Every week, CKUA’s hosts submit their songs for our weekly House Blend playlist. Take a look at this week’s picks: 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: Jan Lisiecki, “Piano Concerto #1 in g Op 25” by Felix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn wrote two piano concertos specifically to showcase his virtuosic piano skills. The first concerto is from 1831.
Calgary-born pianist Jan Lisiecki made his orchestral debut at age 9, and in 2013, he made his debut at the BBC Proms. That same year he signed with Deutsche Grammophon, and this year has recorded this, his fifth CD with that label: Jan Lisiecki Mendelssohn with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
Kodi Hutchinson: Bria Skonberg, “Don’t Be That Way”
Originally from Chilliwack, BC, Bria Skonberg is best-known for her vocal stylings. Recently, however, she was named one of the rising stars on trumpet in the recent 67th Annual Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll. Hear her stellar singing and playing on this upbeat track!
Celeigh Cardinal: Phoebe Bridgers, “Scott Street”
This song plays like a memory: a little hazy, reminiscent, haunting. It is so well-written that it feels like it could be one of my memories. With all the space that is created in the song, that feeling of revisiting the past and the repeated line “anyway, don’t be a stranger”, I feel as though I just ran into an ex-boyfriend I wasn’t dreading seeing, and everything is fine.
Baba: Pallmer, “Grass Garden”
A sweet mix of classical and folk by this duo with delicate expressions on viola and a cello: Emily Kennedy and Mark Kleyn from Fredericton, New Brunswick.
Cathy Ennis: Purple Mountains, “I Loved Being My Mother’s Son”
This song is just simply beautiful. I’m glad David Burman, aka Purple Mountains, is back creating music after a tough, ten-year hiatus. He’s lyrically clear, clever, open and insightful.
Grant Stovel: Mauno, “Take Care”
This brilliant young Halifax indie band are called Mauno — pronounced “Mao-no”. Why are they named thus? Well, perhaps you can ask them! They’re in the province this week, with dates in Lethbridge, Edmonton, and at the Calgary Folk Fest. They’re kinda like honorary Albertans! They recorded their upcoming new album, Really Well, with Chad VanGaalen his Yoko Eno studio in Calgary. Really Well comes out in couple of weeks. Can’t wait! Meantime, enjoy this tasty little advance track, “Take Care”.