Munchies, Music & Mental Health

I am not one of those people who buy birthday gifts super-early. You know the ones - they shop throughout the year and whenever they see something that is perfect for a friend or family member, they buy it and stow it away for 6 months until the actual occasion.  Nuh-uh. I clue in a couple of weeks before and look for something then.

I made an exception recently, however, because I did happen to stumble upon that perfect thing that I knew a friend of mine would love. Although I bought it for my friend, once I got it home and flipped through it, I fell in love with it for ME too, and went back and bought one for myself later.

This item is the cookbook pictured above - it's titled "Musicians, Memories & Morsels" and it was compiled by Halifax musician and music executive, Lana Grant. Not only does the book have super-cute retro graphics, yummy recipes contributed by some of the most well-known and loved Maritime musicians, but it is also a fundraiser for mental health charities.

Mental health is an issue that is close to the hearts of most, me included. I don't like to talk about it, but I struggled with depression in high school and actually attempted suicide. I still struggle with anxiety issues and people close to me also suffer from similar disorders as well as more serious ones, such as schizophrenia. I know what it's like to want help but not know how to ask for it. I know what it's like to feel alone and isolated, or like there is something "wrong" with you.

I feel like there is more and more dialogue around these issues every year and people are becoming more open to talking about it, but in general these issues do not get the attention they deserve. Many, like me, are reluctant to discuss their issues or reach out for help and even if they wish to reach out, they are unsure where to go. Overall, mental health is still considered an awkward, dark and "touchy" issue.

But this book is the opposite of that -  it is colorful, fun and creative. I like that. I applaud Lana's niece for sharing her story about living with bi-polar disorder, and I applaud Lana for putting together this book to honor that and to raise much-needed awareness and funds in a bright and open way.

I just love the names of the sections - so creative!

I haven't cooked anything from the book yet, but I hope to very soon. I can't wait! I also can't wait for my friend to open hers - I just KNOW she will love it, too!

Even if you don't care about supporting local charities, I would encourage you to run out and pick up this book as well (it's available at Chapters!!). Even if you don't care about supporting local music, you will at least appreciate the book for it's easy and tasty recipes! And, heck, even if you don't care about tasty food, it will give you something pretty to look at, and who can argue with that.

But I know none of you are so low that you don't care about helping people in your community - that's one of the great things about Halifax - people here care about each other. This book is proof of that.

Radio Two

Source

 I have had a special treat for the past couple of weeks. And it has nothing to do with chocolate.

I know. I'll just give you a moment to collect your jaw off the floor.

I have been driving my mom's car - when she or her boyfriend are away, I get to borrow her car and this gives me a much-needed break from taking public transport back and forth to work each day (kill me). The best part of it is, I get all the benefits of having a car to drive, without all of the responsibility. Sort of like babysitting your grandkids - you get to have all this fun with them and pump them full of sugar, then you get to hand them over right when they become irritable and say 'here you go!'.

One of the treats that comes along with driving back and forth to work every day is getting to listen to the radio. This may not sound very exciting, but when you take the bus every day, you really don't get to listen to the radio, like ever. This isn't a huge deal to me either until I hear my friends (my friends with cars) talk about a current song, and I have never heard of it. Makes me feel kinda silly. I do feel a little out of the loop regarding news and current pop culture when I don't listen to the radio.

I have gotten in the habit of listening to CBC Radio 2 during my commute (102.7fm in Halifax), which is surprising because I was not happy with this station a few years back when they completely changed all the programming. Specifically, I was unhappy that they got rid of a great classical music morning show, hosted by Tom Allen, that my mother and I would devour happily every morning on our blah drive over the bridge to work and school respectively (when I still lived at home).

Tom always told the most delightful anecdotes about each piece of music before playing it, so it was very educational and interesting to listen to. We ALL need a perk during that morning drive surrounded by traffic and drowsiness (am I right?) and this was ours. Suffice to say all these changes to programming caused a bit of an uproar amongst CBC R2 fans, and I stopped listening to the station almost altogether.

I suppose part of the reason I started listening again was because of a lack of quality and unique music elsewhere on the airwaves. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for an upbeat, catchy pop song once in a while - I like me some Lady Gaga, Pink and Nikki Minaj once in a while, so I'm certainly not one to completely denounce popular music, but that doesn't mean I respect all popular music. Frankly, a lot of it sounds the same and a lot of it is so massively overproduced that I am convinced many of the artists have no real talent at all. Sometimes I just want to hear something different, ya know? Something with lyrics about deeper and more emotional subjects than getting drunk and humping on a dance floor (so sue me).

CBC Radio not only plays music by lesser-known artists - particularly songwriters (you know, people who actually can sing, play instruments, and write songs) - but they also highlight mostly Canadian content, which is also refreshing when the airwaves are clogged with homogenous American acts.

Here are a couple of songs that have caught my ear in the last week or so - so much so that I had to Shazam them (as best I could while driving...shhhh, don't tell my mother), and email myself a reminder to download them. I figure a song must speak to you if you're willing to go through that kind of effort to ensure it gets on your iTunes. I thought I would share them with you as well, in case you are looking for some musical inspiration right now (see below).

Ok, ok, Radio 2, I admit it - you have brought me back into your fold. I guess changes can turn out for the best.

(By the way, if you are looking for some new music, how 'about changing your usual radio station and listening to something different? Give it a try today - you may hear some songs that you can't wait to Shazam, too!).

I don't know about you, but I was NOT expecting this singer to be a woman! Love her deep, gravely voice!

One of the best voices in music today, IMHO

Recognize this one? ;)

Discovered any great music lately? What radio stations do you like to listen to?

Christmas Kiss

I admit it, I'm a bit of a Christmas freak. I'm one of those dorks that gets really excited about silly things like parades, peppermint treats and holiday drinks at Starbucks. And it's hitting me hard this year - as soon as November 1st rolled around, the sugarplums started dancing through my brain and they only spin faster with every passing week.

One of my favourite things about the holidays is Christmas music! There is something just so comforting about Christmas songs, am I right? They are so timeless - they harken back to the past but can also be interpreted in so many different, fun ways they continue to also be modern in an odd way.

It is sort of a give-in nowadays that any artist who has sold any respectable number of records has to make a Christmas album, which is great and all, but lets be honest this means that many of them are warmed over cheese-casserole - booooring and predictable.

However, I recently downloaded a couple of albums that are anything but boring. They both have a really retro, vintage feel - one more folky and one more swingy/jazzy - and feature singers with super-rich, warm voices that manage to be delightfully 'crackly' and soft at the same time. Both contain some of the most recognizable Christmas tunes ever sung, but they also feature a few that I have never heard before. I have been lucky enough to see one of them in concert here in Halifax (she lives here in fact!) and the other stars in one of my new favourite tv shows (it seriously cracks me up to the point of snorting every week).

#1 A Very She & Him Christmas

This is the one with the more "folky"sound I described before - there is a lot of acoustic guitar and ukulele, which is awesome! It's a little bit vintage country, a little bit Hawaiian luau and I kind of like that! It feels very June Carter and Johnny Cash Christmas to me. Most of the songs on this album have a quieter more relaxed feeling, perfect for listening to while sitting in front of a fire with a hot toddy.

*On a completely unrelated note, I want to steal Zooey D's hair - as noted in my YKYLF post here. Second completely unrelated note - are you watching New Girl yet? If not, you need to do that, like, yesterday!*

Every time I listen to this song it ends up stuck in my head all. day. long. You've been warned.

#2 It Snowed, Meaghan Smith

Meaghan is a singer originally from Ontario but now calls Halifax home - I went to see her perform with Symphony Nova Scotia earlier this year and fell in love with her 40's style voice and music. Her songs have this great old-timey swing feel to them - lots of horn. They make you want to boogie. Her Christmas album has a couple of original songs (one that is really not Christmasey at all in fact, which is an odd addition, but kind of refreshing at the same time). I can't wait to put this on while we put up the tree and decorate at my mom's on Saturday.

I think Christmas Kiss is my favourite so far - SO ADORABLE! Alas, I am not able to find it online anywhere (although you can listen to samples here), so you will have to settle for Silver Bells (which sounds like a pretty good compromise to me!). *P.S. I want to steal her outfit from this video*

For the next 6 weeks, it's all Christmas songs all the time, baby! Just not Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time - god, that song's annoying. 

West Eats Meat*

Last night I was lucky enough to enjoy a concert on behalf of a hotel that we deal with at work. I was part of a group of "hand-selected" clients to be invited to the Halifax Jazz Festival tent to hear the musical stylings of Harry Manx and Sisters Euclid!

All photos by me

I was pretty excited for this - both because it is awesome to get invited to free stuff (lets be honest, here), and because I am always up for discovering new music. I knew both of these artists had a blues-style sound, and I love blues music so I was looking forward to hearing both.

Well, I was SO impressed! Harry Manx is a "slide guitarist" - he plays guitar with it laying flat on his lap - and also plays banjo and harmonica. The person who introduced him referred to his musical style as "Mysti-ssippi", which I think was the perfect description. It was this really cool mix of raw southern-style country-blues-rock and dreamy Indian-Latin-style mystic music. I loved his covers of Crazy Love (one of my favourite songs) and Foxy Lady (Jimi Hendrix=love). He was also really funny, providing witty banter between songs, including several jibes at JP Cormier (a popular local blues guitarist).

Guest artists included a keyboardist from Australia (to be honest, I forget his name! Ah, terrible. But his sound was SO neat - it was set to sound sort of like a gospel organ; really added to the raw southern sound of the songs), and Mike Cowie, who is a local trumpeter who plays in lots of restaurants/lounges around town regularly. Man, can that guy play! I feel sweaty and out of breath just watching him!

Mike Cowie - he always wears this hat

Sisters Euclid came out after a break, and despite what the name suggests there are no women in this group and they are not hippies. The group consists of four guys - I was especially impressed by the guitar player and the keyboard/accordion player. They were both really funny and their fingers were so fast during some of the numbers they were like a blur!

Their sound was a little more "funky" blues than Harry's, and honestly a couple of the songs had so much "noise" going on it was a little overwhelming for my little brain, but I was really impressed with the fun layering of the songs in any case. Harry joined them for a couple of songs at the end, including another Jimi Hendrix tune (Voodoo Child! YES!) because he and the guitar player are good buddies who just released their 3rd disk together.

I had never heard of either of these acts before this show so really didn't know what to expect, but I am so glad I discovered them. To be honest, the homogeneity and unoriginality of most of mainstream music today really gets me down so it is so nice to hear artists that are passionate and real and have amazing talent and are not just a marketing machine. It's just a shame that so many great artists don't get the full recognition they deserve outside of small circles. I just love having my mind expanded and opened by creative people!

Halifax is no Montreal or St. Lucia (two places that both have huge, high profile jazz fests every year) but I think our festivals can certainly rival the ones of bigger cities in terms of organization, fun and variety. This is the 25th anniversary for the Jazz Fest, so they must be doing something right!

And beyond the Jazz Fest, there are TONS of really great festivals in Halifax and Nova Scotia in the summer - the city really does buzz and sing in the summer like no time of year. Just in the past few weeks there has been the Greek Fest, Atlantic Fashion Week, Canada Day festivities, Lebanese Fest, Dragon Boat Fest, and coming up there is Pride Week, Atlantic Film Fest, Natal Day festivities, Beer Fest, Seafood Fest, etc, etc, etc. Summer is short here, but we certainly make the most of it.

On a completely unrelated note, I am discovering that my new kitty is quite the goon and likes to get into things. She also really likes cool things (hence why she often sprawls on the floor or table). I was in the bathroom yesterday getting ready for bed, left for 2 minutes, came back in and found this:

Meh.

Needless to say I laughed out loud. I probably should be annoyed that she is getting fur all over my sink, and will likely track her wet paws on my floor once she jumps out, but what can I say - I'm a cat person and we are weird.

Happy HUMP day!

*If you are curious about the odd blog title, this is the name of one of Harry Manx's CD's - funny, eh?

Honking on Bobo

Last night at choir rehearsal we had a special treat - Mike Stevens, a musician visiting Dal (Dalhousie University*, for the unititated) from northern Ontario, gave a short performance and sat in on our rehearsal for a bit. Mike is considered to be a master in his field, and has provided music for various film scores, among other accomplishments. The thing is, Mike doesn't play any ordinary instrument - not piano or violin or saxophone or cello.

Mike is a professional harmonica musician.

Now before you roll your eyes and think "seriously?", let me tell you I have a ton more respect for people who play the harmonica after he talked to us last night! I've always loved the sound of a harmonica (I love bluesy music) but didn't think it looked too hard to play - they just blow into the holes right? (get your mind out of the gutter). Well, yes, they do but it's actually a lot more complicated than that.

Mike explained to us how he makes different sounds on the harmonica, but there is no way I can remember what he said. I know he used a lot of big, musician-y words. So, instead of me explaining what he said, here's a little blurb about how harmonica's work:

A harmonica has a chambered body with each chamber containing 2 small metal reeds. The reeds are flipped in alignment from each other. As you blow into one of the chambers air passes over the first reed and causes it to vibrate and this vibration causes the sound you hear. As you draw air in through a chamber ("suck on a harmonica") the air passes through the chamber in reverse and causes the second reed to vibrate. because the reeds are aligned oppisately - the air direction will determine which reed vibrates. Harmonicas use a series of reeds lined up from longer to shorter. The shorter the reed - the higher the pitch of the note sounded.

So, basically, to make a harmonica even make SOUNDS that don't resemble a dying cat you have to blow the right amount of air into the right place in a certain way. It takes much more than this to actually sound GOOD and make a career out of it.

Not to mention, there are three main types of harmonicas (arguably more) and thousands of different models. Mike took out the plastic container he keeps his harmonicas in, unrolled the bundles and informed us that he currently had about 40 different ones on hand! He takes about 80 when he's on the road, to allow for different styles, fresh reeds, etc! I don't even take 60 pairs of underwear when I go on the road (mostly because when I do, it's only for a week tops).

He then proceeded to hook himself up to a substantial speaker and foot tools (sorry musicians, don't know the technical terms, so sue me) and play us a set for a few minutes. Well, I was amazed - it sounded at times like an entire rock band, a celtic violin, and a dj spinning while still giving off that unique, raw sound that a harmonica makes. His incessant jerking and moving illustrated just how much physical power goes into playing this instrument.

That's not all, Mike is also the founder of ArtsCanCircle a non-profit organization "bringing Artists and Indigenous Canadian Youth (in Northern Canadian communities) together in Creative Expression". They basically connect youth in rural Northern Canadian communities with the arts, cool huh?

I found this all very fascinating and therefore wanted to share it. I had no idea harmonicas and harmonica-playing were so complex. I have a newfound appreciation for those that play them!

For your harmonica enjoyment, this song has one of my favourite harmonica parts (and videos) ever (FYI, the title of this post comes from an Aerosmith album - I believe Bobo was/is Steve Tyler's name for his harmonica -?).

And here's a video of Mike playing (with Matt Anderson, a blues musician from New Brunswick - repping the East Coast 4 life up in this bish! Word!).

*I should mention that the Medical School at Dal is quite unique, in that it features a Medical Humanities program that exists to "balance the science and fact-base that physicians use as the “tools of their trade” with the human weave that can make the lives of humans rich, rewarding, and at times mysterious." The program consists of "consists of five core initiatives: History of Medicine; Narrative Medicine (oral story-telling film, mass media, and literature); Music; Spirituality; and Visual Arts". The program has various classes, workshops, events, and opportunities within each of these components, including my choir (Dalhousie Medical School Choir). This program (as far as I know) is one-of-a-kind and many people from the Medical community around the world come to investigate it. Just a fun bit of trivia for your Thursday!*

Olympi-add me to your suitcase?! Yes, please!!

Unfortunately I am one of those annoying patriotic people that could go on and on all day about how much I love my country and how grateful I am to live here. It all sounds like a bunch of self-righteous fooey, I know. But it really is true (no, seriously)! And I'm not some green hick who lives in a tiny hick town and has never been anywhere - I've travelled quite extensively (England, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, Amsterdam, St Lucia, USA, etc) and I can honestly say I've returned home from all of those trips with a renewed perspective on where I come from and the great things about it.

I mean it's certainly not Utopia (I could also go on and on about things that are crappy about living here, although I'd have more trouble coming up with as many examples) but it's pretty darn sweet. If nothing else, I'm grateful for the fact that I have the freedom to come and go and do and see whom I please when I please without reproach (except maybe from my mommy). As a young woman in particular I think that's pretty much the definition of darn sweet.

Anyway, I'm going on again (do you sense a pattern here?) but more to the point, national pride is at a zenith at the moment with the 2010 Vancouver Olympics approaching (which I'm sure you know about, unless you've been living under a rock...or anywhere OUTSIDE of Canada), and I must admit I myself have been caught up in it all. It was pretty thrilling to stand in the middle of the crowd in Halifax's Grand Parade and watch the Olympic torch as it was sprinted in and lit. And, I wasn't really into jumping on the whole "red mitten" bandwagon but when my friend picked me up a pair I was kind of excited and I wore them all day Sunday and felt all warm and fuzzy inside with a glow of Proud Canadian-ness (and my hands were pretty darn warm too!).

The Olympic preparations (as extravagant as they seem at times), particularly the Torch Relay, have really brought out a sense of community pride across the entire country that's rather heartwarming to see. Oh how I wish I were in Vancouver to see all of the festivities up-close (though I'm certainly glad I don't live there and have to contend with the traffic and crowds).

What I really mean to get at (yes, I'm still blabbing on) is that I'm particularly envious that I'm not able to experience the events that make up the Cultural Olympiad. Anything culture-related I am SO there for, and this is the ultimate of all culture-fest - 60 days of dance, visual art, performance art, music (ALL types), theatre, comedy, and every other cultural category you could possibly think of.

Being a big Joni Mitchell fan, I would love to see The Fiddle and the Drum, featuring dancers from the Alberta ballet and political music/video installations from JM herself. Also high on my wish-list is the Neil Young Project, a fantastic live music tribute to one of the greatest musicians our country has ever exported, featuring some of Canada's other (though less gray and crusty) greatest-musicians-our-country-has-ever-exported (Lou Reed! Ron Sexsmith!).

CODE, aka Cultural Olympiad Digital Edition, offers some artistic innovation in the form of unique collaborative digital art and electronic music performances; the highlight for me (or at least it would be if I could actually see it) being CODE Live, taking place from Feb 4th to 21st, and which the website describes as "an 18-day landmark event with visual art exhibitions, music and performances fuelled by digital technology and audience involvement...is easy to take in and get into {translation: close to public transit}...and daytime events and exhibits are free of charge". LOOOOOOOVE!!

So, in other words (I told you I could go on and on; don't say you weren't warned!) I would give my right arm to be in Vancouver right now, or at least for the month of February. And I'm right-handed, so that's saying something. I mean, I would severely maim and or commit minor atrocities to be in Vancouver at any time but if there was ever any time to be there, this is it.

Guess I'll have to settle for watching it all unfold on the much-more-boring and one-dimensional boob tube. Woo-freakin-hoo (can you sense the eye-roll??)

Date With Fantasy

My heart skipped a beat when I opened my latest Vogue magazine (January 2010), specifically to the feature entitled "Date With Destiny", and saw Canada's own Owen Pallett in this gorgeous photo with supermodel Raquel Zimmerman. For those of you that don't know, Owen Pallett is a musician who records under the name Final Fantasy. His music is an amazing and eclectic mix of classical and synth, past and future. Many of his songs are actually built up with Owen recording himself playing one part and playing it back underneath his playing of another part - essentially accompanying himself! (wow, confusing enough for ya?!). His lyrics are often strange and seemingly stream-of-consciousness, but that's part of their amazing-ness. There is no one else out there today playing music like this.

This warmed my heart in particular because I was lucky enough to see Owen play live, in a concert with Symphony Nova Scotia, back in October! I honestly had never heard of Owen nor heard any of his songs before attending this concert, but I came out with my jaw hanging open in awe at his talent and innovation (and at the same qualities that I feel the Symphony possesses, in my opinion one of the most innovative and professional orchestras in the country). Best of all? They are both Canadian!

You can listen to Owen Pallett's concert with SNS here: http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/cod/concerts/20091023owenp