhibit of the same name, which kicks off today at the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi. John Lee Hooker: King Of The Boogie includes Hooker’s performance outfits, guitars, photos, awards and, of course, his music. The exhibit will be on display through February 2018, before traveling west to the GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE. Additional centennial partners include The Blues Foundation, The Delta Blues Museum, Living Blues, Oxford American, the John Lee Hooker Estate, and Epiphone Guitars, who are currently planning the release of a limited-edition John Lee Hooker Zephyr Outfit sometime in early 2018. John Lee’s daughter, Zakiya, has worked closely with all partners on her father’s centennial events, and affirms, “Today, on what would have been my father’s 100th birthday, I am so thrilled to see him celebrated-both with the exhibit, as well as with the announcement of this special collection of music. I know that his fans will be excited to hear rare performances, and to read the touching words of his longtime manager, Mike Kappus, as well as those of the wonderful Jas Obrecht. It was a pleasure to watch this box set come together, and I can’t wait to see it shared with the world.”
The Tragically Hip Announce The Release Dates And Theatres For “Long Time Running” Doc
The Tragically Hip have anounced the release of the trailer and movie poster for their documentary LONG TIME RUNNING. The film is directed by their friends Jennifer Baichwal and Nick de Pencier, and will have its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. LTR will be released theatrically in cinemas across Canada beginning Sept. 14th. Starting today, you can pre-order your tickets for select cities. All cinema tickets will be up this week, so please check your local listings frequently. Click here for Cineplex and here for Landmark Cinemas.
Long Time Running chronicles the emotional and epic iconic Canadian band’s now-legendary 2016 tour that captured the heart of the nation. Viewers will be given a unique and exclusive perspective into The Tragically Hip’s world through intimate moments, behind-the-scenes and on-stage footage, personal interviews with the band and close friends, as well as reactions from their devoted fans from across the country.
Townes Van Zandt describes his Texan sound
Widely regarded for his poetic, often heroically sad songs, Townes talks and performs the song Nothin’ on a Dutch TV show in 1995.
https://youtu.be/jj6cDQWbe58
Video: Charles Mingus in his New York loft
One of the most important figures in twentieth century American music, here’s Charles Mingus in his New York loft, playing with his daughter, and bringing out some piano and bass.
Isaac Hayes being Honored with New Retrospective ‘The Spirit Of Memphis (1962-1976)’
Craft Recordings is proud to announce the forthcoming release of The Spirit of Memphis (1962-1976), chronicling the ascension of one of the most influential creative talents in music history, Isaac Hayes, who would have turned 75 this year. Due out September 22nd, the four-cd collection examines the various avenues of Hayes’ prolific career; each disc offering an in-depth look at his distinct musical contributions to both Memphis-based Stax Records and to the world at large: from his foundational presence as a songwriter and producer at Stax, to his artistic metamorphosis and subsequent rise to stardom. The set also includes a wide range of previously-unreleased material, as well as a replica 7″ vinyl single of the artist’s first commercially-released recordings. Housed in a 60-page hardcover book, the retrospective incorporates a wealth of archival photos and ephemera, as well as an essay by author Robert Gordon (Respect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion) which includes new interviews with Stax luminaries Deanie Parker and Jim Stewart. Contributions from Floyd Newman, Mickey Gregory, Sam Moore (Sam & Dave), and compilation producer Joe McEwen round out the package. Track listing below.
From his humble beginnings as an orphaned sharecropper to his rise as a session musician, house songwriter, and producer for Stax Records, to his arrival as a star in his own right, Isaac Hayes (1942-2008) became a symbol of what was possible for Black America. Dubbed “Black Moses” during the height of his popularity, Hayes revolutionized soul music, leading it out of the era of the three-minute single and into new territory: that of the fully-orchestrated concept album, complete with extended cuts that, in some cases, spanned nearly the entire side of an LP. The artist also broke barriers in the film industry, scoring the 1971 film Shaft. The soundtrack became Hayes’ fourth consecutive platinum LP, and also earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Song (“Theme From Shaft”). The musician became the first African American to win the Oscar in a non-acting category, and was also the first recipient of the Best Original Song category to both write and perform the winning track. Hayes’ success opened the door for other artists and composers, like Curtis Mayfield and Norman Whitfield, to score music for the screen.
Each disc of The Spirit of Memphis (1962-1976) examines a different facet of Hayes’ career. Disc one covers his early work as a songwriter and producer at Stax, including many of his legendary collaborations with David Porter, such as Carla Thomas’ “B-A-B-Y” recently featured in the hit film Baby Driver, and Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man,” which celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year.
Disc two spotlights Isaac Hayes as a solo artist, featuring his singles recorded for the Volt and Enterprise imprints; from his breakthrough track “By The Time I Get To Phoenix,” off Hot Buttered Soul, to his subsequent chartbusters, including “Never Can Say Goodbye,” “Do Your Thing” and the iconic, ubiquitous chart-topping hit, “Theme from Shaft.”
The third disc, aptly titled “Cover Man,” examines Isaac’s uncanny ability to transform tunes by songwriting greats such as Burt Bacharach and Hal David and make them entirely his own. This disc also includes previously unreleased material, including a studio version of “Windows of the World” and live covers of “Stormy Monday,” “I Stand Accused,” and “The Ten Commandments of Love,” all recorded at a 1972 concert in Chicago.
The final disc, entitled “Jam Master,” offers fans a seat in the studio with Isaac Hayes, showcasing extended jams from his classic LPs, including a full, 33-minute freeform psychedelic Bar-Kays jam on “Do Your Thing.” This disc also includes unreleased work-in-progress versions of “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” the Bill Withers-penned classic “Ain’t No Sunshine,” and a never-before-heard composition from the Shaft soundtrack entitled “Black Militant’s Place.”
This collection marks a cornerstone in a year-long initiative celebrating Stax Records’ 60th anniversary and comes on the heels of a recent digital release of Hayes’ Enterprise albums re-mastered from the original analog tapes by renowned engineer Dave Cooley at Elysian Masters earlier this year. LP reissues cut from these new masters, including the best-selling Hot Buttered Soul, Black Moses, and Shaft will be available later this year.
The cross-label collaboration between Concord Music Group and Rhino Entertainment has highlighted the hits, deep cuts and rare tracks from the Memphis label’s heyday of the ’60s and ’70s. Indeed, Isaac Hayes was an integral part of “The Memphis Sound,” and helped to not only shape the sound of a genre, but also helped it explode into mainstream pop culture. 75 years after Hayes’ birth, and nearly a decade after his passing, his music, style and influence still live on today. Many of the most recognizable Hip-Hop beats and drops have been born from Hayes’ original tracks and a collaboration with WhoSampled.com launching in connection with the release of the box set will showcase his lasting effect on popular music.
“The Spirit of Memphis (1962-1976) is an attempt to frame a career that doesn’t always fit neatly together. This box set is a little idiosyncratic, like its subject and the desire is to tell a story, put together in chapters,” writes box set producer Joe McEwen in his Producer’s Note, “hopefully to give context to a visionary talent who came of age in Memphis, Tennessee among a generational eruption of musicians that moved mountains…”
Pre-order The Spirit of Memphis (1962-1976) on Amazon.
TRACK LISTING:
*Denotes previously unreleased material
DISC ONE
Soul Songwriter, Soul Producer
1. Floyd Newman – Sassy
2. David Porter – Can’t See You When I Want To
3. Carla Thomas – How Do You Quit (Someone You Love)
4. Booker T and the MGs – Boot-leg
5. The Astors – Candy
6. Danny White – Can’t Do Nothing Without You
7. Johnnie Taylor – I Had A Dream
8. Sam & Dave – Hold On! I’m A Comin’
9. Ruby Johnson – I’ll Run Your Hurt Away
10. Carla Thomas – Let Me Be Good To You
11. Mable John – Your Good Thing (Is About To End)
12. Homer Banks – Fighting To Win
13. Carla Thomas – B-A-B-Y
14. William Bell – Never Like This Before
15. The Mad Lads – Patch My Heart
16. Johnnie Taylor – Little Bluebird
17. Charlie Rich – When Something Is Wrong With My Baby
18. Charlie Rich – Love Is After Me
19. Judy Clay – You Can’t Run Away From Your Heart
20. Sam & Dave – Soul Man
21. The Charmels – As Long As I’ve Got You
22. Sam & Dave – I Thank You
23. The Soul Children – The Sweeter He Is (Parts I & II)
24. Billy Eckstine – Stormy
25. David Porter – Can’t See You When I Want To
26. The Emotions – Show Me How
DISC TWO
Volt & Enterprise Singles
1. Sir Isaac and The Do-Dads – The Big Dipper
2. Sir Isaac and The Do-Dads – Blue Groove
3. Isaac Hayes – Precious, Precious
4. Isaac Hayes – By The Time I Get To Phoenix
5. Isaac Hayes – The Mistletoe & Me
6. Isaac Hayes – Winter Snow
7. Isaac Hayes – I Stand Accused
8. Isaac Hayes – The Look Of Love
9. Isaac Hayes – Never Can Say Goodbye
10. Isaac Hayes – Theme From “Shaft”
11. Isaac Hayes – Do Your Thing
12. Isaac Hayes – Let’s Stay Together
13. Isaac Hayes and David Porter – Ain’t That Loving You
(For More Reasons Than One)
14. Isaac Hayes and David Porter – Baby I’m-A Want You
15. Isaac Hayes – Theme From “The Men”
16. Isaac Hayes – Rolling Down A Mountainside
17. Isaac Hayes – Joy (Part 1)
18. Isaac Hayes – Wonderful
19. Isaac Hayes – Someone Made You For Me
20. Isaac Hayes – Title Theme (From “Three Tough Guys”)
21. Radio Spot – “You Gotta Have It To Really Be In”
22. Radio Spot – “The Rapper Is Back”
DISC THREE
Cover Man
1. Isaac Hayes – When I Fall In Love
2. Isaac Hayes – Walk On By
3. Isaac Hayes – I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself
4. Isaac Hayes – Man’s Temptation
5. Isaac Hayes – Never Gonna Give You Up
6. Isaac Hayes – Windows Of The World*
Recorded Live at Operation PUSH Black Expo,
International Amphitheatre, Chicago, IL – October 1, 1972:
7. Isaac Hayes – The Ten Commandments of Love*
8. Isaac Hayes – Just Want To Make Love To You / Rock Me Baby*
9. Isaac Hayes – Stormy Monday*
10. Isaac Hayes – I Stand Accused*
11. Isaac Hayes – If Loving You Is Wrong
12. Isaac Hayes – His Eye Is On The Sparrow
DISC FOUR
Jam Master
1. Isaac Hayes – Ike’s Mood I
2. Isaac Hayes – You’ve Made Me So Very Happy*
3. Isaac Hayes – Black Militant’s Place*
4. Isaac Hayes – Ain’t No Sunshine*
5. Isaac Hayes – Hung Up On My Baby* (Extended Jam)
6. Isaac Hayes – Groove-A-Thon* (Extended Jam)
7. Isaac Hayes – Do Your Thing (Extended Jam)
7″ Single
SIDE A
Laura, We’re On Our Last Go-Round
SIDE B
C.C. Rider