Does this guy EVER sleep? Brand new R-Les off his sophomore album “Transition” with a Fall release date. Let’s hope that date holds.  Oh, and if you don’t have www.ryanleslie.com in your favorites you’re crazy! Follow him on twitter if you really want to keep up.

Ryan Leslie – You’re Not My Girl

The Main Ingredient presents: The Foreign Exchange

June 5, 2009 – Revival, Toronto

This one’s for those who slept, and though it was nearly a month back now, it must be mentioned that this show was one of the hottest sets this year to date. The Foreign Exchange, the vessel through which witty tongue lasher Phonte (of Little Brother) lives out his soulman dreams along side Dutch producer Nicolay, brought their near perfect sophomore record to life for the lucky enthusiasts who packed cozy Revival on that memorable Friday night. Joined on stage by sultry singer Yahzarah, Justus League crooner Darien Brockington, fellow producers Zo! and Nicolay, and fill-in Toronto drummer Ricky Lewis, frontman Phontigalo played preacher and relationship therapist, comic relief and even dhancehall chatta as be basked in the glow of a lead role he was simply born to play.  ‘Te lead the enthusiastic crowd through instant classics like the shuffling left-field soul gem “Sweeter Than You”, broke down the importance of the weighty open phrase of “I Wanna Know” (“Okaaaaaayyyy”) and even took unabashed grown folk back to the 80’s with the revamped Zo! and Tigalo version of retro mainstay “Something About You”. I of course was right up front, cheese-grin and all, getting’ my groove on to the live incarnation of a record I admittedly forgot about for a near two months after it’s release late in ’08 (one of the best of last year, I might add), so, needless to say, I got my money’s worth with change, which is always a good thing. But what more can I really say – this was definitely one not to be missed, and my condolences go out to those who did.

website: http://www.theforeignexchangemusic.com/

July 1, 2009

What it is, What it is?! Canada 2009 – the launch date. This is it, the chance for an inspired group of indelible music scribes, cultural documentarians and, most importantly, citizens of the good City of Toronto to throw our individual hats into the ring in support of a city that has provided so much to us, yet continues to be culturally undervalued and discounted both from the outside and by many of it’s own. Many waves of musical prospects and “contender for the elite” entertainers have come up through the years offering the hope of finally putting Toronto on the map of global respect and fame, yet the resulting success has long been, for the most part, a tiresome exercise in interpretation of that success and debate about what it would take to actually get over.

But success and failure are subjective measures. What we really need to focus on when thinking about what’s “making it” in terms of the city’s cultural output  is how that culture impacts those living within it’s direct vicinity, and the fact is that most of the big things this city’s been up to go uncelebrated simply because they’re happening in places many just aren’t looking. Our hopes with City On Or Back is to point people in the right direction and to turn attention to the artists, events, movements, on general goings on that make the T-dot such a fruitful and inspiring place to live.

A City In Focus is my humble contribution to that goal – an attempt to capture the breadth of Toronto’s urban cityscape with a bag full of lenses and a notepad, and what a better time to get started than summertime. But as I’m sure y’all know, summer in Toronto don’t wait for nobody, and if you hit that snooze button one too many times, you just might wake up and find yourself shivering in that loathsome late September coolness.  So, with the summer’s midway point fast approaching, I’ll offer a few subsequent posts on some of the things that have happened thus far.

Here are the results for this week’s Megacity Countdown:

10. J. Melody – Superstar (NEW)
9. Ron D – 4 Play feat. Daniel Daley, Kim Davis & L (+1)
8. Rochester – What’s It Gon’ Be (+1)
7. Melanie Fiona – Give It To Me Right (-2)
6. Daniel Daley – Wannabe Loved (-2)
5. Lindo P – Let’s Get Married feat. Kardinal Offishall (+2)
4. A-Game – Go Head Shawty (+2)
3. JB – Good In The Hood feat. Nicole Wray & Quinn Maybach (-1)
2. Kid Cocky – Streets Keep Calling Me feat. Big Blax, Mason Payne, Izhe Da Kid, Set2, Ganghis Khan & Kin Smuv (+1)
1. Drake – Best I Ever Had (0)

The Megacity Countdown on OTA Live. Tuesday nights at 11pm on The New FLOW 93.5 FM. www.flow935.com to listen live!