On The Radio

Warning: links followed by (audio) indicate that music will start playing as soon as you open the page! Also, apologies to anyone who received my email containing large chunks of this post. Read on; I've got much more to say this time :)

Living alone in my flat can make for some very quiet nights and, with no radio or TV, I depend a lot on the internet to fill the space. CBC has done an amazing job getting excellent Canadian music onto the airwaves with their transformation of Radio 2 and programs like Q, GO!, and DNTO, not to mention the worldwide popularity of Radio 3 (audio) on the interweb. And they've been very smart to make so much of their stuff available for streaming online or downloadable as podcasts. Thanks to the time difference, my evenings are beautifully soundtracked by Radio 2 Drive, where Rich Terfry hosts an excellent mix of music from all over the world and across many genres. If you're stuck in rush hour during, say, a transit strike, this is a surefire way to calm the nerves. Someone send a memo to Kathleen: "Heavy rotation on the CBC" has a whole new meaning. (audio - Yes, that really is Marty McSorley, Paul Coffey, and Jim Cuddy on the ice with Kathleen! (audio - think it's illegal to have so many parentheses?))

So why this random plug for the CBC, you ask? My vote for the band Stars got aired on GO's Top Eight Driving Tunes of All Time show in December. You can listen to the entire 11/29/2008 show streamed at http://www.cbc.ca/go/audio.html#fullshows (where you can find archives from previous shows and excellent mp3s of live performances). The vote for Stars' "Take Me To the Riot" comes in at #7 about 11 minutes into the show, followed by a beautiful request from Torquil (half of the vocals of Stars) himself.

Here are a few more gems in rotation:

- Fuse (http://www.cbc.ca/fuse/)
An innovative show combining two or more artists/bands (often of different genres) to make some live musical magic. The incredibly sweet (audio) Amanda Putz helped conceive and hosted (along with Alan Neal) the program. Sadly, Fuse was cancelled in 2008 but you can relive some memories on their website under "Audio."

- Concerts on Demand (http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/cod/)
Recordings of live concerts by all sorts of musicians. Some favourites:
>>> Buck 65 with Symphony Nova Scotia
>>> Rose Cousins
>>> Zaki Ibrahim
>>> Kathleen Edwards at Bluesfest
>>> New Year's Concert (Jim Bryson, Zaki Ibrahim, Sandro Petti, Jenny Whiteley, Andre Ethier and Catriona Sturton)
>>> Canadian Songbook - Luminato 2008 (Alex Cuba, Luke Doucet, Molly Johnson, Danny Michel, Mikel Rouse, Ron Sexsmith, Nikki Yanofsky, Dan Zanes, Kim Stockwood, and Damhnait Doyle)

- The Nerve: Music & the Human Experience (http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/features/theNerve/)
A six-part series look at the How and Why of music.

- The Age of Persuasion (http://www.cbc.ca/ageofpersuasion)
Terry O'Reilly is back exploring the countless ways marketers permeate your life, from media, art, and language, to politics, religion, and fashion.



I feel compelled here to say a word (or several...) about the attacks against the new Radio 2. I've seen many comments on the Radio 2 blog complaining about the programming change from purely classical music to a wider variety of genres. I agree that it was not too smart of CBC to eliminate the CBC Radio Orchestra but do feel that their new programming better reflects Canada's musical mosaic. I really think that many of these complaints demonstrate true narrow-mindedness. With petitions proclaiming the need to restore "intelligent sensitive programming," I would suggest they take a good listen to what is being played on the New 2 and dare them to accuse the compelling lyrics and beautiful melodies of being unintelligent and insensitive.

One comment in response to Radio 2 Drive read:

"...The people with the technology to stream music from the net are the kind of people who might like your music. How come they don't get to stream it while we fans of the old Two have to suffer in silence or be assaulted by music we hate?"
Posted by: Janet Bickford | November 21, 2008 09:15 PM

I appreciate the euphemism of "people with the technology to stream music" in the place of "stinky young folk," but you certainly don't need a logic textbook to see the extreme flaw in her argument. People from all walks of life can appreciate music from danceable World to European Indie to Country and everything in between.

Another reads:

"What dribble and when combined with the inane comments of the host, it should be not even be allowed to use the CBC call letters. I wonder if the host even graduated from high school. I am embarrassed by this low level of programming."
Posted by: Herc | December 26, 2008 04:37 PM

I understand that people are upset because programs they loved have been cancelled. (Don't think I'm upset that Fuse and Waking Up With A. Putz. and Arrested Development were cancelled? Think again.) That, however, is no reason to stoop to mean-spirited comments that are not helpful in the least. I imagine this person would be one to dismiss an artist like Shad as unintelligent and unsophisticated solely on the basis that he's a rapper, thus missing the great pleasure of hearing a song as powerful as Brother (Watching (audio)). One does not need to have decades of expensive musical training to be capable of creating art that can touch and affect others.

It feels like all of these comments are being made with an extreme sense of entitlement and superiority. These arguments are made as though classical music is the only music that deserves to be broadcast by our public broadcaster. I enjoy classical music and have the option of listening to it five hours a day on Radio 2. However, there are vast amounts of incredible music being produced in our country outside of that genre that deserve to be heard. It's called "Your National Music Network," implying a commitment to shine the light on all talented Canadian musicians. The New CBC Radio 2 does just that.

If you have any thoughts/opinions to add on the subject, please feel free to leave a comment.