Music Biz Headlines, June 24, 2019

By Kerry Doole

Producer Mark Howard on making music and meeting demands for Neil Young, Bob Dylan and more

Neil Young only records in the three days before the full moon. Robert Plant does not want to sound like Phil Collins. Joni Mitchell likes to listen to her music through her television, on the Dolby Surround setting. Canadian recording engineer and producer Mark Howard's new book Listen Up! is a lively and revealing read. – Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail

Seeing music: Groundbreaking deaf musical The Black Drum aims to astound audiences

Deaf actors find their voice as a growing number of plays are made accessible for deaf and hearing audiences. – Nigel Hunt, CBC

Luminato finale a gift to the city of Toronto

The grand finale for this year’s Luminato Festival had giving and gifting at the centre of its message. On Sunday evening, the Natrel Pond at Harbourfront — a place many Torontonians love for skating in colder months —  turned into a meeting place and a crossroads, with choral music at its centre. – John Terauds, Toronto Star

Canada's 'first pop festival' happened 50 years ago

Velvet Underground and Sly & the Family Stone were just two of 28 scheduled acts. The festival was held at Toronto's Varsity Stadium from noon to midnight each day on June 21 and 22, 1969. – CBC

Compelling Strike! the musical embodies the essence of all forms of theatre

The musical Strike!, which just opened at Winnipeg’s Rainbow Stage, is about a lot of things – immigrants, power, love, hate, relationships, the “other," and is one of those rare works that helps us learn something about our shared past while keeping us entertained.– Neil Weisensel, Globe and Mail

Syrian musicians find a new home in Canada

If the members of the Orontes Guitar Quartet hadn’t left their native Syria last year, they’d likely be in its army right now, fulfilling their mandatory military service. Instead, they are performing in Kingston, at the Skeleton Park Arts Festival. – Peter Hendra, Whig-Standard

Review: Bill Callahan has developed a conscience on Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest

On the 20-song double LP, Bill Callahan reinvents himself as a domesticated indie rock elder statesman. – Jesse Locke, NOW

International

Jane Bunnett: Each gig could be the last

The constant visa-related pressures on the Canadian star's acclaimed Cuban band Maqueque is taking its toll. –Lawrence Cosentino, Lansing City Pulse

The Heavy emerge from the hurt

We chatted with frontman Kelvin Swaby about the English indie-soul band's gig, new album Sons, and more – Brett Callwood, LA Weekly

Roy Buchanan: the life and death of the man who said no to the Stones

Roy Buchanan inspired Jeff Beck, Gary Moore and Joe Bonamassa, but suffered a life of addiction and died a bluesman’s death. – Ed Mitchell, loudersound

Mick Jagger returns as Stones launch 2019 summer tour

He was his usual energetic self, strutting across the stage, including the long walkway down the centre and two shorter ones on the sides, throughout the entire show. – Ultimate Classic Rock 

Rockonomics: A lesson in the Superstar Effect and how it's impacting the music industry

There are several moments in this hard-nosed book on the music business that will make you stop and read back just to make sure you haven't been imagining things. And one, in particular, staggered me. In the first half of 2018, Drake accounted for 1.7pc of all songs streamed in the world. Think about that for a moment - almost one in every 50 streams was from the same artist. – The Independent

The Rolling Stones on how they craft the perfect set list

What’s Keith’s favorite show-opener? Why doesn’t Mick like playing “Beast of Burden?” The band shares how they plan a gig ahead of their U.S. tour launch. – Patrick Doyle, Rolling Stone

Jeff Beck announces U.S. tour dates  

The guitar star will add five solo shows to his 2019 U.S. touring schedule. For the Hollywood Bowl show on Sept. 27, he will join Rod Stewart, for a landmark reunion set on what will be their most in-depth concert in over 35 years. – Broadway World

The Black Godfather: the untold story of the man holding up Hollywood

In a new Netflix documentary, the incredible tale of music executive Clarence Avant is told by people he worked with, from Barack Obama to Snoop Dogg. –  Dream McClinton, The Guardian

Is classical music streaming's next big genre? 

Streaming is introducing a larger and more diverse audience to classical music. "These new audiences bring with them new expectations about what classical music listening should be like and they present a major new opportunity for the classical market," –  Mark Mulligan, Hypebot