CiTR -- The Saturday Edge

My first show at CiTR was on June 1st 1985. Today I continued my 40th Anniversary nostalgia with a bunch more of my fave songs from these past 4 decades, and threw in some tasty new titles as well. This was a very fun trip down memory lane for me, and I still managed to learn something new and exciting along the way. I hope the radio audience enjoyed it, too!

Dan Storper, founder of Putumayo World Music, passed away on Thursday. Since 1993 I've been enjoying the unique compilation albums Putumayo have released, celebrating regions and countries, and genres of music from all over. Their booklets are full of information, recipes, translations and all manner of extra details about the musicians, too. Thanks, Dan. for making so much beautiful music accessible to all of us. Also, I'm celebrating 40 years of The Saturday Edge next week, so a bunch of old favourites crept in today and there will be more next week. Played lots of new releases too, as well as Rogue previews, and wonderful displays of multicultural Canadiana.

Plenty of new music including some powerful anti-fascist songs from Mark Rubin and Martin Kerr and all sorts of merriment from Africa, Aotearoa, Denmark, Sweden, Eire, Canada and the American resistance! Also music by some of the winners at last week's East Coast Music Awards in St. John's. Plus concert previews and R.I.P. to English guitar legend Wizz Jones - and a farewell song from / to NL's Mark Hiscock of Shanneyganock

Since May 10th 1987, Vancouver's Rogue Folk Club has been presenting over 50 concerts per year of Celtic, Folk, Blues, Bluegrass, Manouche, Cajun, and World Roots Music. Today, on the Society's 38th Anniversary, I indulged in a hefty slice of nostalgia with music by some of the amazing - and diverse - performers who have graced The Rogue stage down the years. Also some new releases, concert previews and a sad R.I.P. to Newfoundland singer and accordion wizard Mark Hiscock, of Shanneyganook, who died this week.

Started in West Africa, moved to Mexico for celebratory music, then on to concert previews and VFMF previews and a couple of great new CDs (Matt Andersen and Eliza Gilkyson.) Everything from blues to old time to Celtic to songwriters to comedy. Hope I didn't miss anyone out!

This year's folk festival runs July 18th to 20th in Jericho Beach Park, and they announced the line-up on Thursday. I hope to broadcast LIVE from the park once again. Meanwhile tracks 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 17, 22, 24, 27, 28, 33, 34, 37, 39, 49, 50, and 55 are by artists performing this year. Some new Putumayo releases were also featured on today's show, as well as many new releases from around the planet, local concert previews.too, and a finale from Sandy Denny who passed away at the tender age of 31exactly 47 years ago this week

Songs for Mother Earth and The Easter Bunny, plus memories of Sandy Denny (who died April 21st 1978) and NL accordionist Frank Maher, who died last week. Plus more new releases and concert previews than you can shake a stick at. Spot the 420 hints, if you can...

From darkness to light, with an RIP to Mali's Amadou Bagayoko of the blind duo Amadou et Mariam, new music from African giants Youssou N'Dour and Salif Keita, heaps more new releases from all across Canada, as well as Sweden, India, New Zealand, and Eire. Plus concert previews and more.

Canada is very cross right now! Anyhow, loads of new releases today, many of them courtesy of fellow DJ Daniel Rosenberg, who was in town for last week's Junos. Thanks, Dan! I managed to play at least one song from each of the ten Canadian provinces and two Canadian Territories. While Lindisfarne's tirade against the Tory government in the UK in the early 1970s was somewhat tongue-in-cheek I added this with an impassioned plea to my American friends to "bring down the government". For all our sakes!

Tunes from the brand new Cousin Harley CD, and forthcoming album by NL's Quote The Raven, as well as new music from Stephen Fearing, Kathryn Tickell, Tara Breen, Morgan Toney, Jason Isbell, Melisande, and Dreamers Circus. Aslo a feature on Malian kora virtuoso Ballake Sissoko, and previews of upcoming shows by the likes of Steve Dawson, Aleksi Campagne, Collage Trad, Hildaland, Coig, Quote The Raven, Kiran Ahluwalia, and more, much more.

Songs and tunes for the Persian New Year and the coming of Spring. Sad R.I.P. to Garifuna singer / activist Aurelio who died in a helicopter crash this week. Local concert previews: Ballake Sissoko, Judy Collins, Rum Ragged, Lucy MacNeil Quartet. A few new releases, too. Lots of CanCon. Elbows Up!

Being the closest Saturday to St. Patrick's Day this show was a celebration of Celtic music, with a lot of my favourite Irish artists to the fore. The new CD by Stephen Fearing was released yesterday, so this was a CiTR exclusive. Another exclusive at the end was a track recorded at The Rogue with Co. Clare fiddler Martin Hayes and the late Chicago guitarist Dennis Cahill in 2017. These tunes were never recorded by the duo on any of their albums.

We still have that north of the 49th. Also lots of great Canadian music, a sprinkling of new music from around the world, previews of Festival du Bois and Rogue shows and a whole bunch more. Yes, folks, there is still much to celebrate in these troubled times. Most of it is great music - and community spirit helps!

A look back at Folk Alliance International in Montreal last week, a look ahead to Festival du Bois next week in Maillardville, new music from all over, a bit of Welsh for St. David's Day, and a White Rabbit for the first of the month.

Whilst enjoying the music and camaraderie of hundreds of musicians, Folk DJs, and concert presenters from around the world at Folk Alliance International in Montreal, I was virtually hosting this show, celebrating new releases from around the globe and local concert previews. What a wonderful world we live in. Such a shame to feel its very existence threatened once again by fascist bastards.

This show was a big preview of next week's Folk Alliance International Conference in Montreal. The last time it was not in the USA was 2019, also in Montreal. Most of this show was Canadian. Most of the showcases I plan to attend feature Canadian performers. I look forward to asking my American friends what the hell they were thinking! At the end I announced The Arrogant Worms song We Are The Beaver, but had to scale back to their (ironically) shorter / smaller song Canada Is Really Big, so as not to go over the allotted 4 hours. I will play that song next week!

I started this show in June 1985, so it's been almost 40 years now when every Saturday I have assembled a radio show for you, showcasing new releases from around the world, favourite songs and artists from the past few decades, and highlighting concerts and festivals coming to the Lower Mainland in the coming weeks. Plus a few personal historical anecdotes and classic tracks by bands who inspired me to start a show in the first place. I hope you were able to recall music you've heard on my show over the past four decades that have inspired you, cheered you up, made you dance, smile, weep, or celebrate life in some small way. If so, please consider making a pledge on https://www.donatetocitr.ca/ (N.B. there are premiums to be had for donations over $35, and if you pledge over $101.90 I will send you a personal gift of music!)

A mixed bag of new releases, a sad R.I.P. to Marianne Faithfull, some vitriolic songs hurled south and east in the general direction of the new capital of fascism in DC, and a whole lot of great music made in Canada by some very talented Canadian musicians. And some great tunes and songs from elsewhere too. Plus a nod of appreciation to former CiTR alumnus Susi Lanagan who has hosted What The Folk! on PBS in Melbourne for the past 20 years. With a fair bit of help from me all along the way. Her final show airs next Wednesday from 2pm to 4pm Pacific on www.pbsfm.org.au

A very special edition of the show, with features on Robbie Burns Day, freedom for Malian singer Rokia Traoré, and tributes to Garth Hudson - the last surviving member of The Band - and to French folk singer Gabriel Yacoub, both of whom died this week. There were also a few concert previews, and some exciting new releases on this auspicious date: 25 25 - with a tune called "25%" thrown in for good measure! (The show started 12 minutes late for no apparent reason. Just some sort of computer glitch, I think. So if you missed anything, you can always tune in to the podcast any time. As long as I can figure out how to record the show when it started at the wrong time!)

New releases from West Africa and Ireland with plenty of Canadian musical excellence and creativity sandwiched in between.

Eight and a half decades on we see the returning spectre of the evils of fascism and the beginnings of imperial expansion. Herr Drumpf is running the fascist playbook - while Pee Pee bows down and our wonderful, peaceful nation is under threat both from without and from within. In the face of these challenges my only means of retaliation is music, music, music! A sort of Canadian "bandstand" of hope and defiance hit the airwaves on Saturday morning!

Songs and tunes which provided highlights of 2024 in Vancouver and beyond, and a look ahead to what's in store here in 2025. With a special emphasis on supporting musicians by buying their merchandise at gigs or from their websites - and a pox on Spotify and the other rip-off merchants who steal their music and make "curated" playlists (cough, splutter!)

Some of my favourite albums of 2024 (and a few from the tail end of 2023) plus some songs for the end of the old year and to welcome in the new one. While things do look awfully grim these days, the music has been - and continues to be - absolutely stellar.

Some of my favourite songs from the last 37 years of these Winter specials, some brand new releases for the Solstice, and a few surprises along the way, too. We bid a sad farewell to Indian percussion master Ustad Zakir Hussain and to NE songwriter Dave Mallett, plus some new releases and heaps of seasonal songs you definitely won't hear in the Malls.

A plethora of new releases from around the globe to kick off the show, and some exciting new Canadiana kept things running in an ultra-cool northern way. Once again I had TEN PAIRS OF TICKETS to give away to see the second preview of the new Bob Dylan bio-pic, A Complete Unknown. A few new songs of winter, lots more Canadians, and some spirited Celtic music to finish up.

New releases from West Africa, Vancouver, Barcelona, Italy, England, Eire, and Scotland. Plus concert previews, a memorial for the 14 women murdered at Ecole Polytechnique in 1989, a couple of Sugaree songs, and a few cuts to herald the incoming Winter and holiday season.

Plenty of new releases on the show today, including Canadian bands Locarno and Aerialists, as well as Cathy Jordan's Crankie Island Song Project, and Crys Matthews' Reclamation. I also had TEN PAIRS of tickets to give away to the exclusive preview showing of the new movie about Bob Dylan - A Complete Unknown. It will be shown at International Village Cinema in Chinatown on Wednesday December 4th at 7pm.

Includes brand new music from the likes of Vancouver's Robyn Lane & The Rhythm Makers, Locarno, Tinariwen, Mauro Durante & Justin Adams, Christy Moore, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, and a wonderful new album by Cathy Jordan of the Irish band Dervish. There is also a feature on the next two bands coming to The Rogue Folk Club: Italian trio Ensemble Sangineto (below) - who were the talk of the town at the Folk Alliance in Kansas City in February, with their unique blend of Celtic and Breton influences and Italian trad songs from all around the "boot" - and Linda McRae & Doug Cox - rootsy, bluesy songs from the left coast and the deep south.

Anger and consternation at the US election led to some protest songs. Loads of new releases, including a feature on the new Christy Moore CD, and a tip of the proverbial to Louis Riel on "his" day, with a tune played by Vancouver's Kathleen Nisbet (of Viper Central) - a direct descendant of the legendary Metis leader. Also, "The Boss" is coming to town next week, so a sprinkling of his songs too.

Inspired by local music columnist Hadani Ditmars' article in the latest issue of Songlines magazine, the show starts with music from guitar bands in Niger, and gravitates to musical luminaries in Mali (inspired by talking to CFMA winner Sophie Lukacs at The Rogue last week). Searching for songs / signs of HOPE in this dismal week, then focusing on some wonderful bands coming to town this month - from Italy, Ontario, Donegal, Scotland, and Quebec

Plenty of new releases, including Las Migas - female flamenco innovators from Barcelona, Toronto blues man Sugar Brown, American old-time / Celtic duo Rakish, a new single from Lonesome Ace Stringband, the stunning sophomore release by English guitarist Justin Adams and Italian fiddle player / percussionist / singer Mauro Volante, young Irish trad singer Macdara Yeates, Eire's trad trio Socks In The Frying Pan, Canadian blues pianist / singer Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, Dirk & Amelia Powell from Louisiana, and more! Plus concert previews (there are some incredible shows coming to town - most of them at The Rogue, www.roguefolk.bc.ca)

Mourning the death this week of Barbara Dane: American singer and activist with over 6 decades as a leading light in folk, blues and jazz. She was 97, and was still singing at least until the age of 95! Looking back at the Celtic Colours Festival in Cape Breton - what a fabulous time we had over there! Hard to believe we saw so much incredible scenery, drove almost 3,000km around the island, experienced the rich music and culture and history of that small - furthest - corner of this amazing country, and came back relatively unscathed 8 days later! Played a fair few new releases and threw in some local concert previews, and some Halloween songs, too.

I pre-recorded this show as I was away at Celtic Colours in Cape Breton. Big feature on that next week, folks! This week was all about new releases and concert previews once again - with some pretty tasty selections, I hasten to add!

Focus on "Ova", the great new album from Afro Celtic Sound System and a whole bunch of new releases I found out about from UK world music magazine Songlines. Plenty of local concert previews, too. There's also a hot new album from Vancouver's Locarno, another from Quebec's De Temps Antan, and lots more besides.

A small tribute to Kris Kristofferson, some tunes from the latest Songlines Magazine Top Of The World CD, a few songs for October, and a sprinkle of magic from concerts coming to town in the next little while. Also a look ahead to Celtic Colours, Cape Breton's fabulous music festival, which runs from October 11th - 19th (you can catch one feature concert each day from 3:30pm Pacific on their website www.celtic-colours.com -- for free).

Featuring new music from global roots label Putumayo, and many others. A small segment of songs of mermaids and sirens. Songs of Truth and of Reconciliation, too. Plus concert previews galore and a few surprises along the way!

Paying tribute to the recently deceased blind Senegalese guitarist and griot Mansour Seck. Then a feature interview with Trent Freeman of The Fretless, who launch their new CD, Glasswing, at The York Theatre on October 6th. Plus new releases from around the world, and heaps of local concert previews.

After The Debate last week, a few songs about The Liar. Also, new music by Canadian Celtic string quartet The Fretless (coming to The York Theatre in a few weeks), and a whole bunch more new releases besides. An eclectic array of new and old songs and tunes, a feature on the music of the Kronos Quartet (coming to The Chan Centre here at UBC next month) and a whole lot more.

Starting with some music inspired by the pages of Songlines magazine with stops in Jamaica, Yunnan, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, Vancouver, Montreal, Smithers, Denmark, Holland, Finland and Sweden. Then some new blues music and Canadian indigenous sounds, a bit of bluegrass, and a feature on The Faux Paws and Kristina Olsen. Some Francophone music, a nod to the wartime UK band leader Al Bowlly, a rare vintage track from The McGarrigles, and a big Celtic flourish at the end.

Labour Day special with some labour anthems in the second half. New releases and Rogue Folk Club concert previews abound. We kick off the Fall Season with two brilliant young BC fiddlers: Jocelyn Pettit and Olivia Barrett joined by top guitarist Adam Dobres next Friday September 6th. Kristina Olsen and The Faux Paws come in the following week, and David Francey is joined by Terra Spencer the week after that. Kym Gouchie, Miscellany of Folk, Old Man Luedecke to follow. Heaps more reasons to be cheerful after that!

Featuring some of my favourite songs alongside some tasty new sounds from around the world, a number of Rogue Folk previews, and a wide variety of musical genres. Steering clear of politics and war and focusing on positive vibes.

There were many highlights, none more so than the closing act on Sunday - Alison Krauss & Robert Plant. In fact they were so good I bought tickets to see them again on Tuesday night at the QE Theatre! Fabulous band! There were lots of other highlights from Edmonton on today's show, as well as a bunch of new releases and a few Rogue concert previews