CiTR -- The Saturday Edge

Started with an R.I.P. to Afro-beat pioneer and master drummer Tony Allen (Nigeria), then featured lots of music about dreams. All we can do these days is dream, it seems, so I figured we needed a soundtrack! Also new music from Pharis & Jason Romero, Rory Block, Steve Riley, Sierra Hull, and more!

Music from - and for - the people of Nova Scotia dominated the show this week after that dreadful murder spree last weekend. Plenty of cheery music too, from all over the map as we continue to self-isolate and yet keep the good vibes going

Love is the reason we're all here and it's also the theme of today's show. Seems like a lot of love is needed these days, and isolation isn't the best bed for those flowers to grow. So here are some musical seeds of love...

New music from Swiss trio JMO, several songs by John Prine and co. plus a couple of covers. A Bill Withers song or two. Some shouts out to Canadian Folk Music Award winners. Some sad songs, inspirational songs, an Easter Rising song, and some blisteringly fast Celtic medleys. Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, I say!

Some music - mostly Canadian - chosen as a result of flipping through the pages of the latest edition of the excellent Canadian magazine Penguin Eggs, plus new releases by Eliza Gilkyson and John Doyle, a mini-feature on NYC's Hazmat Modine, and some Irish punk-ish folk from Lankum.

R.I.P. Cameroon saxophonist Manu Dibango. Mostly songs of Joy and Hope for these Dark Days. Plus a little tribute to George Best and Manchester United; I'm missing them dearly.

Recorded at Rogue Towers and transmitted to CiTR for broadcast! Oh, the wonders of technology... Songs of struggle, isolation, and not a little despair. But there is still a lot of love out there, and hope too. And scintillating music that covers all the bases and conquers all ills! Stay safe, folks.

A big feature on Celtic music for St. Paddy's Day! Plus R.I.P. Laura Smith, and music by performers whose local concerts have just been cancelled, and some whose shows we hope will still go ahead. And some new world music from Songlines magazine

A swathe of female performers from around the world, plus Sharon Shannon, Martyn Joseph, and Festival du Bois previews

Played some of my favourite songs from the past 30 years, and ended up with two live bands in the studio: PEI's Ten Strings & A Goatskin, and Quebec's Bon Debarras. What a blast!!

Celebrating St. David's Day with Welsh music, and previewing Festival du Bois, Celticfest Vancouver, and Driven Bow Fiddle Festival finale - and lots more besides.

A small tribute Ladysmith Black Mambazo founder Joseph Shamabala, who passed away last week, then a big feature on Mardi Gras / Carnaval / Pancake Day, and a preview of concerts by Canadian banjoist / folklorist Jayme Stone, and the Rogue's Driven Bow Fiddle Festival which runs next week.

Two superb Albums of the Week: Micheal Doucet & Lacher Prise and Blackie & Rodeo Kings. Lots more new music and plenty of Canadian fiddles. Above all, the message was L-O-V-E

Played some of my all-time favourites, some new favourites, music collected at Folk Alliance, music coming soon to Vancouver, and a little feature on music from Louisiana. Plus lots of spruiking to try to raise funds for CiTR

Musical memories from last week's trip to New Orleans for Folk Alliance International, with lots of music from there and Lafayette. A song for Groundhog Day. Concert Previews and masses of Canadian fiddles too.

On my way to New Orleans in the morning for the Folk Alliance International Conference. Played a lot of music by artists who will be showcasing there, plus local concert previews and new music from Africa - North and Central.

Lots of music from Iran today. So sad about those lives lost. A direct consequence of a mindless act of murder by the megalomaniacal idiot in the White House. New releases, concert previews, and a salute to John Mann (Spirit of the West), for whom a Celebration of Life was to be held that afternoon.

Mostly new releases today. Many fine recordings have been accumulating at Rogue Towers this month and now that the seasonal fare is over and done with I finally got a chance to unleash some of it!! Also a brief tribute to the remarkable talent of Neil Innes, erstwhile Python and Bonzo founder, who passed away this week. His finest hour must surely be The Rutles, though.

Well, some of my favourite tracks from some of my favourite albums I heard in 2019

My annual Seasonal mashup of Christmas tunes and all sorts of mayhem. Happy Solstice everyone! Merry Christmas - and Wassail!!

After the sad demise of fRoots magazine I managed to find another source of musical inspiration: Songlines Magazine. Which comes with a fresh CD / download album every month. Quite a few cuts from Songlines 2019 today! Plus a bunch of winter songs and laments for the UK election. Take down the Union Jack. Forever.

Inspired by The Jaybirds' remarkable concert last week, plenty of waltzes and rare trad. songs, plus a feature on Cool Yule - Van Django's gypsy jazz Christmas show next week. More new music from Leonard Cohen, and a few tracks from the new Celtic Colours Live CD headlining a healthy dose of fiddles and accordions from eastern Canada - and further east too.

A new CD from Mr. Cohen, new music from Rory McLeod, Mozaik, Crannua Collective etc. Plus a phone interview with Cape Breton fiddler Mairi Rankin, a few concert previews and a panoply of peripatetic roots music delights!

Paying tribute to Spirit of the West singer John Mann who passed away this week. Also marking the 50th anniversary of The Band's eponymous album, and featuring Le Vent Du Nord and other upcoming Rogues. Wound up with some stunning new Irish music

Orquesta Akokan or Birds of Chicago for tonight's concert entertainment? Also some amazing new Irish trad selections and a celebration of new roots music from across Canada - and England too.