Jango Song Of The Day-Barbara Acklin

Artist:Barbara Acklin
Song:Love Makes A Woman
Album:20 Greatest Hits





Barbara Acklin is an overlooked Chicago soul singer who had a top twenty hit with Love Makes a Woman in 1968. She was also an accomplished songwriter and co-wrote The Chi-Lites classic Have You Seen Her. She was born Feb. 28, 1944 in Oakland, CA and grew up in Chicago. She sang in church and in nightclubs as a teen. Her cousin Monk Higgins was a sax player and producer at Chess Records and he produced a single for her as Barbara Allen and used her as a backup singer. In 1966, she went to work as a receptionist for Brunswick Records producer Carl Davis. She kept bugging him to record her until she gave one of her songs to Jackie Wilson and Wilson had a top twenty hit with Whispers (Gettin' Louder). So Wilson got her a contract with Brunswick and her duet with Gene Chandler Show Me The Way To Go reached #30 on the R & B Singles chart. Barbara's biggest hit and signature song Love Makes A Woman reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the R & B Singles chart in 1968. The song was written by Carl Davis, Chi-Lites leader Eugene Record and arranger Sonny Sanders. This began a long professional and personal relationship with Record as they wrote many songs together including The Chi-Lites classic Have You Seen Her. And Barbara toured with The Chi-Lites later on. Barbara Acklin was a regular on the R & B charts. But her relationship with Brunswick went south when they took her single Am I The Same Girl, replaced her vocals with a piano track and released it as Soulful Strut by Young-Holt Unlimited. It was a big hit. So she continued to write songs with Record and left Brunswick for Capitol in 1974. You can get all her Brunswick hits on this 2002 comp. BTW, terrible cover. She didn't have much success at Capitol but continued to tour with The Chi-Lites. Barbara earned a lot of songwriting royalties when MC Hammer covered Have You Seen Her in 1991. Barbara Acklin was getting ready to record a new album when she got sick and died of pneumonia on Nov. 27, 1998 at age 54. Here's a video for Love Makes A Woman by Barbara Acklin.

Yasuko Tamada wins the VALKYRIE Flyweight Championship

Yasuko Tamada pounds Naoko Omuro

VALKYRIE had their latest show today at Differ Ariake. The problems with VALKYRIE are still the same. Because they want to use a cage, they have to run piggy back to a CAGE FORCE show. And they have to run in a building that is way too big. And they also only had five matches on this show. The main event was the final of the VALKYRIE Flyweight Championship tournament between Naoko Omuro and Yasuko Tamada. Of course Tamada trains at AACC so Megumi Fujii was in her corner. This match was supposed to happen in February but was postponed due to Omuro's injury. Tamada immediately goes for a takedown and passes guard. Omuro partially shakes her off but Tamada pounds her. She holds her down for the rest of round one. More of the same in round two as Tamada takes her down. Omuro is able to escape but had no offense to speak of. So Omuro is down two rounds but Tamada is relentless in round three. She wasn't able to finish Omuro but was the clear winner by unanimous decision. Tamada said she was deeply moved by the title win and did exactly what she wanted to do. Congratulations to Yasuko Tamada.

Rin Nakai lands a straight right

The other big match on this show was between the undefeated Rin Nakai and women's MMA pioneer Megumi Yabushita. At this point in her career, Yabushita is a gatekeeper and would be a good test for Nakai in her second bout at 61kg. At the start of round one, Nakai nails Yabushita with several strikes and it becomes obvious that she is way too powerful for Yabushita. So they go to the ground and Nakai pounds her there too. Yabushita tries to get up and Nakai is reprimanded for grabbing the wire net. A failed judo throw results in a Nakai armlock attempt. More of the same in round two as Nakai isn't quite able to hook a sleeper hold but she is clearly in control. Yabushita can't do anything with Nakai in round three and Rin Nakai wins by unanimous decision and does her trademark backflip to celebrate. She is now 7-0. Other matches on the show had Ayame Miura over Mutsumi Kasai by unanimous decision, Sugi Rock over Megumi Morioka by TKO 2:20 of round two and Butterfly Knife Yuka over sakura by unanimous decision.

Jango Song Of The Day-The Lonesome River Band

Artist:The Lonesome River Band
Song:Fireball Mail
Album:Carrying The Tradition





The Lonesome River Band have been delivering traditional bluegrass music since the early 90s. Because their lineup has changed so much, you may not know that it was the home of the very talented Dan Tyminski before he became musical director for Alison Krauss. That's him singing on this 1991 version of the Roy Acuff classic Fireball Mail. The group has gone through a lot of changes over the years but it was started by banjoist and lead singer Tim Austin along with Steve Thomas on mandolin and fiddle, Rick Williams on banjo and Jerry McMillan on bass. In 1985 they recorded an album for a small label but then signed with the bluegrass label Rebel Records and released Looking For Yourself in 1989. At this point they reorganized and brought in Banjoist Sammy Shelor from The Virginia Squires along with bassist Ronnie Bowman. Dan Tyminski was hired to play mandolin. Carrying The Tradition was their first CD with the new lineup in 1991. It topped the Bluegrass Unlimited charts. They signed with Sugar Hill Records and released Old Country Town in 1994. Then Tim Austin left The Lonesome River Band touring group but continued to work on their albums. Dan Tyminski left to take over Alison Krauss & Union Station. They were replaced by Kenny Smith of Claire Lynch's Fromt Porch String Band and veteran mandolin player Don Rigsby. All the band members have recorded solo albums and The Lonesome River Band currently records for Rural Rhythm. Their new CD Still Learning is to be released shortly. They are recommended to bluegrass fans. Here's The Lonesome River Band featuring Dan Tyminski performing Fireball Mail.

Lisa Ward puts Stephanie Frausto to sleep

Here's the match video from last night's Bellator show in Kansas City of Lisa Ward against Stephanie Frausto. Lisa is a veteran fighter. She wants to make a statement that she wants to win this tournament. And she's an aggressive fighter anyway. I've seen her several times and she doesn't mess around. So she took Stephanie down immediately and the end result was Stephanie going to sleep at 2:01 of round one. She said she saw cartoon when she was going to sleep. Lisa was just way too experienced for Stephanie. Of course Lisa lost to Megumi Fujii three years ago via a questionable stoppage. She would like another shot at Fujii. But Lisa knows not to overlook Rosi Sexton and we will see Rosi face Zoila Frausto on next week's Bellator show. Lisa was in a Smackgirl tournament a couple of years ago. Her goal was to face Fujii but she lost to Ana Michele Taveras and Smackgirl closed anyway. Bellator has announced se3ven of the fighters for this tournament. They are Megumi Fujii, Rosi Sexton, Lisa Ward, Jessica Pene, Angela Magana, Lynn Alvarez and Aisling Daly. Elena Reid was supposed to be the other fighter but she blew out her knee. She would have been the only non-ranked fighter. Kyoko Takabayashi is the best ranked fighter available. But I don't know what they're thinking. Enjoy the video!

Jango Song Of The Day-Teddy Thompson

Artist:Teddy Thompson
Song:Where To Go From Here
Album:A Piece Of What You Need





As the son of legendary British folksingers Richard & Linda Thompson, Teddy Thompson is certainly a chip off the old block. He is also pals with Rufus Wainwright, another famous offspring. Teddy has been playing in his dad's band for several years and has recorded his own music since 2000. He even coaxed his mom to record after a 17 year absence. A Piece Of What You Need is his latest CD. He was born Feb. 19, 1976 in London and along his brother Kamila grew up in a Muslim community outside London. Teddy moved to Los Angeles at age 18 and made his recording debut singing backup vocals on his father's 1996 CD You? me? us?. He also produced his mom's CD Fashionably Late. Teddy signed with Virgin Records and his 2000 self titled debut CD featured a duet with Emmylou Harris. It didn't sell and he joined Rosanne Cash's band for a few years. He signed with Verve Forecast and released Seperate Ways in 2005. Teddy has gradually done better commercially and A Piece Of What You Need has been his best seller to date. It reached #10 on the British Album Chart and #19 on the US Heat chart. All the songs including Where To Go From Here were written by Teddy. But he decided to work with producer Marius de Vries after meeting him at a Rufus Wainwright session. de Vries started out as a keyboard player for the 80s group The Blow Monkeys and is best known for his work with Bjork. Teddy described A Piece Of What You Need as his pop album. He currently lives in New York City and last year toured as opening act for Elton John. Obviously Teddy Thompson has quite the pedigree and I'm sure we will hear more from him in the near future. Here's the video for Where To Go From Here by Teddy Thompson. You'll notice he likes to play the ukelele.

Teddy Thompson - "Where Do We Go From Here" from Tim Hansberry on Vimeo.

Jango Song Of The Day-Lighthouse Family

Artist:Lighthouse Family
Song:High
Album:Greatest Hits





For a short time in the mid-90s, Lighthouse Family was one of the most popular groups in England. Their music never hit the mainstream in North America though they did get some club and Adult Contemporary airplay. Like a lot of R & B acts, they became Northern Soul favourites. They are worth checking out. Lead singer Tunde Baiyewu (born Nov. 25, 1968 in London) and keyboard player Paul Tucker (born Ayg. 12, 1968 in London) met while studying at Newcastle in 1988. They recorded some demos and one of them got the attention of Polydor Records A & R head Colin Barlow and he signed them to a developmental deal in 1993. He signed them to a full contract after some more demos and they recorded their debut CD Ocean Drive with producer Mike Peden. He started out as bass player for the dance pop group The Chimes and has been a producer since 1993. The single Lifted didn't do well when first released in 1995 but hit the British top ten when it was re-released in 1996. The album reached #3 and went Platinum. High is from their 1997 CD Postcards From Heaven. That album reached #2 on the British charts and also went Platinum. High reached #4 in 1998 but also did very well in many other countries including topping the Austrailan charts. It also got Adult Contemporary airplay in the US. So High was probably their most successful song internationally. Their third CD Whatever Gets You Through The Day didn't do as well and the duo split up in 2003. This 2002 comp was re-released in 2006 with two bonus tracks and that's the version you want to get. It's recommended to Neo Soul fans. Tunde Baiyewu released a solo CD in 2004 and he toured England in 2007. Paul Tucker formed The Orange Lights with Jason Hart of Spiritualized and they released a CD in 2007. Here's the video for High by Lighthouse Family.

Jango Song Of The Day-Sister Hazel

Artist:Sister Hazel
Song:All For you
Album:...Somewhere More Familiar





Sister Hazel had their biggest hit in 1997 with All For You. They've had their major label fling and now distribute their own music. They started out in Gainesville, FL in 1993. Lead singer and guitarist Ken Block and guitarist and backup singer Andrew Copeland performed as a duo. Lead guitarist Ryan Newell was in the band Waterdog. Bassist Jeff Beres was playing while studying architechture. And drummer Mark Trojanowski had been in several jazz groups. The group was named after a local nun who ran a homeless shelter. They released their debut CD on their own Croakin' Poets label in 1994. They released their second CD ...Somewhere More Familiar in 1997. But Universal re-released it when Sister Hazel signed with them. The album reached #47 on the Billboard Hot 200 and went Platinum and All For You reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's their only pop hit to date though several of their songs have done well in the Adult Oriented market. Their 2000 CD Fortress went Gold but didn't perform as well. Sister Hazel left Universal and have released their own CDs since then. Their latest CD Release came out Aug. 2009 and apparently they have a new CD out this fall. Sister Hazel has built a very strong following with their strong songwriting and musicianship and is a good example of a band that doesn't need a major label deal. Here's the video for All For You by Sister Hazel.

Jango Song Of The Day-John Martyn

Artist:John Martyn
Song:I'd Rather Be The Devil
Album:Sweet Little Mysteries: The Island Anthology





John Martyn started out as a standard British folksinger in the 60s but transcended the genre with some innovative albums in the 70s that added jazz and electronic elements. He was born Iain David McGeachey Sept. 11, 1948 in New Malden, Surrey, England. His parents were both opera singers and they divorced when he was five so he spent most of his childhood with his grandmother in Glasgow, Scotland. He was mentored by Scottish folksinger Hamish Imlach and eventually moved to London where he was spotted by Island Records owner Chris Blackwell and Martyn was the first white solo artist signed to the label. His early albums are fairly standard folk music. But his music changed when he started exploring jazz and using an Echoplex with his guitar and playing over tape loops. He recorded a couple of albums with wife Beverly but Blackwell suggested he would be more successful as a solo artist. And it was also at this time that Martyn began his long association with Pentangle bassist Danny Thompson who added a lot of jazz elements. Martyn's 1973 album Solid Air got him a lot of attention in England and includes his classic May You Never which was covered by Eric Clapton. Though Martyn wrote most of his own songs, I'd Rather Be The Devil is a Skip James song. Martyn continued to record his eclectic music in the 70s but alcohol and drugs led to the breakup of his marriage and Martyn left Island in 1981. Phil Collins got him a contract with WEA and produced his 1981 album Glorious Fool. It was more commercial that his Island recordings and Martyn was criticized as a sellout. He went back to Island in 1984 and recorded there until 1988. This 2CD comp covers his Island recordings. He continued to record for independent labels even after his leg was amputated below the knee due to a burst cyst. John Martyn received a lifetime achievement award from the BBC Radio 2 Folk awards in 2008 and died of pneumonia on Jan. 29, 2009 at age 60. Here's John Martyn performing I'd Rather Be The Devil on The Old Grey Whistle Test 1973.

Strikeforce Up Close: Cris Cyborg

Here's a Strikeforce produced interview with 145lb Women's Champ Cris Cyborg. It's a very slick production and a pretty good interview. Enjoy!

TNA stupidly releases Roxxi

Here's the match between Madison Rayne and Roxxi for the TNA Knockouts Championship from last night's TNA PPV. I'm sure you've already heard that Roxxi is gone from TNA. If you recall, last month they had Tara leave in a career ending match. Repeating that angle means that they're trying to sell Madison as a career killer. If it worked for Randy Orton... Of course the problem is that before getting her hands on this belt, I don't think Madison had won a match in TNA. So they're setting up a jobber as a career killer. It must make sense to someone...but not me. And as I'm sure you've already heard, they didn't tell Roxxi about this until yesterday afternoon. So obviously she wasn't under contract but I'm sure she was promised a contract. And that's why this career stip was added in an impromptu manner. What if they had told Roxxi the truth and did the angle in advance? They had to lie to her. It's very shabby treatment and the angle didn't make sense to anyone but Vince Russo. Why would she or anyone else accept that stip in that manner? It's stupid. Taz even said that. And then Roxxi got busted open by the mic and the match was given less than five minutes so the ending was rushed. Dixie Carter's response to the fan outrage over Roxxi's treatment was that she likes the Knockouts but TNA wanted to do this angle meaning Madison Rayne as career killer. You get rid of a good wrestler like Roxxi to advance a ludicrous angle. Madison Rayne is not believable as a career killer. Enjoy the video.

Jango Song Of The Day-The Crests

Artist:The Crests
Song:Sixteen Candles
Album:Greatest Hits





Sixteen Candles is probably one of the most memorable songs of the doo wop era probably because of it's use in the 1972 film American Graffitti and of course it was the title of a John Hughes film. The Crests started out as a standard New York City doo wop group founded by J.T. Carter along with Talmoudge Gough, Harold Torres and Patricia Van Dross (Luther Vandross' sister). Carter brought in Johnny Mastrangelo as lead vocalist in 1956. He changed his name to Johnny Maestro. The Crests signed with Coed Records but Van Dross left before they recorded. They had several hits but Sixteen Candles was the biggest reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written and produced by Luther Dixon. He would go on to produce The Shirelles among others as Scepter Records house producer. You can get all The Crests hits on this comp from Collectables. Johnny Maestro left The Crests to go solo in 1960 and eventually had success with The Brooklyn Bridge hit The Worst That Could Happen in 1969. He continued to tour until his death on Mar. 24, 2010 at age 70. James Ancrum replaced Maestro in The Crests and T.K. Carter led a version of the group on the oldies circuit for years. Carter sold the rights to The Crests in the 90s to lead singer Tommy Mara and Mara leads them today. Carter is in a group called Starz. Here's Johnny Maestro and Brooklyn Bridge performing Sixteen Candles and The Worst That Could Happen on Doo Wop Gold.

Jango Song Of The Day-Robert Earl Keen

Artist:Robert Earl Keen
Song:The Road Goes On Forever
Album:The Party Never Ends: Songs You Know From The Times You Can't Remember





Robert Earl Keen is one of several singer songwriters who emerged from Texas in the late 80s. I guess he could be described as a country artist because that's where he has been successful. Of course it's not that simple. The Road Goes On Forever is one of his signature songs. He was born Jan. 11, 1956 in Houston and started writing poetry as a teen and majored in English at Texas A & M University. Lyle Lovett was a neighbour at the time and taught Keen to play guitar. After graduating in 1980, he wrote for a newspaper and started performing in clubs. He self financed the 1984 EP No Kinda Dancer and moved to Nashville to get a record contract. But that didn't go well and he moved back to Austin. He signed with Sugar Hill Records and The Road Goes on Forever was on his 1989 debut CD West Textures. He made a few more CDs for Sugar Hill and those recordings are covered on this comp. He has also recorded for Arista and has done DVDs for Koch Records. Keen currently records for Lost Highway Records and his latest CD Rose Hotel was released in Sept. 2009. Those who are fans of alt country or roots music should check out Robert Earl Keen. Here's Robert Earl Keen performing The Road Goes On Forever at the 2008 NCAA Final Four March 2008.

Jango Song Of The Day-Little Willie John

Artist:Little Willie John
Song:Need Your Love So Bad
Album:The Very Best Of Little Willie John




Little Willie John is best remembered today as the man who originally recorded Peggy Lee's smash hit fever. But he was a tremendous singer and had several more R & B hits in the 50s. Sadly a volatile temper and a drinking problem led to an early death. He was born William Edward John Nov. 15, 1937 in Cullendale, AR. and grew up in Detroit. He was nicknamed Little Willie John because he was only 5'4". His sister Mable John recorded for Motown and Stax and his son Keith John was a backup singer for Stevie Wonder. He started out in the family gospel group until he was discovered by Johnny Otis. A stint singing with sax player Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams brought John to the attention of King Records producer Henry Glover and he signed in 1955. His first single All Around The World reached #5 on the R & B singles chart and Need Your Love So Bad did the same thing. The song was written by John's older brother Metris John Jr. Fever topped the R & B charts and would turn out to be John's biggest hit. Of course it has been overshadowed by Peggy Lee's much bigger hit version of Fever. He had several more R & B hits but was dropped by King in 1963.  This comp from Collectables is a good intro to his music. John's short temper and drinking problems led to a fatal stabbing at a show in Seattle in 1964. He was convicted of manslaughter and sent to Washington State Peniteniary. After his appeal was denied, Little Willie John contracted pneumonia and died on May 26, 1968 at age 30. Another great talent who left us way too soon. Little Willie John was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 1996. Here's a video for Need Your Love So Bad by Little Willie John.

Sarah Kaufman to defend Strikeforce 135lb Title against Roxanne Modafferi

After several weeks of screwing around, Strikeforce finally announced that Sarah Kaufman will defend her women's 135lb title against Roxanne Modafferi July 23 at the Comcast Arena in Everett, WA. Roxy earned this title shot with her win over Tara LaRosa at the Moosin show in Boston. At least that show was good for something. This is on a Strikeforce Challengers show and I couldn't help but notice that Sarah is a little annoyed about that and wants to prove that she belongs on a main Strikeforce show. I don't think it's a big deal. I guess the original concept was for the Chalengers Series to showcase up and coming fighters and it's based on when EliteXC was doing the ShoXC shows. But at this point I think the only difference between Strikeforce and Strikeforce Challengers is the compensation Strikeforce gets from Showtime. Challengers now seems like a meaningless label. Maybe they should change it. Will this be the main event of the show? Based on this poster it will be. And I assume this fight is scheduled for five five minute rounds. Sarah Kaufman won this title with a win over Takayo Hashi in February. Roxy used to train with Hashi at the WK dojo in Tokyo. But I expect Roxy's strategy to be much different from Hashi's. She has to take Sarah to the ground because Sarah has proven that trading punches with her is a losing proposition. But Sarah's takedown defense is outstanding. And she will do anything to keep the fight standing. So I wonder what might happen if Sarah stuffs Roxy's takedown attempts. Both Meisha Tate and Shayna Bazsler took Sarah down but weren't able to go any farther and she stuffed a lot of their other takedown attempts. That's the key to this fight. Taking Sarah down is one thing. Because Sarah is an excellent defender, advancing that position is another story. One takedown probably won't be enough for Roxy to win this title. And that's what makes this fight interesting. Their personalities are interesting too. In a business where fighters try to give themselves fearsome nicknames, Roxy calls herself The Happy Warrior and prepares for fights by posting silly pictures on her MySpace. Sarah smiles and waves to her family during introductions and then proceeds to punch her opponent in the face. Strikeforce should emphasize that sort of thing.

Megumi Fujii wins in Bellator

OK Gang. Here's the match video for Megumi Fujii vs Sarah Schneider at last night's Bellator show in Hollywood, FL. Megumi got her very first TKO win in round three and she is now 20-0. Some fans were surprised it went to round three. But if you watch the match, Sarah is clearly in survival mode. She seemed to be more interested in going the distance than trying to win. Megumi kept taking Sarah down and the ref kept standing them up because all Sarah did was wrap her legs around Megumi to prevent her from doing anything. She just seemed satisfied to hang in there. Megumi took her down again in round three and this time she was able to mount her and pound her until the ref stopped the fight. When a fighter takes a defensive posture, it can be difficult to finish. It was no big deal but Megumi said afterwards that she wasn't satisfied with her performance. Her performance was just fine. Megumi dedicated this victory to her father who celebrated his 66th birthday yesterday. Next Thursday Lisa Ward will face Stephanie Frausto. If you're wondering about Tammie Schneider, that was Bellator's fault. They put it on their website. Maybe they got confused. What else is new? And though they haven't announced it yet, Rosi Sexton is supposed to face Zoila Frausto on June 27. Bellator has also signed the undefeated Jessica Pene for the 115lb tournament and I understand that Jessica Aguilar and Angela Magana are likely to be in it as well. I think Bellator said that they've signed seven ranked fighters. God knows when they will annouce all this. It doesn't appear that they will bring any more Japanese over. Yuka Tsuji just had shoulder and knee surgery and will return next year. VALKYRIE Lightweight Champ V Hajime is booked for the SHOOT BOXING S-Girls Cup on Aug 29. Saori Ishioka will be in the JEWELS tournament and I think Sally Krumdiack will be in that tournament too. I think they should look at Kyoko Takabayashi (11-4) who won over Emi Fujino on the Apr. VALKYRIE show and Aisling Daly might be interesting. Obviously they're going for ranked fighters. Enjoy the video!

Jango Song Of The Day-Cannon's Jug Stompers

Artist:Cannon's Jug Stompers
Song:Bring It With You When You Come
Album:The Best Of Cannon's Jug Stompers





Banjo player Gus Cannon was a pioneer in jug band music. His late 1920s recordings served as a bridge between minstrel show music and the blues. And he was around long enough to enjoy the 60s blues boom. He was born Sept. 12, 1883 in Red Banks, MS. His tombstone actually gives his birth year as 1874. At age 12 he moved to W.C.Handy's home in Clarksdale and taught himself banjo using a frying pan and a raccoon skin. He ran away from home at age 15 and entertained people at sawmills and work camps in Mississippi. Cannon learned to play guitar and fiddle and then moved to Memphis in 1907. He started playing in local jug bands and met harmonica player Noah Lewis and guitarist Ashley Thompson. These three became Cannon's Jug Stompers and toured the medicine show circuit in the south for decades. Cannon first recorded as Banjo Joe for Paramount Records in 1927. With the success of the Memphis Jug Band, Cannon's Jug Stompers recorded for RCA Victor in 1928-30 and those are the historic recordings on this CD from Yazoo. Cannon wrote a lot of folk and blues standards including Bring It With You When You Come and Walk Right In. His music is still very engaging today and was very influential on others. Gus Cannon continued to tour the south for decades but didn't record until the blues boom of the late 50s-early 60s. Gus Cannon died on Oct. 15, 1979 at age 96. Here's a video for Bring It With You When You Come by Cannon's Jug Stompers.

Melody Gardot concert review

Melody Gardot

Last night I went to see jazz singer Melody Gardot and her band at the EnWave Theatre at Harbourfront. The show was very entertaining as Melody is a very engaging performer. So she comes out on stage in this little black dress slit up to her hip wearing these ridiculously high heels especially when you consider that she still walks with a cane. She plays piano, acoustic and electric guitar and also sings just with the microphone. On her CDs, she mostly performs her own songs like Les Etoils. She does perform some of those live but like most jazz singers, she also enjoys singing standards like Summertime and Caravan and even includes snippets of songs in her act. When a cellphone rang in the audience, she had some fun with it and teased the guy for having a lame ringtone. The bonus for this show is Melody's band was led by the internationally renowned bassist Charnett Moffett. Moffett started out in high school 25 years ago when he joined Wynton Marsalis' band at age 18. Since then, he's been one of the most in demand musicians in jazz and has played with just about everyone in the business. He leads his own band and Melody said that they met in a Tokyo elevator when both were on tour. His latest CD Treasure was released recently. Irwin Hall was the sax player on that album so Moffett brought him on this tour. Hall plays tenor sax, alto sax, flute and clarinet and he even channeled Rahsaan Roland Kirk by playing two instruments at once. Though Melody never identified the drummer, I think he is Charles Staab and he has worked with her for a couple of years. The band was a lot of fun to watch. The concert was enjoyable anyway but I certainly wasn't expecting Charnett Moffett to be in the band. That just adds that little bit of extra sauce. If you have the opportunity to see Melody Gardot in your town, be sure to check her out.

Jango Song Of The Day-J.J. Jackson

Artist:J.J. Jackson
Song:But It's Alright
Album:The Best Of Loma Records: The Rise And Fall Of A 1960s Soul Label





This is one of those great soul songs that you have heard for years but you don't know anything about it. It was part of a very curious attempt by Warner Bros. to get into the soul music business. Jerome Louis "J.J." Jackson was born Apr. 8, 1941 in Brooklyn, NY. He started out as an arranger for jazz organist Brother Jack McDuff and singer Jimmy Witherspoon among others. But he was also a soul belter and songwriter himself. His manager got him a record deal with Loma Records and sent him to England to record. Loma Records was started in 1964 by Warner Bros. in an attempt to enter the burgeoning soul music market. The label was run by veteran record executive Bob Krasnow who started out as a record salesman and had worked in the San Francisco office of King Records. Jackson wrote and recorded But It's Alright with British producer Pierre Tubbs. They also wrote The Pretty Things hit Come See Me. Guitarist Terry Smith, sax player Dick Morrissey and drummer John Marshall were among those who played on the song. It was a top ten R & B hit and reached #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966 and would be a hit in England in 1969. Jackson's follow up recordings didn't catch on Krasnow left Loma in 1966 and the label closed in 1968. This 2CD comp covers the history of Loma and has some great obscure soul. J.J. Jackson still tours the oldies circuit and at least he recorded one great song. Here's a video for But It's Alright by J.J. Jackson.

Melody Gardot tonight at Harbourfront

Tonight I am going to the EnWave Theatre at Harbourfront to see Melody Gardot in concert. Her path to stardom is one of the most remarkable in recent memory. She was born in New Jersey in 1985 but grew up in Philadelphia singing in nightclubs. While studying fashion design at the Community College of Philadelphia in 2004, a hit and run driver made an illegal turn and left Melody for dead. She suffered a broken pelvis and head injuries including memory loss. She was in a hospital bed for a year. The memory loss forced her to re-learn simple tasks. During her recovery, she started writing songs and the subsequent recordings were posted on MySpace and she released her CD Worrisome Heart in 2006. Verve Records signed her up and released the CD in 2007. Her latest CD My One And Only Thrill was produced by Joni Mitchell's longtime producer Larry Klein. It reached #2 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart, #42 on the Billboard Hot 200 and charted worldwide. Melody is sensitive to light so she must wear sunglasses on stage. She also sits on a special seat that emits electronic impulses for her pain. And she has to walk with a cane. Of course I will review the concert tomorrow. Here's a profile of Melody Gardot aired on CBS Sunday Morning in Jan.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Jango Song Of The Day-Mike Post

Artist:Mike Post
Song:Hill Street Blues
Album:NYPD Blue: The Best Of Mike Post





We all love TV themes and Mike Post may be the most successful and prolific composer of TV theme music especially for cop shows. Hill Street Blues is one of his two top ten pop hits. He was born Leland Michael Postil Sept. 29, 1944 in San Fernando, CA. He started out working with Los Angeles girl group The Murmaids and then worked with the garage band The Outcasts. He also had his own group called The Wellingbrook Singers. His work as a Los Angeles studio musician in the 60s included stints with Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. He played guitar on Sonny & Cher's I Got You Babe and produced Kenny Rogers & The First Edition's hit Just Dropped In. And he also won a Grammy for his arrangements on The Mason Williams Phonograph Record. In 1968 he became musical director of The Andy Williams Show and it was here that he met trombone player Pete Carpenter. The duo would work together until Carpenter's death in 1987. His first TV theme was for Stephen J. Cannell's shortlived 1973 series Toma. Cannell cancelled Toma because of a writer's strike and decided to produce The Rockford Files instead. The theme from that show would become Mike Post's first top ten hit and he won a Grammy. He also produced the #1 hit theme for The Greatest American Hero for Joey Scarbury. Post became the go to guy for TV music especially for producers Cannell and Steven Bochco. The theme from Hill Street Blues featuring guitarist Larry Carlton reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981 and won Post four Grammys. He has continued to write plenty of TV music most significantly for the Law & Order franchise. In 1994, he was awarded BMI's Richard Kirk Award recognizing his contribution to TV music. You can get 15 of Post's themes on this CD from the film music label Silva America. Here's the theme for Hill Street Blues as it played over the opening credits.

People In Motion 2010

On Friday I went to the annual People In Motion show at the Queen Elizabeth Centre at the CNE in my usual quest to find new products for the disabled community. The big difference this year is that I was live Tweeting from the show. I got my new LG EVE Smartphone earlier in the week and it was my first attempt using the camera phone. I took several pictures and you can see them at my Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/frankp316/ Since I've become a Twitterholic over the last year, I have been asked to explain Twitter. Twitter is an interactive live feed. If you already subscribe to news feeds on something like Google Reader, then you already have half of that equation. On Twitter, you can Retweet news items, reply to Tweets and there will be replies to your Tweets. It's not for people who don't want to be interactive. I use it mostly to promote my blog and get content for my blog. And blog hits are up. You can follow celebrities but I don't do that. I follow people of interest to me and I don't care if they follow me. And if someone follows me, I don't necessarily follow them. The Smartphone enhances Twitter because I'm not online all the time. There are apps and websites that can assist you with your Twitter experience. I use http://www.hootsuite.com/ It's not for everyone but I'm addicted to it now.

Alex

On to the show. There were three new products at this year's show that I thought were very interesting. Strangely enough, the first product is one of particular interest to me. It's a new powerchair from Handicare called Alex. Handicare sells all kinds of products from their North Toronto location. The big thing about Alex is it has a unique suspension system called Vibration Absorption (VIA). I'm a very active powerchair user and I went to the show by subway. But the standard suspension of powerchairs is not designed to handle many of the bumps on city streets. The Alex has an independent suspension system that not only absorbs heavy bumps but also smaller vibrations providing greater user comfort. Handicare also claims that the Alex has better maneuverability, seating adjustibility and modular design. I'm eligible for a new powerchair next year and I might look at this. The only problem is that with the independent suspension at the front of the frame, there are limited options for footplates. Because of my height, my footplates are low so I raise them so I can get over curbs. I was told that is something that they would look into. The Alex doesn't have ADP approval yet but it should be approved very soon. It's already available in Europe. For more info, you can call Handicare at 416-739-8333 and their website is http://www.handicare.ca/

Quingo Scooter

I've never used a scooter but I've seen enough folks struggle with maneuverability that the time has come for a new product standard. Most scooters have either three or four wheels but the Quingo scooter has five wheels. The big thing here is safety and maneuverabilty. The stability of the average three wheel scooter leaves a lot to be desired. The Quingo solves that with self centering steering and weight distribution that makes the Quingo more stable on uneven surfaces. Three wheel scooters can tip over. Four wheel scooters are difficult to maneuver. I've seen them on a TTC bus. It's not pretty. But the Quingo has a much smaller turning radius making it easier to get around safely. The Quingo is available in several models and there are also accessories available. It is not yet ADP approved but that approval is coming soon. For more info on Quingo, you can contact Viewpoint Mobility at 905-829-4124 or vist their website at http://www.quingoscooters.com/

Froglegs

A few years ago, Magic Wheels introduced their revolutionary system to help manual wheelchair users avoid shoulder pain when going up steep grades. Froglegs manufactures a suspension system for manual chairs that acts like a shock absorber. The suspension for manual chairs is very rigid. Froglegs is an aftermarket product that prevents pitching and removes most of the vibration resulting in a much smoother and safer ride. It reduces muscle spasms, pain and fatigue and greatly extends the life of the wheelchair. And it will fit most manual wheelchairs. There are three models available and they sell for about $300US. The company is based in Ottumwa, IA. and this was their first visit to Canada. It's not an expensive product but Froglegs owner Mark Chelgren asked me about getting dealers here interested in the product. Of course I suggested that he should do what he did in the US and get approval for Canadian government plans like ADP in Ontario. The company has been around for 15 years so he knows what he needs to do. For more info about Froglegs, their website is http://www.froglegsinc.com/ As usual, there were plenty of other products and services at People In Motion. So for a one stop shop for mobility, be sure to go to next year's show. I'll see you there.

Jango Song Of The Day-R. Dean Taylor

Artist:R. Dean Taylor
Song Gotta See Jane
Album:The Essential Collection





So how did a nice Canadian boy like R. Dean Taylor become a staff songwriter at Motown and then become the first successful white artist for the label? Gotta See Jane was one of three chart hits in the early 70s and he was much bigger in Canada and England then he ever was in the US. He was born Richard Dean Taylor in Toronto 1939. He released a single called At The High School Dance in 1960 on Audiomaster and toured Canada to support it. He recorded a few singles after he moved to New York City in 1962 and then auditioned for Motown owner Berry Gordy. He moved to Detroit and became a staff songwriter at Motown usually working with Eddie Holland and Frank Wilson. Among his hits as a songwriter were Love Child by The Supremes and All I Need by The Temptations. But Taylor wanted to record himself. Gotta See Jane was first released in 1968 and was a hit in England. Taylor wrote the song with Brian Holland. But when Holland-Dozier-Holland left Motown in 1968, Taylor became part of the new Motown production team The Clan and his recording career was put on hold. Taylor returned to recording in 1970 when Motown started the Rare Earth label for white artists. His first single Indiana Wants Me topped the Canadian charts and reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970. Gotta See Jane charted when it was re-released in 1971. Taylor continued to work at Motown until the Rare Earth label was closed in 1976. You can get all his Motown hits on this comp from the British label Spectrum. R. Dean Taylor recorded for Polydor and an attempt to revive his career in the early 80s fizzled. He still tours the oldies circuit today. He's been much more successful as a songwriter. Here's the video for Gotta See Jane by R. Dean Taylor.

Carina Damm NOT fighting in the US

Carina Damm

A few months ago, 125lb Brazilian fighter Carina Damm told the Brazilian MMA publication Tatame that she had signed a contract with a US company and would debut with them in June. She repeated this statement a couple of weeks ago while preparing for a fight that didn't happen due to her opponent showing up overweight. She didn't say which company but logic dictates that it has to be Bellator. So what's going on here? Is Carina Damm coming to the US? The answer is no. Fans may recall that in 2008 Carina was suspended for a year by the California State Athletic Commission and there was some speculation that maybe she hadn't paid her fines. I asked the fine folks at Tatame about this and they thought that in fact she is cleared to fight in the US. So I asked them to contact Carina and clarify the situation. Fans may recall that Bellator's original plan was to to a 125lb women's tournament. Rosi Sexton's normal fighting weight is 125. It wasn't until recently when the opportunity to sign Megumi Fujii presented itself that they decided to change it to a 115lb tournament. Rosi agreed to drop to 115 and obviously Carina declined the offer. Remember no fighter is obligated to fight in a different weight class. So Carina Damm did in fact sign with Bellator several months ago but due to the change in Bellator's plans she will not be coming to the US at this time. That is what she told Tatame today. Knowing that, why did she repeat her US plans a couple of weeks ago? Obviously Brazilian fighters must think that speaking to Tatame is away from the eyes of inquisitive English speaking MMA writers. That is incorrect because if she hadn't repeated it, I wouldn't have looked into it. I was pretty sure her statement was true a few months ago but not true today.

Jango Song Of The Day-Claude King

Artist:Claude King
Song:Wolverton Mountain
Album:Columbia Country Classics, Vol. 3: Americana





The 1962 top ten pop hit Wolverton Mountain is the most memorable song and biggest hit for Claude King. But he was a staple on the country music charts in the 60s & 70s. He was a protege of the great Johnny Horton. He was born Feb. 5, 1923 in Keithville, LA. near Shreveport. He learned to play guitar as a child but he was mostly interested in baseball and attended the University Of Idaho on a baseball scholarship. When he moved back to Shreveport afterwards, he worked as a construction engineer and played clubs at night. He met Shreveport radio station KWKH executive Tillman Franks and Franks hired him for the Louisiana Hayride radio show. Franks became King's manager and also managed Johnny Horton. King recorded a few singles in the 50s for Gotham and Specialty but was unable to break through on a national level. With the success of storytelling singers like Johnny Cash and Johnny Horton, Columbia Records signed King in 1961. His first single Big River, Big Man was a top ten country hit and so was his second single The Comancheros. But Wolverton Mountain not only topped the country charts but it reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. King wrote the song with veteran songwriter Merle Kilgore (Ring Of Fire). Apparently Clifton Clowers is Kilgore's uncle and did exactly what it says in the song from his mountaintop home in Arkansas. Though Wolverton Mountain was King's only big pop hit, he continued to have a lot of success on the country charts until he left Columbia in 1973. Claude King's recordings are available on a comp from Collectables. I think most fans will only want Wolverton Mountain and this Columbia various artists budget comp is excellent value with some great songs. King has also done some acting most notably in the 1982 TV miniseries The Blue and The Grey. He's been retired for years but returned to recording with the 2003 CD Cowboy In The White House and also a live CD in 2007. Here's Claude King performing Wolverton Mountain on The Johnny Cash Show Sept. 1970.

Cat Albert remains undefeated in Ring Of Fire

Today's edition of Bog Bad Blog Video Theatre is the main event at last night's Ring Of Fire show in Colorado. The undefeated Cat Albert faces newcomer Ivana Coleman. It's over very quickly as Cat dominates Ivana and the fight is stopped. So cat is now 4-0 and has a second title belt in this promotion. It's obvious why some fans like Cat. She's certainly attractive and she was aggressive in this fight. But against an opponent like this, it's hard to tell if she's really good. She needs to fight a better quality opponent maybe in a different state. I'm not sold on her because ROF seems to be spoon feeding her easy opponents. Enjoy the match!

Jango Song Of The Day-Linda Lyndell

Artist:Linda Lyndell
Song What A Man
Album:Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration





One of the recurring themes of my Song Of The Day feature is to unearth original versions of popular covers. Most of you should be familiar with the 1993 hit Whatta Man by Salt-n-Pepa & En Vogue. But I bet you've never heard the 1968 original by Linda Lyndell. Linda was a white soul singer and recorded at Stax. Linda sang in balck and white churches growing up in Gainesville, FL and sang in R & B groups as a teen. She was a local opening act for James Brown. She met Atlanta DJ Dave Crawford and also the legendary Otis Redding and both guys hooked her up with Stax Records producers Isaac Hayes and David Porter. Crawford produced her debut single Bring Your Love Back To Me but it wasn't a hit. Crawford also wrote and produced What A Man and Booker T & The MG's cut it in two takes. It reached #50 on the R & B Singles chart in 1968. The increased visibility called attention to a white woman singing black music triggered threats from the Ku Klux Klan. Linda moved back to Gainesville and retired from music. When she started getting royalty checks for the 1993 cover, Linda returned to music and performed What A Man in public for the first time at the May 2003 opening of the Stax Museum in Memphis. You can get What A Man and plenty of other Stax hits on this 2CD comp. Here's a video of What A Man by Linda Lyndell.

Jango Song Of The Day-The Elegants

Artist:The Elegants
Song:Little Star
Album:Street Corner Serenade: The Greatest Doo Wop of the '50's & '60's





Little Star topped the charts in 1958 and it was the only hit for The Elegants. They were a standard doo wop group from Staten Island, NY. led by lead singer Vito Picone. Picone and baritone Carman Romano were members of Pat Cordel & The Crescents. The group disbanded after one single. Picone & Romano formed the new group The Elegants with bass James Moschella, first tenor Arthur Venosa and second tenor Frank Tardogno. Picone and Venosa based Little Star on the nursery rhyme Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The song got a good reaction at shows so they went looking for a record contract. That brought them to the door of Hull Records owner Bea Kaslin. She started her own label in the Brill Building in New York after working for Herald Records. She produced several doo wop classics including Book Of Love by The Monotones. Kaslin thought Little Star could be a big hit but based on past history thought it would be too big for her to handle. So she didn't bother to release it and instead leased it to ABC-Paramount. They released it in May 1958 and it reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in Aug. 1958. Two follow up singles flopped and The Elegants were dropped by ABC-Paramount. This various artists CD from Rhino is a great intro to doo wop. After recording another single for Hull and two for United Artists, Vito Picone was injured in a car accident and the rest of the group attempted to continue without him. They weren't successful. When Picone returned, he recorded for Laurie Records as Vito & The Elegants. Then he reformed the group in the late 70s and continues to tour the oldies circuit today. Picone has also done bit parts in Good Fellas and The Sopranos. Here's The Elegants performing Little Star in the 70s.

Jango Song Of The Day-Tim Hardin

Artist:Tim Hardin
Song:Reason To Believe
Album:Person To Person: The Essential, Classic Hardin 1963-1980





Most folks won't be familiar with Tim Hardin's music but you've heard plenty of his songs by others. For example, Reason To Believe was a smash hit for Rod Stewart. Unfortunately Hardin had drug problems and died prematurely. His 60s recordings are recommended to folk fans. He was born Dec. 23, 1941 in Eugene, OR. After serving in the Marine Corps in Vietnam where he supposedly discovered heroin, he moved to New York City in 1961. He started performing in Greenwich Village clubs and was signed to Columbia by producer Erik Jacobsen in 1963. Jacobsen would go on to produce The Lovin' Spoonful. But Columbia never released Hardin's recordings and they terminated his contract. Sony/Legacy has released some of those recordings on the 1996 CD Simple Songs Of Freedom: The Tim Hardin Collection. Hardin moved to Los Angeles in 1965, met actress Susan Yardley and they moved back to New York. He signed with Verve Forecast and his debut CD Tim Hardin 1 was released in 1966. Though Hardin was critically acclaimed, his Verve albums didn't sell. But plenty of his songs were hits for others. Rod Stewart had a top 20 hit with Reason To Believe in 1971. Probably Hardin's best known song is If I Were A Carpenter which was a top ten hit for Bobby Darin in 1967. Hardin went back to Columbia in 1969 and Simple Song Of Freedom was his only chart single. It reached #50 on the Billboard Hot 100. But Hardin was addicted to heroin and also suffered from stage fright so he didn't tour. Hardin's drug addiction got worse in the 70s. He last recorded in 1973 and died of a drug overdose on Dec. 29, 1980 at age 39. This comp from the Australian label Raven covers Hardin's entire career. His songs continue to be recorded by others today. Unfortunately Hardin sold his writers rights in the late 70s. A very sad end to a very talented guy. Here's a video for Reason To Believe by Tim Hardin.

Rin Nakai added to June 19 VALKYRIE show

Rin Nakai and her guns

VALKYRIE announced today on their blog that they have added one more match to their June 19 Differ Ariake show. In a match contracted for 61.2kg and scheduled for three three minute rounds, the undefeated Rin Nakai will face women's MMA pioneer Megumi Yabushita. Rin Nakai trains at Shooto in Skikoku. Her record is 6-0 and her last win was over Mizuho Sato at the Feb. 11 VALKYRIE show. Rin has become quite the internet sensation in the last few months. She used to fight at 56kg but last year she decided to move up a weight class probably because there are more opportunities at the heavier weight class. But she didn't just gain weight. She pumped major league iron and now she has guns that will blow your brains out. She was already a great fighter and an elite athlete. This makeover just makes her more dangerous. Megumi Yabushita trains at FIGHTCHIX. Her record is 19-16 and her last fight was a win over Mutsumi Kasai at the Apr. 11 VALKYRIE show. Of course Megumi is a women's MMA pioneer and she's still active in pro wrestling. She's a good test for the Beautiful Backflip Woman but I expect Rin to prevail and then do her trademark backflip. Strikeforce had better be watching. In other news, after recent shoulder surgery, former VALKYRIE Lightweight Champ Yuka Tsuji announced on her blog today that she will undergo surgery on her right knee. Her knee has bothered her for a while and her surgeon decided that since she was recovering from the shoulder surgery anyway, she might as well get her knee repaired too. I expect Yuka to return to VALKYRIE in 2011. Too bad she won't be in the Bellator tournament but let's all wish her a speedy recovery.

Jango Song Of The Day-Bob & Earl

Artist:Bob & Earl
Song:Harlem Shuffle
Album:Dick Bartley Presents Collector's Essentials: On The Radio, Vol. 6





I suspect that most folks are familiar with The Rolling Stones cover of Harlem Shuffle. But the 1963 original wasn't that big a hit at the time though it's considered a soul classic now. And it launched a dance craze just like The Jerk. In 1957, Bob & Earl were Bobby Byrd AKA Bobby Day and Earl Nelson. Both were member of The Hollywood Flames. While Byrd was scoring a hit as Bobby Day with Rockin' Robin, he was also recording with Nelson as Bob & Earl for Chess with little success. Byrd went back to being a solo artist and Nelson got together with Bobby Relf. He was known in Los Angeles as Bobby Valentino of Valentino and The Lovers and he had been in several other groups. The pianist, arranger and bass singer of that group was Barry White. Yup, that Barry White. Nelson & Relf wrote Harlem Shuffle. White and his partner Gene Page arranged it. It reached #44 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was on a small label and could have been a bigger hit with better distribution but it was a big hit in England when it was released there in 1969. There are alternate versions of Bob & Earl's Harlem Shuffle on various artists comps but the original version is on this Dick Bartley comp from Varese. When you buy oldies comps, don't just look for "Original Artists". Look for "Original Versions". The Dick Bartley comps have the original versions of all the hits. I guess you have to read the fine print. Earl Nelson recorded as Jackie Lee and had a hit with The Duck in 1965. Bob & Earl reunited when Harlem Shuffle became a hit in England in 1969. Bobby Relf died in 2007 and Earl Nelson died in 2008. Here's a video for the soul classic Harlem Shuffle by Bob & Earl.

Jango Song Of The Day-The Larks

Artist:The Larks
Song:The Jerk
Album:Land of 1000 Dances, Vol. 2: 1956-1966





I'm sure most folks are probably aware that there was a very popular dance in the mid-60s called The Jerk. This is the song that launched it. So you don't get confused, there was a vocal group in the 30s called The Larks and there was a doo wop group in the 50s called The Larks. Don Julian also had a doo wop group called The Meadowlarks. He was born Apr. 7, 1937 in Houston and moved to Los Angeles as a teen. They were originally called The Soulinaires in 1952 but they thought the name was too "church" sounding so they changed it to The Meadowlarks. They recorded for Modern Records, Dootone, Original Sound and Dynamite until they met legendary Los Angeles record store owner John Dolphin. Dolphin also owned radio station KRKD and he decided to start his own record company Money Records. The Jerk was the first release and it reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and launched the huge dance craze. For some reason the group was called The Larks and for many years Julian has called the group Don Julian & The Larks or The Meadowlarks. Julian also wrote The Jerk. The Larks continued to record for Money until 1967. The recordings are available but I think most will only want The Jerk and you can get that and plenty of other dance classics on this various artists comp from Ace Records. The Larks' music is definitely a cross between doo wop and 60s soul and a lot of the songs try to create new dances. Sometimes lightning strikes twice but not in this case. Don Julian continued to perform and record occasionally until his death on Nov. 6, 1998 at age 61. Here's Don Julian & The Meadowlarks performing The Jerk Lynwood, CA 1993.

My new phone is...

LG EVE

I've wanted to get a new phone ever since I got on Twitter last year. But I was in the middle of a contract and when I went to the Rogers store at Cloverdale Mall last fall, they said I wasn't spending enough money to upgrade. So while Rogers is offering cut rate Smartphones to lure new customers, they won't throw a bone to loyal customers. So with Wind Mobile offering free six month data plans, Rogers changed their tune in an email I received last week. So I went to the Rogers store on Monday. I knew what I wanted to spend and I think the iPhone is way overpriced. I figured I'd end up with a Blackberry but instead the LG EVE was recommended. It runs on Google Android and supposedly the Rogers network is more reliable that the Blackberry network. Of course I'm still getting used to the phone but of course the main reason I wanted it was for Twitter. I have downloaded an app called Twidroid and it's pretty cool. I've been doing a little live Tweeting. Those who have followed this blog for a long time will know that I write about the People In Motion show at the CNE for the Canadian Paraplegic Association. When I go to the show on Friday, I plan to live Tweet from the show. I will post pics and possibly video. Who knows? My Twitter feed is on the right side of the blog. Just click and follow. The live stream is what makes Twitter fun. And I know a lot of folks don't understand Twitter. Maybe I should teach Twitter classes. Eventually it will replace RSS feeds. And I will start switching some of my Google Reader feeds so I can follow them live on my phone.

Jango Song Of The Day-Toussaint McCall

Artist:Toussaint McCall
Song:Nothing Takes The Place Of You
Album:Nothing Takes The Place Of You





This 1967 top five R & B hit is very obscure today. But I think most soul fans will enjoy this classic by singer songwriter and organist Toussaint McCall. He was born in Monroe, LA in 1934. There's not much bio info available but based on his singing style, I can only assume that he grew up singing in church and played clubs in Louisiana. He had two hits in 1967. Nothing Takes The Place Of You was the bigger hit of the two and reached #5 on the R & B Singles chart and #52 on the Billboard Hot 100. He recorded for Ronn Records. Stan Lewis was a record shop owner in Shreveport, LA and he founded Jewel Records in 1963. Paula and Ronn were subsidiary labels. Lewis was pals with Leonard Chess and Jewel started out as a blues label distributed by Chess. Then Lewis started Paula as a pop label and Ronn as a soul label. He sold all his recordings to Fuel 2000 in 1999 and this CD was released in 2007. Toussaint McCall has recorded occasionally over the years without much success. But Nothing Takes The Place Of You is still a deep soul classic. I can only assume that the song could have been much bigger with better distribution. And the song got a big boost when McCall lip synced it in the 1988 film Hairspray. I'm surprised that clip isn't online but here's a video for Nothing Takes The Place Of You by Toussaint McCall.