Videos: LeE HARVeY OsMOND@Chapters (Ancaster) (April 20, 2013)

Blast From the Past: Tom Wilson@Burlington Ribfest

Links: Lee Harvey Osmond, More Lee Harvey Osmond Stories

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Today's Lesson in Economics

There is a severe shortage of inexpensive workers in America today. Many corporations badly need workers, but they can't find them at a good price.

Ordinarily, America is built on a system of supply and demand. If corporations really need workers, they'd pay whatever the market demands to get those workers.

However, corporations maintain that they're suffering because of the deficit of workers, and they can't find workers at the price they're willing to pay. It's hampering their ability to function in America today.

So, in the face of impending catastrophe, they've complained to Congress. Congress has agreed to intervene, because if corporations can't afford the workers they need, everybody suffers. And why should they? Undocumented workers will do the job just as well as lawful ones, and at far less of a price.

Many politicians have decided that we should open our borders to undocumented workers, since they're an inexpensive alternative that's readily available. China, for example, has many millions of undocumented workers that they'd love to send to America. Additionally, Senators Charles Schumer and John McCain are drafting legislation that will feature a path to legitimacy for some 11 million undocumented workers, hopefully freeing them from the stigma that comes with being branded as second-class.

Some argue that, in the face of increased competition, documented workers will find themselves drastically devalued, if not tossed onto be the trash heap. But the government maintains that these new undocumented workers will simply fill a void that would never have been filled by the documented ones. As a result, everybody wins.

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It's an interesting argument, isn't it? Do you agree? Discuss.

Now, replace "corporations" with "people," and "workers" with "Louis Vuitton handbags."

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There is a severe shortage of inexpensive Louis Vuitton handbags in America today. Many people badly need Louis Vuitton handbags, but they can't find them at a good price.

Ordinarily, America is built on a system of supply and demand. If people really need Louis Vuitton handbags, they'd pay whatever the market demands to get those Louis Vuitton handbags.

However, people maintain that they're suffering because of the deficit of Louis Vuitton handbags, and they can't find Louis Vuitton handbags at the price they're willing to pay. It's hampering their ability to function in America today.

So, in the face of impending catastrophe, they've complained to Congress. Congress has agreed to intervene, because if people can't afford the Louis Vuitton handbags they need, everybody suffers. And why should they? Undocumented Louis Vuitton handbags will do the job just as well as lawful ones, and at far less of a price.

Many politicians have decided that we should open our borders to undocumented Louis Vuitton handbags, since they're an inexpensive alternative that's readily available. China, for example, has many millions of undocumented Louis Vuitton handbags that they'd love to send to America. Additionally, Senators Charles Schumer and John McCain are drafting legislation that will feature a path to legitimacy for some 11 million undocumented Louis Vuitton handbags, hopefully freeing them from the stigma that comes with being branded as second-class.

Some argue that, in the face of increased competition, documented Louis Vuitton handbags will find themselves drastically devalued, if not tossed onto be the trash heap. But the government maintains that these new undocumented Louis Vuitton handbags will simply fill a void that would never have been filled by the documented ones. As a result, everybody wins.

Home Sweet Home Debut CD (featuring Ray Materick)

Home Sweet Home, the new band featuring  legendary Hamilton musician Ray Materick, recently released their excellent self-titled debut.

Gordon Lightfoot himself has called this CD brilliant and who are we to argue with him?  Besides, he's definitely right on the money!

Materick's incredible songwriting skills are definitely in full steam here as every tune tells a story.  Ray and the amazing group take his words and wrap them around sweet, beautiful music.

This project is also a bit of a family affair as three members of the talented Ludgate clan (John, Sheila and Shane) lend their artistry.  Shelly Hastings and Alicia Cameron also add their musical gifts to the CD.

Check out the band's website for instruction on how to order a signed copy of this must-have CD.

The video below is courtesy of Lucas Stagg



Blast from the Past: Home Sweet Home@Pheasant Plucker

Links: Ray Materick, More Ray Materick Stories, More CD Releases

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2013 Blues Music Award Winners

Unfortunately, Hamilton's Harrison Kennedy didn't win the Blues Music Award he was nominated for (Acoustic Artist).  Eric Bibb received that honour.

The top dogs of the night were Tedeschi Trucks Band and Curtis Salgado, with three awards wins each.

The awards were handed out on May 9, 2013 in Memphis.  Below is a complete list of the winners

• Acoustic Album: Not Alone – Ann Rabson w/ Bob Margolin
• Acoustic Artist: Eric Bibb
• Album of the Year: Show of Strength – Michael Burks
• B.B. King Entertainer: Curtis Salgado
• Band: Tedeschi Trucks Band
• Best New Artist Debut: They Call Me Big Llou – Big LLou Johnson
• Contemporary Blues Album: Show of Strength – Michael Burks
• Contemporary Blues Female Artist: Janiva Magness
• Contemporary Blues Male Artist: Tab Benoit
• DVD: Eagle Rock Entertainment – Muddy Waters & Rolling Stones, Live at Checkerboard Lounge
• Gibson Guitar Award: Derek Trucks 
• Instrumentalist-Bass: Bob Stroger
• Instrumentalist-Drums: Cedric Burnside
• Instrumentalist-Harmonica: Rick Estrin
• Instrumentalist-Horn: Eddie Shaw
• Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female): Ruthie Foster
• Pinetop Perkins Piano Player: Victor Wainwright
• Rock Blues Album: Everybody’s Talkin’ – Tedeschi Trucks Band
• Song:  “I Wont Cry” - Janiva Magness
• Soul Blues Album: Soul Shot – Curtis Salgado
• Soul Blues Female Artist: Irma Thomas
• Soul Blues Male Artist: Curtis Salgado
• Traditional Blues Album: Double Dynamite – The Mannish Boys
• Traditional Blues Male Artist: Magic Slim

More about the Blues Music Awards

Links: Tedeschi Trucks Band, More Tedeschi Trucks Band Stories, Above Video courtesy of SGibson818

Links: Curtis Salgado,  More Curtis Salgado Stories, Video courtesy of KINK Radio



Links: Janiva Magness, Video courtesy of KINK Radio

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News Roundup (Greg Quill, Jerry Johnson, Nonie Crete)

Local

• Lindy Vopnfjord's Hearing Voices on Criminal Minds

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Canada

• Roots musician and Toronto Star columnist, Greg Quill Passes
• May issue of Maple Blues

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World

• Please note that we won't be posting individual podcasts anymore.  We will soon have a Podcast section on the right side of the blog (near the bottom)

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Blasts From The Past 

• 2009: Blues Music Award Winners
• 2010: Blues News Bites w videos by Patrick Lawton, Dan Medakovic, Mary Simon
• 2011: Videos: Famous Framus@Waltz
• 2012: News Roundup w Steve Strongman, Harlan Pepper, Shari and Jonny

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Featured Videos 



Links: Jerry Johnson , More Jerry Johnson Stories, Video courtesy of Dave Parry 



Link: Nonie Crete, More Nonie Crete Stories, Video courtesy of Nonie Crete

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When I was six I fell in love with my first-grade teacher, Dr. Doctor. I didn't realize there were teams and I'd chosen the wrong one: I just went with my heart. Everything I learned about men and women in the ensuing years, though, confirmed that I'd made the right choice.

Some of the differences between the two genders are apparent in the songs they sing. For instance, there's a huge gap between the desires they express in songs that start with "If I." When Pete Seeger sang "If I Had a Hammer," for instance, he spoke for the average male. This gruff dude wanted something simple (a hand tool) for an altruistic reason (to hammer out injustice).

Sure, it's not very exciting for a boyfriend, but if you've got a nail it helps.

Following close behind the hammer is Mr. Seeger's desire for a bell. He's not going to do anything weird with it: he just wants to ring it in the morning and ring it in the evening. I don't know about you, but if my husband harbored a secret innermost desire, I'd be pretty relieved if it was just a brass thing with a clanger. There are far worse things than hubby taking you aside and saying, "Sweetie, I don't know how to break this to you, but I'd really, really like a bell."

Sure, maybe these yearnings don't make a lot of sense. Any woman fighting off injustice would have the sense to wish for a lawyer, or pepper spray. When the Klan is storming down your street with torches lit and you're throwing all your valuables into a pillowcase, it's not going to help things when your man yells out, "Honey, have you seen my bell?" Still, it's a male thing that's endearing nonetheless.

A decade later Johnny Cash is similarly gruff and simple with "If I Were A Carpenter." Women never express desires like this: no, according to TV they just want their families to use less toilet paper, and some Activia. But if Johnny can imagine any crazy scenario in the entire world, he ends up with a chisel in his hand.

If the PC police are around, the second line is a bit problematic:

If I were a carpenter
and you were a lady....

But this is the way dudes are, right? They don't know what they're saying until it's out of their mouths. "I'm imagining a totally unreal, sci-fi scenario," he's telling his squeeze. "Instead of being a singer, I work with my hands. And you, you're a classy female."

Still, I think the theme is there. Men aren't complicated: they just want to make things. They want to help out.

Now, let's bring the ladies into the picture. A couple of decades later, Gladys Knight drew a picture of the world's most perfect relationship in "If I Were Your Woman." The song is cool for roughly six seconds before she drops the rabbit into the boiling water:

If I were your woman
and you were my man
you'd have no other woman....

Got that? That's a typical woman talking. Doesn't that make you yearn for the simplicity of that bell? What Gladys wants is for you to change. "Now that I'm your woman," she snaps, "why do you act the way you do? That's not gonna fly around here, nosirree." Fifteen words out of her mouth and we're in an argument. We're yelling, "Well, Gladys, if you were my woman, you'd have to lay off the french fries. Got that? You think little palm trees on your fingernails will make me forget you got cankles? Not a chance."

Beyoncé offers a similarly bizarre vision and a ditto:

If I were a boy even just for a day,
I'd roll out of bed in the morning
and throw on what I wanted
and go drink beer with the guys.

If this isn't going to scare you gay I don't know what will. Girls, evidently, can't roll out of bed. Or throw on what they wanted. This surprised me, because I never really pictured Beyoncé screaming, "NO! I WON'T WEAR IT! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" five minutes before TMZ shows her in a skin-tight, sequined tube-top. But Ms. Carter totally gets the male demimonde. She'd fit right in at the old watering hole: "I would like a beer, because I'm a boy!" The only place that's gonna work is on Jerry Sandusky's lap.

If I were a boy,
I think I could understand
how it feels to love a girl --
I swear I'd be a better man.

What's that? Yup, eight lines into the song, thirty years after Gladys, women are still whining. "If I could be a man," she sings, "I'd be better than any goddamn men!" See, you can't do that. You can't say, "If I were an owl, I'd be a flamingo." It doesn't make sense. Maybe she wouldn't have sold as many records, but Ms. Carter would have been closer to grammatical correctness singing, "If I were a chick with a dick."

Anyway, I think the lines are drawn. You don't need to be a college graduate to see the obvious, to see who belongs with who. I'm picturing our ladies at some posh wine bar:

GLADYS: "If I were your woman, you wouldn't cheat on me."

BEYONCÉ: "Girlfriend, if I were your man I would never disrespect you like that."

What do Pete and Johnny think about it? Who gives a fuck? Isn't this a great bell?

January Jones’ makeup artist, Rachel Goodwin, says that she embellished Jones’ shockingly dark Chanel eye makeup “by adding jet crystals on top. I wanted January’s makeup to have an element of danger to it, which was what the punk movement was all about.”

It's a total triumph, Rachel. AIEEE! Look out for the thin woman in sequins getting out of that limo.