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House Blend Playlist: January 22, 2018

House Blend Playlist

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: Francesco Tarrega, “Recuerdos de la Alhambra” (Memories of the Alhambra)

Depicts the famous 11th-century fortress and palace in the Spanish city of Granada.

 

Lark Clark: The Georgia Fats, “Whiskey”

Joel Fafard is having fun with a new trio, The Georgia Fats. The guitar work, like the whiskey, is taken neat.

*This song is not available on Spotify. Listen to it here!

 

Tony King: Calexico, “Under the Wheels”

Not typical of Calexico, this track opens with an electronic beat augmented by a jangly guitar sound before Joey Burns’ over-driven vocal drips over the mix. If much of Calexico’s work is cinematic in nature, this track calls to mind Fritz Lang’s post modern flourishes in a sweet, yet slightly-dystopian musical web.

 

Mark Antonelli: David Jalbert, “Russian Dance” from Stravinsky’s ballet Petrouchka

David Jalbert is an amazingly-talented pianist, recently named one of the 15 best Canadian pianists of all time! He plays some very difficult music and somehow makes it all seem so easy. I’m always up for Igor Stravinsky’s Petrouchka. It’s one of my favourite pieces and I can never resist all the rhythms. I am physically unable to keep my feet from tapping up a storm during the “Russian Dance”, and all the head-nodding in time to the music could easily lead to whiplash. Exercise caution!

 

Grant Stovel: Birds of Chicago, “Alright Alright”

On their new EP, American Flowers, this husband-and-wife-led act blend timeless roots music styles with effortless grace and grit. It reminds me of another Canadian-American creative combo, The Band. “Alright Alright” is a buoyant, breezy number that features some great ensemble playing and a bit of a singalong, all propelled by Allison Russell’s sunny voice and warm clarinet playing.

 

David Ward: David Byrne, “Everybody’s Coming To My House”

If you know, and love, the singular style of Byrne’s voice and music, then you’ll enjoy this first song from David’s forthcoming, solo album, American Utopia. Get yourselves ready! Not only for the new album which arrives in March, but a chance to see one of the giants in contemporary music and culture. He brings his new touring show to Alberta at the Jubilee Auditoria in mid-May.

 

Amy van Keeken: Iskw, “Healers”

A powerful song from Iskw’s 2017 release, The Fight Within. Informed by, and drawing from her Cree, Dene and Irish roots, this song resonates with strength and beauty. A healing song.