With a spirited fusion of traditional West African music, roots, reggae and rhythmic traditional folk, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars craft music that transforms and uplifts.
Heather Blush is a sophisticated songwiter and guitar player and her jazz-like vocals have been compared to the likes of Norah Jones, Joni Mitchell and Maria Muldaur.
Described as "a five-hour contemporary epic for solo piano" and "a set of contradictory etudes," this concert is a a musical cycle of 12 pieces by the composer Alvin Curran for solo piano, played by Eve Egoyan.
La Gran Orquesta Cubana de Montreal are one of Canada's most sought-after Latin big bands.
Nikki Yanofsky - the 14-year old jazz-singing prodigy - performs with a classic big band for an intimate studio audience in Montreal.
Kenji Omae, John Geggie, Mark McLean and Dave Restivo in a set from the National Arts Centre's John Geggie Concert Series.
The Mike Plume Band charged across the country playing every stage available from the outset in 1993. However, by 2005, Mike went solo and the other members went off as the band, The Populars. Plume then moved between Nashville and Toronto, he got married, became a father and also put out a few solo CDs. The Populars toured Canada during this time. Then Mike Plume and the Populars decided to reunite for this show - it was one of the most eagerly anticipated gigs in town. The energy was not lost and indeed it was renewed on the stage at the Pawn Shop in Edmonton - and Canada Live was there to record!
Dionne Taylor pays tribute to the "Queen Of Soul" Aretha Franklin, with special guests, David Clayton-Thomas and Sharon Riley & The Faith Chorale. 2007 marked the 40 year anniversary of Aretha Franklin's first landmark recordings with Atlantic Records which produced "I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You". This concert is a retrospective of the music and life of Aretha Franklin from her early days in church, through scarcely mentioned early jazz recordings and her rise to fame as an R&B superstar.
Moving between piano and laptop, John Kameel Farah conjures a musical world where contemporary classical, baroque stylings, improvisation, and experimental electronics can all comfortably co-exist.
Celebrated Canadian guitarists Rene Lussier and Kevin Breit have played with everyone under the sun -- Rene as a film score composer and founder of label Ambiances Magnetiques in Quebec, and Kevin as sideman for k d Lang, Norah Jones, and his own projects - the Tallboys and Sisters Euclid. But Rene and Kevin had never played together until the Guelph Jazz Festival invited them in for a night of improvisational fun. Often surprising, frequently humourous and always masterful, Kevin Breit and Rene Lussier play a set of wild, on-the-spot tunes.
The 2008-2009 season marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of l'Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. The OSM and artistic director Kent Nagano celebrate in fine style with a season opening gala from La Maison de Radio-Canada .Musical highlights include: part of Stravinsky's Firebird ballet; the opening of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5; pianist Lang Lang playing Tchaikovsky; and orchestral ‘hits" by Ravel.
Joe Jackson is a five-time Grammy winner with a fellowship from the Royal Academy of Music and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Portsmouth.
This masterfully-performed concert, live at The Music Gallery in Toronto, features the Montreal-based Transmission ensemble playing works by Pierre Boulez (Dérive), Iannis Xenakis (Plekto), Tristan Murail (13 couleurs du soleil couchant), Georges Aperghis (Quatre pieces fébriles) and Claude Vivier (Paramirabo).
The Instant Composers' Pool Orchestra has a combative friendship at its heart - the Dutch duo of pianist and composer Misha Mengelberg and drummer Han Bennink has been going strong for more than forty years. Through the decades, they've nurtured an ensemble of musicians that keeps playful improvisation and creative composition at its core. At this Guelph Jazz Festival concert, the players' solos butt up against each other, Han Bennink goes running across the stage and Misha Mengelberg keeps it all together at the piano.
Featured are several OSM members who toured to Nunavik to perform a newly commissioned work by Alexina Louie. "Take the Dogsled" is written for seven musicians and two throatsingers - Evie Mark and Taqralik Partridge, and was performed recently in three Inuit communities in Quebec's far north: Inukjuak, Kangiqsujuaq and Kuujjuag
Denis Plante and Pascal Bujold: The bandoneon has a sound distinctive of the great Argentinian tango orchestras and the music of Astor Piazzolla.
Hear an unsusual and unique musical encounter between two very passionate musicians from two very different musical spheres: France's Régis Pasquier, classical violinist and Montreal's Oliver Jones, jazz pianist.
A Propos' Songwriters' Session features Bïa, Moran, Yves Desrosiers and Catherine Major.
Composed or Improvised? An impeccably-played suite from three musicians at the Guelph Jazz Festival blurs the lines as British bassist Barry Guy, Swiss violinist Maya Homburger and Canada's own Jeff Reilly on bass clarinet bring together experiences that range from baroque repertoire to freewheeling jazz. Hear compositions by Reilly, Guy and H.I.F. Biber - living, pulsing chamber music.
The Tallboys are a Trio of musicians in and around Guelph who are know as much for their work as virtuoso individuals as they are for their highly spirited playing together. Drummer Jesse Stewart, guitarist Kevin Breit and cellist Matt Brubeck play off each other's strengths to create a vibrant set that moves smoothly between the composed and the improvised.
With her third album in hand Ann Vriend shows the poise of a seasoned performer as she hits the stage at the Yardbird Suite in Edmonton.
It was an un-restrained celebration when Corb Lund and his band took to the stage of Edmonton's Rexall Place.
Kenji Omae, John Geggie, Mark McLean and Dave Restivo in a set from the National Arts Centre's John Geggie Concert Series.
A concert celebrating the music of Jimi Hendrix and honouring his Grandma Nora, his family and the the connection to the city of Vancouver.
Vancouver International Song Institute: Tribute to Jean Coulthard
The Canadian Country Music Awards took place in Winnipeg on Sept. 8. To kick off the festivities, we invited some of the brightest lights on the country music scene to perform at Winnipeg's premiere country music venue, the Palomino Club. Kicking off the night was The Higgins, a band of siblings from Delta, BC. John, Eileen and Kathleen blend a country rock sensibility with influences from their Irish family background into their sweet harmonies.
It may be an unusual combination of instruments for a jazz trio but Michel Donato (bass), Marin Nasturica (accordion) and Jon Gearey (guitar) blend world music with swing. Montreal-born Michel Donato was a young veteran of the Toronto scene when he was asked to join Oscar Peterson's trio in the early 1970s. He then went on to join the Bill Evans Trio in 1977 and has worked with many jazz greats. Michel celebrated 50 years of music making this year. Joining this marvel on bass was the Romanian accordion virtuoso Marin Nasturica and the superb guitarist Jon Gearey.
What's your Idea Of North? Six songwriters were asked that question, and they gathered at Ottawa's Museum of Civilization to explore the answer through music.
Two of Ottawa's finest instrumental bands go head-to-head on the same Elmdale Tavern stage, trading off songs.
Featured is the Frank Lozano Quintet playing at the Jazzbeat Session in Montreal. They are performing works by composer Frank Lozano "New Man," "Buciemeana," and "Cast".
Aggressive versus quiet. Seven versus one. It didn't seem like a very fair matchup when Vancouver's Fond of Tigers and Toronto's Sandro Perri met in CBC Ottawa's Studio 40 to meld their music. But the gentle-voiced Sandro and his subtly experimental folk proved a perfect foil to the rock-jazz improvisations of Fond of Tigers.
Antonio Dangerfield, trumpet - Sundar Viswanathan, saxaphone - Michael Lawson, violin at Lula Lounge April 10, 2008
The Lian Ensemble fuses its Persian musical heritage with the sensibilities of contemporary jazz using traditional and folk melodies and instruments.
Described as "a five-hour contemporary epic for solo piano" and "a set of contradictory etudes," this concert is a a musical cycle of 12 pieces by the composer Alvin Curran for solo piano, played by Eve Egoyan.
Award-winning guitarist Simon Legault at the 2008 Jazz en Rafale Festival in Montreal.
Already a huge success in Francophone Quebec, Kevin Parent has won several Québec entertainment industry's ADISQ awards and even a 2002 Juno award for Best Selling Francophone Album, Les Vents ont changé.
With both the dancer and the listener in mind, bandleader, arranger and composer Roberto Linares Brown has produced a world class musical statement with his new CD Que no se pierda la esencia (That the Essence not be lost).
Rebellious and exuberant, resplendent Ashley MacIsaac with guitarist Stuart Cameron was gobbled up by the audience as they opened for Spirit of The West at the Commodore Ballroom.
Legendary Canadian folk rock veterans Spirit Of The West celebrate their 25th anniversary with a capacity crowd at Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom.
Spygirl has a fab band name and their music delivers on the promise.
Tanya Tagaq - backed by DJ, cello and bass - shows where traditional throat singing can go in the 21st century.
Ruth Moody is one of the very talented members of the Wailin' Jennys. Here she offers a rare solo set that shows off her singular vocal gifts.
The Canadian Country Music Awards took place in Winnipeg on Sept. 8. To kick off the festivities, we invited some of the brightest lights on the country music scene to perform at Winnipeg's premiere country music venue, the Palomino Club. Kicking off the night was The Higgins, a band of siblings from Delta, BC. John, Eileen and Kathleen blend a country rock sensibility with influences from their Irish family background into their sweet harmonies.
Pinocchio. An adorable little puppet with the simple goal of becoming human? Or a selfish, aggressive character struggling with a complex web of morality? Find out, when New Brunswick's MOTION ENSEMBLE performs 'The Death and Lives of Pinocchio' by composer Ian Crutchley.
Secular Rotation: a principle of physics describing that which is not eternal - like the decaying rotation of a planet. New Brunswick's Motion Ensemble asked composer Michael Oesterle to write some music for them. Michael got thinking about the group's name: Motion Ensemble. Motion. Physics. Principles of motion. Secular Rotation. So Michael Oesterle wrote a musical work which begins with pulsing with energy, and decays over time. And on top of this, the voice of Helen Pridmore sings short snippits from the laws of physics
The Gryphon Trio perform Chan Ka Nin, Mozart and Ravel.
Performances of Mozart's music by the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra have been hailed by the BBC as the most "refreshing, surprising and enjoyable" as can be heard anywhere." From Le Festival de Lanaudiere, in Joliette, Québec, the German ensemble is heard on tour, led by Gottfried von der Goltz and featuring baritone Christian Gerhaher as soloist. Among the works heard are Mozart's "Linz" Symphony and arias from The Marriage of Figaro.
The baroque composer Jean-Philippe Rameau is credited with some of the most graceful and lovely dance music ever written. The concert today is his acte-de-ballet, Pygmalion.
Featured performers include: sopranos Suzie LeBlanc, Nathalie Paulin
and Catherine Webster; male alto Matthew White; tenors Colin Balzer and
Lawrence Wiliford; and baritone Tyler Duncan
Early Music Vancouver's Baroque Festival Orchestra
Alexander Weimann, music co-director, conductor and harpsichord/organ
Marc Destrubé, music co-director, concertmaster and violin
Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière, choreography & dance
This special concert in the CBC Regina Galleria can best be described as a songwriter's circle with higher production values. To that end it includes a quality house band who perform unique arrangements with all of the songwriters.
A terrific concert by The Brothers Creeggan: that's Jim and Andy Creeggan of Barenaked Ladies fame. They'll play some Barenaked Ladies tunes, some of their own solo works, and one song written about their childhood: "John's In The Fridge." Yes, they do have a brother John!
Singer and cellist, Jorane is a phenomenal musician, as well as an imaginative composer and a charismatic performer. Her style is unique and her musical path is truly exceptional. Hear her perform songs from her most recent album.
Hear Katie Melua, Serena Ryder, Madeleine Peyroux, Garou, Chris Botti, Lhasa de Sela, Steven Page, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Zachary Richard, Thomas Hellman, Michel Pagliaro, Adam Cohen, and Joe Lovano perform entirely new versions of Cohen's classics at the Montreal International Jazz Festival.
Kenji Omae, John Geggie, Mark McLean and Dave Restivo in a set from the National Arts Centre's John Geggie Concert Series.
Peter Oundjian, conductor Susan Platts, mezzo soprano TMC/TCC
Harry Manx is known for his signature east-meets-west style of music, blending Indian folk melodies with blues, a sprinkle of gospel, and compelling grooves. He has created a unique sound that is hard to forget and deliciously addictive to listen to.
Laila Biali and her crack band perform music from her recent collection of Canadian songbook classics, From Sea to Sky.
Brazilian
singer Fernanda Cunha is joined by singer and composer, Celso
Machado.
Described as "a five-hour contemporary epic for solo piano" and "a set of contradictory etudes," this concert is a a musical cycle of 12 pieces by the composer Alvin Curran for solo piano, played by Eve Egoyan.
Peter Oundjian, conductor Susan Platts, mezzo soprano TMC/TCC
Dancer Claire Marchand performs with Javier Conde, one of the hottest young flamenco guitarists in the world.
Composer-pianists Joshua and Min Rager present a fresh approach to jazz that is both melodic and modern.
The concert features Minuet and a Trio in 3 Movements, a tagteam world premiere by Min and Josh Rager commissioned by the CBC to mark the 250th anniversary of the death of G.F. Handel.
From Angola to Toronto, Valu David has brought his combination of jazz, soul, R&B and African beats. He combines heartfelt lyrics with his warm voice to create music with a healing sound. This concert was recorded at the 2008 Small World Festival.
Hip hop artist Buck 65 and Symphony Nova Scotia perform for a home-town audience.
He's award-winning, an Order of Canada recipient, and the pride of PEI...singer-songwriter Lennie Gallant in concert.
Calgary's Land's End Chamber Ensemble in a concert exploring the musical diversity of China.
Rachmaninoff's greatest chamber work, his Sonata in G minor, Opus 19 is heard in a performance by cellist Amanda Forsyth and pianist Shoko Inoue.
The New Forms Festival takes place in Vancouver in early September and this year they brought together two local bands who love to chart new musical territory, Fond of Tigers and Secret Mommy.
The New Forms Festival takes place in Vancouver in early September. This year they brought together two local bands who love to chart new musical territory, Fond of Tigers and Secret Mommy.
Bill Bourne, Lester Quitzau, and Madagascar Slim create a unique blend of blues, folk, and world music.
Blue Rodeo perform hits from their 20+ year career including those from their latest CD, the Juno Award winner Small Miracles.
Owen Pallett is known to his fans as the singer, songwriter, violinist, pianist, bassist, harpsichordist, engineer and everything else that makes up the indie-rock one-man band Final Fantasy. In his live performances Pallett plays his violin into loop foot pedals. Then he sings over the music. But this simple description doesn't do justice to the richly imaginative sounds he creates.
FEATURED ARTISTS: NSO Sinfonia/Peter Gardner, conductor/(William Lau, classical Chinese dancer)!
Alice Ho: Dance Concerto
Victoria's Four Chords of Wood mix ballads, blues, fiddle tunes, gospel and some foot to the floor ravers but most of all - great straight up Bluegrass.
Michal Cohen brings her unique brand of Yemenite jazz to Winnipeg. Born in Israel to Yemenite parents, she sings in English , Hebrew, Bulgarian, Spanish, Yiddish and Portuguese. She brings drummer Ted Poor and joins a stellar cast of local musicians for this concert, including Myron Schultz, clarinet, Steve Kirby, bass and Will Bonness, piano.
On the surface Lynne Hanson creates beautifully catchy country songs, but on the inside her music is assertive, haunting and eerie. A country crooner with a niche for story telling, she captivated her audience at her hometown cd release concert at the NAC 4th Stage.
The Signal records 4 acts for upcoming broadcast: --the experimental sounds of Muskox (1:30PM) --the free-jazz of Feuermusik (2:45PM) --the gentle, experimental pop of Sandro Perri (4:00PM) --the vibraphone instrumentals of the Hylozoists (6:15PM)
26 Jan broadcast: Hylozoists
19 Jan broadcast:
Toronto's Feuermusik is usually a duo consisting of two intsruments: saxophone (Jeremy Strachan), and buckets (David Weinkauf). But sometimes lately they've been performing with more musicians, to really make their arrangements to come to life on stage. Plus, as Jeremy Strachan says: "It's more fun!" For example, at their June CD release, they played as a 13-piece group. For this concert they performed with 7 musicians. As you'd imagine, a sax-and-bucket group have a bright, incisive and rhythmically driving sound. However, with other musicians on-board for this gig, we get value-added features such as big-band like section riffs which round things out nicely.
Peter Oundjian leads the TSO, Susan Platts, Women of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Toronto Children's Chorus.
World premiere performance of violin concerto by David McIntyre. Eduard Minevich, soloist
Bandoneón virtuoso Daniel Binelli joins the CPO in a concert of music by Piazzolla, Copland and Bernstein.
Alpha Yaya Diallo and his band personify African fusion at its best.
Showing off brand new material from her recent CD release, "The Contradictor", Ndidi entertained the audience at Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom with her great voice and quirky sense of humour.
On the folk circuit since the late 70’s, Ken Hamm is regarded and awarded as one of the best acoustic guitar players in North America.
A piano trio follows, from the Orford Festival of Music in Quebec, performed by Louis Lortie, piano, Augustin Dumay, violin and Pavel Gomziakov, cello. They collaborate in Schubert's Trio No. 2, as well as sonatas by Mozart and Beethoven.
The 2008-2009 season marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of l'Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. The OSM and artistic director Kent Nagano celebrate in fine style with a season opening gala from La Maison de Radio-Canada .Musical highlights include: part of Stravinsky's Firebird ballet; the opening of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5; pianist Lang Lang playing Tchaikovsky; and orchestral ‘hits" by Ravel.
Featured are several OSM members who toured to Nunavik to perform a newly commissioned work by Alexina Louie. "Take the Dogsled" is written for seven musicians and two throatsingers - Evie Mark and Taqralik Partridge, and was performed recently in three Inuit communities in Quebec's far north: Inukjuak, Kangiqsujuaq and Kuujjuag
Five years on from it's founding, Newfoundland's Gros Morne Summer Music has emerged as one of the most innovative festivals in the country. Artistic Director David Maggs is joined by violinist Min Tze Wu, and cellist Diederik van Kijk in a piano trio of Peteris Vasks and in conversation with CBC personality Shelagh Rogers
Steven Page sings his favourite pop songs in fresh new arrangements created by innovators from the worlds of pop, jazz & classical music.
From the inaugural fundraiser in support of Gilda's Club Greater Toronto song circles with Ron Sexsmith, Justin Rutledge, Sean Cullen, Dala, Kevin Hearn, Pat Robitaille, and more.
John Estacio's music set to John Murrell's poem for peace: The Houses Stand Not Far Apart.
Stewart was born and raised on a farm in Dundee, Quebec, a small municipality in the southwest-most corner of the province. He also is the lead singer and songwriter for the popular Montreal roots band "The Skivvies", who have just released their debut album. His solo appearance on the Routes-Montreal stage highlighted brand new material from his upcoming solo CD.
New Works Calgary launches their 25th anniversary season with a program of music from Canada and the Ukraine.
Kiran Ahluwalia and her ensemble bring the art of ghazal to the Westminster United Church with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.
Baba Zula's "Oriental Dub" music fuses traditional instruments such as the darbuk and saz with a contemporary electronic ambient dance-floor beat.
Pinchas Zukerman leads his National Arts Centre Orchestra in the first concert in a series showcasing Brahms' Symphonies No. 1 to 4 and the Violin Concerto.
The Language of Landscapes: Reiner Trio
A
concert of chamber music for piano and strings to mark Canadian composer Jean
Coulthard's centenary and the 50th anniversary of the death of English composer
Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Jonathan Crow, violin; Elizabeth Dolin, cello; Paul Stewart, piano and friends.
The Cowboy Junkies perform the Trinity Session album in its entirety 20 years after the original album was released.
Fourteen young singers compete as Placido Domingo conducts l'Orchestre symphonique de Québec
Three different string instruments are given solo spotlights by three rising talents.
The NACO Brahms Series opened their new 2008-2009 season with great success. The series was already a box office hit weeks before the first concert even took place. The concert series showcased Brahms' Symphonies No. 1 to 4 and the Brahms Violin Concerto, Op. 77.
Fourteen young singers compete as Placido Domingo conducts l'Orchestre symphonique de Québec
Composer Peter Allen performs the world premiere of his piece to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Juan.
Dynamic, intense pop music set to powerful & personal lyrics.
This young quintet from Vancouver prove that rock 'n roll will never die as long as there are good melodies and great energy. And yes, Said the Whale delivers on both those promises. This concert captures that spirit in front of a warm enthusiastic hometown crowd at the Telus Theatre out at the campus of the University of University of British Columbia, part of "The Live Sessions" series. West coast indie pop at its best!
"Reggae visionary" Jason Wilson debuts his solo CD "The Peacemaker's Chauffeur" surrounded by an all-star cast.
Outlaw Social, perhaps Victoria's best bluegrass band, comes at the genre with fresh energy, new and classic tunes and astonishing musicianship. The band brought its bass, fiddle, guitars and banjos up to the Brackendale Art Gallery for the Brackendale Bluegrass Festival.
Sarah McLachlan in a lovely solo set with some of her best known tunes stripped back to just Sarah's voice and piano or guitar.
Described as "a five-hour contemporary epic for solo piano" and "a set of contradictory etudes," this concert is a a musical cycle of 12 pieces by the composer Alvin Curran for solo piano, played by Eve Egoyan.
Chinese sensation Lang Lang in a solo recital of music by Schubert, Debussy, Bartok and Chopin.
CBC Radio 2 caught up with Daniel at The Tranzac Club in Toronto where he celebrated the release of his most recent CD, "Hakimey".
Mason Bates - composer, turntable; Edwin Outwater - conductor; Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra
Tonight on The Signal, we feature a groovy electro-acoustic collaboration between DJ Masonic and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra. Mason Bates is an internationlly-recognized classical composer, and as DJ Masonic, an accomplished club and lounge electronica DJ. In "Omniverous Furniture" he pulls these two worlds together to create a funky, driving, and fun work, part composed, part improvised. Mason joins the percussion section of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra with his laptop and percussion pad.
Brahms Sextet, played by the Tokyo String Quartet joined by violinist Pinchas Zukerman and cellist Amanda Forsyth.
2008 Juno Award winner Paul Brandt treats a sold-out crowd in his hometown Calgary to over 90 minutes of music.
Dione Taylor is a Juno-award winning vocalist who's at home in blues, gospel and jazz circles. Her most recent CD is called "I Love Being Here with You." For this special show at the Calgary Blues Festival she was joined by the Canadian All-Star band featuring guitarists Jack Semple and Jake Langley.
Jacob and Lily are roots musicians Caleb Friesen and Karla Adolphe. Together they weave a tapestry of thoughtful, nearly spiritual moments which will linger long after the final note is played. Karla's vocals combine with Caleb's percussion instruments from all over the world to creat a unique and organic sound.
A great concert which distills some work of Tielli's past with a couple of sneak-peaks into his albums-in-progress.
At the end of September, one Canadian musical act is going to be $20,000 richer. Ten different acts are up for the Polaris Music Prize, handed out in Toronto on the 29th of September. To celebrate, Canada Live and the program The Signal are teaming up on September 27th to give you all ten nominees in concert... (no, not all TOGETHER in concert... ten separate amazing concerts). That'll include alt-country queen Kathleen Edwards from Ottawa, the pride of Winnipeg known as The Weakerthans, Charlottetown's pop princes Two Hours Traffic... and not one but TWO acts from London, Ontario: Basia Bulat and the rapper Shad. Join hosts Alan Neal and Pat Carrabre for a special Polaris Prize edition of Canada Live and The Signal on September 27th.
Kathleen Edwards returns to her home town for a show at Ottawa's largest music festival, The Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest. Backed by her touring band, she performs a good selection from her latest album "Asking For Flowers" as well as some of her past hits.
At the end of September, one Canadian musical act is going to be $20,000 richer. Ten different acts are up for the Polaris Music Prize, handed out in Toronto on the 29th of September. To celebrate, Canada Live and the program The Signal are teaming up on September 27th to give you all ten nominees in concert... (no, not all TOGETHER in concert... ten separate amazing concerts). That'll include alt-country queen Kathleen Edwards from Ottawa, the pride of Winnipeg known as The Weakerthans, Charlottetown's pop princes Two Hours Traffic... and not one but TWO acts from London, Ontario: Basia Bulat and the rapper Shad. Join hosts Alan Neal and Pat Carrabre for a special Polaris Prize edition of Canada Live and The Signal on September 27th.
At the end of September, one Canadian musical act is going to be $20,000 richer. Ten different acts are up for the Polaris Music Prize, handed out in Toronto on the 29th of September. To celebrate, Canada Live and the program The Signal are teaming up on September 27th to give you all ten nominees in concert... (no, not all TOGETHER in concert... ten separate amazing concerts). That'll include alt-country queen Kathleen Edwards from Ottawa, the pride of Winnipeg known as The Weakerthans, Charlottetown's pop princes Two Hours Traffic... and not one but TWO acts from London, Ontario: Basia Bulat and the rapper Shad. Join hosts Alan Neal and Pat Carrabre for a special Polaris Prize edition of Canada Live and The Signal on September 27th.
One of the finest contemporary jazz bands in Canada wrapped up their latest national tour with this breathtaking concert from St. John's.
FEATURED ARTISTS: Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France
Conductor Francois-Xavier Roth (Motsch work) and Conductor Reinbert de Leeuw (Mochizuki work)
Jet-setting conductor Yannick Nézét-Séguin now holds important positions in London and Rotterdam. He takes time from his busy international schedule to open the new season of Orchestre Metropolitain du Grand Montreal. Two vocalists - soprano Marianne Fiset and mezzo-soprano Julie Boulianne - are featured in Nuits d'été by Berlioz, and the orchestra promenades its skill in Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.
Composer Peter Allen performs the world premiere of his piece to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Juan.
One of Zimbabwe's favourite a cappella and dance group graced us with its presence at the International Nuits d'Afrique Festival, in Montreal. This performing arts group grew from it's humble beginnings in 1982 in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, to become internationally acclaimed. They perform in many styles including Imbube chants, gospel in English and Ndebele, as well as gumboot dancing. They bring with them rich melodies and harmonies as well as vivid descriptions of their beloved homeland. With their beautiful harmonies and intricate rhythms Black Umfolosi's music touches the heart.
Since they first started playing together in 2002, Le Vent du Nord has performed over 600 concerts worldwide. They have been having a phenomenal success on the trad scene. With their traditional and original compositions, their verve, generosity, and energy, they charm all audiences! This summer, they headed to the 14th edition of the Festival Mémoire et Racines, in Lanaudière, for a very special event featuring not only the four members of the group but also many special guests from the traditional music world. An evening of foot taping rhythms, amazing vocal harmonies and virtuoso performances by some of Quebec's best folk musicians.
A concert which celebrated Quebec’s 400th anniversary, with two new works, one by a Quebec composer and one by a composer from France, commissioned especially for this anniversary.
A jazz quartet and a classical string quartet blend as one to play the music and arrangements of Duane Andrews.
The North Atlantic Fiddle Convention (NAFCO) was held in St. John's this summer and for 5 days the city was a buzz with all things fiddle. It marked the first time the event was held in North America and with the conference theme of "Crossing Over" Newfoundland traditional players were joined by world-class fiddle groups from Canada, Scotland, England, Galacia, Denmark and The U.S. Among the many highlights were Scottish fiddle master Alasdair Fraser and American cello virtuoso Natalie Haas.
From the Lone Ranger to Lefty Frizzell, America's folk heroes loom large in the imagination of singers and songwriters all over the world. This summer at the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival in St. John's Ron Hynes, Larry Foley, and Matthew Byrne explored their American roots in a session called "Folkies Without Borders: The American Influence".
A terrific concert by The Brothers Creeggan: that's Jim and Andy Creeggan of Barenaked Ladies fame. They'll play some Barenaked Ladies tunes, some of their own solo works, and one song written about their childhood: "John's In The Fridge." Yes, they do have a brother John!
2007 will mark 20 years in the recording and touring career of the Barra MacNeils. As a group, the six MacNeil siblings are widely regarded as one of the greatest live acts in the Celtic world. Hailing from Sydney Mines, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, the family group is deeply rooted in Celtic music, culture and history. This concert was part of an international tour to celebrate the release of their most recent CD. From the Marigold Theatre in Truro, N.S.
Calgary's Land's End Chamber Ensemble in a concert exploring the musical diversity of China.