Harper picks N.S. judge as next Supreme Court member


Prime Minister Stephen Harper has nominated a judge from the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court.

Hanna to hit Atlantic Canada with heavy wind and rain
Wet weather will be headed to Atlantic Canada this weekend with heavy rain and gale force winds from tropical storm Hanna predicted to hit the area by Sunday, according to the Canadian Hurricane Centre.

What Makes A Good Song Good?
Yesterday Stevie Wonder won the Library Of Congress Gershwin Prize For Popular Song. According to one report, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington said, “The Gershwin Prize was created to honor an artist whose creative output transcends distinctions between musical styles and idioms, bringing diverse listeners together, and fostering mutual understanding and appreciation.” He also said that “Stevie Wonder’s music epitomizes this ideal.” So in this case a good song is at least in part about fostering cultural understanding — fairly specific, really. (And funnily enough not something the Gershwins were so big on — unless you think espousing having rhythm is one way of fostering cultural understanding.) But the awarding of this prize made me — and perhaps will make you — start thinking anew about what makes a good popular song. Particularly in light of the new programming on CBC R2 — with a show like Radio 2 Drive, which is really about songs and songwriters. What makes a good song? How do you decide? Why is it that what is “dreck” to one person is gold to another?

Ten Questions For Tom Allen
While three new show premiered this week with four new hosts (don’t forget Molly Johnson on the weekend!) one of those hosts, the host of the weekday edition of Radio 2 Morning (6 a.m.-10 a.m.) probably needs little introduction. He has, I think, attained a status rarely conferred upon any individual — he is a CBC Personality. Possibly even a National Treasure! (We won’t hold this against him though.) But it is still conceivable that there is someone reading this who knows nothing about Tom, or that someone who does might enjoy a few lighthearted words from Mr. Allen anyway, thus this little Q&A. (By the way, I was so glad he did not deny the veracity of question # 5, as I have an eye witness to the event, a.k.a. the R2 Blogger…) 1. Three words that describe your new show? Bright, up, and fresh. 2. Three words that describe how you feel when you get up at 4 am to go to work? Bright, up, and…full of it. 3. The quality you most admire in a radio host? Honesty and directness. 4. The quality you most admire in a pet? Character. I can put up with attitude, with noise and with fur all over the place, as long as character prevails. 5. True or False: You ride your bike around the atrium of the Broadcast Centre in the wee small hours. True. At least, it was true, before CBC Security decided a bicycle is a global threat. It’s ridiculous. If they’re willing to leave Jowi Taylor in here without supervision in the middle of the night I don’t see why I can’t bring in my bike. 6. True or False: You once aspired to be a cook in a Mexican restaurant. False – I didn’t aspire to be one. I was one. Chili, soups, fajitas… I did all that. It was the high-end Russian cuisine I aspired to – for six whole weeks. Then the truth was revealed, and I had to find another way to pay the rent. 7. Favourite music to cook burritos to? Tito Puente, Samba Squad or Tower of Power 8. The trombone versus the mandolin, in under twenty words? Battle of the century! One night only! Don’t miss it! Still plenty of good seats left! 9. Musician you would you most like to meet, dead or alive? It would have to be someone I think I could actually get along with. I’ve met famous people, and once you’ve said “I have all your albums” and they’ve said “Thanks” there really isn’t anything else to it. So: Bach’s out – too busy. Beethoven – too moody. Cole Porter – all style and no substance. Richard Rogers – a grump. Bird, Coltrane, Hendrix and Elvis all had other distractions. Ray Charles could be prickly, John Lennon, too. Pete Townsend is deaf. Sting is a corporation. Kurt Cobain – are you crazy? Alright, alright… I’ll pick three: Dizzy Gillespie for wit and humour, Steve Reich for intellect and a love of trains, and Tom Waits for the unexpected. Oh, and there had better be a woman around, just to maintain poise. Sapho? Hildegard von Bingen? No, wait! I’ve got it – Shirley Bassey. 10. Mantra for the new radio season? If it cooks, it’s on the menu.

Sea lion attraction revives calls for tougher standards for Alberta zoos
Animal rights groups want tighter standards for Alberta zoos in light of a new program at West Edmonton Mall that allows people to pay $150 to swim with sea lions in the mall’s aquarium.

Holiday Monday Programming
Happy Labour Day. It hardly seems possible that summer is over, the Canadian summer is always a blink of an eye, isn’t it. Not that I really mind. Sorry, summer advocates, but there’s something wonderful about cooler days and autumn leaves. (You know the ones, they drift by your window, the autumn leaves of red and gold?) Not to mention real autumn apples! No more summer mushiness. But regardless of where you stand re: summer vs. autumn, there’s no question that Labour Day represents the eve of change, the new school year, the new radio season too. And this year that means some very big changes at Radio 2, with three new shows on the new daytime schedule launching tomorrow: Tom Allen’s Radio 2 Morning (6 a.m.-10 a.m.), Julie Nesrallah’s Tempo (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.), and Rich Terfry’s Radio 2 Drive (3 p.m.-6 p.m.). Radio 2 Morning will also be heard on weekends with host Molly Johnson. The blog will look a little different tomorrow too — a handy dandy early morning post will tell you what’s coming up each day, something some of you have suggested would be helpful. But as to the programming today. Since it is a holiday you will not hear the programming you are used to, nor will you hear the debut of the new shows. What you will hear is a mix of the kinds of music you’ll be hearing once the new shows launch. Also, the new show hosts are not on air today, (holiday host Jeremy Harris will pop in every now and then), they’re busy looking over their playlists, doing vocal exercises, practicing their intros…or maybe just drinking coffee and catching up on back issues of the New Yorker…I can’t say for sure. But I can say they’ll be in the host chairs tomorrow, eager and ready to play music for you. Now, here’s the scoop on the programming today: TODAY’S RADIO 2 HOLIDAY PROGRAMMING 6-10am: Singer-songwriters, world music, indie, blues — from musicians like Bruce Cockburn, Ron Sexsmith, Van Morrison, Jamie Lidell, Alex Cuba, Nina Simone, Chris Whitely — that should give you some idea of the range. 10am-3pm: All classical music, all Canadian. If it’s not a Canadian Composer, then it’s a Canadian orchestra, singer or ensemble. 3-6pm: New and older music, from the indie and roots camps, singer-songwriters, mostly Canadian — including musicians like Matthew Barber, Kathleen Edwards, Basia Bulat, Sam Roberts, and, as they say much, much more. Note: Tonic (6 p.m.), Canada Live (8 p.m.) and The Signal (10 p.m.) will be heard today as per usual — for Canada Live info, please scroll down to the previous post. Hope that you enjoy the holiday mix, and if you’re interested in hearing more that you tune in tomorrow, Tuesday, September 2, for the new Radio 2.

‘Yukon Erik’ Nielsen, former Tory MP, dies at 84
Erik Nielsen, who served as deputy prime minister in Brian Mulroney’s Conservative government, died Thursday at his home in Kelowna, B.C. He was 84.

Friday Afternoon Music Video Fest
Presenting the Friday afternoon mini-music-video fest, featuring three of the R2 Blog’s favourite fun music videos. No brainy thoughts to be shared about them at the moment, I’ll leave the braininess to tomorrow’s series, The Nerve (see last post). Hmm, I wonder what part(s) of the brain interact with sound to make one decide just to listen (or in this case watch and listen) without expending any analytical energy? Don’t know, but they should kick in upon viewing the following. Rationale: Because everyone needs to see these sleeves. (Music’s fabulous too.): Rationale: Music played on vegetables: Rationale: “It’s a Word Document”:

Greens tops, Tories flops in Sierra Club climate-change report card
The Sierra Club of Canada gives top marks to the Green party and a failing grade to the Conservatives in its ranking of parties’ climate-change platforms.

Emerson to co-chair Tory election campaign
Liberal-turned-Tory David Emerson will co-chair the Conservatives’ national campaign in the looming election.