Muse #30 2016 Feb 22
Desert(s)…Featuring music performed in or inspired by deserts around the world and including poetry written by local Lillooet writer, Kate Maxon, titled ‘Desert’ and ‘Hiking the Panamints’…
A link to the artistic community in Lillooet.
Celebrating and saying goodbye, this playlist is intended to send Georgia Colton (of Fort Berens Winery) on her way to a new life in America. Songs either include ‘…Georgia…’ or are blues from the Delta, like ‘Georgia on My Mind’ and ‘Macon Georgia Blue’, and supplemented with readings from Letters to a Young Artist by Julia Cameron and ‘Creative People Are…’
Strangers Listening…Mystics, Mentors and Poets…focus on 13C Persian poets, Rumi and Hafiz, with readings from A Year with Hafiz: Daily Contemplations by Daniel Ladinsky and music performed by Azam Ali, of Persian descent, and Mercan Dede, of Turkish descent, and Tinariwen, performing in Tuareg language with self-created style of music called ‘desert blues’ and ‘music for the unemployed’…
Homegrown…Considering that MUSE is intended to be a radio program that broadcasts and celebrates ‘homegrown’ musicians, writers and artists, the playlist of Muse #27 includes local musician, Gannon Ward, and regionally local performers Devon Coyote and WiL. In addition, references to ‘homegrown’ appear in songs by Neil Young, Panama Red and New Riders of the Purple Sage. Readings of ‘Letters to a Young Artist’ by Julia Cameron can be heard at the centre of the broadcast.
Beginning (Elemental)…For the first program broadcast in 2016, the Muse playlist is music composed and performed by First Peoples, Native North Americans singing or performing music that is influenced by their cultural heritage. In addition to English performances, there are Innu, Cree and Blackfoot languages in both traditional and contemporary songs from the 60s until this time now. Halfway through the program, several Letters to a Young Artist by Julia Cameron are read by the show host.
Winter Blues…This is the 25th Muse broadcast and the last of 2015. It’s playlist, which responds to the ‘blues’ that might arrive after the celebration of solstice and Christmas have passed, includes traditional blues pieces by Lightnin’ Hopkins and Slim Harpo and contemporary songs with wintery themes by songwriters like Basia Bulat and Ray Lamontagne. Spoken word readings of “Letters to a Young Artist” by Julia Cameron, interpretations of Persian poet, Hafiz, and ‘Chasing the Hunter’ by local Lillooet resident, Kate Maxon, are also in this broadcast.
Solstice…This week’s playlist includes orchestral and instrumental pieces of music that evoke the dark internal spaces of this time of year, the shortest day and the longest night, the winter solstice and the approach of Christmas Day. Selections from Bjork, Clint Mansell, Earth and Hawkwind, in addition to readings from Letters to a Young Artist by Julia Cameron.
Strings…In celebration of the Canadian musician, Oliver Schroer, whose electric violin appeared to have the magical facility to seduce the northern lights, this MUSE broadcast features the music of strings, mostly electric violin, with occasional bass solos in performances by Rising Appalachia, Vanessa-Mae, the Kronos Quartet and, of course, Oliver Schroer, amongst others. In between sets of music are readings from “Letters to a Young Artist” by Julia Cameron and Hafiz poetry.
The Romantics…As the season turns from summer to autumn, a sense of the romantic, or some might call it nostalgia, occurs so this playlist was selected to celebrate that sense and includes music by Ray Lamontagne, Escondido, The Wilderness of Manitoba, The Souljazz Orchestra and Lothlorien from the Lord of the Rings soundtrack as well as other ‘romantically’ inspired pieces. As usual, readings of Hafiz poetry and ‘Letters to a Young Artist’ by Julia Cameron are included.
Acoustic…Although this playlist is not exclusively acoustic, generally the instrumentation is simple and the vocals clear expressing elemental desires and needs…Included are readings of Hafiz poetry interpreted by Daniel Ladinsky and continued readings from “Letters to a Young Artist” by Julia Cameron.
Rolling Stone…Celebrating Calliope, the muse of epic poetry and lyrical compositions, so this playlist includes songs like “Dance me to the end of Love” by Leonard Cohen and “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan. In addition, this playlist is linked variously to the metaphor implied by “a rolling stone”…
Frazey and John K…Entering into the ‘heart’ of the summer - heat and fires and smoke - so smoky soulful music to go along with and reflect here and now in this Canadian summer written and performed by two thoughtful songwriters with lyrics rooted in small town Canadian landscapes: Frazey Ford and John K. Sampson.
Drums and Chants…The past days of high temperatures, the smoke-grey clouds with the promise of rain, the way the air sucked the moisture from my skin and infused me with lethargic energy made me remember the still darkness of mature coastal forests where light rarely touches the ground and the air is still and thick and saturated. And for inexplicable reasons, this feeling conjures the primal beat of drums, the archaic rhythm of chant…This playlist, although not exclusively, taps into these smoky spaces, a search for both relief and expression…
Music for the New Moon…Music is an eclectic mix from orchestral compositions to reggae, all of which are inspired by or refer to an aspect of the moon, especially the New Moon. Program includes readings from “Letters to a Young Artist” by Julia Cameron, author of “The Artist’s Way”…
Rudimentary…Music in this week’s playlist might reflect the way musicians in the spirit of play and experiment compose embryonically mixing old and new instruments in the digital landscape and so create new form and composition and ways of reaching out to others and amongst themselves…
Space-Time…Reading ‘The Grand Design’ by Stephen Hawking can make one’s thoughts turn to concepts beyond the usual daily perceptions. The playlist for Muse #7 is an extension to thoughts about space-time. Selected for its creation of unusual sound events, perhaps ethereal or otherworldly, the music on this show might even contain moments of transcendence.
Conversations…In celebration of daily conversations that occur with so many different people on so many different subjects, many of them unfinished or open-ended, some ending up or expiring far from where they began. This Muse playlist features conversations that occur in music, not just duets in which singers take turns singing a song, but conversations, usually between a man and a woman with subjects from the domestic to the ethereal.
Man Energy…Entering the time of Taurus, Sun energy, of the Earth and plantings, this Muse show features three different masculine voices: Corb Lund, Elliot Brood and Steve Earle. In addition, there are the usual readings of ‘Letters to a Young Artist” by Julia Cameron and Hafiz poetry.
Dark-Haired Women with Flowers in their Hair - White blossoms are everywhere…on the apricot trees, the cherry trees, soon the saskatoons and Billie Holiday was born 100 years ago. So remembering the fine songs she sang and the amazing woman she was this Muse is sung by dark-haired women, some with flowers in their hair, strong women who sing what they feel and feel what they sing.
Traveling & Blues…Spring is in the air and traveling in the blood. Music on this show might put you in the mood for traveling or just add a bit of fire to the evening. Amongst the music are readings from ‘Letters to a Young Artist’ by Julia Cameron and of poetry composed originally by Hafiz and interpreted for contemporary readers by Daniel Ladinsky.
Watching the river flow…It is the first week of spring and the river is flowing higher and muddier and the rain is falling gentle on the tin roof so many of the songs on this week’s show refer, subtly or overtly, to something out there in the cosmos be it sun or moon or rain or thunder or water.