Combine-nation Sounds
Many of my favourite musicians are artists who play “in the cracks” — not in the spaces between the notes (although that can certainly be said for some of them), but artists who make music that straddles genres. Mixed-genre music may be easy to enjoy, but marketing it to the public can be a bit of a problem. How do you describe yourself if you like to rap about train stations and small town junkyards? Buck 65 coined the phrase “hick hop”. What about playing hard rock-inspired versions of folk tunes on traditional acoustic instruments? Sweden’s Hoven Droven invented a sub-genre called “heavy wood”. Tonight on Canada Live you can hear Vancouver’s Headwater, a band that describes it’s music as “tractor jazz”. What does jazz sound like from the cab of a combine-harvester? I bet you have an image in your mind’s eye already, and it’s not mixed cocktails or The Savoy Ballroom. Headwater’s “tractor jazz” evokes the hot dusty chaff of the prairies. It’s a mix of rootsy country, folk and good old-fashioned rock & roll music — all brushed off and gussied up with some hot licks from players who’ve studied the jazz greats, but choose to stay true to their western country roots. The second concert is a studio session featuring the delicate and artful string-driven roots-pop of Vancouver’s Attics and Cellars (a performance that can be enjoyed any time as a Concert on Demand).
Appointment to the St. John’s Port Authority
OTTAWA The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, today announced the appointment of Mr. Charlie Oliver of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, to the board of directors of the St. John’s Port Authority for a term of three years.
La Bruni
On TONIC this evening you’ll hear music from the First Lady of France, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. Prior to becoming Mme. Nikolas Sarkozy, the Italian-born, French-and-Swiss raised industrial heiress (nee Carla Bruni Tedeschi) enjoyed a successful career as a high fashion model. In 1997 Bruni switched careers and recorded a collection of breathy French chanson, followed by an album of songs based on the poetry of Yeats, Emiliy Dickenson, and Dorothy Parker (to name a few). An avowed “polyamorist”, Bruni was linked romantically to Mick Jagger and Donald Trump before her marriage to the French President in February of this year following a whirlwind romance. Bruni’s popularity as a French icon has largely eclipsed that of her husband’s ever since, although given his plummeting ratings, that is not too difficult a feat. The press has largely had a field day with Bruni, the French because she is married to that man, and the rest of the world because she sings a particularly French style of music that has never really caught on elsewhere. (That may be changing, with Feist possessing a certain French-inspired “je ne sais quoi” that appeals globally and Yael Naim catching on worldwide following her appearance in the MacBook Air commercials). I’d like to suggest we all take a giant step back and judge Bruni on her music alone. I’ve been listening to her for several years, ever since she caught my attention on a compilation of new French songwriters. Sure, the kitten-ish purr might put a person in mind of a breathless Brigitte Bardot at times, but there are enough lovely melodies, smart arrangements and sexy “sly winks” to let us know that Bruni is more than just fluff. Is Bruni the real thing? Tune in to Tonic and decide for yourself, and in the meantime, have a look at her in an acoustic setting here.
Massey Moments
Here’s to You pays homage to the Grand Old Lady of Canadian music today - not a performer who’s advancing in years, but a concert hall - Massey Hall, to be exact. Massey Hall opened more than 114 years ago, one of the first halls in Canada to be designed expressly for concerts. Today on Here’s to You, recordings of some of the artists who’ve brought the hall to life over the years. This panoramic image of Massey Hall was created by Ian Mutoo from 9 photos and is reproduced here courtesy of a Creative Commons licence.
Pop Goes the World
Are you someone who would make a photo shoot at the pedestrian crossing in Abbey Road a vacation priority? If so, have a look at this clever and ever-expanding Google Map with pins marking the exact locations of over 800 album cover photos. Abbey Road is there, natch, and so is Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison (Sacramento County), Cheap Trick’s Budokan (Tokyo) and Ron Sexsmith’s Grand Opera Lane (toronto). When you’re done enjoying your virtual world tour of rock, you might want to look at a couple of online collections of Abbey Road parodies, here and here. There aren’t 800 of them, but there are at least a few dozen. I think my personal favourite is the one made from Lego.
Psssst
This week’s Canada Live podcast is available for download. You’ll hear jazz singer Alita Dupray show off her smoky voice at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, and indie rock darling Danny Michel performing songs from his new album, “Feather, Fur & Fin.”
