Guitar Licks and Tips » Musicians

Some great tunes from Rick Santers band

Chris — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:01:21 +0000

My wife and I were up late last Saturday night and we happened to come across this video titled Road to Morocco from the 80’s power rock trio Santers. It was on Much Music and just watching it brought back a flood of memories of the days playing in a band with Domenic N., Jon P and Eddie S. down in Domenic’s parents basement!

The band only played one show and we performed You Turn me on, Winter Freeze at a St. John’s College talent night in 1984 I think. Anyways, it was a good show and we had some fun as well. I think that Eddie was suspended from school for a couple of days before the show and we had to do some sweet talking to the principle at the time to get permission to let him back on the school property to be part of the show. If anyone out there remembers who else played that night I’d love to hear from ya!

The original members of Santers were Rick (guitar/vocals) and Mark (drummer) Santers with Rick Lazaroff (bassists). They started playing together in 1981 and played in and around southern Ontario, Quebec and up and down the eastern US sea board. Later on they were performing in the UK for a while to some rave reviews. After that I lost track of them and didn’t notice them again until this past year.

Some other fabulous tunes were Racing Time, Mistreating Heart and Can’t Shake You.

So here is a neat video of them performing at Massey Hall in 1983, so sit back and enjoy!

Road to Morocco

Keep on Jammin’

The new Brantford SJC School Band

Chris — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:01:46 +0000

I attended St. John’s College high school during the early to mid 80’s and I was in the school band but these kids take the cake! I wonder if this is a credited coarse band? Just kiddin’ … I think?

I came across this video that someone posted up on Youtube and I am very impressed. The sound and visual effects that these player’s have was certainly not around when I went there. I wonder if they realize how lucky they are to be growing up during these highly advanced technical times?

So hats off to the school band and I’d love to hear from anyone out there that was in it. Enjoy, I sure did.

Also check out their version of Time as well.

Keep on Jammin’

Just met the musical icon Nash The Slash

Chris — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:48:45 +0000

I just met the legendary Nash The Slash the other day at a patio in my neighbourhood! Holy crap, it left me speechless for a second! Imagine that, another musical icon living in my neck of the woods?! My hand s are still shaking a bit believe it or not.

It all started off as just a regular outing. My wife and favorite brother in law Terry were coming back from taking our dog midnight for a swim at Cherry Beach. After the walk we wanted to get a little something to eat on a patio, trying to take full advantage of the current warm spell that we we experiencing in our area. Going to Cherry Beach we drove along Queen St E. taking in all the pedestrian traffic just wanting to shake off some of the winter blues.

We drove past this legendary restaurant that has a great patio that was originally called Stratengers. Now it’s called Stratengers Bar & Restaurant. When it was a bar, we went there to check out the great line up of bands that were always playing there. This is the bar that I did some fabulous video work of a band called The Big Kahuna.

After Midnight’s swim and walk along the beach, we decided that this would be the best place to have a late snack. When we finally arrived there, we quickly located a prime location on the patio and sat down. After we ordered a menu and a drink I went up to the little boys room. While walking upstairs, I noticed this tiny cut away in the wall that had some glass covering it. When I stopped to investigate it I realized that it was a shrine to great Nash the Slash! It had some neat pictures, media/website info and a collection of his work.

I’ve read on line before that this was one of his favorite haunts but that was it. Before going back out to the patio I ran into someone who worked there and inquired about Nash. He told me that he came in quite frequently around this time of the day and that he’d love to chat with me if I wanted. He also said that he’d probably talk to me for hours if I had the time. Holy crap, he shouldn’t of told me about that!

With a skip in my stride, that of a little kid just before Christmas, off I went to tell my clan about what I had just found inside. I was now on the hunt for the illusive Nash the Slash on the exact same patio that I was in.

The sun was just starting to set below the top of the roof of the house across the street and we knew that very soon it would be getting cold so we asked for the bill and began to get ready to leave. BUT I HADN’T SEEN NASH YET, in a child like voice in my mind but my wife knew what was going on inside my old brain box!

As I began to untie my little dog Midnight from the patio railing, the owner came up and tapped me on the back and shook my hand. He said, so you’re the one that wants to met Nash? Well here he is! I then turned around and THERE HE WAS! I stood there speechless for the first time in a long while.

He said Hi, I’m Nash. I immediately took off my sun glasses and started babbling something to him. I was in shock.

During a gig at The Edge in the late ’70’s to raise awareness of the threat from the Three Mile Island disaster, he walked on stage wearing bandages dipped in phosphorous paint and exclaimed: “look, this is what happens to you”. The bandages became his trademark.

Imagine that, right there in front of me was the guy that in my mind, made the band FM so fascinating to listen to. Playing an electric violin and mandolin? I had never thought about electrifying instruments like that before. Remember this was in the late 70’s mind you. I understand that he is such a force of musical nature in his own rite but it was with the band FM that exposed me to his musical genius.

As a impressionable young guitarist, I can’t remember how many times that I placed my parents stereo speakers out the front windows of their home for all the neighbourhood to hear. Blasting the entire album Black Noise through it and literally soaking up all their musical prowess. Often while listening to this album I tried to focus in on individual tracks to pick out what it was that each member from the band was playing. It was so foreign to me at the time. I ate it up whole and then attempted to spit it out through my guitar playing. Most of my buddies thought that I had either left the planet or that I was really on to something here.

So thanx for listening to me ramble on for many a paragraph. I know that I have not been all that active on this and on my other blogs but I guess that after many years of playing and blogging it can burn you out after a while. I hope to have re-energized my battery’s engine and resume more work

Keep on Jammin’ Nash The Slash (RIP Digger)

Chuck Berry is the Father Rock and Roll

Chris — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:52:01 +0000

Chuck Berry. Wow, what a man/guitarist/god! After saying his name out loud I find myself sitting back and thinking about all that he has done for Rock and Roll music throughout his life. Chuck Berry is Rock and Roll!

I’ve been a huge fan ever since I heard this song at an old friends house, Carl Tessier was his name I think? I eventually bought the album and tried in vain to figure out what it was that he was doing! The licks, chords and phrasings are things that only he can do! A couple of years ago I did a small post about Chuck Berry on my other blog. In it there was a video that shows him telling Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones how to play a certain part of a song that they and his band is playing for a documentary, Hail hail Rockin’ Roll. God it’s so funny!

So here’s to Chuck Berry! Enjoy.

Keep on Jammin’ Canada!

Acoustic Guitar magazine is 20 years old

Chris — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:25:23 +0000

The Acoustic Guitar magazine is celebrating 20 years of service to all those die hard acoustic guitarists out there everywhere!

I’ve always found some great topics and intriguing issues in this magazine. The way the articles are phrased makes them simple to understand and the writers don’t talk down to you. I find this magazine to be unmatched and highly recommend it to any level of guitarist.

I’ve picked up some real nice little riffs and chord progressions in it that I find myself using without even realizing it! The website is just fabulous! If you have an online subscription, the guitar videos will help you become not only a much better guitarist, but a well rounded musician as well. I can’t say enough about the guys and girls that work there.

Acoustic Guitar’s 20th anniversary issue has what they consider to be the top 240 essential albums from the past 20 years. Some are from albums/guitarist that are familiar and some musicians that are very obscure to most, but in the end will help you expand your playing styles in new and exciting directions.

The anniversary installment, January’s issue, covers some great guitar and gear innovations over the past 20 years. Products like the Trace acoustic TA-100, the Kyser Quick Change capo (I’ve got one and I NEVER leave home with out one in my case), the Fishman Acoustic Matrix piezo pickup, tons of guitars and pedals. It also has a real nice article about how guitar making technology has helped change the sound of modern instruments.

Acoustic Guitar 20th Anniversary collector’s edition is out and I highly recommend that you pick this one up for either yourself or a guitarist that you know.

Keep on Jammin’ Acoustic Guitar!

The Roots Music Authority called No Depression

Chris — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 19:04:43 +0000

The website called No depression is a follow up from a quarterly print magazine covering alternative- country music in 1995. The magazine was canceled in June 2008. I caught a glimpse of it while at work the other day and from what I saw of their final issue I wish that they continued on with it.

I found the magazine highlighting a ton of blues players and other songwriters, I only skimmed through it for around an hour and then the patient that had brought it in had to go.

No Depression had received Utne Reader Independent Press Awards for Arts & Literature coverage, and was cited as one of the nation’s Top 20 magazines of any kind in 2004 by the Chicago Tribune. It had it’s own radio show in Texas that was syndicated in between 2002 – 2003. They even did a tour with a couple of bands that they fell in love with during the magazine. They were featuring Whiskeytown, the Old 97’s, Hazeldine, and the Picketts) in 1997.

Our name, No Depression, refers to a song written by southern gospel pioneer J.D. Vaughan called “No Depression In Heaven.” The Carter Family recorded it in 1936, making the song one of their few topical offerings. It was cut again by Charlie Monroe (Bill’s brother and one-time singing partner) in 1948, released as the B-side of his 1950 RCA single “Mother’s Not Dead.” It next resurfaced, minus one verse, on a 1959 album by the New Lost City Ramblers (whose membership included Mike Seeger) called Songs From The Depression. That is the album that St. Louis band Uncle Tupelo heard and that they made the title track to their 1990 debut album. And that, in turn, led to the naming of an Internet discussion board, No Depression/Alt.Country. We thought all that history made it an ideal name for a magazine that wished to cover the past, present and future of American music. And with nodepression.com, we’re echoing the roots of that first-generation discussion board (which is still active, by the way).

In that final issue they also did a piece on a old high school friend of mine Carl Wilson, now that blew my mind!

So check it out and tell me what yo think of it!

Keep on jammin’

The How Long Blues in the Recovery Room

Chris — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 05:01:01 +0000

Here is the video of Dr. Lefkowitz and myself playing at my work. We did a 2nd take of this one because one of my favorite nurses of all time Bev and my favorite anesthesiologist Les missed the 1st one!

I now have a fonder respect for blues guitarist! I find the rhythms to play are difficult to master. The lossie goosie timing takes a bit of getting use to. The coming in and out of time signatures at unfamiliar times are something that I have not tried before. I am more accustomed to straight forward rhythms so I must appear to come off as a spastic rhythm guitarist, ha!

Just a question here for all you musicians out there, have you had certain challenges when you try to play the blues properly when your own style of playing is completely different for the blues? I just want to find out if it is just me who has the problem adapting to this unique genre or is it just me.

Like most guitar players I love attempting different forms of music to broaden my musical horizons and repertoire. It is also an advantage to having a number of tricks in my hand bag to pull out when needed.

This genre of music will take me a while to get a proper handle on it but I feel that I am up for the task. So a practicing I a go!

So sit back and have a laugh at my expense! Cheers!

Update – sorry had to remove the video as the doctor I work with made it private. Darn!

Keep on Jammin’

Micheal White and Orchestral Zeppelin

Chris — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 05:01:54 +0000

Micheal White & The White with their Orchestral Zeppelin project is a fascinating to say the least! The adulation from this group for that Zeppelin sound shows everyone the depth of love that they have for this great band. Having the drive and skill to pull off something like this makes one’s blood cold with excitement!

They were the first band ever to call themselves a ‘tribute’ and have performed over 4000 shows to over 3 million fans around the world. Even Jimmy Page himself commented to me in 1985 that “Michael does it best”.

The White is considered to be first act to be known as a true Led Zeppelin Tribute Band and the rest is history. I think that I’ve heard about this band for a while now but I never really paid that much attention to them until today. While driving home from the store I came across a commercial on the radio, promoting the bands next show in Toronto at the Sound Academy.

So I thought that I’d give you a heads up about these guys and I’d love to see them sometime … anyone out there got some free tickets for yours truly?!

If anyone is interested in going to the show here is the info.

Q107 the radio station that I was listening to at the time is presenting Michael White’s ORCHESTRAL ZEPPELIN featuring the Symphony Of Rock Youth Orchestra on Sat Jan 16, 2010. Doors are open at 8pm and TICKETS are $20 IN ADVANCE and $25 AT DOOR.

Keep on Jammin’ Micheal White & The White!

Playing guitar with the Singing Cardiologist

Chris — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:34:35 +0000

Happy holidays everyone and I trust that you all had a great time off!

This year I had the chance to play in the Surgical Recovery Room that I work in with our legendary Singing Cardiologist doctor also known as D.R. Cardiac Rap! He played last year for us and also the patients that recuperating there right after their surgery. It was amazing to move patients through the area and having them say things like wasn’t that a doctor singing and playing guitar for us?

Last year he performed this reggae style song on his acoustic guitar with a drum machine running in the background. He had a few back up singers(nurses) which added to the show visually speaking. The tune was about life as a cardiologist and what goes on behind the scenes in the O.R. I must say it was fun to witness!

This year he asked me if I wanted to play with him so I jumped at the opportunity. He said that he was working on a song called How Long Blues. I’m not that big of a blues guitarist but I said why not. We both hoped to have jammed at least twice to get a handle on how each other plays but we only had a short practice right before playing in front of both staff and patients.

The song went well enough and a nurse was recording it on video. I haven’t seen it yet but when he sends me a copy I’ll post it up on this particular site!

Keep on Jammin’ in the New Year everybody!

The Mountain Music with Sheesham and Lotus

Chris — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:01:34 +0000

The musical style of Sheesham and Lotus is called mountain music. That is what Sheesham told me when I met him while walking my dog Midnight. The music is simple and refreshing. Toe tapping is another phrase to describe the band’s genre but right now I can’t find the proper words to define these guys.

I just can’t help but feel so upbeat about life when I am taking in their unique musical way of life! The music from Sheesham and Lotus gently brings me back to a time that seemed more kinder and respectful to one another. I just want to get up and dance … ok I won’t because I’m down right pathetic at it.

Check out more video’s of Sheesham and Lotus and see if you to get that feeling?!

Keep on Jammin’

Guitar Licks and Tips » Musicians

Some great tunes from Rick Santers band

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The How Long Blues in the Recovery Room

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Playing guitar with the Singing Cardiologist

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