Damian Weber - "Soul Night". Although I do not share Mr Weber's particular preferred music-to-dance-to, we seem to have a similar perspective on what our dancing is for. Which is to say that Mr Weber talks little of got it/flaunt it, show me baby/yeah - instead "Soul Night" has an attitude of well let's get out there. Emphasis on the let's. Emphasis on the contraction 's, which stands for us, which is plural and communal and means you & you & you.

Mr Weber does have some specific instructions for the dancers. Here is a selection:

I like that Mr Weber resists the temptation to make these instructions all-caps (eg: NOW HOP). You can tell they are in small-caps from the tone of his voice. Writing a song like this, about the dance floor, most people would make everything as loud as insistent as possible, shouting with fun. Not Mr Weber. Shouting is no way to convince a stranger to dancer.

Mr Weber is shrugging with fun. He is loping with fun. He is polishing your shoes with fun, hand-cranking the disco ball. He is making dancing music with guitar, bassline, plinky piano, a ratty snare. In fact, this is hardly dance music. This song is a keepsake, a reminder, a polaroid photo - it's the reminder of what you will do, what you ought to do, the feeling that will come splintering out from your heart when you do, when you do do do do, do do-do dance (do).

[download what is truly Damian's best record yet, Soul Night]

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For My Own Benefit

As Dan said, Said the Gramophone's own Jordan Himelfarb will be performing in Toronto tomorrow night. He is one half of a duo called the New Humourists. They make beautiful nonsense.

Tuesday will be their Ontario debut - a fundraiser called FOR MY OWN BENEFIT, raising money for pancreatic cancer research at the Princess Margaret Hospital. This cause is very close, too close, to our hearts right now.

If you live in Toronto, I hope you will be able to come join us at The Shop Under Parts & Labour at 8pm. I am driving down from Montreal just for this. Besides the New Humourists, there will be performances by Picnicface's Mark Little, Uncalled For's Anders Yates, Tony Ho and the acclaimed improv act Personals. More details on Facebook or at the For My Own Benefit website

If you cannot attend in person, but would still like to make a donation, please visit the website formyownbenefit.com and you can donate online. Charitable tax receipts (it's a Canadian hospital) can be provided.

(photo source)