I've been one of the programmers at Hugh's Room Live in Toronto for a few months now, and while we got off to a slightly shaky start because a few of the other new team members decided they couldn't do it afterall, Blair Packham and I, together with manager Mary Stewart, have settled into a great working relationship.  We're constantly trying to improve things and attract new and younger fans as well, which is why we introduced student pricing for certain shows.  The Hugh's Room Live menu has had an…

Social Media doesn't have to all be about lousy politicians, sometimes you discover great information and comments.  Such is the case with this great post from singer Willa Mamet on how YOU can support you local musicians and music scene.  It's a great read, but hopefully you make note a few of the suggestion and take action!  https://www.willamametmusic.com/no-word-wasted/2018/11/16/how-to-be-a-hero-for-independent-music?fbclid=IwAR0KTvEc-y8SQIpSMk4kq20h6YFRC5NMiqKLYpZwbNGJcxrdo3n3i_5sIR4

Over the years I've had the chance to serve as Artistic Director for Lakefield Music Camp and the Markham Jazz Festival, and I'm excited to now be part of the Artistic Team booking shows at Hugh's Room Live in Toronto.  It's one of the best clubs around, with a great listening audience and fantastic sound and sight lines.  The booking as always been eclectic, featuring singer-songwriters, blues, world and jazz groups, and large tribute shows that bring together diverse musicians.  I'm happy to be the main…

As I look forward to touring in Europe with Elizabeth Shepherd later this month, I also have to plan for a few discount airlines where I'm doubtful of geting my guitar on board in its gig bag the way I do in Canada with Air Canada (I hear lots of complaints about Air Canada, but they have my loyalty over Westjet here simply because their website says that guitars in soft cases are allowed as long as they fit in the overhead, and since then I've had no issues other than once or twice having to direct the…

I attended the jazz workshop at the Banff Centre for the Arts in 1991, and the amazing saxophonist Bunky Green was one of the faculty that year.  Bunky suggested that we take a song or an album that we liked, and learn every solo on it (he wanted us to go so far as to know what the drummer was doing on his cymbals).  I took his advice when I was traveling around Europe and working on a cruise ship, only bringing a couple of cassettes (Walkman days!) with me so that I would have to get really familiar with…

The VOCA Chorus of Toronto invited me to perform with them and to do an arrangement.  Really happy with the way my arrangement of Bruce Cockburn's "Waiting For a Miracle" is sounding, hope you'll come here its debut and me alongside a wonderful choir under the direction of Jenny Crober.   Here's the link for tickets:

Tickets now available!  https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-great-canadian-choirbook-tickets-38312305136

I'm really looking forward to doing 3 shows with Elizabeth Shepherd, revisiting some of my Creation Dream: Songs of Bruce Cockburn repertoire (but different, and with vocals). We'll be joined by my big bro Roberto Occhipinti and Davide Direnzo. April 8th at the Jazz Room in Waterloo, April 9th at The Rex Jazz Bar in Toronto, and April 10th we'll do a Jazz FM Live to Air in a very special show with Bernie Finkelsteinjoining us to share stories of the birth of Canada's music industry and his decades managing…

Tonight I had a lot of fun at Long & McQuade Markham demonstrating the sounds I use and my approach to guitar effects to a really nice group full of thoughtful questions.

I gave them some info in a handout.  Here it is:
 

From the time I started playing the guitar at age 13, I was intrigued with the sounds that guitarists like Jimi Hendrix,  Jeff Beck, Adrian Belew, Andy Summers, Prince, Bill Frisell, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Edge, and John Scofield (among many, many others) created, and I started using…