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When was the last time you read a review of a jazz CD or concert in a mass-circulation newspaper or magazine that was not promoting a mediocre singer, a fusion band or jazz light? How many radio stations are there that regularly feature jazz music that is not based on family values? Outside of college, community or publicly funded stations, not many. If any.

I have to say it’s more than nostalgia, looking back to earlier times, especially the 1980s, a period when as a musician I was in my prime, working steadily across Canada, America, Europe and England, when Coda Magazine, of which I was editor, was considered the forefront of jazz journalism. When, in Toronto there were half dozen radio stations that broadcast jazz music regularly. Three of these FM stations – CJRT, CKLN & CIUT – are of special importance in my musical life.

The voice of jazz on CJRT was Ted O’Reilly. He played jazz music six-days-a-week for close on 37 years. In the mid-sixties he created a live performance series at the Ontario Science Centre. These shows were recorded and played on the air at a later date. My band, then called the New Art Music Ensemble (N.A.M.E.) were recorded on Monday, February 25th, 1980. This concert can be heard at: New Art Music Ensemble

Saturday nights, after midnight, DB Hawkes at CIUT often invited us into the radio station studio to play until we ran out of energy or ideas. The recording of a “Child’s Christmas In Wales” with myself and Arthur Bull was recorded in that studio.

In 1983 I began a regular show on CKLN, every Thursday night from 10:00 until midnight. My show was called “Some Other Stuff”, which is why I have named this show, the first in a series, the same. A Hornby Island version. My show was followed by an all-nighter called Live Dead Orgy. The DJ played entire live concerts of the Grateful Dead or Jerry Garcia.

Ah! Live radio…

wilsonvan

 

The 1st Edition of
Some Other Stuff
Music From The Other Side

CHFR Radio – 96.5FM
Sunday Evening
March 3rd, 2013

Two Hours of Guitar Music Featuring:
Tony Wilson in duet, trio and quintet, with Celtic Works and the Saul Berson Quartet; Talking Pictures, James Pett, Sonny Greenwich & Ed Bickert, John McLaughlin, Arthur Bull & Daniel Heikalo, the Wild Man Band with guest Pierre Dorge.

Intermission music from Frank Zappa