I’m rounding up a few pals and going into the Rogue
next Monday, July 27 for a one day hot-off-the-floor
session just like Sonny Boy Williamson would do.
We’re working with Chris Banks on stand up bass
and Cleave Anderson on drums. Bob Wiseman
will be dropping in for a couple of tunes on piano
and Peter Hagele as well. And, Zoe Garnett might
lay down a vocal on the tune “Dark as a Dungeon”.
The repertoire for this set of songs is pretty heavy
on the folk, blue, roots and soul side…with a
heavy dollop of bluegrass. I have been into bluegrass
since the 70’s long before it was cool then uncool
and then cool again again.
The name of the record is “Little Maggie”. I’ll let
you know how it goes…
Back in the 80s, I came back from a European
backpacking tour, walked into the Kensington
market, saw a new café just about to open,
walked in, and introduced myself to Noel Paolo,
the owner.
One evening in late 1980, my pal Jimmy Burke, just returned from
the oil rigs of Alberta, called and said, “Hey Tom, do you want to
go drinking? I have four thousand dollars!”
Being young and enthusiastic — and, erm, thirsty! — of course I
said yes. After a night of many and varied bacchanalian ramblings
around the bars of downtown Montreal — culminating in four guys
crawling into a closet at 3:30 AM at the Hotel Lasalle and finding
a case of warm beer, a bunch of oranges and a pecan pie – Jim
and I decided to go to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. (more…)
Have I told you how I once walked the Peloponnese to raise
money for a Canadian charity called Sleeping Children Around
the World? I was looking for a feat of daring and endurance to take
on before a big change I was about to undertake… called marriage.
A friend of mine is turning
thirty today. Her name
is Ghazal. She is a Persian
Poet. Among the many
thousands of Persian Poets
I’ve met, she is the only
one turning 30 today.
This is a tune I pulled out of my
throat clearing sound one time when
I encountered a girl who wanted
to sing but was imprisoned in
some strange and common
affectations.
