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
Baba: Nightmares On Wax, “Tell My Vision”
It is the beat, it is the depth and breath of the lyrics, and no nightmares here, just what’s real.
Orest Soltykevych: Nicholas McCarthy, “Etude Op. 10 No. 3 “Tristesse””
Nicholas McCarthy is a British pianist who was born without a right hand. But he ended up as the first left-hand-only pianist to graduate from the Royal College of Music in London in its 130-year history. This piece is from McCarthy’s 2015 debut CD called Solo, which consists of piano pieces for the left hand only. The etude or study being played was written by Frederic Chopin. The etude was transcribed for left-hand piano by the Polish-American virtuoso pianist and composer, Leopold Godowsky. He wrote a total of 53 arrangements of Chopin’s etudes, and 22 of them were written for left hand only.
Terry David Mulligan: Jim Cuddy Band, “Constellations”
When a song is this well-written, with so much emotion infused into the lyrics and delivery, AND it’s written by, lived by and sung by Jim Cuddy, it’s a slam dunk. From his just-released fourth solo album, Constellation. As Jim said in our interview: “I wanted to get this right because I’m going to singing this song for a long time.” It’s in memory of a friend lost to Cancer. Classic Cuddy.
Mark Antonelli: Seong-Jin Cho, “Reflets dans l’eau”, from Debussy
Debussy’s piano music has always blown me away. It seems to exist in more dimensions than should be humanly possible. “Reflets dans l’eau”, which translates as reflections in the water, was one of the first of his pieces I really got into. If an impressionist painting by an artist like Monet was somehow magically transformed into a piece of music, it would be Debussy’s “Reflets dans l’eau”. Seong-Jin Cho is an amazingly-talented, young pianist from South Korea. Best listened to with headphones!
Amy van Keeken: Mauno, “Anything Anymore”
I saw this Nova Scotia-based band last weekend, opening for Chad Van Gaalen in Edmonton. They blew me away with their tight intricate songs. Bassist Eliza Niemi especially captivated my ears with her gorgeous backup vocals and stellar bass lines. In this track, she takes over lead vocal duties and does so impeccably. I’ve always been a fan of singer-guitarist Nick Everett’s songs. In this project, with drummer Adam White, bassist Eliza Niemi and fellow guitar player Scott Boudreau, the songs have become more complex, intricate — but also seemingly more simple like an arrow to the heart. P.S. The band name is pronounced Mau-No.
Tony King: Raleigh, “Smoke in “
They recorded their debut album in a bucolic oasis just outside of Houston. The concept of this band born in a barn — literally — is to melt down barriers between cultures and styles of music. Idealistic in our 21st-century world characterized by protectionist tenancies, but, with a name that translates from the Thai meaning “airplane” and a groove-laden sound, the world is their playground!
Tony King: Raleigh, “Smoke in Our Eyes”
Longtime, local favourites in the Calgary scene, eclectic popsters, Raleigh, are bound to turn a lot of heads with their inspired new release, Powerhouse Bloom. It’s just bursting with creative energy. And the icing on the cake? They’ll be part of the dynamite roster at this year’s hometown Block Heater Music Festival in mid-February.