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My new playlist with the big Adrian.

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So I guess I haven’t been keeping all of you in the loop as of yet? I’ve met this great nurse/guitarist/humanitarian at work quite a while back and invited him over to jam. Nothing special, just to get together after work and make some noise in the backyard!!!

He came over one night and we all sat in the back garden. Oh, I guess I didn’t tell you either, we have a KICK ASS backyard! My wife, Adrian, our dog Midnight and myself were all there and we just started talking and jammin’.

I noticed right away that we jelled quickly. For example, I did a rough version of If I had a Rocket Launcher by Bruce Cockburn and he would be quietly doing some both simple and complex soloing in the background, nice! Then he would do a tune that he took over and I would be in the distance, filling in some holes and adding a fuller sound.

Adrian has had a very unique musical experience. He is a singer, bassist and guitarist. He’s played in Asia and Europe and has a diverse style of music that allows him to pull things out of his bad of artistic tricks out of his bag.

So last night we got together and said, let’s make a set list that we can work on and take it from there. We can mull them over the next couple of days and see what works well for each of us. It sounds like a good collaboration.

So here is what we have so far!

Hole Hearted – Extreme
Life in the Fast lane – Eagles
Summer Breeze – Seals and Croft
Barely Breathing – Duncan Sheik
I’d Love to change the world – 10 years after
Lucky Man – ELP
If I had a Rocket Launcher – Bruce Cockburn
Listen to the Music – Doobie Brothers
Jungle Love – Steve Miller
Solsbury Hill – Peter Gabriel
Ramble on – Led Zeppelin
Walk on the Wild Side – Lou Reed
There goes my Hero*acoustic – Foo Fighters
Did I also say that we are doing it acoustic? I think that we can pull around 90% of these tunes out and do them well.

So wish us luck and I’ll get back to you on the latest results when I can!

Keep on Jammin’





World Record for largest guitar ensemble will have to wait

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As you know the good people at Luminato Festival got together a bunch of like minded souls to gather together and attempt to break the Guinness World Book of Records for the most guitarist in a musical ensemble. We did set a Canadian record in this category in the process.

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This is just a small sample of the atmosphere at Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square on Saturday June6th, 2009. This was when we were attempting to break the Guinness World book of Records for largest guitar ensemble. For more pictures of the event take a look at our flickr account.

The weather couldn’t of been better. I was to meet up with a buddy of mine, Sean, who works with me at the hospital. We also played a talent show at work a couple of years ago and we came in second place for the show. The winner was this lady playing the saw, yes a saw! In her defense it was very unique to say the least!

I ending up getting there early so I thought that I’d go to the Hard Rock and get us a seat on the patio. It took Sean and his beautiful bride to show up, so I had to earn my keep outside and started having a few light refreshing liquid beverages. Man that was fun!

I met tons of interesting people there. Also on the patio, there were tons of musicians hoisting pints before the show and we showing off their acoustics to anyone interested. I came across this guy named Mark McCreary who walked past my seat. He was carrying around a custom made guitar case that he created. This one was made of shaved bark and pine cones, REALLY COOL LOOKING! If you are looking for something like this for yourself or that special guitarist in your life, then give him an e-mail. uniquelydown@hotmail.com

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This is a sample of the work that this guys does for his custom made guitar cases.

I remember this tall guy standing at the front of the stage with a hollow body guitar. He had his buddy there video taping the event. As it turns out, this video was taken by him and his buddy!

You can see Sean and myself on it at counter number 0:05. The counter is located on the bottom part of the video, and when the video is playing you will see numbers moving. I’m the guy with a white baseball cap on backwards with rectangular dark glasses. I am in the bottom part of the screen. I am holding up my beige top Larrivee. I am holding the guitar upside down and my guitar strap is hanging at the back of it. I’m wearing a light blue shirt. Sean is behind me directly to MY right YOUR left, with dark hair taking a picture with his head turned back to the crowd. He has a blue wristband on his right hand. You have to freeze the tape in order to see us.

The suspense was so think you could cut it with a dull butter knife! At one point, the announcer said that we were 5, YES 5 people short for the record. I looked back at Sean and the excitement level in our eyes was off the radar screen! Surely we can find 5 people at the busiest intersection of Toronto, Canada’s largest city, 5th largest in North America that plays guitar that wants to join in!

Then after performing the song, some guy from The Guinness Record group said that we were short 123 people! what the F–K! Didn’t they say we were 5 guitarists short a couple of minutes ago?!

At that point we quickly departed back to The Hard Rock Patio. Sean’s wife graciously was waiting for us, along with our guitar cases, I really appreciated that young lady!

Just a side note here, while in the head, I met this really excited guy. He told me that when he was on the patio and he heard that we only needed 5 more people for the record he begged and pleaded with the Hard Rock’s manager if he could get a guitar down from the wall and go over to join in. The manager hemmed and hawed for a split second. He then proceeded to grab this guitar off the wall that they used for employee of the month and let him go over! Can you believe it!

After a couple of drinks and some crying in our beers we headed off home.

We were sooo close but … Well there’s always next year!

P.S. Pinhead, you better show up for next years attempt, got it!!!

Keep on Jammin’

CounterPoint at Nuance 2009

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The Nuance Festival was at the Black Swan on The Danforth and this year and the talent did not disappoint us at all. At this years show, Counterpoint opened up the seminal event!

To illustrate CounterPoint’s musical prowess in detail, takes up way too much time and I’ve been on the old soap box so many times that I’m getting dizzy … but to me it’s more then worth it! They are pure progressive rock god’s! At last years showcase, they kept me at the edge of my seat all night and this night they added even more dept and colour to their musical masterpieces.

They have now added another layer of sound to their arsenal with a Toronto guitarist called Neil Harvey.I’ve only seen them live twice, and I am eager to see what happens when all their magical alchemy comes together. If you love this genre, then just go out and see them live to fully understand what I mean.

First tune they did was Track 9. The intro to this one, in comparison to last year, was very refreshing in many ways! Some new portions were quite inventive. Chris Noto pulls these bass harmonics right out of thin air it seems. Without notice, Led Zeppelin has made an entry into their sound?! During Chris’s solo, Rick and Neil do some fine and very tight harmonizing together. Neil will finish this one with a solo that rounds it off nicely! Neil just adds a nice intrinsic feel to the band.

The next one up is Morphine. For some reason, the boys didn’t put this video up on there site so I can show ya. Once again, they pull this one off flawlessly. Rick changes up some keyboard parts that tend to make the song flow in subtle ways. Joe is the backbone on this one, he keeps it all together. Chris is … well Chris. He gravitates in and out of the limelight like only he can.

Ritual is next on their set list. The beginning is something right out of a RUSH, Farewell to Kings or Hemisphere’s album. All that is missing on this one are some wind chimes and wood boxes played by Joe the drummer! I am really looking forward to watching this guy do a drum solo, on his own kit someday. At this point, Chris is using a wah, wah pedal and performs with it to perfection. There tends to be this 70’ish sound rising in the background with some Nirvana thrown in for good luck, admirably done boys.

Now the original Ritual rears it’s mighty head! This Ritual of old has all the early ear markings of the embryonic sound and feel to it. Rick’s keyboard has that primitive Hammond B3 ambiance and aura to it. Rick has introduced some subtle suspended touches to it, skillfully done sir. His sound is building up gradually throughout the piece. You’ve got to see these guys live to bring into context what I am talking about.

Then to finish off the night, the audience asks them for one more! CounterPoint then decides, reluctantly I think, to just jam.

So that is what I experienced that night. Next Nuance, I hope to see ya there!

Keep on Jammin’

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