Tuesday, June 28, 2011

A View from the mountain


A view of Montreal from the top of Mount Royal. It was a tough climb but we made it!


The Chalet at the top of the mountain.


Observation deck on Mount Royal.

Stairs leading up the mountain.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Maestro!



Maestro! Paco de Lucia was incredible. Band members came out one at a time beginning with the percussion. All told he had an electric bass, a keyboard/harmonica player, a rhythm guitar two singers and a dancer. The keyboardist colored the songs with some synth/string sounds which I wasn't sure I would like but it did not detract from the music. He also played lots of harmonies on the harmonica with Paco in place of the flute that is heard on most of Paco's recordings. (more to follow)

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Parc La Fontaine

The coolest part of Montreal is Parc la Fontaine  which is just a short walk up the street from the b&b we are staying at. The park is a fairly large park and has two lakes. The people here love the park and they come out in droves to sit by the lake and sunbathe or play music or Bar-b-que or throw frisbees and ride bicycles. Bicycling is biggg here! Everyone rides a bike it seems like. You can even rent bikes at this thing called Bixi.

In the park young and old intermingle all along the walking paths and bike paths and footpaths. It is very bohemian and free, but not really quite hippy although there is a little bit of that. Mostly the preponderance of people seem to be mostly middle class folks just getting out and enjoying nature.

Lots of musicians gather and play all around the park. Also troops of actors hold improtue shows in the middle of the park. The smell of marijuana is ever present. Though it isn't legal according to the locals the police don't care if people smoke it. They only go after the dealers. It's totally out in the open. Open containers of alcohol isn't an issue either as practically everyone is having some kind of beverage or another. It's really refreshing to see. Overall though it is a very relaxed, very laid back. Just like everyone said it would be. But it isn't like you are at a Grateful Dead show or anything like that, it's legitimate and uncontrived.  

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit

The Musee des beaux-arts was having a temporary exhibit of Jean Paul Gaultier.
Gaultier designed the outfits for Madonna on her Blonde Ambition tour with the huge conical shaped bra. There were lots of original sketches and Polaroids of Madonna and her band trying out the costumes.

The cool thing about the Montreal museum is that they let you take pictures in the exhibit as long as you turn off the flash. So I was able to get some cool photos. The coolest stuff were the sketches from the Fifth Element pre-production. You can tell that they know Bruce Willis has the Corbin Dallas role from the sketch of his costume. But the Lelou model did not look like Mila Jojovich.








Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Gypsy Jazz


Today we came back from being on Mont Royal and we walked back through Park La Fontaine. We stumbled upon a group of guys playing gypsy music at the main portico. These guys were real good and we listened for a solid hour. It was better than anything I've payed money to see in the last few years. It was really a good time and lots of people stopped as they were pedalling by to listen for a few minutes. And they weren't really out passing the hat around for tips or anything, they were just playing for the fun of it.






Monday, June 20, 2011

Chat Noir

Here in Montreal at our bed and breakfast the Sur la Route de Berthier there is a cat that lives upstairs. His name is Cain. It's pronounced something like Cah-ahn, but I call him Cane. He doesn't seem to mind. The house is really cool and our hosts are called Pierre and Guillme. Montreal is very laid back.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Toronto

Union Station
We arrived in Toronto this afternoon around 5 oclock. So far it is a very cool city.

Aldershot, Ontario, Canada

So I'm goin' to ride this train Lord until I find out 
What Jimmie Rogers and the Hag was all about 
- Ronnie Van Zant, Railroad Song

Niagra Falls, Canada

We've arrived in Canada and are presently on the train to Toronto. This train is slooooowww.....

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Paco receives honorary doctorate from Berklee


The guitarist and composer Paco de Lucia has received a doctorate honoris causa by the Berklee College of Music.
Paco de Lucia (Algeciras / Cádiz, 1947) thus becomes the first Spanish guitarist to obtain a recognition that other musicians such as David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Chick Corea,  George Benson, Duke Ellington, BB King, Quincy Jones, and Pat Metheny  have received.
The guitarist from Cadiz was sworn in May 8th, "his music and his artistic vision has influenced generations of musicians and helped to spread flamenco between international audiences. "

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

The Guitar Trio

In the 80's Paco teamed up with American Al Di Meola and Englishman John McLaughlin. They formed a trio that gained tremendous notoriety. They recorded three albums together.

It's my opinion that neither Di Meola or McLaughlin belonged on the same stage with Paco, with McLaughlin being especially lost. Di Meola played the entire time using a pick and a steel string guitar.

It's clear though when listening to the album "Friday Night in San Francisco" the audience response to Paco is overwhelming. And whether it is rhythm or lead playing Paco's mastery over the others is clearly on display.

Di Meola is no slouch on the guitar by any means, but coming from an electric guitar style background his lead runs on the record just do not have the same fluidity or depth that Paco's leads have. The Ovation steel string guitar also gave his notes a kind of tinny sound.

Di Meola has been regaled and sometimes criticized for playing fast just for the sake of playing fast. His style was satirized by Frank Zappa in the song Packard Goose, where near the end the vocals say "Sounds like an Elegant Gypsy" (Elegant Gypsy was the title of Di Meola's 2nd album) while Zappa plays sarcastically staccato runs.

Zappa did later invite DiMeola on stage to jam with his band.