Bad Bad sooo right.

Had a little reprieve from posting some stuff so thought I might go for another biggie like I did a couple months ago.  People seemed to like that one.  Plus its a nice distraction from thinking about hockey where the Leafs have not won a game at home(in Toronto) for nearly 50 days. ouch. Though we might not be putting together any winning possibilities in any of our professional sports teams right now(but the Jays look great in spring training), one thing Toronto is absolutely flourishing in is great music.  Me being the dufus that I am, didn't even realize it was Canadian Music Week, and inspite of that fact managed to get out to see the absolutely fantastic Nicolas Jaar (could he be more attractive??) last night at Revival.  Ive loved nearly everything I've heard him produce, and as entertaining as the live show was... I kinda expected a bit more.  Maybe its because he didnt go on until ONE bastard THIRTY in the morning and the place was rammed so full you literally COULD NOT move for 2 hours prior to him going on...Doors at 10, act at 1:30? No. Aside from that booking/promotion gaff, solid friggin show! Oh.. well.. except for the slight production software fart about a minute into his first track, but after a quick reboot of the ol' macbook pro.. all good.  Even with the couple negative comments i made there... VERY happy i heard him, it was a great night.
So I mentioned the TO music scene a bit up there.. these guys BadBad, NotGood have been on a bit of an internet tear the past few months. So much so that they've dropped out of music college because of the demand for public performance. They're a jazz & hip hop 3 piece that brings in guest vocalists and have a pretty wicked reputation right now.. winning accolades from jazz festivals in Europe and a lot of print space.  They did a show honouring the late J Dilla a few months back here which I would have loved to have been at but alas... heres a lil taste:

BadBad, NotGood - Electric Relaxation

Not even arguably.. one of the best pop albums to come out in the last 10 years, The Arcade Fire's The Suburbs is probably what I listened to the most over the past year and a half.  This past week my friend Jenn showed me this cover. Total departure from the original but pretty cool in its own right.

Mr Little Jeans - The Suburbs

I wish I could remember where I hear some of the stuff that I come across... but I have no idea. Some mix somewhere and I do remember that until I got the track I skipped back to the time in the set this one came in at a lot.

M.in & Mr. Pong - My Hands Are Closed ( Dan Caster & Rene Bourgeois Remix)

So after that Nicolas Jaar show was the awesome (and new to my ears..) Andrew Ross. It started out with this funky vibe and everyone was dancing and having a great time.  Me being an idiot left a bit early and of course it turned into a full on disco stomper, where, according to my friends that stayed he dropped this little beauty.  Which I now remember was performed by a drag Queen at a friend's album launch party years ago and I had always loved but never had until today! My life would be an empty shell without Shazam, truly.

Material & Nona Hendryx - Bustin' Out

And lastly, on one of my dives into the depths of my hard drive I found this one that I hadn't heard in a couple years.  I had a pretty intense love affair with Solid Groove for a pretty long time and this remix of a Nick Holder track is a very good example of why.  Turns out I'm still burnin' that candle...  This ones a total bangin' floor filler so crank it up, kids.

Nick Holder - Bad Girl (Solid Groove Remix)

..And all that jazz!

I just got home from working a private function at the restaurant where I work, which featured a live (fantastic) jazz band, they were just jamming for the whole shift. If everyone's life were full of live, free-form jazz at their place of employment, the World WOULD be a better place.  Live is important because it brings me great joy to see the faces of jazz musicians.  They are unlike any other, and have somehow perfected what I call "Jazz Face".  Its kind of a cross between a comedic "orgasm" face, and what one might presume to be the look you would have on your face if you just poo'd in your pants.  It really cements the whole live feel for me, and I took great pleasure in the Jazz Faces this afternoon!  First track up is a guy... err young man we shall call him, Nicolas Jaar(he's only 21 and been releasing music since he was 14!).  The more I learn about and more importantly, hear from this incredibly talented producer, the more I am in love.  It's not a brand new track but still, pretty awesome.  His edit of one of my favorite songs, Nina Simone's "feelin' good".

Nicolas Jaar - Nicos feelin' good

There was considerable debate amongst a few of my friends how it was, exactly, that we came across this next one. But it turns out that our friend Gary had a DJ friend visiting from Barcelona and she dropped it while she was here in Toronto playing at Comfort Zone.  Its got a little sexy vocal to it and just makes me wanna dance around my house with a duster in hand.  You know... to keep the place clean.

Miguel Campbell - Something Special

And finally I've been meaning to post this one for a little bit but what can I say, I get distracted.  One of the new musical loves for me this year has been Fritz Kalbrenner. You wanna talk about a great album to go for a very long bike ride to?  His album " Here Today Gone Tomorrow", is just that.  This track isnt from that album, infact, its not even produced by him! but he is featured on it as a vocalist.  And its very much in his style.  His label mate at Suol Records, Trickski invited him to guest on his album "Unreality", which got a TERRIBLE review on Resident Advisor, but I actually quite enjoy it. Hope you do too.

Trickski feat. Fritz Kalkbrenner - Without You