CiTR -- The Saturday Edge

Highlights from two of my favourite folk festivals: Towersey Village Festival 1990, and Doolin Folk Festival 2015, plus a look ahead to this week's Tonder Festival in Denmark

highlighting two of my favourite folk festivals: England’s Towersey Village Festival 1990, and Ireland’s Doolin Folk Festival 2015, plus a look ahead to this week's Tonder Festival in Denmark (where Margaret and I will witness the last ever concerts by one of our favourite bands, Oysterband, amongst many other fine acts - many of them Canadian!)

Some of my favourite Canadian songs down the 40 years of The Saturday Edge, plus some more faves from around the planet. Just a few new releases this week, and two album features: Cathy Jordan's Crankie Song Project, and the unreleased album by Scottie supergroup Clan Alba (which should beacon available later this year, pending a legal challenge to help out Scottish singer Dick Gaughan, whose back catalogue has been held hostage for 5 decades, and who is no longer able to perform. Such a travesty and a tragedy, respectively.

Continuing my celebration of some of my favourite songs and tunes, and adding liberal sprinkles of new releases and concert previews to the mix. A mix you won't find anywhere else on your radio - and definitely not in playlists "curated" by AI and the execrable Spotify (pause to look for the spittoon here ... !) Right. That's better. Enjoy the show now and whenever you like here on the amazing CiTR

On the occasion of my birthday I decided to play a whole bunch of my favourite singers, bands and tracks.

Anecdotal notes about the Mission Folk Music Festival and music down the years since its inception in 1988 (I am a founder of this event). Surprise Album of the Week: Teddy Thompson, recorded LIVE at The Rogue last June. Plenty of my favourite artists - leading up to my next show, which will be on my birthday next Saturday. Lots of unapologetic self-indulgence alert!

A variety of performers from the Vancouver Folk Festival lineup and Mission Folk Festival, too. Plus local concert previews, a few new releases, and topical songs. For the past few years I've broadcast LIVE from the festival site. Not this time. I had too many technical problems last year, and no musicians are around from 8am to noon on a Saturday for interviews, so I chose to prerecord the show in order to catch some festival sessions instead.

Music by many of the performers coming to these two local festivals, plus Album of the Week: A Tribute to the King of Zydeco - Clifton Chenier and a look ahead to some local concerts, notably the debut of Scots fiddler Ryan Young (July 24th). Some new releases, too - including a surprise live recording of Teddy Thompson from The Rogue last June (I didn't know he was releasing this as a CD!)

Music by many of the performers coming to the Vancouver Folk Music Festival in two weeks time, plus a few by performers coming to the Mission Folk Festival the following weekend. New releases, local concert previews, and topical songs, of course, and some inspired fiddling and singing in the final hour.

Lots of new music and old music and unusual combinations. This show is almost as much a journey of discovery for me as it is for the audience. I get a little taste of each track and if I like it I add it to the playlist, then shuffle the order and whittle it down to four hours every week. When the show airs I get to listen to all the songs in their entirety and in combination with all the other tracks. I'm delighted to find that it mostly works as a weekly marathon exposé of roots music from all over. Every week I also include concert and festival previews, new release announcements, and items of topical relevance

Vancouver and Mission Folk Festival previews, new releases from around the world, protest songs about the dark approaches to WW III, songs of hope, reflection and loss, and defiant upbeat numbers from all genre. Plus R.I.P. to Sly Stone, who passed away last week

Today's show was started automatically - twenty minutes early! Started with new music discovered within the pages of the excellent UK magazine, Songlines, which comes with a free CD every month. Paid tribute to Beach Boy Brian Wilson with two songs covered by other luminaries, and one Beach Boys original penned by the great innovator. Then a bunch of songs inspired by the latest tragic and outrageous events in LA (before I heard about the MN attacks. Is there no end to this madness?) Promoted CD launch concerts by locals Suzie Ungerleider and Jocelyn Pettit. Finished up with a customary flourish of exhilarating Celtic music

Continuing the flashbacks from the past 4 decades of hosting this show I chose more old favourites to blend with some great new releases, as well as concert and festival previews. Had to whittle it down from the original 193 songs chosen, to a more manageable 52! Suffice to say, there have been more than a few good memories down these years at CiTR!

My first show at CiTR was on June 1st 1985. Today I continued my 40th Anniversary nostalgia with a bunch more of my fave songs from these past 4 decades, and threw in some tasty new titles as well. This was a very fun trip down memory lane for me, and I still managed to learn something new and exciting along the way. I hope the radio audience enjoyed it, too!

Dan Storper, founder of Putumayo World Music, passed away on Thursday. Since 1993 I've been enjoying the unique compilation albums Putumayo have released, celebrating regions and countries, and genres of music from all over. Their booklets are full of information, recipes, translations and all manner of extra details about the musicians, too. Thanks, Dan. for making so much beautiful music accessible to all of us. Also, I'm celebrating 40 years of The Saturday Edge next week, so a bunch of old favourites crept in today and there will be more next week. Played lots of new releases too, as well as Rogue previews, and wonderful displays of multicultural Canadiana.

Plenty of new music including some powerful anti-fascist songs from Mark Rubin and Martin Kerr and all sorts of merriment from Africa, Aotearoa, Denmark, Sweden, Eire, Canada and the American resistance! Also music by some of the winners at last week's East Coast Music Awards in St. John's. Plus concert previews and R.I.P. to English guitar legend Wizz Jones - and a farewell song from / to NL's Mark Hiscock of Shanneyganock

Since May 10th 1987, Vancouver's Rogue Folk Club has been presenting over 50 concerts per year of Celtic, Folk, Blues, Bluegrass, Manouche, Cajun, and World Roots Music. Today, on the Society's 38th Anniversary, I indulged in a hefty slice of nostalgia with music by some of the amazing - and diverse - performers who have graced The Rogue stage down the years. Also some new releases, concert previews and a sad R.I.P. to Newfoundland singer and accordion wizard Mark Hiscock, of Shanneyganook, who died this week.

Started in West Africa, moved to Mexico for celebratory music, then on to concert previews and VFMF previews and a couple of great new CDs (Matt Andersen and Eliza Gilkyson.) Everything from blues to old time to Celtic to songwriters to comedy. Hope I didn't miss anyone out!

This year's folk festival runs July 18th to 20th in Jericho Beach Park, and they announced the line-up on Thursday. I hope to broadcast LIVE from the park once again. Meanwhile tracks 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 17, 22, 24, 27, 28, 33, 34, 37, 39, 49, 50, and 55 are by artists performing this year. Some new Putumayo releases were also featured on today's show, as well as many new releases from around the planet, local concert previews.too, and a finale from Sandy Denny who passed away at the tender age of 31exactly 47 years ago this week

Songs for Mother Earth and The Easter Bunny, plus memories of Sandy Denny (who died April 21st 1978) and NL accordionist Frank Maher, who died last week. Plus more new releases and concert previews than you can shake a stick at. Spot the 420 hints, if you can...