BKB'S PICK-Jazz Festival Special: Hank Mobley-Roll Call

Since my hometown's ( Montreal) International Jazz Festival kicked off it's festivities yesterday and is on til July 8, i decided to have an extra BKB pick this week. For all jazz fans and also for those who wants to discover an really underrated album, i propose you to look for Hank Mobley's Roll Call. From the moment Art Blakey's drums get it on on the very first track, Mobley & Co. never look back. This album's energy and power is off the roof and Freddie Hubbard's trumpet is making a superb combo along with Mobley's sax. Truly a Bop masterpiece who should be more well known by jazz and music fans.

BKB'S PICK V: The Rolling Stones' Rock N' Roll Circus

To my opinion, the best live performance of the Stones ever. This TV special shot in December 1968, was designed like a super variety show a la Ed Sullivan. Guest stars included The Who, Taj Mahal, Jethro Tull, Marianne Faithfull even John Lennon dropped by. Lennon along with the Dirty Mac (a Supergroup composed of Lennon, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix's drummer Mitch Mitchell) is truly one of the finest rock performance. Too bad Yoko Ono showed up at the end and annoyes everybody with her unbelievably obnoxious voice. Mick and Co. are also in super form, turning up five songs in electrfying fashion. Really a pure Gem that must be seen.

I'M NOT A PLASTIC BAG!

I was one of the 200 hopefuls to get Anya Hindmarch's new very trendy bag. I had to wait in line for 2 hours to get it for my love @ Holt Renfrew in Montreal. Only 200 of them were available at HR -Montreal and 2,000 total in Canada at other Holt stores. I wonder how much it will fetch on eBay...

The Return of John McClane in LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD

The fourth installment of Die Hard, the movie that made Bruce Willis a superstar and to my view is the greatest action flick of all time, is coming to theaters June 27. Willis's character, witty badass NYC cop John McClane is also arguably one the best film hero of all time. ( Yippeekayay, motherfucker!!!). 20th Century Fox hope it will be a big summer blockbuster, but i think it's gonna be tough to beat Michael Bay's Transformers. We'll see what movie will come on top. Check out the kick ass website:

http://www.livefreeordiehard.com/

BKB'S PICK IV: Alex Rodriguez

The New York Yankees third baseman is litterally tearing up the American League since the start of the 2007 season. He has a .315 batting average with 27 HR and 73 RBI's, both Major League best. He's been hitting .394 with 8 dingers and 21 runs batted in in his last 10 games. He helped the Bronx Bombers win 11 of their last 12 games and they are now getting back in the AL East division race vs. the Boston Red Sox

David Beckham sur le point de faire son entrée Hollywoodienne

Selon de source très sures, la star Britannique pourrait bien joindre sa nouvelle équipe aussi tot que la fin juillet. Des nouvelles en provenance de Los Angeles, révèlent que le millieu de terrain pourrait faire ses débuts le 28 juillet a domicile face a Guadalajara.

Oasis to start recording new album

Oasis are to start work on their seventh studio album on July 3.Guitarist Noel Gallagher has named the date when the band will be recording a follow-up to 2005's 'Don't Believe The Truth'. "The songs are written... but don't hold your breath because the last album took three-and-half-years and three goes," he told BBC News. "It would be great if it was done by the end of the year and we could get out on the road by next summer, but that's insane wishful thinking." Previously the guitarist has told NME.COM that this album will be more experimental than Oasis' more recent efforts."For the next record I really fancy doing, you know, a record where we just completely throw the kitchen sink at it," Gallagher declared. "We haven't done that since 'Be Here Now' (in 1997)... get like a 100 piece orchestra and choirs and all that. "I think since 'Standing on the Shoulders of Giants' (2000) we've been trying to prove a point of just bass, drums, guitar and vocals and nothing fancy. But I kind of fancy, like, making an absolutely fucking colossal album. You know? Like literally two orchestras, stuff like that."

www.oasisinet.com

Way Before Green Day, Live Aid and We Are The World...

The newest charity album hit record stores last tuesday. Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur, a kinda John Lennon tribute album. The proceeds will be given to the people of Darfur, which is a great thing to do. Green Day, Christina Aguilera, the Black Eyed Peas and others are covering Lennon tunes. It's an hit and miss affair like all tribute albums. But to my view, the best ''charity'' album will always be the original one: George Harrison's Concert For Bangladesh. In 1971, Bangladesh was greatly struck with floodings so the former Beatle decided to call his friends and hold a concert at New York's Madison Square Garden and issue a live record and give the proceeds to help the Bengali people. Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Ravi Shakar and even a surprise apperance by Bob Dylan make that record something special. Unfortunately, some big corporate ego crap between records labels kinda tarnished its intentions a bit, but there's no doubt that George Harrison's humanitary initiative was pioneering in the music world. Bob Geldof must have been listening....

The Return of the White Stripes

Jack & Meg are at it again. The White Stripes are dropping their new record this next tuesday, June 19. Icky Thump is, of what i've heard, kinda exploring new grounds sonically. Oh and to all of you living in the Montreal area, they'll be live in concert at the Bell Center July 6.

BKB'S PICK III: Jordan Ladd

Ok ok it's not the most objective of my picks so far but what the hell, this is my blog after all. Miss Jordan Ladd, the daughter of Cheryl ''My Personal favorite Charlie's Angel'' Ladd, was in the Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse segment Death Proof as well as in other numerous films. Her flimography includes Never Been Kissed opposite Drew Barrymore, Gregg Araki's Nowhere, Eli Roth's Cabin Fever and she's schedueled to appear in Roth's sequel to the Hostel, opening later this month. So basically, i gotta thing for her okay!

www.starpulse.com/Actresses/Ladd,_Jordan/index.html

J, Lou & Murph

Last nite i saw one band that i listened to a lot back when i was in high school: Dinosaur Jr. In more than 15 years, the original lineup is together again. They put out an awesome record a month ago, Beyond . Ok yeah sure , J Mascis looks like he's 50 ( probably close though) but he can still rock the shit out of many younger fellows. Crunching guitars and good memories were present last night and i even did something i haven't done in close to a decade: Get right in front of the stage(with the hardcore and usually young fans) for a few songs. Kick ass concert J & Co. Thanx! Oh my ears are still ringing this morning by the way...

www.dinosaurjr.com

En Français this time

Mon DJ set mardi soir a la Rockette fut très plaisant. Petit crowd mais des gens sur le party et on s'est bien amusé. Nous avons même eu droit a l'apparition de l'ange Gabriel en fin de soirée ;p

Samedi soir, je serai présent au concert de Dinosaur Jr au Club Soda. Je vous livrerai mes impressions dimanche. C'est la fièvre de la F1 ici a Montréal donc sur ce, Cheers!

www.myspace.com/larockette

BKB's Concerts

This a pretty accurate chronology of the concerts i've witnessed over the years*

*Some were guests lists and/or the ticket stub didn't survived, so there's actually more than the ones named here.

3.06.2007: CSS-La Tulipe, Montreal
6.05.2007: The Killers-Bell Center, Montreal
5.05.2007: Peter, Bjorn And John-National, Montreal
17.04.2007: Kaiser Chiefs- Spectrum, Montreal
6.04.2007: Lily Allen-Club Soda, Montreal
13.10.2006: Vulgaires Machins-Spectrum, Montreal
30.09.2006: The Raconteurs-Metropolis, Montreal
22.06.2006: The Streets-Spectrum, Montreal
8.04.2006: Yeah Yeah Yeahs-Metropolis, Montreal
4.04.2006: Neko Case-Club Soda, Montreal
7.03.2006: Of Montreal-La Tulipe, Montreal
24.09.2005: M.I.A-Metropolis, Montreal
7.09.2005: The Kills-Club Soda, Montreal
19.02.2005: Tegan & Sara- La Tulipe, Montreal
7.11.2004: Beastie Boys-Bell Center, Montreal
4.11.2004: Muse-Metropolis, Montreal
17.06.2004: Jonathan Richman-La Tulipe, Montreal
2.12.2003: Buzzcocks-Club Soda, Montreal
24.09.2003: Rufus Wainwright-Lion d'or, Montreal
28.08.2003: Bjork-Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montreal
17.03.2003: Stephen Malkmus-Cafe Campus, Montreal
26.03.2003: The Datsuns-Cabaret Music-Hall, Montreal
8.03.2003: Supergrass-Cafe Campus, Montreal
16.08.2002: Oasis-Bell Center, Montreal
29.04.2002: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds-Metropolis, Montreal
5.08.2001: Radiohead-Parc Jean-Drapeau, Montreal
4.06.2001: Coldplay-Metropolis, Montreal
9.02.2000: Beck -Cepsum Universite de MOntreal, Montreal
6.09.1998: Carl Cox, Fonky Family...-Olympic Stadium, Montreal
20.08.1998: Pearl Jam-Bell Center, Montreal
10.05.1998: Sonic Youth-Metropolis, Montreal
31.08.1997: Daft Punk, Bran Van 3000...-Jarry Park, Montreal
30.11.1994: 1st one ever! Green Day, Auditorium de Verdun, Montreal

BKB's Pick II: Klaxons-Myths Of The Near Future

After taking the UK by storm in late '06, Klaxons reached America a few months ago with their debut album, Myths of The Near Future. A must have for fans of new wave-dance-punk a la The Faint and the first Bloc Party album. It contains one of the greatest dance anthem of the last few years-Atlantis to Interzone. Really go check it out!

www.klaxons.net

www.myspace.com/klaxons

Baseball Fans

My friend Pat just started up his own Blog : www.expos4ever.blogspot.com. Go check it out, it's full of pictures and intresting stuff, mostly about our Montreal Expos ( god i miss them this year...) Ah! Al ''Scoop'' Oliver number 0. My first Idol when i was 6 yrs old.