by SCOTT C

In a week where we saw the quiet return of Mossman's Headfood, once a Club Voltaire staple back in the mid-'90s, it's quite a coincidence that Frank Cisco, aka Paco Aldebaran, decided to get in touch. Cisco was the lead singer of Montreal funk/soul/disco superstars Skyjuice, who regularly packed the Voltaire for a few years, if I remember correctly. I seem to have a hazy picture of this band buying shots for the whole room before launching into a song called "We've Got the Juice," or something like that. Good times in my early Montreal experience. Anyway, Cisco's new project Paco & Co. hits the stage at Pub Quartier Latin this Saturday, July 10. Expect rich, rare grooves and the kind of vibe that summer is all about, and he might even do a few old Skyjuice favourites.

YES! Also this Saturday, the fabulous Tony Ezzy and the Masters of the Universe plan to rip a show at the Jupiter Room. Like you may have heard, they're a five-piece band from the planet X, bringing the '80s funk styles and singing about Kool-Aid and action figures. I think Prince got wind of Ezzy and decided to make a comeback to tell you the truth. Don't believe? Check out www.audiostreet.net/tonyezzy for some sounds. Show starts at 10:30 p.m.

Make sure you check out Break Free at Foufounes Électriques on Tuesday, July 13, when DJs Nastee, Maysr and Mana and Atach Tatuq, Rawgged MC and Coyote unite in performance to raise legal funds and awareness for Mohamed Cherfi, slated to be deported back to his Algerian home after 10 years in Canada. You can read more about his and other situations at www.mohamedcherfi.org. The tax at the door is $5, and the show starts at 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 17, sees some more fundraising business on the go when the AfroFunk loft party chips in for the Montreal contingent to the Havana Hip Hop Festival. Join DJ Kobal and DJ Static for the overnight express, a night filled with raw funk, Afro-beat and the odd hip hop joint, with all proceeds going to MTL hip hop reps. That's happening at 215A Murray (metro Bonaventure), starting at 9 p.m.

And yes, the Goods returns to the magic of Sala Rossa this Saturday with myself and Andy Williams (who, I realized, is a dead ringer for Thelonius Monk after watching Straight No Chaser last week). The Mixed Bag is just that - good music, dancin', the whole nine. See you there...

Seven reasons we need to do this more often:
1. Ivana Santilli Corduroy Boogie (REMG)
2. Magic Number That Day (Stereo Deluxe)
3. Various No More Prisons 2 (Raptivism)
4. Benny Sings Champagne People (Kindred Spirits)
5. Mos Def "Close Edge" (Draft)
6. James Mason "Sweet Power, Your Embrace" (S2S)
7. Voodoo Monx Raw (VDM)

I meant what I said... fathead@videotron.ca

>> Music Listings