Here is a short of who once called this once Toronto historical music recording studio home at one time in their life.

• RUSH
• Ringo Starr
• Steve Winwood
• Gordon Lightfoot
• Aretha Franklin
• Bachman-Turner Overdrive
• Rosemary Clooney
• Chubby Checker
• James Brown

This ordinary one story unit was called the McClear building. It was located at 225 Mutual St., in Toronto.

“I’m a little saddened that it’s gone,” said former McClear chief engineer Jeff Wolpert. “It could have been designated historical. It had a lot of great ghosts.”

Just a side note here folks but another historical music site is just within ear shot of this place. It’s called Maple Leaf Gardens. Another historical site is within a stones throw as well, it’s the old CBC recording studio’s on Jarvis, directly to the south east of the McClear Building. My favorite and the one who influenced me the most as a very young player was Glenn Gould who recorded at the CBC studios for most of his career.

Scott Yellan, property director for Arsandco Investments, a company with ties Yellan would not precisely describe to both 225 Mutual and the nearby Best Western Primrose Hotel, said the studio building would be replaced by a parking lot. Toronto Star

In the infamous words of Joni Mitchell they paved paradise and put up a (F- – - – - -) parking lot!!! Assholes!

To read more about this story check out this link.

Keep on Jammin’

Ok if you do have these guys in your collection Chris, then my question for you is does Counterpoint play any of their tunes? I’d love to hear one of them at your next show.

Keep on Froggin’

The boys just happen to have all their instruments of honour off to the side and then it happens … Jimmy starts playing this little song called Whole Lotta Love. I don’t know if this was planned but this is the first song that is played with all three sitting together, PERFECT I say!

The other guys just melt when he begins playing. The Edge stands up to get a much closer look at how Jimmy does it (holy shit, I sure would) and it looks like Jack starts to smile and shake inside with excitement! He is trying his best not to totally freak out, check it out. This is the best part of the show!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=suGVO5t96wI

If you haven’t see it then search for it online or go out and buy it, I guarantee you’ll love it. I did. I remember when it first came out I thought that the concept was ideal. Having three generations of guitarists in one movie talking about whatever they want to can’t be all that bad. I didn’t think that they’d actually play but I couldn’t of been more wrong.

Keep on Jammin’

Joni Mitchell was the first guitarist that I encountered using this technique. I never tried this form of playing for a couple of years after playing. When I ventured on this coarse, I found that it opened up a whole new world of guitar playing for me. It certainly took a while to get use to it.

After a while through trial and error, I found that i could expand my chord progressions and better yet, develop that full sound that I have been looking for. Stepping out of your comfort zone is a must for all guitar players. Remember, it’s better to goof up while practicing in the comfort of your own home first before jumping in!

Open Tuning is very frustrating to master at first glance. Check out this link and give it a whirl!

Do you use alternative or open tuning? If so, what are you favorite ones?

Keep on Jammin’

I never believed that U2 wanted to save the whales. I don’t believe that The Beastie Boys are ready to lay it down for Tibet.
Iggy Pop

I’ve never been a real big Iggy Pop lover but the man on stage is raw and inspiring. He work with the stooges is well known and now the man and his band is set to play in Toronto at the Yonge-Dundas Square stage. It’s all part of the NXNE Festival concert line up this year.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfZb26IZq9w

I’d love to go and check his show out live tonight but I have previous plans for today that cannot be changed! I just found out about the show yesterday morning after coming home from an early doctors appointment down the street from Yonge-Dundas Square.

I was walking to the subway to go home and get ready for work when I saw the stage being set up, so I had a few minutes to spare, so I just walked around a bit. I saw this cool older couple sitting a this outside venue at a table and they were having a smoke and a coffee. So I walked up to them and asked then what was up and they told me of the show. Damn, not enough time to change our plans.

Has anyone out there seen these guys live? Am I nuts for not ditching my plans today for the chance to see the great Iggy Pop and the New Stooges play that is 7.9 km (4.9 miles) away?

Keep on Jammin’

I love how he just strums the strings on his acoustic guitar, a Stella I think, that gives off such a warm and inviting sound to the piece. This is a perfect example of how not using a pick can create a very intimate sound to a song. The chord structure and bridges that Mr Costello uses are simple and to the point.

In the beginning part before he starts playing, Elvis makes the point of saying that he would love to hear Barry White sing this one but with no disrespect to Barry, I think only Elvis could pull this one off. Mind you, it would be an interesting version for sure!

So sit back, turn down the lights, fire up a candle or two, OR if it’s raining outside get out your notebook and watch it while the rain is hitting the roof just right and enjoy!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c74V89CA8Y

Keep on Jammin’ Elvis

Many bands have attempted to play this great song like Humble Pie, New Riders of the Purple Sage or W.A.S.P. (remember them?). John Mayer’s interpretation of this song closely resembles that of John Scofield, which features guess guitarist Mr. Mayer. In Ray Charles adaptation, he has a more upbeat rhythm were as John Mayer’s is performed with a slower tempo with a swampy bluesy swagger.

In I Don’t Need No Doctor, which is a classic 12 bar blues song in the key of E, John hooks his distinctive chording in it. The trumpet player Brad Mason and saxophone player Bob Reynolds fill out the song rather fittingly.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXWKMwnWP4Q

Here are some neat chord inversions that John Mayer plays in this one. For this song, I will provide you with the chords in TAB form that I think he uses. Please be patient with this new TAB tables that I am using here folks. I’m just seeing how it comes up on some people’s screen. Please tell me if there is a problem viewing this post, thanx!

Keep on Jammin’

The All Things Strings site was nicely laid out and easy to navigate. They provide the classical enthusiastic with the same Subscribe to, Shop for, Forums, overall search for schools/instructors … and Articles that most websites now a days have.

The company has a section for beginners and how to start off their musical journey. It has links to their articles about easy lessons, preparing the beginner with what to expect what they will be doing in their first year of learning their new instrument and how a violin works. It’s a nice starting point for the newbie musician.

So for all those out there that maybe interested in a resource area in the strings category of classical music then check it out and tell us if it’s worth further investigation.

Keep on Jammin’

The simplicity of his playing grew into a wave of emotions that swept through my whole body and mind. The warmth of Jesse’s guitar slowly brought me back to a more simpler time. It brought my wife and I to attention. We started focusing us on the song, blocking everything else out of our mind. Hell, the house could of been on fire and we wouldn’t of noticed!

Jesse Winchester has such a style all of his own. You could repeat every single note from this song but you will never be able to match the emotion that he brings to the piece. From his intricate guitar finger picking right down to the vibe that he gives from his soft voice is something that can not be taught.

On another note, as you all know from reading some of my past posts, I am not that into lyrics but man they are just plain beautiful! I have to admit that, while taking in this one, I turned into a little mound of mush. When writing this post I was drawn to replay this song about 6 times in a row. I guess I’m just a hopeless romantic at heart. How does he do it?!

So take a listen to this gem of a song and tell me what you were experiencing during it!

Keep on Jammin’

On James McCartney’s MySpace page, he has only 2 tunes up right now. The first one Angel has this indie/pop kind of feel to it. Then the track titled Medley is up next with bits and pieces of What does it mean, Fallen Angel and the last two I’m not sure of this.

The first song Fallen Angel has this clean rocking sound to it, with a hint of Nirvana thrown in. The only way to describe Jame’s vocal’s here are a full throttle scream! Then we’re introduced to Fallen Angel. This is a beautiful, delicate piano piece fading in with some nice strings (violins) soloing in it. The next one up is a return to a more pop/rock theme tune. The end part of medley, spins itself in yet another direction that resembles something that would not sound out of place if Steve Winwood sang this one. This one I like a lot.

James is certainly blessed with his father’s upper vocal range, that’s easy to see in this live version of Angel! He clearly demonstrates that he is a multi-instrumentalist in Fallen Angel. He also plays a mean mandolin as well! With a good profile shot of him in that video, he bears a striking resemblance to his old man don’t ya think?

“I went to Scotland a lot on holiday each summer with my family and I was in the womb when my mum and dad did Mull of Kintyre, so it means a lot to me – great memories of my mum and my family.” James McCartney

Keep on Jammin’