Holiday Concerts Galore Next Week on Canada Live

This is the weekly thing where I tell you what's coming up on Canada Live, or rather I pass it along. Every weeknight Canada Live on CBC Radio 2 brings you live concerts recorded all over Canada. Someone at Radio 2 passes the list on to me, and I pass it on to you. There are only three days of concerts next week because thursday and friday are pre-empted for the holiday but if you feel like going to a Christmas concert while still staying in where it's warm, Canada Live has you covered.

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December 21 to 23, Canada Live celebrates the season with six special holiday concerts

Monday, December 21, 2009
concert 1: MIR with Symphony Nova Scotia
recorded at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium in Halifax
A wonderful Christmas concert by this sophisticated pop group. MIR has always fused innovation with solid pop lyrics, textures and vocals. In this concert they combine forces with Symphony Nova Scotia in a series of compositions and arrangements by the band's leader Asif Illyas. Asif and his brother Shehab were born in Sri Lanka and their songs are catchy, sweet, sad, simple and complex -- but always fresh and interesting. This concert, called "A Soldier's Carol," is based on their recent EP Christmas release of the same name. Among other things, it traces the thoughts, feelings, and travels of a soldier a long way from home at Christmas.
concert 2: The Canadian Christmas Canon
recorded at the Queen Alexandra Hall in Edmonton
Bruce Cockburn, Joni Mitchell, Ron Sexsmith, Lynn Miles, Stan Rogers, and many others have penned songs expressing their personal sense of the Christmas season. For many, these are the songs of The Canadian Christmas Canon. Edmonton singer-songwriter Bob Jahrig and sisters group The Ambers perform some of their favourites for one magical night.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009
concert 1: The Good Lovelies
recorded at Le Petit Campus in Montreal
The Good Lovelies are Caroline Brooks, Kerri Ough and Sue Passmore, all of them best friends and refugees from solo careers. Described as "flirty-bluegrass" and "the mischievous Andrews Sisters" the Toronto-based trio rely on unerring three-part vocal harmonies, clever songs and, onstage, convulsively funny repartee. The trio formed only two years ago. Since then, they have quit their jobs, played countless clubs and coffee houses and half a dozen folk festivals, completed over 130 dates this year ( from Montreal to Vancouver Island and back ), won the New Emerging Artist Award at this year's Canadian Folk Awards, and just released a brand new Christmas CD called 'Under The Mistletoe'. Tonight's Canada Live taping finds them in friendly company at Le Petit Campus in Montreal. Although there was a storm raging outside the Good Lovelies did everything right and made the crowd forget the weather and focus on having an absolutely lovely time!
concert 2: Tom Jackson's Singing for Supper
recorded at St. Stephen's Anglican Church in Calgary
Tom Jackson tours the country with his Christmas show "Singing for Supper", raising money for Canada's less fortunate. He is joined by guest musicians Shannon Gaye and Pear. This Calgary show is a real home-coming for the musicians before they continue on the rest of their tour to the Northwest Territories. Tom will perform his signature tune "The Huron Carole" along with other traditional and non-traditional holiday favourites. There's also a sneak peek of Tom's soon-to-be-released single, The Gift. Singing for Supper benefits food banks and food programs across Canada. This evening with Tom Jackson and friends is a great way to spend a cold December night with holiday tunes, all for a great cause.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009
concert 1: Outport Christmas in Ferryland - John Curran
recorded at the Holy Trinity Church, Ferryland, Newfoundland
John Curran returns to his home community of Ferryland to release his debut solo CD "Christmas - May Your Days Be Merry And Bright." Perched on its grassy bank, the Holy Trinity Church stands in a commanding position overlooking the rugged and rocky shoreline that welcomed some of the earliest settlers to Newfoundland. The church has been a sanctuary and meeting place for this southern shore community since it was built in 1865 and provides an iconic venue within earshot of the foaming waves. As a boy, John sang here with the choir at Christmas and he returns tonight to welcome an over-capacity crowd of family, friends and fans who jam into the pews to celebrate the season with one of their favourite sons.
concert 2: Quartette Christmas
recorded at the Capitol Theatre in Moncton, NB
The group Quartette is made up of four of Canada's finest singer/songwriters ... Sylvia Tyson, Cindy Church, Caitlin Hanford and Gwen Swick. Their rich harmonies, good humour and love for the music guarantees a concert to remember. This Christmas concert combines old favourites and new collaborations between the members with musical influences ranging from jazz, blues, country, gospel and pop.

Thursday, December 24, 2009
pre-empted

Friday, December 25, 2009
pre-empted

CBC Radio 1 broadcast, Fridays at 2:05 PM
Friday, December 25, 2009, on CBC Radio 1
pre-empted

Canada Live podcast, released on Fridays
Friday, December 25, 2009 on the Canada Live podcast
concert 1: Amelia Curran
recorded at the Holy Heart Theatre in St. John's, Newfoundland
The St. John's fall concert season kicked off with the long promised and highly anticipated CD release of Six Shooter Records starlet Amelia Curran. The depth and power of her writing and performance is beautifully captured in front of 800 adoring hometown fans. Amelia was joined by the musicians who helped create her new sound, including Sandy Morris, Geoff Panting, Andrew Dale, Matt Hender and Jon Lane. The CD, Hunter Hunter, features the backing vocals of Newfoundland's hottest new alt folk group The Once - Geraldine Hollett, Phil Churchill, Andrew Dale. They joined Amelia on stage to help celebrate the release.