Time to toot my own horn…..

Brokenjoe teams three veterans of the Toronto blues scene for an intensely played set of traditional blues and folk songs, old-time country and a few in-the-tradition originals that they play with a solid combination of respect, innovation, and energy. The group includes bassist Alec Fraser, harmonica player Jerome Godboo, and Banjo player Joe Toole, with the lead vocal shifting by track from one to the other.

Although the original players of Brokenjoe made their reputation in the blues world, they seem to have a deep appreciation for, and an understanding of, traditional folk music. Of particular note is their extended version of "Omie Wise," the traditional murder ballad. It is, perhaps, the most haunting version of the song that I've ever heard. The interplay between vocals and instrumental arrangement capture all the tension leading up to the murder of Omie Wise by Robert Lewis, the father of her unborn baby.

I also quite appreciate how they find the common ground between related traditional genres. Their speeded-up version of Blind Lemon Jefferson's 'See that my Grave is Kept Clean' has bluegrass overtones in it's rhythm and pace. Their version of 'Walking Boss' has all the bravado that earlier interpreters like Doc Watson brought to it with some great Sonny Terry-style harp playing from Godboo.

All three members of Brokenjoe also contribute original material that fits beautifully with the traditional songs. Among those highlites are Fraser's 'Have you seen My Guardian Angel?', which seems to capture the resignation of someone who's luck has plum run out, Godboo's 'Jerry Stone,' an amusing tale about a drunk who must choose between his drinking buddy and his wife, and Toole's 'The Hole,' a miners description of a mining disaster set to a John Lee Hooker-style boogie.

Long Walk To Nowhere is an impressive debut.

Mike Regenstrief, SING OUT! Magazine

Whoah!!! Here's my BIG DEAL OF THE DAY:

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the kindly folks at Sing Out magazine requested a copy of our cd for review. Apparently they liked it so much that they wanted to include one of the songs off of it on their annual sampler!

The new issue is out -I haven't picked up a copy yet- and as I was browsing their site earlier, I came across this (scroll down a bit) little tid bit. Someone at the magazine has transcribed, and slowed down all the songs on their sampler into midi, so that folks who are learning a song can hear the melody better and learn it easier.

Two things really flipped me arse over tea-kettle:

1- Being chosen by probably the most respected and venerable folk publication out there, and seeing 'traditional arrangement by Joe Toole' next to the title of the song.

2- Hearing the midi version of a song that is probably over two hundred years old. How crazy is that. I mean, think about it: Here's a song that was probably handed down from generation to generation, person to person, by word of mouth alone.

Now it's being brought to those who want to learn and study the melody through computer technology, and midi sequencing!

How amazing is that?

…….. The only problem is, is that now I cant help wondering if the midi version smokes my version……

Anyone that reads this here blog knows I'm not really one to spout off about 'saving the environment' etc., but I suppose I do try to do my part.

Well sort of………. I do turn off all the lights in my place after leaving a room, I do recycle as much as can be recycled, among other things, -not so much because I feel guilty about ruining the planet or anything; these things just make sense to me.

However -and here it comes- I'm constantly amazed at just how dumb some people can be.

I drink a lot of coffee. I buy a lot of coffee from coffee shops.  Occasionally, I'll get a muffin/croissant/pastry to mow down on while I guzzle my mud.

For the last six months or so, I've been telling whomever serves me my snack to 'just hand it to me. I don't want a bag, paper, napkin etc., etc.'

Here's my (estimated) results:

75% of the time, they completely ignore me, and give me a bag, a tissue, and a telephone book sized stack of napkins.

15% of the time, they completely brain-lock, and freeze up. They don't know how to handle the situation. It 'just doesn't register.'

10% of the time, they actually get it right.

Don't even ask about the many times I request that they not bother with a paper sleeve on the coffee cup, or -god forbid- I request that they don't put a lid on my double iced espresso. That's just not gonna happen.

Let me reiterate: I'm not doing this 'cause I feel guilty, or outta any small attempt to 'save the fucking planet', I'm doing it because not doing it is just dumb.

A muffin spends five seconds in the bag after I've purchased it. The tissue paper immediately goes right into the trash with it, and all the napkins get scattered, crumpled up into a huge ball after I've wiped my gob with all of them. 

What a fucking waste, huh?

Now, when they don't comprehend my request, I take the shit outta the bag, and leave all the paper stuff right there on the counter.

Wipe your face on the back of your sleeve or your shirt tail. That's what their there for, ferchrissakes!

Come on, you corporate coffee chain owning sleazebags! Knock it off with all the fucking paper, already.

You guys love to advertize how ecologically friendly you are, and how you try to recycle X% of your paper waste. How about starting an ad campaign stating that all paper stuff is now only available upon request? It's a fucking win/win situatuion for you. You'll save big $$$ in the long run, AND come across as environmentally friendly nice guys.

You see…….. I'm not such a bad guy after all, am I?

Mind you, it only took me about six years to come to this fantastic realization…. and besides; -like any of it's really gonna happen anyway….

Summer is here. Who has time for this shit? I've been too busy/lazy to post much lately -and this ain't gonna be much of one either…….)

Last book read: who cares

Last movie watched: who cares

Last band saw: who cares

Last man standing: who cares

Last cd listened to: Joseph Arthur and the Lonely Astronauts - Let's Just Be

How the fuck did I not hear about this guy before? Great songs, great band, great musical ideas.

My friend Kathrin got me hip to this guy, and I immediately went out and bought two of his discs. Isn't it great to know that you can still get excited about something?

I'll spare you my inane pontifications about how and why I like his stuff so much, and instead, -for those who wish to find out more- suggest you go here to his website and watch a couple of his videos. 

WOW….. I just did something really bizarre here……. I was browsing his site looking for a particular page, while playing one of his albums on my computer. I went to the video page, and a song on that page started playing as well. Two songs at once! Call me crazy -and you wouldn't be the first- but somehow it worked.

Went to see my friend Dirk's band -The Early Years- last saturday nite at Not My Dog after playing our afternoon show at The Rex.

Took a bunch of pictures, of which this is one, had a couple of beers, and enjoyed the show.

What amazes me most about Dirk, is that he was/is this singer songwriter guy, who just decided that he was gonna put a band together to play his songs, and to ultimately get some gigs around town.

We used to sit around the kitchen table, our out in the backyard playing songs together, and generally, just having a good time. Now, he's out there doing it. Obviously he and his band have worked hard to get to this point, but it just goes to show what can be done if you put your mind to something, and stay focused.

To quote 'Full Metal Jacket' (and I love to) "It just goes to show what one motivated marine and his rifle can do."

And, they're in the midst of recording a disc as I type this.

How's that for a go-getter?

Dirk's got some great songs, and a smokin' little band workin' with him, so do yourself a favor and check 'em out when they're playing next!

A frnd hs got me all messed up wth txt messgng. I'm a txtng junky fool.

I usd 2 thnk it ws jst for kids, bt hve come 2 realze tht it cn b an imprtnt tool 2 keep peepl evn furthr away.

Now I dn't evn hve 2 talk 2 anybdy at all.

Shur, it's lke typng wth boxng glvs on, bt Im getng th hang of it…….

Pls, as an added bonus, my phon cam wth swear wrds alrdy progrmd in2 it!!!! 

A while back, someone pointed out to me that there was another Brokenjoe out there. Actually, If I look harder, I'd probably find several others out there.

A couple of days ago, I got an email from Joe Blades a.k.a. Broken Joe. He was just inquiring about the name, and asked about the cd.

I went over to his site, and got a big grin out of what I saw: He had put a picture of our cd up on his site, as well as a link to this one.

In this litigious age that we live in, it's nice to see that people can just carry on about their business and not get too uptight about copyrite infringements and other such bullshit. After all, some schmuck out there 'owns' the 'right' to my name: joetoole dot com……..

Then again, I pretty much figured that there wouldn't be a problem, Joe Blades is, after all, a fellow New Brunswicker like myself. AND anyone with a Hunter S Thompson qoute on the front page of his site is o.k. by me.

Here here.

Well, waddayouknow, we've got a gig here in town this saturday afternoon, May 12th.

We'll be playing at The Rex Hotel, which is at 194 Queen st. W (two blocks west of Osgoode stn.) from 3:30 'till 7:00

C'mon out and prime yourself for a saturday nite!

And………..

THERE'S NO COVER!!!!

(haven't posted in a while. Bought a copy of 'Once Upon a Time in the West' the other day, and watched it twice on saturday, and once yesterday. Well…… o.k…….. technically, I watched it twice yesterday as well. I had to watch the 'commentary' track as well. At two hours and fourty-five minutes, it's a hell of an epic. Maybe the best western ever?)

I don't know why, but the other day I rented a copy of 'The Queen.' I'm certainly not a fan of royalty, but I suppose I wanted to see Helen Mirren act -she's incredible- and also for the reason that I'm intrigued by the concept of the solitary existence of a person like the queen. 

Suffice to say, the movie was quite good, but what really interested me was how she was humanized. They did a good job.

These people don't really exist, do they? Elvis, The Queen, Michael Jackson, Robert DeNiro, Spongebob Squarepants………… they're all just androids created by a secret society of conspirators who are trying to manipulate us by getting us to go along with their opinions, right?

We've made these people, and tens of thousands of others, into larger than life charactures. We're led to believe that because these people have 'succeeded' in their endeavors, they are to be admired, cherished, and worshipped.

Wrong

Somebody, somewhere out there, has wished that Paris Hilton had used some deodorizing spray after going to the bathroom.

Somebody, at some point in time was repulsed by Brad Pitt's garlic/whiskey breath.

It's like that old saying goes: (WARNING -SEXIST STATEMENT TO FOLLOW. THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE TOO TIMID ARE REQUESTED TO SKIP THE NEXT SENTENCE -THE ONE IN ITALICS, AFTER THE CAPS LOCK HAS BEEN REMOVED {THEN AGAIN, TO EVEN THINGS OUT LADIES, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CHANGE THE HER TO HIM. IT WORKS BOTH WAYS)}

'No matter how hot she is, someone out there is sick of her shit!'

Surprise!! they're just like you and me!! Hell, even I'm just like you and me!

People love celebrities. We love to read about their lives, listen to their opinions, and most of us are influenced by their fashions and style.

We love to put them on a podium, above the realm of mere mortals so that we may worship them. They happily reciprocate. Many begin to believe that they actually have something to say, or that their ideas are meaningful.

We go along with them. Our reasoning is that "if they have achieved that much success, they must be intelligent, or right, or wise, or whatever……"

Bullshit

Are you actually going to let an actor tell you how to vote? Think about it……….. they get paid (enormous sums of $$$$) to bullshit and pretend that they're something other than what they are. I'd much rather listen to the opinion of the 7th grade drop out selling newspapers on the corner of Bloor and Bathurst………

-and don't forget to close the bathroom door after you've finished in there……..

I've been reading a lot about probability, game theory, and the like, lately, and it's opened my eyes to some pretty interesting observations.

Take, for instance, the old 'infinate numbers of monkeys with typewriters' thought experiment, for example.

If we are to assume that one could entice a monkey (actually, an infinate number of chimps) to sit at a typewriter forever, (that's gonna require a hell of a lot of bananas) then we could safely say, given the laws of probabilty, that all those little simian beasts will hammer out 'Romeo and Juliet' (o.k….., I could have said something more dramatic like 'Macbeth' but I'll get to that…..) as written by Wm. Skspr.

Then again, while there at it, they'd also type out everything that old Bill the Shake EVER wrote, they'd type out everything that Charles Dickens/Bukowski/Baudelaire ever wrote, they'd type out everything that YOU'VE ever written -yes, even that note you forged to your third grade teacher telling her that you were going to be absent tomorrow because you were planning on being sick- everything that I've ever written and will write here in this shitty blog, and on, and on, and on……….

Given enough time, strange shit starts to show up in seemingly random events -like the so-called 'Feynman point' in the sequence of pi.

However, -and here's the cool part- there is nothing in the laws of probability that says that all of those little fuckers (monkeys) won't sit down at their typewriters and type only the letter 'g' over and over again, ……….forever.

Neat, huh?

We may therefore deduce from our little thought experiment that even though things suck right now, there is a reasonable probability that things are going to stay the same.