Key of A
with Katherine Duncan

This week on the Key of A, you'll meet Lorrie Matheson, a Calgary-based singer-songwriter who's become one of the most sought-after record producers in Alberta.


He'll join Katherine for a feature interview, and we'll listen to music from some of his favorite recording partners, including Jay Crocker, Mark Davis, Rae Spoon, Samantha Savage-Smith, and Heart Failure Research Unit.

 

This week we'll introduce you to Picture the Ocean, the new project by the artists formerly known as Jesse Dee and Jacquie B. They've released an alt-pop self-titled album just in time for a very ambitious tour that will take them to communities across Alberta and BC over the next two months.

 

Edmonton's former Poet Laureate Roland Pemberton a.k.a. Cadence Weapon is releasing his new album, Hope in Dirt City, this month; we'll hear a couple of tracks from it.
  You'll also hear new electronica from a Calgary musician and producer who calls herself Krystle Love B.

We'll check in on Trevor Tchir, who's performing this Saturday night at the Haven Social Club in Edmonton.

Plus, we revisit two recent favorites from Edmonton artists; a debut from Alice Kos, called You Missed it All. And from Mark Davis, Eliminate the Toxins.

This week on the Key of A, we'll hear about some of the special musical events happening this weekend, including the 18th Annual East Coulee Spring Festival; and Song and Story with Celtic folk singer and storyteller Sora.

Clinton St John (formerly of bands The Cape May and Pale Air Singers) joins Katherine in the studio to talk about his beautiful new book and cd package, Storied Hearts, which combines line drawings, folk tales, poetry and handcrafted, painstakingly recorded songs.

 

Plus, new cd's from 18 year-old Cochrane singer/songwriter Lucas Chaisson, who's releasing his 3rd album, Growing Pains; and Calgary's Danielle French releases Drive, a new album of songs about life on the road -- as she puts it, they're songs about driving, freedom and heartache.

The Calgary Folk Music Festival has announced this year's lineup, and as usual, there's a strong Alberta contingent. Festival Artistic Director Kerry Clarke joins me to talk about who's coming, how she makes her choices, and what makes Calgary's Folk Festival so special. Plus, she answers the question, "What is folk music in the year 2012?"

Hear a feature interview with Kerry Clarke, and music by many of the Alberta solo artists and bands performing at this year's Calgary Folk Festival, including Reuben Bullock, Rae Spoon, Lorrie Matheson, Eve Hell & the Razors, The Magnetic North, 100 mile house, and more!

This week on the Key of A, music that's made right here in Alberta, but influenced by sounds from far and wide.

 

The Indian sitar finds its way into the music of Ethan Collister on his new album, Inner Alchemy.

Souljah Fyah brings the reggae beats of Africa and the Caribbean to stages across Alberta -- including shows this Saturday and next in Edmonton.

And, new music recorded in Lethbridge by Indio Saravanja, has roots in Argentina and features the Andean Charango -- a stringed instrument similar to a lute. We'll sample his new album inspired by becoming a first-time father, Little Child. 

 

Plus, new releases by Dahlia Wakefield (born in the Philippines, now at home in Edmonton); Calgary's Grant Tilly, and motivational speaker/organizational consultant and musician Herky Cutler's new album, Love is Like a Chicken.

 

Well, despite the snow earlier this week it's starting to feel like spring, and we've got fresh, new releases on this week's Key of A; many of them by people launching their new albums with live shows in the next week or so.

 

Calgary's Lucky Sonne (aka Luke Colburne) has a 2-cd release show this Sunday afternoon April 22, at Earl's in Banker's Hall in Calgary - we'll dip into his 2nd full length album, RR One.  Amy Thiessen combines work as a yoga teacher with a musical career; she'll be hosting an event called "Musical Chairs" featuring other musicians including Russell Broom, next Thursday April 26 at the Ironwood in Calgary - we'll listen to songs from her debut full-length album, Give Up the Fight. And in Edmonton, Michael Reinhart is gearing up for his lost & found release show next Saturday April 28th at Leva Cafebar. We'll hear two of his "urban folk" songs.

 

Plus, new releases by Jasmine Whenham (whose new cd, Bandaid, was produced by Lin Elder of The Fates); Steve Coffey & the Lokels; and Milkwood Dreamers.

This week on the Key of A, we say goodbye to someone who was right at the heart of Edmonton's music community. Colin Lay was a recording engineer; he did live sound at concerts and at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival; he taught at Grant MacEwan University and  he worked with many musicians in town over the years.

 

But what a lot  of people didn't know about Colin Lay, is that he was also a musician in his own right -- a composer, a guitarist, a flutist -- even a singer.

 

Colin Lay died last month. He'd been suffering from ALS.

 

This week, we'll hear from people who knew Colin. Freelance recording engineer Jeff Kynoch knew him first as a teacher; he also helped Colin record two CD's of his own music in the last few months of his life.  Maria Dunn worked with Colin as a musical partner for nearly 15 years. 

We'll hear from each of them, and we'll hear some of Colin's own original music.

Then in part 2 of the Key of A, we'll go to the stage of the Arden Theatre for a live set from Colleen Brown and her band -- the cd release concert for Colleen's newest album, Colleen Brown's DIRT.

This week on the show, we'll hear from Albertans past and present, who are in the running for Canada's biggest music awards, The Junos. Not too surprisingly, you'll recognize most of the names: Tegan & Sara, k.d. Lang, Braids, Feist.

But we'll also hear from an Alberta Juno hopeful we haven't had on the Key of A before: High Valley, a country trio made up of 3 brothers from the rural community of La Crete.

Then, we'll take a look through this year's Edmonton Music Awards, and listen to some of the multiple nominees, including Tupelo Honey, White Lightning, Ten Second Epic, and Boogie Patrol. Plus, we'll compare the voices of two of the top contenders for "best female artist," Colleen Brown and Ann Vriend.

 

And if all that isn't enough, we'll hear the sound of Makeshift Innocence, a Calgary reggae band that just won the 210 thousand dollar top prize in the 2012 AMP Radio Rockstar contest.

This week on the Key of A, country star Paul Brandt comes full circle with a hometown show at Calgary's Jubilee Auditorium.

Paul Brandt got his start 20 years ago, when he won the Talent Showdown at the Calgary Stampede (on his third try.) It's just been announced that he'll be headlining the main stage at this summer's Stampede Centennial Grandstand show.

 

More than just a country singer, Paul Brandt does a lot of work for charity, including a program and TV show about helping to end homelessness called Build it Forward -- and you'll hear the theme song to that show on this live concert CBC recorded this past December.

 

Brandt is touring Canada this winter with his 10th studio album -- but that doesn't stop him from playing some of his first big hits, including "Alberta Bound," "Convoy" and a lovely new version of "I Do."