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
Cam Hayden; Kim Wilson , “Searched All Over”
From Kim’s new release of tracks recorded over the past decade or so called Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1. A return to Kim’s blues roots featuring some of the best blues players on the scene today and few that are no longer with us. Killer album.
Lionel Rault: Tim O’Brien, “Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)”
On the album Red On Blonde, Tim O’Brien puts a bluegrass spin on a handful of Bob Dylan compositions. He breathes great energy and new life into a song that was not originally given the attention I believe it deserved.
Kodi Hutchinson: The Bow Djangos, “Django`s Tiger”
One of the many fantastic bands performing in Alberta with multiple Canadian Jazz Festivals running in Calgary and Edmonton over the next week.
Yardbird Festival Of Canadian Jazz – Nov 3rd to 11th
JazzYYC Canadian Festival – Nov 9th to 12th
*This song is not available on Spotify.
Grant Stovel: Feist, “Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye”
For me, “Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye” has always been one of my favourite Leonard Cohen songs. It just has its own special, strange magic. I guess Leslie Feist must like it, too. She’s a huge Leonard Cohen fan, and when she was tapped to pay tribute to Leonard on the Junos earlier in the year, this was the song she chose to perform. So lovely and lovelorn. Well, she’s just released a studio version, ahead of the all-star “Tower of Song” tribute concert that she’s a part of in Montreal. P.S. Check out her soulful take on another Cohen classic — she & her band perform it in the clip below, from the Sarah Polley film, “Take This Waltz”.
P.P.S. This scene contains some salty language!
Monica Miller: Bahamas, “No Wrong”
Afie, aka Bahamas, is back! Or will be back officially in January with his new album, Earthtones. To quote the man himself, “It’s a very positive album about having a joie de vivre for joys of life.” He’ll be in Alberta in March.
Tony King: Spaceheater, “No Freeway”
Because this is the coolest track from a band no one has ever heard of ever!
Amy van Keeken: The Georgia Baths, “Side A: Millcreek Ravine in Winter”
Drummer Jamie Cooper, synth and vibraphone master Doug Organ (Le Plaisir, Doug Organ Trio) , and guitarist and composer Peter Belec make up Edmonton’s experimental, instrumental group The Georgia Baths. They put out a BLUE FLEXI DISC — yes, a real flexi disc — in 2013. It is most certainly my all-time-favourite flexi disc. “Side B: Rube Goldberg Machine”, is a stellar track and “Side A: Millcreek Ravine in Winter” is such an amazingly vivid winter song. I can imagine all sorts of doggies cavorting in the snow on a beautiful winter day in Millcreek on the south side of Edmonton.
*This song is not available on Spotify. Listen to it here.
Terry David Mulligan: John Hammond , “2:19”
The singer is the legendary John Hammond. Over 50 years of writing, singing and crossing paths with Dylan, The Band, early Hendrix and Clapton. Frankly, he’s a walking history of the blues. John released Wicked Grin in 2001, which was comprised of 11 Tom Waits songs and was produced by Tom Waits himself. This is the lead off track and a true keeper
*This song is not available on Spotify. Listen to it here.
Baba: The Jerry Cans, “Clouds”
Sweetly sung. I love how The Jerry Cans bring northern sensibilities into the pop world.