Bienvenue! Welcome to the A Propos home page. Host Jim Corcoran invites you to discover the diversity and audacity of the French-speaking popular music scene.
On this week's A Propos, host Jim Corcoran indulges in the music of one single album: "Nous" by Daniel Bélanger. Bélanger is one of the few artists who consistently delivers. This time around, his well-crafted lyrics are buoyed up by funk and RnB tunes. Jim has translated six of his songs to help you better appreciate the album.
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November 15 & 21, 2009
On A Propos this week, we meet Carole Facal, otherwise known as Caracol. The singer-songwriter (and snowboarder) blends music that is a mix of blues, reggae, country and folk -- usually bright and playful tunes -- with lyrics that are often introspective, dark, and painful. Host Jim Corcoran will talk with her about her career, her music and her unique trek from childhood to adulthood.
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November 8 & 14, 2009
On this week's show, host Jim Corcoran brings us to the ADISQ gala to hear who took home the 2009 Félix awards. Jim himself presented the award for singer-songwriter of the year to Yann Perreau. You’ll hear a couple of his songs and some of the other winners, from 20-year-old pianist-singer-songwriter Coeur de Pirate to country singer Renée Martel, who tearfully accepted her award, saying it was her first win for a live show in more than 50 years in the business.
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November 1 & 7, 2009
On this week's show, we hear the artist that changed host Jim Corcoran's life twenty-five years ago: Jim started writing music in French for the first time because of Catherine Lara. We'll also hear back-to-back tunes from other original and inspired artists, including David Marin, Michel Faubert, and some wild electro-pop with broken and bounced samplings from Les Amis au Pakistan, a band from Laval, Quebec.
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October 25 & 31, 2009
On this week's show, host Jim Corcoran plays some new albums that take you on a sonic journey from fuzzy guitar to a few haunting piano notes. Fred Fortin is rebellious, rough around the edges, he’s an artistic genius -- and a major influence on Quebec songwriters. Elegant and eloquent songs from new albums by Bori and Elisapie Isaac round out the voyage.
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October 18 & 24, 2009
This week on A Propos, host Jim Corcoran brings you more of the nominated artists for the upcoming Quebec music awards. 2009 has been an exceptionally good year for Quebec music, so no one album dominates the nominations. You'll hear lush, moody tracks from veterans like Diane Dufresne and Louise Forestier and newcomers like Yann Perreau. That's Part Two of our look at the nominated albums and artists at this year's ADISQ awards-- the best of a fine vintage.
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October 11 & 17, 2009
Quebec's music awards are coming up, and on A Propos this week, you can hear some of the amazing talent under consideration. This year's nominees range from rockers to poets: from chameleon Jean Leloup to the multilingual Llasa to the twelve men who pay tribute to the poetry of Quebec’s Gaston Miron. Host Jim Corcoran will offer a sampling of the best of the nominees in Part One of his special on the ADISQ awards.
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October 4 & 10, 2009
On this week's A Propos, more acoustic guitar -- with a bit of electricity too -- and some eclectic musical moments, including a cameo appearance by French director Agnes Jaoui, Algonquin rapper Samian, and host Jim Corcoran himself on stage in Paris.
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September 27 & October 3, 2009
A Propos host Jim Corcoran received more emails than ever before for the show featuring the acoustic guitar, so this week, once again, the guitar is the hero. The show features a range of acoustic songs, including veterans Michel Rivard and Kate and Anna McGarrigle and newcomers Bernard Adamus and Dumas.
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September 20 & 26, 2009
This week on A Propos, host Jim Corcoran will present some of the hottest new music in Quebec, including the number one hit by Vincent Vallières, the latest from the poetic Chloé Sainte-Marie, and FIVE new translations.
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September 13 & 19, 2009
Host Jim Corcoran opens his 22nd season on CBC with his summer discovery : a Quebec singer-songwriter named Bernard Adamus. There's never been an album quite like this from the province, and you'll hear why Jim flipped over his music. Also, some classic Boule Noir and some new dance music from the zesty new band, Orange Orange.
Jim Corcoran is one of Quebec's best loved songwriters. Since 1972, Jim has recorded over a dozen albums and performed around the world from Paris to Cairo to Drummondville!
