Joshua Van Tassel

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Starting to pick up some steam and get to know how my room sounds a little more, having fun. Here’s something that I’ve been trying to figure out for the past couple months and I may have gotten a start on it. In other news, the sky looked really bizarre downtown last night and I got scared. Everyone seemed a little on edge. The iphone doesn’t really do it justice, but it tries hard, you know?

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…..and my old favorite Daniel Lanois. Heard a few songs from the record on the radio last night and not too sure what I think of it yet…..the recording process sounds awesome though, and they both have great hats.

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Just time for a quick post today. I played a fundraiser for Madagascar this weekend put on by a group called Elephant Bird, and I think it was a successful night. Got to see Donne Roberts play with his band, including THE BEST SHAKER PLAYING I’ve ever seen or heard by his percussionist Selina. It was intense and relentless. I tried to record it but all I got was a whole lot of distortion because it was rocking so hard. Here’s a picture of my good friend’s son loving it though, almost as good as a recording.

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Finally got a chance to record some drums here at the new place and I’m happy. It’ll take me a while to figure everything out a little more, but the initial sounds I’m getting are weird and perfect for what I like. Put some stuff on the thing from the other day, I think it’s almost time to send in the clowns, aka Devon.

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Also did some drums here yesterday for a good friend who’s putting out a pet project turned ep turned really good record I think, I’ll keep you posted when I can. Starting to also track some of these tunes I’ve had floating for a while. Recorded some guitar in the bedroom yesterday, more nice and sleepy then sexy, this is an all ages site after all.  Doing some more today if I can keep myself from going outside because it’s summer in the city again.

And ps, I’m obsessed with the new Ray Lamontagne album, it sounds incredible. Best drums sounds I’ve heard since anything on the Ghana Special record.

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This is my upstairs cat Stella. She’s ridiculously cute and does this a couple times a day. She has really long legs and sharp claws. Sometimes I play her things I’m working on, and if she runs away I know they suck. Animals are very intuitive creatures and I trust their opinions.

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My favorite guitar player/blogger/drummer Christine Bougie put up a devastatingly beautiful tune called Me Her on her blog for the world to listen to. I’ve heard this song live a couple times and fell in love with it in duo form, but to hear it with a full band is fantastic. Beautiful recording too, holy smokes. Check it out, then pre-order her record here……

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The only thing more frustrating then really wanting to write some music but not having time for it is having all the time you need to write some music and having what you write sound like shit. No fun, but a necessary evil from which we generally learn something. I learned today that coffee on an empty stomach makes me feel like I should call telehealth Ontario and check myself into a clinic. After a couple hours of not really getting anywhere with a tune, I stumbled onto a chord I liked, and a played a pattern like this -

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I think it’s kind of pretty, and after playing some depressing music that wasn’t working I figured I’d role with it. Made a quick loop of it, then doubled the track and added some reverb to it, moved into to the left ear -

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and it sounded like that. Nice and pretty, simple. I wanted to another track of the same thing and put it more to the right, but because I suck whenever I try and edit on a computer, I put it in the wrong place. BUT, I’m into it, the rhythms work in a really cool way together.

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Happy. Now I add some percussion -

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and we have the start of something fun. This is how I’ve made a lot of music over the past couple years. I’m trying to get away from it and “write” like everyone else, but it’s really fun to just embrace unexpected sounds and go for it. I plan on putting some drums on tomorrow, arranging some stuff, then maybe bring in a friend or two to see what they hear over it. See you then .

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I’ve written a couple time on here about the Soundways record label, and my love for all the amazing compilations they’ve been putting out, exposing a thoroughbred maritimer like me to all sorts of psychedelic African craziness. I don’t know how I missed it until now, but they recently released a re-issue of a previously unavailable gem of a record. It’s called the Kussum Beat by the Sweet Talks. Along with having possibly my favorite band name ever, these gentlemen made a record that’s fun, interesting, challenging and all together exciting to listen to. Soundscapes and Moog Audio in TO have it, otherwise order it from the Soundways site. It’s worth it. Here’s a great bio, let’s all learn together shall we…….

In the early 1970s, many Ghanaian musicians found themselves at a crossroads. With the pervading influence of American soul music – spearheaded by James Brown – and the cross-over success of London-based Afro-pop sensations Osibisa, who were founded by three Ghanaians, the idea of emulating such sounds from abroad must have seemed like an obvious and lucrative route for young aspiring bands to follow. Besides, many young people in Ghana by then saw highlife as music of the past.

However, Sweet Talks succeeded by taking highlife back to its roots, consciously featuring local influences in their music. This was most obvious in their signature style, the ‘Kusum’ beat (‘native’ or ‘from Ghana’), which drew on rhythms from the country’s Upper, Central and Western regions.

The band were founded on December 15, 1973, by Jonathan Abraham, the proprietor of Talk Of The Town, a lively hotel in the port town of Tema. Under the joint leadership of guitarist Smart Nkansah and singer Crentsil, Sweet Talks alternated with the other resident band The Talkatives. They kept the punters grooving every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday night, and on Sunday evenings, when a lower cover charge made family entertainment the focus.

By 1975, they had released their first album Adam and Eve. The title track was the first example of the biblical themes Crentsil would subsequently explore on the likes of Satan Go, The Lord’s Prayer and Moses. This mirrored the huge increase in the number of churches appearing in every Ghanaian neighborhood, an inevitable consequence of the steady economic decline that would eventually have serious consequences for the band.

In 1976, Nkansah left to form his own group The Black Hustlers (and later Sunsum), which left Sweet Talks with guitarist Eric Agyeman, and Crentsil on vocals/guitar, plus brass and percussion sections. They recorded the albums Spiritual Ghana, Mbesiafo Nto Nsa and The Kusum Beat that year. The influence of the arrival of disco can be heard on the Hollywood Highlife Party album from 1978, which they recorded in California, while on an American tour.

However, on their return, it became increasingly difficult to keep a 12-man band afloat. By then, Ghana’s ailing economy had been struggling under military leaders for more than a decade, and the music industry was in terminal decline. On top of this, a curfew from sundown onwards meant many big bands had to call it a day, and Sweet Talks were one of them. But the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back in 1979 was a dispute with the band’s proprieter, Mr Abrahams:

“He signed a contract on our behalf, which is never done, which is improper,” recalls Crentsil. “Because composing fees and things like that have to be strictly something between the composer and the recording company. Composers fees are not to be paid to any third party. They have to go to the composer himself, direct, but our proprietor chose to collect these monies on our behalf and the whole thing became an argument. We said: ‘No we can’t tolerate that’ …[so] we broke up.”

The following year, Crentsil reformed the band as Super Sweet Talks, a smaller unit. With ‘International’ added to their name, they recorded the classic album Adjoa – a.k.a. The Lord’s Prayer – in 1981, and Tantie Alaba (1984). Crentsil also pursued a solo career, starting with the album Moses (1982) and continuing – usually backed by his Ahenfo Band – right up to the present. After Sweet talks broke up, Eric Agyeman went on to lead his own Kokoroko band and have a successful solo career, as did Tony Mensah and other former members.

Jon Lusk

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Back in Toronto after a blitz drive from Halifax yesterday. The tour was alright in the end, a few mix ups and cancellations, but we did what we could with what we were given, you know? Had a blast at the Harvest Jazz and Blues festival with D. Myles as well on Thursday. They really know how to treat a band; gave us a rider with fresh baked cookies, trail mix, fruit, lots of great beer, and even a copy of the New yorker for David, he’s a big fan. The show was super fun, and saw some great acts including a family band from New Orleans called Homemade Jamz. I heard their drummer from backstage and was totally into it, then had my mind blown when I found out she wa turning twelve the next day. Impressive and depressing all at once, geez. Also got to see JJ Johnson lay it down with Derek Trucks. I’ve never been a fan of the records he’s put out, but live it was really special.

It’s super nice outside and I’ve spent waaaay to much time in a motor vehicle lately, so I’m headed for a stroll. Lots of things getting started this week, we’ll talk soon. xo

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haven’t posted in a few days, ended up being busier then I thought. Gig got canceled in Halifax due to a horror movie showing(?). That’s a new one. Ended up in the studio with david myles the past few days who apparently been recording a new record? Super fun, working with Charles Austin who’s a weirdo like us and likes to make things interesting and fresh. Fredericton tomorrow night with David, on the road now. These highways are super smooth, tolls are there for a reason.