
What is Black History Month?
Let’s start by talking about what’s it’s not. It’s not a requirement or an empty gesture. It’s a celebration. At CKUA that means thinking about music and artistry in new ways. We’ll appreciate the musicians we already know and love. Some hosts will share music by lesser-known artists. We’ll have special Arts & Culture feature interviews throughout the month.
We’re inviting the community into conversation and appreciation. Here’s what’s planned for February!
Sunday, February 2
Very Early Music with host Lark Clark, 8am – 9am: Throughout the month, Lark will share music by Reginald Mobley, Bobby McFerrin, Wynton Marsalis, Paul Robeson, André Watts, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and Chevalier de Saint-Georges.
Monday, February 3
Catch & Release with host Kerry Clarke, 6pm – 8pm: Hear the story of how Saharan Afrofuturist artist AfrotroniX evolved from the family band H’sao, listen to Faith Nolan and Aquakultre’s unique takes on Africville, and feast your ears on Jamaica to Toronto’s late ‘60s soul, funk & reggae. Dig into the life of hard bop band leader Archie Alleyne. Hear two hours of diverse sounds from creative artists who reside in this vast country we call Canada.
Twilight with host Amy van Keeken, 10pm – midnight: celebration of British composer and pianist Alexis Ffrench (February 3 – 6).
Wednesday, February 5
Far Out with host Amy van Keeken, 6pm – 8pm: celebration of the Analog Africa record label.
Thursday, February 6
All Black artists 6am – 6pm
Alberta Morning with host Grant Stovel, 6am – 9 am: special feature with Shelley Hamilton of The Black Opry.
Discoveries with host Leo Cripps, 9am – 11am: celebration of Bob Marley’s birthday.
Friday, February 7
This Just In with host Amy van Keeken, 9am – 11am: new album Community Flips from Philadelphia-based writer, producer, and DJ John Morrison.
Sunday, February 9
Very Early Music with host Lark Clark, 8am – 9am: Throughout the month, Lark will share music by Reginald Mobley, Bobby McFerrin, Wynton Marsalis, Paul Robeson, André Watts, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and Chevalier de Saint-Georges.
Roy’s Record Room with host Roy Forbes, 2pm – 3pm: Roy Salutes Black History Month with some Black musical pioneers at 78 RPM. From shellac discs with a date range of 1909 to 1935, you’ll hear an eclectic batch of vintage sounds from the Fisk University Jubilee Quartet (1909), Blind Mamie Forehand (1927), Cab Calloway (1930), Clara Smith & her Jazz Band (1925), Louis Armstrong & his Hot Five (1925), Cannon’s Jug Stompers (1928), Fats Waller & his Rhythm (1935), and more.
Monday, February 10
Catch & Release with host Kerry Clarke, 6pm – 8pm: Self-proclaimed “amateur ethnomusicologist” Christopher Kirkley started the label Sahel Sounds after travelling to Mauritania, Mali and Niger. These field recordings began with musicians recording tracks on their cellphone and sent through WhatsApp. Each session was hosted for a month on Bandcamp and sold on a sliding scale, with all profits wired directly to the musicians. After a month, the EP would disappear, replaced by another one. One of the earliest artists featured on these compilations was Mdou Moctar. Hear him and other artists on this innovative label, including Etran de L’Air and Les Filles de Illighadad.
Twilight with host Amy van Keeken, 10pm – midnight: celebration of Alice Coltrane (February 10 – 13).
Wednesday, February 12
All Black artists 6am – 6pm
Discoveries with host Leo Cripps, 9am – 11am: Jamaican Association of Northern Alberta (JANA) – getting ready for their BHM celebration with music and food.
Far Out with host Amy van Keeken, 6pm – 8pm: feature on Aquakultre Polaris Prize long list album Don’t Trip.
Friday, February 14
Alberta Morning with host Grant Stovel, 6am – 9 am: special feature with Buffalo Nichols, a blues artist who’s on his way to Alberta.
This Just In with host Amy van Keeken, 9am – 11am: British singer/songwriter Yola’s new EP My Way.
Sunday, February 16
Very Early Music with host Lark Clark, 8am – 9am: Throughout the month, Lark will share music by Reginald Mobley, Bobby McFerrin, Wynton Marsalis, Paul Robeson, André Watts, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and Chevalier de Saint-Georges.
Monday, February 17 (Family Day)
All Black artists 6am – 6pm
Catch & Release with host Kerry Clarke, 6pm – 8pm: Hear sounds of the African continent and its vast diaspora. Enjoy music by Konono #1, Tinariwen and Benin Music International, Sons of Kemet, James Blood Ulmer, Tom Ze, AfrotroniX, Xenia França, Meshell Ndegeocello, Josyara, Adrian Young, Black Joe Lewis, Betsayda Machado, The Heavy, Little Axe, Cedric Burnside, and more.
Twilight with host Amy van Keeken, 10pm – midnight: celebration of André 3000 (February 17 – 20).
Wednesday, February 19
Far Out with host Amy van Keeken, 6pm – 8pm: celebration of the Jazz Is Dead record label.
Friday, February 21
All Black artists 6am – 6pm
This Just In with host Amy van Keeken, 9am – 11am: 84-year-old singer Charles Wigg Walker’s new album This Love Is Gonna Last.
Traffic Jams with host Lisa Wilton, 3pm – 6pm: Black artists who shaped rock ‘n’ roll, including Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Prince, Jimi Hendrix, Tina Turner, Little Richard, and more.
Sunday, February 23
Very Early Music with host Lark Clark, 8am – 9am: Throughout the month, Lark will share music by Reginald Mobley, Bobby McFerrin, Wynton Marsalis, Paul Robeson, André Watts, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and Chevalier de Saint-Georges.
Roy’s Record Room with host Roy Forbes, 2pm – 3pm: Roy Salutes Black History Month with more Black musical pioneers at 78 RPM. Hear LaVerne Baker, Bo Diddley, the Midnighters, Little Richard, the Heartbeats, Chuck Berry, the Cadillacs, Etta James, Tommy Edwards, and many more.
Monday, February 24
Catch & Release with host Kerry Clarke, 6pm – 8pm: Celebrate the modern banjo with the innovative Black string band Carolina Chocolate Drops. You’ll also hear Memphis Minnie, Otis Taylor, Valerie June, Kaia Kater, Our Native Daughters, Amythyst Kiah, Elizabeth Cotton, Etta Baker, Jake Blount and more.
Twilight with host Amy van Keeken, 10pm – midnight: feature on bassoonist and composer Joy Guidry.
Wednesday, February 26
All Black artists 6am – 6pm
Thoroughfare with host Tony King, 1pm – 3pm: spotlight on Canadian artists Bel and Quinn, a duo from Montreal that will tour Alberta in early March. Bel and Quinn are two sisters of Haitian origin who are making their mark on the Canadian music scene. They characterize their sound as a soul-stirring mélange of the music of their Haitian roots coupled with soul, jazz and funk. In our divisive and challenging time, the duo composes pieces that crack through the veneer of negativity to let the light shine in. Bel and Quinn paint evocative pictures of their personal experiences of facing prejudice and sexism through the lens of black women in the 21st century.
Far Out with host Amy van Keeken, 6pm – 8pm: album feature: Songhoy Blues new release Héritage.
Friday, February 28
This Just In with host Amy van Keeken, 9am – 11am: sharing Grant Stovel‘s conversation with Canadian country, soul, and roots artist. Shelley Hamilton