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The End is Begun by Three

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I just got a copy of the band 3‘s latest release titled The End is Begun from a buddy at work and I’m loving it! The best way to explain this band is intense.

I can sum their own style as a mixture of progressive rock, metal and sprinkles of classic rock all over the place. So I’m listening to it now I hear influences of Yes, RUSH, Styx, Saga and a bit of the Pretenders. If you like any of these bands then I highly recommend buying this album.

First song on this album is named The World is born a Flame. It has this funky, progressive-rock Greek sound to it, nice. Later it has a huge Styx feel to it. The title track is pure metal. Battle cry has fabulous syncopated rhythms all through it. The 4th one is called All that remains is a song that will stay in your head for a while long after you turn it off. I just came back from feeding and walking the dog so I can attest to the last statement. I don’t want to give all of it away, but I will say the middle parts are impressive.

The last song on the album is called The Last Day and the begging has a huge Klatu sound that brought me back to my early 80’s music scene head space. Oh what beautiful intro! Pay attention to the tabla’s on this one.

3, is from Woodstock, NY. and had 3, get it, 3 original band members. They were Joey Eppard on Guitar/Lead Vocals, Josh Eppard on the Drums and Chris Bittner was the Bass player. From what I gather they were formed in 1994 but did not gain prominence until around 2005. I just can’t believe they weren’t signed earlier!

I hope that you either check out some of their sites or get this one for your collection, it’s worth every penny!

3, Keep on Jammin’





Music from the Love Guru

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Ah, what a crazy Canadian that Mike Meyers is! I am very proud to say he was brought up in my adopted home town of Toronto, Canada, eh.

So this his latest venture into a character since his Austin Powers days.

The music, that is quite dominant throughout the movie, is beautiful and hopefully will help influence some musicians to use small doses in their playing style!

(Note: the surname Power originally comes from Waterford, Ireland. The name was changed to Powers when some emigrated to North America. I got this first hand information while visiting my relatives there and checking out the old phone book!)

Love Guru is basically about a American kid who was abandoned by his parents at the gates of a Ashramand raised there. He later moves to the US to gain fame and fortune. His way of life is put to the test by attempting to re-unite the captain of our beloved/hated Toronto Maple Leafs.

The East Indian music, in my experience and in the movie as well, can place you into an outer body sensation if you let it. I can personally attest to this because this thing happened to me while playing live in a East Indian wedding band at my cousin’s wedding. Since her husband is Hindu, they had a Hindu and Catholic ceremonies.

Since her husband is a Hindu recording artist, he naturally wanted to play at his own wedding. I was honored to be asked to play with him and his two buddies for this event. It was held at the Hare Krishna Temple in Toronto and boy the architecture in this place is something to see. One was a wooden flute player and the other, and get this one, a Tabla player who is Ravi Sanker’s God Son!

While performing one song, and the name eludes me right now, he let me loose to play this solo in a D minor open string tuning. During the solo I started to drift away. As I played the solo, everything around me was pushed away slowly and incrementally. No, I wasn’t smoking anything and Hindu’s do not drink either! I never had this type of experience this before or since, especially in front of a large audience. I realize you can fall into a zone while playing live, but this was exceptional.

So if you get the chance to see this movie, I hope that you come away from it with a little more love and respect for the East Indian music style and maybe it’ll move you to pickup a CD or two for your collection, eh?

Keep on Jammin’

Sounds of the Danforth – Opa!

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Yes it’s one of my favorite sounds of the year again in Toronto. The event I talk about is the “Sounds of the Danforth”.

This is a musical event held every year in my neighborhood that is truly unique to this part of North America.

It is a celebration of Greek music at it’s finest. It straddles traditional and non-traditional Greek music. It brings to light a certain aspect of music that has been with us and influences us for centuries and we don’t even acknowledge it!

The rhythm’s are exotic, the progressions are intriguing and the beat is tantalizing! I understand that most people are not really drawn to this style but being a musician, it’s great to have a influence like this to throw in a live performance to really get the crowds attention. It’s also fun to see people belly dance, it’s a riot!

As a side note: if you’ve ever seen the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, there is a part in it that shows the band waving to a crowd and it’s video taken at the 2002 event!

So if your in town from June 25 – 26, go check it out and bring your appetite with you! OPA!!!

Keep on Jammin’

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