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
Bob Chelmick: Susan Tedeschi, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”
Born as a folk song in the nasal rasp of Dylan, lived fully as a bluesy ballad in the hands and prodigious pipes of Ms. Tedeschi. The Nobel Laureate and the chanteuse shining bright.
Amy van Keeken: Kadhja Bonet, “Mother Maybe”
Kadhja Bonet plays all the instruments on this new single from her upcoming album, Childqueen, out June 8th on Fat Possum Records. Not only that, but her incredible voice soars and dips with dexterity and ease. I cannot wait to hear the whole album, but for now I will have this on repeat. A true DIY artist who never fails to amaze.
Grant Stovel: Ben Sures, “Marie Marie”
Ben’s new album, Poema Poematis, is a dazzling collection of great songs, brilliant arrangements and inspired performances. Recorded live at Edmonton’s Yardbird Suite, it’s a career-spanning set of tunes that finds Ben joined by a one-night-only confluence of talents from across Canada’s folk and jazz scenes. This gifted group of musicians includes horn players like PJ Perry, Dave Babcock, Jeremiah McDade, Bob Tildesley, and Audrey Ochoa, who’s a killer trombonist, and also does a breathtaking job of arranging the songs for this ensemble. Together, the band creates a lovely, warm, delightfully textured instrumentation that provides a marvellous backdrop for Ben’s intimate songs and heartfelt vocals. It’s as if Charles Mingus arranged a folk record or maybe Van Dyke Parks produced a singer-songwriter album. It’s totally enthralling. I love it. The official launch for Poema Poematis takes place June 17th at the Beaumont Blues & Roots Festival. Check out the details in CKUA’s Events Calendar.
David: Frank Turner, “Little Changes”
From his new album, Be More Kind, comes another one of those songs that remind us that the most beneficial course of action when things aren’t going your way is to take action. “The big things stay the same until we make little changes.”