Music

Canadian music icon Neil Young did not show up on the second night of a tribute concert in his honour, but the sold out crowds at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre didn’t seem to mind.  The three and a half hour set-list that contained more obscure than well-known renditions of Young’s prolific song-writing legacy left the audience happily humming, “Only love can break your heart.”

It was a night to remember, one that successfully bridged the gap between the ages – whether you were a die-hard Neil Young fan; or from the generation that tolerated his undeniable significance to North American pop culture, there was something here for you.

Featuring a starry line-up of Canadian and American musicians from celebrated musicians such as Lou Reed, Ron Sexsmith, Elvis Costello; spoken word artist Eric Mingus, son of jazz legend Charles Mingus; to the vanguard of young Canadian rockers including members of Broken Social Scene, Metric’s Emily Haines and New Brunswick-based singer Julie Doiron, accompanied by instruments that filled the entire stage; the show moved seamlessly song after song, with no noticeable lags. 

It's not always an easy ride when bands try to break it Stateside, especially for  one of the biggest selling bands in the UK. The British indie band, the Editors, have released two platinum albums, been nominated for Best British Band, headlined the biggest festivals and consistently sold out venues across Europe. One could say that they are Britain's indie darlings. So, it's understandable how a band with such an impressive resume can sometimes go slightly unheard of amongst the great mass of North America - even a venue like the Commodore Ballroom could be too small for them. Last night, however, Editors proved how easy it was with a little English charm.

I was going to hear Blues and Jazz at the Patricia Hotel, 403 E. Hastings St. in Vancouver. The event was Jelly Roll Morton Making Vancouver Concert, hosted by Stephen Quinn of CBC Radio One's "On the Coast". Famous Jazz pianist Jelly Roll Morton actually lived at the Patricia Hotel in 1919, so there was some historical significance in having a Jazz & Blues concert there 61 years later. The musicians were Henry Butler, Ndidi Onukwulu, The James Danderfer Trio, Brass Roots, and C.R. Avery  playing Jelly Roll Morton tunes and some of their own inspired by his style of Jazz. Here's an account of the concert:

Hanging with my friends...

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, stars of Oscar winning movie 'Once,' are coming to Vancouver next week to promote their new album Strict Joy and to show us what all the fuss is about. Ever since starring in John Carney's 2007 Irish indie 'Once,' Hansard and Irglova have climbed the stardom ladder at an incredible speed. As well as starring in the romantic 'Once,' a modern musical about a busker and an immigrant and their week in Dublin as they write and record songs that tell their love story, the pair also wrote the songs for the movie soundtrack which went on to win an Oscar for Best Original Song for 'Falling Slowly.'

Since then Glen and Marketa have been better known as The Swell Season and have toured extensively around the globe gaining fans from every corner. Including some celebrity fans that us normal folk would recognize. I found this funny video of The Swell Season's recent LA show with a piano accompaniment from 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' star Jason Segel. I am pretty sure the song was even written by Jason after hearing this sample verse,