Citr -- The Saturday Edge

Some of my favourite new albums of 2020 - starting in Africa and of course plenty of Canadiana and Celtic music and some chuckles with Geordie accents. Also a small tribute to bluegrass legend Tony Rice, who passed away this past week.

Started with new music from Songlines Magazine, then mixed Boxing Day references with new releases and a few classic surprises

Started with my usual peripatetic sojourn around Africa and then uncorked the seasonal spirits with new singles from Locarno, Nicki Bluhm, and Abigail & Bela. A few jaunty Xmas ditties, some wassails and solstice songs, and a feature on Cape Breton's wonderful Celtic quartet Coig, who play a Christmas show tonight on the Rogue website. Ended with my little nativity special!

A big trip around the shores of Africa to start the show, then some sublime Persian singing and some stirring Nordic tunes to kick things off. Two previews of seasonal concerts (Van Django's Cool Yule, and Coig's Cape Breton Xmas), a tribute to John Lennon - murdered 40 years ago this week - a few amazing new wassail songs, and a few new releases.

It's 3 or more celestial bodies in a line. Or 57 amazing songs and tunes on today's show! Loads of new releases and a birthday shout out to Tom Waits, and some exhilarating Celtic medleys and trad songs from Canada and beyond.

Playing a whole bunch of Canadian music plus brand new tunes by Fraser & Haas (new CD, SYZYGY), Richard Thompson (new EP Bloody Noses), The Dardanelles (new CD from Nfld), Liam Docherty (13 year old blues guitarist and songwriter from Qualicum Beach), and Iris DeMent (a 9 minute opus about the state of the union)

Thank you Songlines Magazine for the many inspirational selections on your monthly CDs! Also some waterfront songs, plenty of new songs, a bit of Dead air, and a big blast of Celtic fiddles and trad songs. Plus a feature on Quebec's Le Vent Du Nord

Started with some Indian music for Dilwali - the Hindu festival of light. Moved to Africa, sweeping through from north to south before zooming up to Sweden. A bit of soulful music from both sides of our border before a big Celtic flourish with a healthy Canadian accent. Recorded the show from a waterfront hideaway near Ladysmith B.C. Nice to be out of the rat race for a while.

New music from Djibouti, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Vancouver, Edmonton, Co. Durham, and Barnsley! A big feature on the new Joni Mitchell 5 CD set, some Remembrance Day songs, and a tip of the hat to Leonard Cohen - four years gone today.

Some Halloween songs of murder, transformation, sorcery, dragons, monsters, and witches. Plus new music from Africa, a brand new CD from Martin Simpson, and new songs for our (chaotic) times.

Election time! Some songs about issues surrounding elections; some new music from Jez Lowe, Kronos Quartet, Laura Cortese, Leyla McCalla, and Rick Fines, and RIP to English blues / R&B pioneer Spencer Davis. And of course the title track from the new John Lennon Box Set: still relevant after all these years!

A lot of new music this week. Some interesting new stuff from Madagascar, especially. A lot of wonderful voices - mostly women. Fabulous new arrangements of traditional song, and some scintillating musicianship towards the end with that Celtic Colours flourish.

Many of the artists from this year's virtual festival from Cape Breton, plus live recordings and memories of past festivals. Happy B'Day John Lennon. RIP Johnny Nash. Plenty of new music from all over the globe as well.

Compelling and beautiful music from Africa, Canada, USA, and the Celtic Isles surrounding a blast of vitriol aimed at Herr Drumpf (aka Agent Orange) before he was whisked away to a hospital for "losers". I recorded this show before he was diagnosed. But I make no apologies ...

Songs to mark the change of seasons, new releases from Yorkshire's Magpies and Kate Rusby, and many more

New music from Shooglenifty, Canadian cellist Ofra Harnoy, Scandinavian trio Dreamers' Circus, English singer Fay Hield and more. Plus some folkie covers of rock and pop classics, and a fairly eclectic mixture all round, really.

New releases inspired by the latest issue of Songlines magazine, a great new CD from Sarah Jarosz, blues magic from Musselwhite & co., and some songs of hope at the end.

New releases by Canada's Twin Flames, Italy's Beppe Gambetta, America's Molly Tuttle, and Cape Breton's Hauler. Plus a small tribute to Justin Townes Earle. Some sombre sounds and a few songs of hope, love and defiance. Finished up with a great new cover of Which Side Are You On for Labour Day

Tribute to Denmark's Tonder Festival - which should have been happening this weekend. Lots of Scandinavian fiddles and voices, and lots of Canadians (very popular at Tonder down the years). Some personal reminiscences from that event in 2016 and 2019 - and RIPs to Balla Sidibe (Orchestra Baobab) and Justin Townes Earle

Part Two of my favourite reminiscences from the Edmonton Folk Music Festival.