Every week, CKUA’s hosts submit their songs for our weekly House Blend playlist: an exciting new release, a beloved classic or just an old personal favourite. We mix it all together to create a sonic concoction that’ll help kick off your week. Check out what’s on this week’s playlist.
The Playlist
The Picks
Orest Soltykevych: Mari Samuelsen, Hakon Samuelsen, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, “Horner: Pas de Deux”
Violinist Mari Samuelsen and cellist Hakon Samuelsen are siblings. They were challenged by a lack of repertoire for the combination of their two instruments. So they approached the late James Horner, who was renowned for his music for dozens of Hollywood films, including Titanic, Apollo 13, Aliens, Braveheart and Avatar. After Horner saw the brother and sister duo perform, he wrote this concerto for them.
Baba: Tune-Yards, “Honesty”
It’s ear catching, simple and straight-driving as a song. To the point as philosophy: Honesty, Honesty — Gone!
Meg Wilcox: Smashing Pumpkins, “Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)”
It’s been 18 years since the Smashing Pumpkins put out a new album — and now, as they’re out touring to celebrate their 30th year, they deliver a tune so classically Pumpkins-esque that you’ll almost think you’re back in the year 2000.
Lisa Wilton: Autogramm, “Jessica Don’t Like Rock ‘n’ Roll”
Autogramm is a very cool band out of Vancouver featuring the members of such groups as Black Mountain, Destroyer and The Black Halos. “Jessica Don’t Like Rock ‘n’ Roll” is the lead single from their new album, What R U Waiting 4, and harkens back to the punchy new wave sounds of The Cars and Devo with a dollop of ’70s-style power-pop.
Kodi Hutchinson- Laila Biali, “We Go”
Energetic music from pianist, vocalist and radio host Laila Biali, who is performing at the Banff Centre on Thursday November 22 and the Nickleodeon Folk Club in Calgary on Saturday November 24.
Tony King: Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, “Come-On-A-My-House”
Really, does Jeff Goldblum need any more publicity? The guy has a proven track record as a celebrated actor going back to the Big Chill and all these years later he’s still battling dinosaurs. So why dabble in creating a jazz album? Fact is, Goldblum has been playing piano, specifically jazz since his mid-teens, entering the cavernous clubs of Pittsburgh to tinkle the ivories. “Come-On-A-My-House”, featuring Imelda May, brings just the right amount of playfulness and sensuality capturing the spirit of Rosemary Clooney’s version. Peppered with a sense of fun and solid musicianship, how could one go wrong — besides the words “Christmas tree” are uttered and what could be more timely as we are about to crack open the proverbial eggnog in celebration of that festive time of year!
Amy van Keeken: Gordon Lightfoot, “A Minor Ballad”
I can’t stop celebrating Gord’s 80th birthday (which was on November 17). I’ve been revisiting some of my favourite tunes of his: ones I love to sing, ones I love to marvel at. This moody little number from his 1967 album The Way I Feel is one of my favs. Red Shea on lead guitar adds his magic and Gord harmonizing with the cello is heart-melting.
Lark Clark: Emmanuel Jal, “Ti Chuong”
Oh boy. Being a peace activist is a heavy gig. This time out Jal says he just wants to rock — and he does! It’s so good to hear him shakin’ it out — he deserves it!
Dianne Donovan: Barbara Lewis, “Hello Stranger”
Not only does Barbara Lewis sashay her way through this timeless tune but she wrote it herself, at a time when most artists were not doing so. Going back to 1963, there have been numerous remakes, including an instrumental but B.L.’s is best! Sweetly inspired by travelling and doing gigs with her father, wherein they’d be greeted with, “Hello Stranger”.
Grant Stovel: nhiyawak, “somnambulist”
This Treaty Six trio is making music that Alberta, Canada and the world needs to hear. It’s beautiful, urgent, heartfelt, deeply original, and it manages somehow to be both timeless AND very much of our present moment. It’s been a wild month for this band: they’ve toured Canada, played the Winspear and the Jack Singer, and managed to emerge largely unscathed from a harrowing highway rollover. And this week, they release their inspired EP, Starlight, on the illustrious Arts & Crafts label.