If the art s maniacal, I m maniacal : Phil Spector, in 1966
Credit: Getty
NB. This piece first ran in February 2003, and has been republished following the death of Phil Spector, aged 81 I have not been well, says Phil Spector, choosing his words carefully. I was crippled inside. Emotionally. Insane is a hard word. I wasn t insane, but I wasn t well enough to function as a regular part of society, so I didn t. I chose not to. He pauses. I have devils inside that fight me.
The classical music that has been playing throughout our conversation ebbs and flows. Sibelius, Bach, Beethoven, Brahms. Spector is responsible for producing some of the greatest pop music ever made: Be My Baby by the Ronettes; You ve Lost That Lovin Feelin by the Righteous Brothers; River Deep - Mountain High by Ike & Tina Turner; Imagine by John Lennon; My Sweet Lord by George Harrison. But he no longer listens to those songs.
With a long history as both leader and sideman in Denver, guitarist AL FERGUSON has absorbed lessons from the great guitar stylists of the past fifty years. You’ll hear hints of Johnny Smith and Barney Kessel in his playing, plenty of Wes Montgomery and Joe Pass, blues influences of Billy Butler and Kenny Burrell, plus the spare sophistication of Jim Hall.
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Randy Bachman is jazzing up the classics
By Brad Barker Aaron Lutsch
One of the most iconic musicians in Canadian history, Randy Bachman is the founding member of both The Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive. He’s a guitar player’s guitar player who has sold more than 40 million albums throughout his career.
This Thursday, Dec. 17, JAZZ.FM91 and the TD Toronto Jazz Festival are proud to present Bachman & Bachman
.
In an intimate and acoustic setting, Randy Bachman and his son Tal Bachman will tell stories and perform some of the songs that helped to inspire Randy’s signature sound, with a setlist that includes a mix of jazz standards, selections from his incredible catalogue of hits, and a surprise or two from pop culture.