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: Ian Tyson, “You Should Have Known”
Ian Tyson, a living legend, in our own times. Inspirational and authentic.
Lisa Wilton: Asgeir, “Trust”
The Icelandic singer’s swoon-worthy falsetto is the icing on the cake on this beautiful electro-acoustic number from Asgeir’s latest, and second English-language, album, Afterglow.
Baba: Glen Hansard, “Roll On Slow”
Glen Hansard almost always sounds sad, but this track’s got spark, and oh, the horns. The horn section just nails the song. The guitars are not too shabby either. The song’s got that beat, the ‘Irish Beat’.
Mark Antonelli: Elena Gorna and Luigi Magistrelli, “Nocturne No. 1: Allegro”, Giuliani: Nocturnes for Clarinet and Harp
The combination of clarinet and harp is rather unusual. So, to hear 24 little pieces scored this way is a rather rare listening experience. The “Allegro” from the Nocturne No. 1 makes me think of green things growing and reminds me I’m really looking forward to spring!
Darcy Whiteside: Bobby Osborne, “They Call the Wind Maria”
This album is nominated for a Grammy for Bluegrass Album of the Year. Bobby Osborne, a first-generation, bluegrass legend is collaborating with Sierra Hull, a member of the next generation of bluegrass artists. They sing, “They Call the Wind Maria”, from the musical, Paint Your Wagon, that starred Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin.
Amy van Keeken: True North, “Seed, Leaf, Flower, Seed”
I am constantly amazed and awed at the rhythms and cycles of the natural world. “Seed, Leaf, Flower, Seed” is such a perfect, simple song — almost a mantra, with beautiful harmonies. A song you want to sing by the campfire on a lovely summer’s night, or by the fireplace, cozy inside on a blustery winter day. From Oregon-based folk-bluegrass band, True North, featuring the songwriting skills of Kristen Grainger and Dan Wetzel.
Grant Stovel: Sly5thAve., “The Edge”
Dr. Dre’s genius has been melding diverse sounds culled from old funk, pop and jazz records creating a new, contemporary sound. As a producer for everyone from Snoop Dogg to N.W.A. to Eminem and, as an artist himself, he’s helped to shape the sound of popular music as much as anyone has in the past thirty years. Along comes Austin, Texas-based maestro, Sly5thAve., aka sax man and composer Sylvester Uzoma Onyejiaka II. He re-contextualizes those sounds back into a live band format. Talk about postmodern! Post-postmodern, maybe? A bunch of tip-top production minds help out with the arrangements including Mark De Clive-Lowe, DJ Center and the guest featured on this track, Quantic.
Tony King: Laila Biali, “Serenbe”
Laila Biali has confessed that her new, self-titled recording feels like starting from the beginning again — though she is already a seasoned artist. What’s new is an innovative approach to crafting songs that sees her taking more risks and stepping outside of her comfort zone. She says, “there’s an edgier songwriting persona that I think has always been there, but took some time to hone in on.”