There are quite a few things I remember about gramps growing up. He started everyday off with oatmeal after his morning trek to collect eggs. He had a red truck, that in the early days was littered with Skoal containers. Later on he dropped the habit and drove a big brown F150 with some hideous orange pin-striping. Though his truck didn’t always look good, he did. Gramps was always looking proper in a long sleeve button-up. It didn’t matter the weather chances are you would find him a long sleeve, what was the toss up was whether it was flannel or not. I’d venture a guess that 8 our of 12 months it was flannel unless he was putting in time on the golf course.

But what I recall most is the staple handkerchief he had in his pocket at all times. He didn’t match it to his shirt or undertake any special morning fold. It sat there with the intentions of being used. It sat scrunched up either under the flap of his breast pocket or in the back pocket along side his pocket watch which he monitored regularly. He put these things through the ringer each day wiping grease from his hands or picking up that runny nose after a morning out ice fishing. For him it was a practical necessity for his day to day activities. This had a lasting impression on me and was the inspiration behind the Oakman, Chinook and Dominion handkerchiefs.

We’ll I managed to get through the first round of orders. To those who went out of there way to purchase some Oak + Oar this week, thank you.

When I was devising the plan I wanted to ensure that each order was packed with a little something. Something small but tangible. I considered stickers but that didn’t feel right. It needed to be something a little more practical. The end result was a guitar pick. Maybe you play, maybe you don’t, but I thought what better to have on hand for the weekend getaway to the cottage than a guitar pick. They come in an array of colours and gauges from 0.81mm to 0.96mm. I’m thinking that somewhere down the line it will come in handy for that bonfire sing along. And if you really love them that much but can’t justify putting 20 shirts then you can pick up these.

And when you do pick up that guitar around the fire for a little sing-a-long ensure you have your camera on hand so that you can enter the first annual Cabin Life Photo Contest.

A fews weeks ago we got a look at this years Winnipeg Jazz Festival roster and, like last year, we were not to be disappointed. Last year featured the likes of Romi Mayes, Royal Canoe, Pete Rock, and The Lytics. Ask me the best show of the festival and I will, without any hesitation, respond Shad.

This year boasts another impressive lineup including Winnipeg’s Enjoy Your Pumas, Haunter, Imaginary Cities, The Liptonians, Sierra Noble, and Royal Canoe. On top of that you have international artists Janelle Monae, The Antlers, The Hold Steady, Mayer Hawthorne but the one we’ve set our sites on hails from Toronto.

You’ve probably heard of theses guys by now and if you haven’t, you are about to. Meet BADBADNOTGOOD a trio of Toronto jazz artists brought together by their love of hip-hop and indifference for traditional Jazz. BBNG is comprised of the very talent Matthew A. Tavares on keys (piano/synths), Chester Hansen who runs the bass lines and Alex Sowinski firing away with percision on the drums. The guys met while enrolled in Humber College’s Music Performance program and what started as after school Miles Davis jam sessions quickly spawned into something bigger. What transpired were hip-hop and rap cover interpretations that ranged from Odd Future, Gucci Mane, Slum Village, Wakka Flocka and A Tribe Called Quest. This twist on the traditional cover caught the attention of a lot of people including arguable one of the most controversial artists in the industry today, Tyler the Creator. The guys have teamed up on some jam sessions covering OFWGKTA’s albums Goblin and Bastard. More recently they’ve been in the studio with producer Frank Dukes (50 Cent, Danny Brown, Ghostface Killah).

If this isn’t enough reason for you to go out and grab a ticket, try this. This is BBNG2, the trio’s latest free album download. The 11 track music project was recorded in one 10 hour session with no one over the age of 21 involved in the process.

If there is one show that you don’t want to miss this year it will be this. The show is slated for Wednesday, June 20th at The Pyramid (176 Fort). A club pass or wristband will get you into the venue or you can purchase a ticket in advance. That or you could wait and try your luck at the door to get your $15 ticket (good luck). That’s like 2 hot and ready pizzas, how could you not attend.

Here are a couple tracks to wet your palette. This first one is a cover of James Blake track ‘Limit To Your Love’ featured on BBNG2. This album is the first jazz album I have ever downloaded, purchased or maybe even listened to in entirety. It is also the first one that I have pumped, and I mean pumped, from my car. That’s got to be saying something.

BBNG on Twitter / BBNG

We were going to wait until well into summer, once everything had greened up and there was some activity out on the water to shoot our Summer lookbook but we didn’t want to eat up any of those previous weekends hovering over a computer editing. That and we couldn’t resist getting out there a few weeks early to get a jump on some warm weather. Spending our time crowding over the BBQ, rifiling some of those useless ProStaffs into no mans land and having a couple drinks we put together a collections of photos and a video featuring our inaugural collection entitled Summer Loitering.

Shout outs to Cam at Nice! Productions for handling the filming and editing. The crew, Cal, Eric and Winnipeg’s favourite rapper Saint Kris for getting their model on. Also let’s not forget talented hometown boys, Royal Canoe, for allowing us the chance to set the visuals to their track Caught In A Loop off their most recent EP. The boys are currently touring Canada and making a stop at our old stomping grounds in New York on Wednesday.

May 9 – New York @ Pianos
May 10 – Washington DC @ The Velvet Lounge
May 12 – Detroit @ Garden Bowl
May 13 – Chicago @ Township
May 14 – Minneapolis @ Triple Rock Social Club
May 18 – Regina @ O’Hanlon’s
May 19 – Saskatoon @ Amigo’s
May 22 – Vancouver @ The Waldorf
May 23 – Kelowna @ Habitat
May 25 – Calgary @ Palomino Social Club
May 26 – Edmonton @ Pawn Shop