Looking to take on writing/editing projects! If you seeking someone to take your content up a notch or looking for someone to edit or review it, give me a shout. My email is listeningsessions78 (at) gmail (dot) com.

Thrifting and buying some cassettes has inspired me to dig out my collection of them and play some old favourites - having fun! #nowplaying #np

Classical music for Saturday evening - can never go wrong with the great Isaac Stern. #nowplaying #np

Took a bold step today related to my work as a music writer - any good vibrations you can send my way would be deeply appreciated.

ICYMI - I recently wrote about about two reissues that include everything available on tape from high points in Wes Montgomery's and Bill Evans' discographies www.listeningsessions.ca/p/wes-montgo...

This is very sad news - Neil Sedaka was a great songwriter and a really good singer. One of the many greats associated with the Brill Building.

Went thrifting this afternoon and thought, what the heck, why not get ‘The Byrds’ Greatest Hits’ on cassette. #nowplaying #np

Guess what album I am writing about next! #nowspinning #np #vinyl

There are some days I wish I had taken off for New York for as long as I could stay after getting the heave-ho from TV Guide, Frank Costanza's favourite magazine, in 2003 rather than spinning my wheels in Toronto. It took longer for me than most to get a whole lot of gumption.

I'm not at all ashamed to admit that I am fan of the Captain & Tennille. #nowspinning #np #vinyl

The final album-length statement by Donny Hathaway that contains all the multitudes within him. A powerful statement of artistic purpose and its all-encompassing nature, and a reminder that someday, we'll all be free. #nowspinning #np #vinyl

Ask me what I think the greatest album of all time is and I will answer with this. #nowplaying #np #jazz

The partnership of Leslie West and Felix Pappalardi was like many great partnerships: two different halves producing a whole. Glad to dig out Mountain's debut to remind myself of this dynamite association. #nowspinning #np #vinyl

Whoa! I had no idea!!!!!!

One of my greatest finds - Moby Grape debut in mono, Doc Stevenson flipping off the camera. One of the most exciting half-hours of music ever unleashed on this unsuspecting world. #nowspinning #np #vinyl

Returning to a favourite topic of mine: archival releases, and writing on the complete ‘Full House’ recordings by Wes Montgomery and the definitive ‘Haunted Heart’ documenting Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro & Paul Motian in the studio for Riverside. www.listeningsessions.ca/p/wes-montgo...

First time hearing this. Interesting that Walter Becker plays on only three cuts here. #nowplaying #np #vinyl

Digging this relatively newly unearthed Cannonball Adderley performance from 1972 - a good reminder of his role as one of early progenitors or jazz-rock, jazz fusion or however else you wish to term it. #nowplaying #np #jazz

Great to read that the urge to consume music through tactile ways is going very strong. This is a very, very good thing. www.thestar.com/entertainmen...

As a big Elvis fan, I should be excited about Baz Luhrmann's new doc about him. I'm not. I find his not often using Elvis’ original recordings infuriating and he dismays by propagating a narrative of his life that doesn't hold up (i.e. he did nothing of interest from '58-'68).

First time ordering off of Bandcamp and now enjoying a first listen to the new album by Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore. #nowplaying #np

Listening to Santana's debut - a ferocious hello and a furious mixing of rock, Latin, jazz, funk and just about everything else. A bold opening statement. #nowspinning #np #vinyl

Long, long day today - giving myself a musical reward for getting through #nowspinning #np #vinyl

I cannot stress this enough: writing is thinking.

Almost finished drafted my next essay - a look at two recent archival releases from the Riverside catalogue.

Big thumbs down here - there's an email address for the Plain Dealer editor - I gave him a piece of my mind- you should too.

A giant loss: Robert Duvall is gone. An extraordinary artist who was fluent in every dialect of film acting, from ice-cold underplayer (The Godfather) to expert naturalist (Tender Mercies, The Apostle) to balls-to-the-wall maniac (Apocalypse Now). One of our all-timers. Plunge into that filmography.

Glad to finally get Neil Diamond's debut album into the collection. #nowspinning #np #vinyl

Revisiting a Wes Montgomery album I have not played in ages (20 years probably) for an upcoming essay that partly focuses on him. #nowplaying #np #jazz

“If I venture in the slipstream”…. #nowspinning #np #vinyl

This is a really good album - making a Ben Webster-like LP is an pleasantly unexpected shift for Aldana.

Thrilled to have found a copy of the Everly Brothers’ first RCA album - unlike anything in their catalogue, a big, sprawling affair produced by Paul Rothchild. Don and Phil's feelings about the experience can be summed up on the cover. #nowspinning #np #vinyl

A good album for Valentine's Day (or any day for that matter). #nowspinning #np #vinyl

Everyone in the world comes to get married at the NYC Marriage Bureau. Last week, the Mayor stopped by to officiate a few of those ceremonies.    Thank you to all the couples who shared their joy with us. Happy Valentine's Day, New York.     Watch the full video at Youtube.com/nycmayorsoffice

Went record shopping this afternoon - here is what I bought.

New from me - my first new-music round-up for the year. I recommend seven goodies that I think you will love. www.listeningsessions.ca/p/seven-new-...

New from me - a few weeks ago, I heard Patti Smith’s Horses for the first time. I then heard it four more times and wrote an essay about my thoughts on this watershed album. www.listeningsessions.ca/p/horses-hor...

New from me - thinking back to when I was first getting into jazz and how I quickly connected to the music of the John Coltrane Quartet, especially the playing of McCoy Tyner. www.listeningsessions.ca/p/mccoy-tyne...

First essay of the year. I look at the recordings that Del Shannon made in 1966 - a fascinating collection of music by an artist looking to change and arguably struggling to do so. www.listeningsessions.ca/p/del-shanno...

New from me - my attempt at summing up the year in music (highlighting the albums that I enjoyed the most) and words (the essays I wrote this year that I think hold up the best). Happy New Year to one and all! www.listeningsessions.ca/p/2025-in-mu...

New from me - thoughts on the music of Christmas for 2025. Many delights here! www.listeningsessions.ca/p/another-tr...

It's Christmas-music season in the record room and here's the first of two essays I am offering this year on the ongoing festive soundtrack. www.listeningsessions.ca/p/i-dream-of...

New from me - I wrote about the Mamas and the Papas’ second album way back in 2022. After revisiting the LP recently, I decided to revise my essay a bit and re-share. Enjoy! www.listeningsessions.ca/p/the-mamas-...

New from me - I recently spent ten days on a solo trip to New York, and wrote up a bit of a travelogue of my music adventures while I was in NYC. In short, New York remains an amazing city that vibes with my heart and soul. www.listeningsessions.ca/p/ten-days-i...

New from me - 10 new albums I think you will dig a lot. www.listeningsessions.ca/p/ten-new-al...

Heading off for another New York solo trip tomorrow morning - gearing up for it tonight with two of the great NYC albums.

New from me - this is the third time I have written about autumn music, focusing here on five albums that, for me, evoke this wonderful season. Enjoy! www.listeningsessions.ca/p/autumn-noc...

New from me - on two landmark recordings of 1967, one that celebrates the legend and one the relays the facts. Both are utterly essential. www.listeningsessions.ca/p/sgt-pepper...

New from me - on two landmark recordings of 1967, one that celebrates the legend and one the relays the facts. Both are utterly essential. www.listeningsessions.ca/p/sgt-pepper...

Wrote about Mac Davis, one of a group of singer-songwriters who became very big very quickly in the late sixties, and his debut album, Song Painter - a unheralded classic. www.listeningsessions.ca/p/mac-davis-...