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.
Host Jim Corcoran has hand-picked some unique musical pairings for a series of concerts at the Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg this year. Relative newcomers Les Trois Accords will make new music with La Patère Rose. The blues will bring together Bernard Adamus and Dawn Tyler Watson. And legends Bruce Cockburn and Michel Rivard will combine their considerable talents for what is sure to be a great concert. On the show this week, we’ll play the pairs back-to-back as we look ahead to the francophone event. The World's Largest Kitchen Party in your kitchen, on A Propos.
Listen to this episode (Feb 7):
Jan.30 (Radio 1) & 31(Radio 2), 2010
On A Propos this week, a fond farewell to Kate McGarrigle, who with her sister Anna, made up the folk duo known as the McGarrigle Sisters. Kate and Anna McGarrigle grew up in St-Saveur, north of Montreal, and they recorded in both English and French. Kate's song-writing was innovative, honest and genuine, and her songs were covered by a variety of artists, from Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris to Billy Bragg and Chloe Sainte-Marie. Jim will share some of his favourite songs by the McGarrigles, as well as music by Kate's son and daughter, Rufus and Martha Wainwright.
Listen to this episode:
Jan.24 (Radio2) & Feb.6/10 (Radio1)
On this week's A Propos, host Jim Corcoran offers a blend of music, new and old : electro-pop from Quebec's La Patère Rose; the harmonies of Malicorne, France's answer to Steeleye Span in the 1970s ; New Brunswick poet and singer-songwriter Fredric Gary Comeau ; and a song by Richard Desjardins that had actress Jane Birkin longing to be the woman who inspired it.
Listen to this episode:
Jan.16 (Radio 1) & Jan.17/10 (Radio 2)
On A Propos this weekend, a special show on Lhasa de Sela, the Montreal-based singer-songwriter who died earlier this month at the age of 37. Lhasa was known around the world for her songs in French, English and Spanish. Her album The Living Road was recently named one of the ten best world albums of the decade by the Times of London. Host Jim Corcoran offers his insights on the artist and his thoughts about Lhasa herself.
Listen to this episode:
Jan.10 (Radio 2) & Jan.23/10 (Radio 1)
This week on A Propos, songs with subtitles! Once again, host Jim Corcoran presents a popular assortment of his translations of French songs by the hottest artists in Quebec today - including Karkwa, Damien Robitaille, Daniel Bélanger, and Caracol.
Listen to this episode:
Jan.3 (Radio 2) & Jan.9/10 (Radio 1)
On A Propos this week, host Jim Corcoran begins a two-part series that features his translations of some of the best of Quebec songwriting. These are the song translations that had many of you writing in for a copy, including the most popular one of all : the quirky and clever "Chicken #728120" by France's Katerine.
Listen to this episode:
Jan.2/10 (Radio 1)
This Saturday night on A Propos, a repeat broadcast of a popular show from this fall: we meet the talented and intriguing Carole Facal, otherwise known as Caracol. The singer-songwriter blends blues, reggae, country and folk - usually bright and playful tunes - with lyrics that are often introspective, dark, and painful. Host Jim Corcoran talks with her about her career, her music and her unique trek from childhood to adulthood.
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!
