Canada Live This Week: Jon & Roy, Howie Beck and Loreena McKennit

These get passed on to me by someone at Radio 2 and I pass them on to you: Hilights this week include Jon & Roy (Wednesday), Loreena McKennit (Thursday on Radio 2 and Friday on Radio 1), and Howie Beck on Friday on (Radio 2 and on the Canada Live Podcast next weekend.)

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Monday, October 19, 2009
concert 1: Tunes For Troubled Times: Music from the Depression Era
recorded at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium in Halifax
We all know that we're clearly in interesting and challenging times. Economists may speculate the worst of this current recession is behind us, although many businesses are still closing and the unemployment numbers continue to rise. But, it's not the first time society has faced economic downturn and it probably won't be the last. Yet good can come out of economic uncertainty and potential chaos, especially when singers and songwriters express the feelings of a particular time in music. It happened during The Depression era of the 1930s, and the music of that time, songs by Harry Warren, Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, the Gershwins, as well as collectors like A. P. Carter and Thomas A Dorsey, are still with us today. The times may be slightly different but the messages are the same: Music has great power to help us rise above all things, and we all succeed when we come together as a community. That's just what happened in Halifax last winter - a dozen of so of Maritime Canada's finest performers gathered at The Rebecca Cohn Auditorium on a cold March evening for healthy helping of songs from the depression era.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009
concert 1: Yvette Tollar
recorded at Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto
Toronto-born, modern jazz vocalist Yvette Tollar [ee-VET TALL-er] celebrates the release of her new CD, "Ima." Yvette's rich and highly expressive voice is unique on the Canadian jazz scene and proves the perfect vehicle for this collection of Canadian songs recorded at Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto.
concert 2: Ragleela
recorded at the Lion d'Or in Montreal
Ragleela [rag-LEE-lah] is an award-winning world music group that unifies the rich heritage of Indian Music and melody with modal occidental music and harmony. In their original compositions, the sitar tells melodic stories over densely woven guitar patterns, lush violin lines and the grooves of both Indian tablas and world percussion. Ragleela was first founded in India in 1990 by sitar maestro Uwe Neumann [OO-way NOY-man]. The 2002 album « Caravan » garnered rave reviews in the Montreal press and Ragleela has since performed in a wide array of venues. For this Canada Live taping at The Lion d'Or, the band features music from their most recent offering, Jai Ma [JYE (rhymes with "rye") MAH].

Wednesday, October 21, 2009
concert 1: Jon & Roy
recorded at Alix Goolden Hall in Victoria, BC
Jon Middleton & Roy Vizer [like "visor"] have a band that goes by just Jon & Roy. They've built a following in Victoria with their fresh take on folk music. They also have a lot of musical friends. Back in December 2008, they put together a big concert in a lovely venue known as Alix Goolden Hall in downtown Victoria. The house was packed; proceeds went to support the Mustard Seed Food Bank. The hall itself is a real gem…a gorgeous, renovated old church with majestic stained glass windows and a wraparound balcony. Jon and Roy thought it would be cool bring their crowd into such a grand setting…and the fans definitely agreed.
concert 2: Yves Lambert et le Bebert Orchestra
recorded at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival
The world-music and jazz-infused Francophone group Yves Lambert et le Bebert Orchestra [EEV lahm-BARE ay luh bay-BARE Orchestra] is led by accordion player Yves Lambert, formerly of La Bottine Souriante [lah boh-TEEN soo-ree-AHNT]. Lambert was a co-founder of the group back in 1976. He remained a charismatic pillar until he left the band in 2002. He went on to put together the Bebert Orchestra -- a band that takes the traditional music of Quebec and gives it a contemporary edge. Their show at the Edmonton Folk fest launched dozens of impromptu step dances by an appreciative audience.

Thursday, October 22, 2009
concert 1: Loreena McKennitt
recorded at the Calgary Folk Music Festival
Loreena McKennitt [loh-REEN-ah mik-ENN-it] and her band wrapped up their summer tour on the Calgary Folk Music Festival mainstage. Loreena McKennitt has been exploring the whole world of Celtic music for over 2 decades. It's a musical journey that has led her from the Silk Road to the Arthurian legends. Her international band also brings exotic flavours to the mix - from the oud [OOD] and the hurdy gurdy to the harp and the cello. Her new CD, released in October 2009, is a limited edition two-disc set called A Mediterranean Odyssey.

Friday, October 23, 2009
concert 1: Howie Beck
recorded at Cafe Dekuf in Ottawa
Howie Beck is a quiet, understated legend. His music has appeared on TV on everything from Felicity to Buffy. He's been described as the Woody Allen of rock, perhaps for his quirky public appearances more than his tunes. Howie The Producer has worked with albums by Jason Collett, Sarah Harmer, and Hayden and his ear for sound and attention to production value is very apparent on his latest batch of tunes and his live concert experience as well.
concert 2: Tim Williams
recorded at the ARTery in Edmonton as part of The Edmonton Acoustic Blues Summit
Equally influenced by folk, blues, Hawaiian, country and early jazz guitar styles, Tim Williams is well versed in performing all of the above and so much more. He's an award winner in music and theatre, an accomplished and often covered songwriter, a musicologist, and above all, an entertainer. The inaugural Edmonton Acoustic Blues Summit was very fortunate to have Calgary's Tim Williams on the bill for this concert at The Artery arts space.

CBC Radio 1 broadcast, Fridays at 2:05 PM
Friday, October 23, 2009, on CBC Radio 1
concert 1: Loreena McKennitt
recorded at the Calgary Folk Music Festival
Loreena McKennitt [loh-REEN-ah mik-ENN-it] and her band wrapped up their summer tour on the Calgary Folk Music Festival mainstage. Loreena McKennitt has been exploring the whole world of Celtic music for over 2 decades. It's a musical journey that has led her from the Silk Road to the Arthurian legends. Her international band also brings exotic flavours to the mix - from the oud [OOD] and the hurdy gurdy to the harp and the cello. Her new CD, released in October 2009, is a limited edition two-disc set called A Mediterranean Odyssey.

Canada Live podcast, released on Fridays
Friday, October 16, 2009, on the Canada Live podcast
concert 1: Howie Beck
recorded at Cafe Dekuf in Ottawa
Howie Beck is a quiet, understated legend. His music has appeared on TV on everything from Felicity to Buffy. He's been described as the Woody Allen of rock, perhaps for his quirky public appearances more than his tunes. Howie The Producer has worked with albums by Jason Collett, Sarah Harmer, and Hayden and his ear for sound and attention to production value is very apparent on his latest batch of tunes and his live concert experience as well.