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Saturday, January 30, 2010

Great Week on Canada Live: Joel Plaskett, Corb Lund, the Great Canadian Song Quest, Leif Vollebekk, and a tribute to Neil Young

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.

This week you can hear Part 2 of the Great Canadian Song Quest as well as shows by Joel Plaskett, Corb Lund, Leif Vollebekk, and a tribute to Neil Young




February 1 to 4, Canada Live presents Idols and Inspirations -- concerts featuring mentors, protégés, and musical heroes.

Monday, February 1, 2010
concert 1: Fathers & Sons
recorded at Capilano University in North Vancouver
Mentor and Protégé. In most cases, these roles are clear. But when you bring together Jim Byrnes, Doug Cox, Steve Dawson and Amos Garret as Fathers & Sons, the roles get blurred. These four musicians set the standard for folk and blues and yet seem to pick up fresh ideas from one another along the way. Hear them exchange ideas tonight on Canada Live and discover why they command so much respect.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010
concert 1: Eval Manigat
recorded at the 2009 Festival international de Jazz de Montréal on July 6, 2009
A concert tribute to the late Eval Manigat. In the '70s, before la belle province knew what world beat was, Eval Manigat came from Haiti to open ears to a new kind of sound. Celebrating the immortal legacy of this world music giant, sadly lost to us in August of 2008, is an all-star lineup of musicians he collaborated with: Jean Vanasse, vibraphone; Jean-Pierre Zanella, saxophone, song-stylist Karen Young, pianist Tim Jackson, and a expanded brass and rhythm section led by saxophonist Yvan Belleau and guitarist Martial Méroné.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010
concert 1: Corb Lund
recorded at the Burton Cummings Theatre in Winnipeg
Country-roots musician Corb Lund is the product of four generations of Canadian ranchers and cowboys. He grew up in rural southern Alberta riding horseback, chasing cattle, and rodeoing. His songs tell stories about those formative years, while also drawing inspiration from the lives of both his ancestors and modern-day ranchers. "Losing Lately Gambler" is Corb Lund's latest release, which also features his rock-solid -- and rockin' -- band, the Hurtin' Albertans. The crowd at this concert showed its appreciation for the new songs, hooting and hollering and crowding the stage of the Burton Cummings Theatre in Winnipeg.
concert 2: Ian Tyson
recorded at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove, Alberta
He is one of the greatest songwriters in Canadian music history. In the 1960's Ian and Sylvia were the king and queen of the folk scene in Canada. In the 70's formed the band "Great Speckled Bird", which helped define the country rock genre. Ian quit the music biz in the late '70's to become a rancher and rodeo rider but, lucky for us, came back to the music in the 80's. Though he continued to ranch and breed cutting horses, his return to music saw a natural focus on the loosely defined 'Cowboy music'; reflections on the lifestyle both historically and from a modern perspective. In the fall of 2008 Ian turned 75, and despite an injury and illness that has forever changed the sound of his voice, he wrote and recorded a new album: "Yellowhead to Yellowstone and other love stories". The new songs have an intimacy and urgency beyond most of Ian's previous work, and the old songs have an emotional resonance due to his vocal sound and his 5 decades as a writer and performer.

Thursday, February 4, 2010
concert 1: Neil Young Tribute
recorded at Massey Hall in Toronto
Relive a milestone in Canadian music history. On January 19, 1971, legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young gave a solo concert at Toronto's Massey Hall. Audiences there heard for the first time several of the iconic songs that would later appear on his albums, including his best-selling LP Harvest -- yet the live concert recording itself wasn't released until 2007. As part of last year's Luminato Festival in Toronto, a new generation of musicians led by Juno Award-winning music director Kevin Breit, recreate that landmark concert, performing their own distinctive arrangements of the album's classic songs. Tune in for highlights from this unforgettable concert.

Friday, February 5, 2010
Canada Live kicks off Next! – a ten-week series featuring Canada's up-and-coming musicians
concert 1: Ali Milner
recorded at the Telus Theatre, Vancouver, October 1, 2009
Ali Milner's a young one, just 19 years old but surprises with her skills both as a performer and songwriter. Naturally comparisons are being made - Joni Mitchell for one, a female Sam Cooke for another. Sam Cooke? No, really - check out "I Dare You." Ali brought her band plus some quality string players to round things out for this concert at the Telus Theatre on the campus of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She will play several concerts soon in her hometown of Whistler during the Olympics. Find out now about this talented young woman, Ali Milner.
concert 2: Leif Vollebekk
recorded at The Black Sheep Inn (Le Mouton Noir), Wakefield, Quebec
Here's what Leif Vollebekk wrote when we asked what set-up he would have on the 29th: "At present, it is just me at the Black Sheep: electric guitar, violin, acoustic guitar and piano. I'm still most comfortable playing solo and I've almost always done so at the Sheep and the sound has been superb each time. So I think solo would be the best way to go anyhow...think Neil Young, Live at Massey Hall 1971. I think we can get it to sound that good." If it were someone else we would be saying, "Bwah!" but Leif's name is on everyone's lips around Ottawa. He's a charming talent with a voice like Patrick Watson, style like early Bob Dylan, and lyrics like Leonard Cohen. He re-released is debut full-length album, Inland (independent, 2009), on Nevado Records in January 2010.

CBC Radio 1 broadcast, Fridays at 2:05 PM
Friday, February 5, 2010 on CBC Radio 1
concert 1: Great Canadian Song Quest - PART 2
recorded at Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto
Last fall, CBC Radio 2 brought Canadians the chance to share their passion, and nominate their favourite locations in the country to be celebrated in song through The Great Canadian Song Quest. Canadians also got the deciding vote on who would write and perform the songs. The result is an incredible cross-country playlist, with 13 brand-new, original songs. Canada Live presents the final step of the process -- the musicians gather together at Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto to perform their brand new songs in front of a live audience.
concert 2: Joel Plaskett
recorded at The Capitol Theater in Moncton, NB
Joel Plaskett wears many hats as a songwriter and touring artist. When he is fronting his band 'The Emergency' his shows are pure high-energy pop / rock. But Joel has another side - that of the solo, unplugged performer, and as witnessed on his most recent recording 'Three' -- aptly titled as it is a triple CD release in one package -- he is quite comfortable writing with the solo, more acoustic performance in mind. But, with whatever performance style he has in mind, the one thing Joel does is write good songs - songs with strong lyrics and melodies that can stand on their own, whatever the instrumentation

Canada Live podcast, released on Fridays
Friday, February 5, on the Canada Live podcast
Corb Lund
recorded at the Burton Cummings Theatre in Winnipeg
Country-roots musician Corb Lund is the product of four generations of Canadian ranchers and cowboys. He grew up in rural southern Alberta riding horseback, chasing cattle, and rodeoing. His songs tell stories about those formative years, while also drawing inspiration from the lives of both his ancestors and modern-day ranchers. "Losing Lately Gambler" is Corb Lund's latest release, which also features his rock-solid -- and rockin' -- band, the Hurtin' Albertans. The crowd at this concert showed its appreciation for the new songs, hooting and hollering and crowding the stage of the Burton Cummings Theatre in Winnipeg.

Labels: Canada Live, CBC Radio 2, Corb Lund, Great Canadian Song Quest, Joel Plaskett, Leif Vollebekk, Neil Young

posted by Justin Beach at 11:08 AM 0 Comments






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Thursday, December 3, 2009

Album Hall of Fame: Neil Young - Harvest

It just wouldn't be very Canadian if Neil Young wasn't in here somewhere. Released in 1972 Harvest is, by far, the oldest album on the list. That it has the staying power to garner votes 27 years after it's release is a testament to both it's staying power and to the undying fascination of Canadian's with Young's music.

Harvest featured appearances by the London Symphony Orchestra as well as David Crosby, Graham Nash, Linda Ronstadt, Stephen Still and James Taylor. Despite the staying power of Harvest, despite Rolling Stone naming it #78 in their "greatest albums of all time" list (in 2003). and despite being the best selling album overall in 1972, it topped the album charts for only two weeks, and only charted two singles (back in the days when this still counted). The song Old Man peaked at #31 on the charts, of course, the song "Heart of Gold" hit number 1.



Harvest - Track list and players

Side one
"Out on the Weekend" – 4:34
Neil Young - guitar, harmonica, vocal; Ben Keith - pedal steel guitar; Tim Drummond - bass; Kenny Buttrey - drums
"Harvest" – 3:11
Young - guitar, vocal; Keith - pedal steel guitar; John Harris - piano; Drummond - bass; Buttrey - drums
"A Man Needs a Maid" – 4:05
Young - piano, vocal; with the London Symphony Orchestra
"Heart of Gold" – 3:07
Young - guitar, harmonica, vocal; Teddy Irwin - guitar; Keith - pedal steel guitar; Drummond - bass; Buttrey - drums; Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor - backing vocals
"Are You Ready for the Country?" – 3:23
Young - piano, vocal; Keith - pedal steel guitar; Jack Nitzsche - lap steel guitar; Drummond - bass; Buttrey - drums; David Crosby, Graham Nash - backing vocals


Side two
"Old Man" – 3:24
Young - guitar, vocal; Keith - pedal steel guitar; Taylor - banjo guitar, backing vocal; James McMahon - piano; Drummond - bass; Buttrey - drums; Ronstadt - backing vocal
"There's a World" – 2:59
Young - piano, vocal; with the London Symphony Orchestra
"Alabama" – 4:02
Young - electric guitar, vocal; Keith - pedal steel guitar; Nitzsche - piano; Drummond - bass; Buttrey - drums; Crosby, Stephen Stills - backing vocals
"The Needle and the Damage Done" – 2:03 (recorded in concert January 30, 1971)
Young - guitar, vocal
"Words (Between the Lines of Age)" – 6:40
Young - electric guitar, vocal; Keith - pedal steel guitar; Nitzsche - piano; Drummond - bass; Buttrey - drums; Stills, Nash - backing vocals

Labels: Hall of Fame, Neil Young

posted by Justin Beach at 5:12 AM 0 Comments






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