HIGHLY RECOMMENDED W/ COLIN JAMES
* Providing the A's to the 5 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Q's today is Colin James — a legend in the Canadian music-making scene (fyi ‘Chicks ‘N Cars & The 3rd World War’ still goes) who also happens to be playing a show in the HWY 95EH area at Key City Theatre in Cranbrook on Tuesday, October 24th as The Colin James Blues Trio (CLICK HERE to check for tickets/details and jump over to the MOUN.TOWN/FM Mix CD ‘SASKATCHEWAN’ to hear a track off Colin’s most recent Juno award-winning album ‘Open Road’ alongside a whole bunch of other great artists with Saskatchewan roots)
#1 - WHAT IS THE ONE ALBUM (OR EP OR SONG) THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE THE VERY NEXT MUSICAL THING THAT EVERYONE PRESSES PLAY ON THE NEXT TIME THEY FIND THEMSELVES THINKING “WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NOW”?
I listen to a fairly wide variety of music but have my go to’s. Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Ike Quebec, Red Garland in the jazz world. Early Bob Dylan is always welcome as well. Beck’s Sea Change and Morning Phase are all killer.
Lately I have enjoyed the writing and singing of Aiofe O’ Donavan as well as the Paper Kites.
#2 - WHAT IS THE ONE MOVIE OR TV SHOW THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE NEXT IN EVERYBODY’S NETFLIX QUEUE (OK, DOESN’T HAVE TO BE NETFLIX, WE’RE ALL INTERNET ADULTS HERE AND KNOW HOW TO FIND ANYTHING ONLINE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER)?
I have to confess to not watching a lot of TV these days, as I am more of a reader, but I really enjoyed the 2014 comedy Bored To Death’s 3 seasons recently.
Funny as hell and a killer cast in short doable episodes. Jason Shwartzman is super great in this.
#3. I (AND BY “I” I MEAN “THE PERSON THAT IS READING THIS”) AM GOING TO THE LOCAL BOOK STORE (OK, MAYBE THE LOCAL LIBRARY FIRST) TO FIND THE VERY NEXT BOOK THAT I WILL BE PUTTING SOME EXTREMELY VALUABLE ‘ME-TIME' ASIDE FOR. WHICH BOOK WOULD YOU GET, IF YOU WERE ME (AND, I SUPPOSE, YOU HADN’T ALREADY READ WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO SUGGEST)?
I just read a book on Istanbul (Istanbul by Thomas F. Madden) that I thought was not only very well researched but super interesting. History can so often be such a dry read with names and dates taking precedence over telling the story in an interesting way. Istanbul was always changing hands and has such a rich and deep history.
I am also reading Doppelgänger by Naomi Klein right now.
#4 - WHAT IS THE ONE WEBSITE (OR JUST ANY OLD INTERNET THING: APP, GIF, SERVICE, WHATEVER) THAT YOU WOULD GET REALLY DOWN IN THE DUMPS ABOUT IF IT WERE TO SUDDENLY GO AWAY?
I don’t actually spend much time on the internet, except for reading the New York Times, which I listen to and subscribe to (the podcast The Daily in particular).
Sometimes, when researching music, Youtube can be a fun deep dive looking for live shows from the 60’s etc by Freddie King or James Cotton (although I do hate the ads… when’s the last time a pop up ad came on and you thought “I’ve got to go out and get that thing?”).
So much is at our fingertips now that was non existent when I was young. I would go to the library looking for records I couldn’t find and usually with mixed success.
#5 - AND FINALLY… PLEASE GIVE ONE COMPLETELY UNAIDED RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD START DOING / USING / WATCHING / EATING / THINKING / QUITTING / ETC-ING TO MAKE THEIR LIVES A LITTLE BIT MORE BETTER AND/OR BEARABLE.
I’m not one to preach about what one should or should not do, but, for me, cycling daily is my thing. Across the bridge and around Stanley Park or a fuller 40k ride always sets my mind straight.
OK folks, there you have it. Things that Colin James thinks you should consider incorporating into your day/life. Before you log off and go set your mind straight with a bike ride, make sure to follow Colin James on the Facebook / Instagram / Twitter and then also give ‘It Takes A lot to Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry’ a listen below (and peep the old MuchMusic live recording of Chicks N’ Cars for some good ol’ Canadian nostalgia)…
…and if you like what you’re hearing, go do some further colin-james-flavoured audio exploring over on the Bandcamp / Spotify AND if you reside in the Kimberley/Cranbrook area, pop over to Key City Theatre to grab yourself a ticket to see The Colin James Blues Trio live on Tuesday, October 24th (2023).
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JEREMY / @HI54LOFI
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