Citr -- The Saturday Edge

More of my favourite albums from 2021, a lot of different languages and a wide variety of cultural roots. Plenty of Canadiana and some poignant songs amidst the generally cheery upbeat mayhem!

Some of my favourite recordings of 2021. There were just too many to fit into one show, so Part Two will be next week! Finished up with some songs for and about the turn of the year, and a shout-out to Yves Lambert, who was made a member of the Order of Canada this week. Bonne Annee tout le monde!

Started off with a few of my favourite albums from around the world before following Santa's sled down the Camino to the Nativity and beyond. Some of the most unusual seasonal songs from around the northern hemisphere - and a lot of my own personal faves. Snow falling here in Vancouver today. So glad I chose to record the show and send it to CiTR so I could stay home to listen while watching the chickadees and hummingbirds and towhees on our bird feeders in the snow.

A big feature on legendary Jamaican bassist, producer, composer Robbie "Bass Spear" Shakespeare in the first hour, and further tributes to Mike Nesmith and Bill Staines, also recently departed. Some seasonal fare from Galicia, Cape Breton and Vancouver; some rootsy bluesy stuff from Dalannah Gail Bowen, Crys Matthews and co., plus a rousing Celtic finale with a few memorable blasts from the past.

Featured nominees and winners of this weekend's Songlines magazine Music Awards show, plus new releases by Quebec accordionist / singer Yves Lambert, Scotland's Karine Polwart & Dave Milligan, and more of the Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and Justin Adams & Mauro Durante CDs. Finished with some exhilarating Celtic music from Spain, Ireland, and Vancouver

Peripatetic wanderings from Colombia to Cuba to Haiti to The Sahara to Italy to Sweden and New Zealand and on to Argentina. Then we Raise The Roof with Plant & Krauss, made a quick trip to the Bayou, heard some very fine bluegrass from The Jaybirds, and wound up with a very big Celtic finale. Such an exhilarating wild ride!

Some hot Latin sounds at the start, a feature on the fabulous new Robert Plant / Alison Krauss CD, and Chronicles: 60 Years of The Chieftains. A lament for the cancellation of The Romeros show, a preview of The Rogue's December shows, and a last blast of philosophy from the recently-deceased Astro of UB40

After a week of unprecedented storms and flooding, Vancouver is cut off from the rest of the country by road and rail, with thousands of farms under water and thousands of people evacuated from their homes. Mudslides on every major highway. More flood warnings abound, So, lots of songs about floods and rain, but started with some desert songs to try to balance things out a bit! Also added a bunch of great new releases and some Rogue Folk show previews.

New music from Billy Bragg, Justin Adams & Mauro Durante, Ian Robb & James Stephens, and Songlines Magazine. Some climate change protests, and anti-war songs, and a few Indian Beatles songs, R.I.P.s to UB40's Astro, and to English singer Barry Coope. Plus lots of Canadiana and so much more.

Started with some Indian fusion music for Diwali, the Hindu Festival Of Light. Some raunchy blues, some fine Canadian songwriters, and a look back at Wake The Dead's remarkable show last weekend in Berkeley. Preview of The Rogue's next show: a Leonard Cohen tribute with Tower of Song in a twin bill with Roots & Grooves. Some stirring Celtic music and a final flourish of songs for Remembrance Day.

New releases galore, including Mark Perry from Smithers - who plays a Rogue show next week to launch the new album - and a great new Celtic band, Fourth Moon, with members from Austria, Italy, France and Scotland. A few Halloween classics too.

Started with a feature on Mali's 71st generation griot and kora maestro Toumani Diabate with some of his amazing collaborations. Paid tribute to two luminaries of Irish Trad: Tony McMahon (accordion) and Paddy Moloney (uilleann pipes).

A heap of new releases from around the globe, a big preview of next week's celebration of Canadian country blues, some stirring music from England, and a Celtic flourish culminating with a tribute to The Chieftains' pioneering piper and raconteur, Paddy Moloney, who passed away last week at the age of 83

Maria Muldaur just released the title song for today's show! Featured the 25th anniversary reissue of Buena Vista Social Club (as a double CD!), new songs from Songlines Magazine #172, Rogue Reload previews, new Canadian releases, R.I.P. to Celtic music pioneer Robin Morton, and a tip of the tam o'shanter to Celtic Colours - the great Cape Breton festival marking its 25th year this week

The African grooves in the first hour were embellished by the amazing kora player, singer, songwriter, and griot Seckou Keita and some of his musical collaborations. A bunch of Rogue Reload previews and new releases, then a feature on next weekend's 25th Annual Celtic Colours Festival, and a return to M. Keita, this time linking up with some gorgeous Scots voices. Ended with a stunning version of Robin Williamson's October Song rendered by English guitar wizard Martin Simpson

A focus on Truth & Reconciliation Day (Sep 30th). Also some Rogue Reload Concert Previews, new releases, and a few surprises along the way. I made the show on a farm, surrounded by some interesting and occasionally rather raucous animals and birds! I wonder if any of them will make themselves heard on the show?

Sitars and koras tp the fore! Celtic fiddles and accordions - and some lovely Vancouver mixed roots at the end. New releases in blues, bluegrass, singer songwriters, and Celts in the middle

Sublime Persian music, a song or two for peace on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, some new music featured in the latest Songlines magazine, some watery songs from Louisiana, and a bunch of Rogue Reloaded previews, with heaps of great bands from BC. Some stirring Celtic music, tasty blues and bluegrass, and some very fine songwriters in this eclectic show recorded at home so I could prepare for the first Rogue show since March 2020 - with The Paperboys.

Started with some beautiful fusion music from an Italian-Austrian accordion-sitar duo, a unique Persian-Indian-American quartet, and a Cuban-Senegalese piano / kora / flute combo. Some hot Afro-Brazilian. Canadian-Colombian, Ivorian and French-Algerian stuff, and a tribute to Lee Scratch Perry. Blues, Bluegrass, Songwriters, and Celtic pipes and fiddles rounded out the show.

Gorgeous new music from Persian American singer Katouyoun Goudarzi and lots of new sounds from Africa, Denmark, Canada, and USA. Rogue Relaunch Previews - even with reduced capacity due to Covid restrictions. A few technical challenges today. Might revert to remote recordings next week ...