CiTR -- The Saturday Edge

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.

Some personal recollections of attending the "Rolls Royce of Canadian Festivals" since 1986. With some of my favourite selections and artists from the great event.

Some favourite songs, a few tunes from the latest Songlines magazine, and R.I.P. English Blues guitar maestro Peter Green

Some of my favourite memories of Mission Folk Festival down the years, plus 55 years since Dylan went electric, RIPs to Judy Dyble and Emmitt Rhodes, and a couple of dedications

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival should have taken place this weekend. Here is my personal tribute to the event, from which I usually broadcast this show LIVE on CiTR. Some of my personal favourites down the years in the park, and music from many of the performers who had been booked to play this time around.

The pandemic has shut down all major concerts and especially painful is the loss of the great Canadian festival circuit. This weekend should have been Island Musicfest in Courtenay BC. Here's my tribute to the event with some past highlights and some artists who would have been there this week. As should I. Plus some new music from Songlines magazine, and a tribute to our new electric car - Telsta...

Incredible music in the first hour by the likes of Tamikrest and Bela Fleck & Toumani Diabate. Lots of strings throughout. Many of them played by the Kronos Quartet. Today’s theme is Quartets. Being the fourth. I recorded the show on the beach at Roberts Creek on Canada Day.

Canada Day Special Preview show, with all the music - after the opening tune - performed by Canadians. Some came from away. Others were born here. Many have roots in other cultures. The hardest part was how to cram in all the songs I wanted to play for Canada Day. It's all good and we are very lucky to be here and able to celebrate all these sounds. Great country, great music, rich cultural herita...

To mark Juneteenth I played a lot of new music from Africa, and quite a few songs about slavery and its effects. Part of my motivation was Marc Fournier - CBC DJ - posting a photo of empty shelves saying this is how many records would be in his collection if he took out all the black artists and all the musicians inspired by black artists! I finished the show with some Celtic music, a few songs fo...

June 16th is Blooms Day for James Joyce. So some Dublin songs, some June songs, and some songs about Blooms. Also a request for music by Vin Garbutt - the brilliant singer songwriter and hilarious storyteller from NE England - who passed away three years ago; a "mini-concert" by Eilen Jewell; some new African music; and a request for emerging Scots fiddler Ryan Young. Plus a flourish of Canadian g...

Deeply affected by news from south of the border this week, the 35th anniversary celebration began with a lot of songs about Justice, Freedom, Hope, and Kindness - a few things which appear to have deserted the news pages. Then I cheered things up a bit with some rollicking - and some beautiful - Celtic music. Finished up with a few new songs from current faves and a classic from Canadian songwrit...

Deeply affected by news from south of the border this week, the 35th anniversary celebration began with a lot of songs about Justice, Freedom, Hope, and Kindness - a few things which appear to have deserted the news pages. Then I cheered things up a bit with some rollicking - and some beautiful - Celtic music. Finished up with a few new songs from current faves and a classic from Canadian songwrit...

This show started in Kolkatta, moved to Kenya, then a brief RIP to Mory Kante, some Afro-Canadian fusion, a shout-out to Rokia Traore's child custody woes, and moved on through West Africa to Colombia, Wales, Sweden, France, The Balkans, Mississippi, and up to the safe side of the 49th with a feature on the new CD by The Burying Ground (country blues from Roberts Creek), and all sorts of Canadiana...

looking back at the first music festival I ever attended. 50 years ago this weekend The Hollywood Music Festival took place on a farmer's field near Keele University in North Staffordshire. It was the first appearance outside North America of The Grateful Dead. Traffic - just prior to launching John Barleycorn Must Die; British jug band Mungo Jerry; and lots more! Plus new releases by Gretchen Pet...

Music From Africa to China to Mexico to Louisiana to The Great White North. Happy Birthday to Steve Winwood and Barbara Dane and Happy World Fiddle Day to one and all! The show ended with a sudden burst of laughter. This is good!!

Nostalgia rules the airwaves today! Plenty of reminiscences from 33 years of Roguery, plus new music from Laura Cortese, John Doyle, JMO, David Bromberg, Eliza Gilkyson, Pharis & Jason Romero, The Burnett Sisters, Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn, and Toronto's Sultans Of String, whose new CD - Refuge - may have led to my inadvertent underlying theme of the plight of refugees. Such cool, subversive stuff...