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Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
It’s all in the La-La-Las
We kick this weekend off with a new tune from Sigur Ros. It’s called “Gobbledigook” and it includes several sections where the words are just la-la-la. I just couldn’t help myself, I was singing along almost as soon as I heard the piece. We’re also playing “Henry Lee,” an older duet from Nick Cave and PJ Harvey. It also has la-la-las, but in this case they’re a bit sinister – not quite serial killer crazy, but I’d be watching my back.
All this got me thinking about why there are times when we leave the words behind in a song and just go for some nonsense syllables. Sure, it makes it easier to sing along, but there seems to be a barrier where words have to stop, so the stronger emotions can take over. In “Death By Ninja (A Love Song),” Woodpigeon tell us about all the horrible ways they can kill (metaphorically speaking), so they can move in on the object of their desire. But then the words disappear and we get a strange chorus of la-la-las as the courtship ensues. Veda Hille uses ah’s in “Book of Saints,” Born Ruffians try La-da-da in “Red, Yellow and Blue” and Jorane, well, she goes for something closer to “oh” in most of her vocalizing for the soundtrack to Je n’aime que toi.
I am more of a composer, than a songwriter, so I do have a habit of getting carried away with the notes and not always catching the words. I have to admit that I thought the Destroyer song we have on Saturday night was “Introducing Ninjas,” when it’s really “Introducing Angels” – big difference, even if some Angels have a habit of fighting.
It’s a real challenge for anyone combining music and words. At times you want to appeal to the higher brain functions with slick word combinations. I like how Timber Timbre uses references to classic songs like “Twist and Shout” to pull all kinds of memories and emotions out of us – just by repeating a simple phrase that’s so well known. Owen Underhill brings together words from over a millenium’s worth of writers in his “World of Light.” But then he uses the orchestra to create sound visions based on those ideas. I don’t know if we should consider that a lower brain function, but the more powerful emotions seem to grow out of a place where the best we can do is sing is la-la-la.
All this got me thinking about why there are times when we leave the words behind in a song and just go for some nonsense syllables. Sure, it makes it easier to sing along, but there seems to be a barrier where words have to stop, so the stronger emotions can take over. In “Death By Ninja (A Love Song),” Woodpigeon tell us about all the horrible ways they can kill (metaphorically speaking), so they can move in on the object of their desire. But then the words disappear and we get a strange chorus of la-la-las as the courtship ensues. Veda Hille uses ah’s in “Book of Saints,” Born Ruffians try La-da-da in “Red, Yellow and Blue” and Jorane, well, she goes for something closer to “oh” in most of her vocalizing for the soundtrack to Je n’aime que toi.
I am more of a composer, than a songwriter, so I do have a habit of getting carried away with the notes and not always catching the words. I have to admit that I thought the Destroyer song we have on Saturday night was “Introducing Ninjas,” when it’s really “Introducing Angels” – big difference, even if some Angels have a habit of fighting.
It’s a real challenge for anyone combining music and words. At times you want to appeal to the higher brain functions with slick word combinations. I like how Timber Timbre uses references to classic songs like “Twist and Shout” to pull all kinds of memories and emotions out of us – just by repeating a simple phrase that’s so well known. Owen Underhill brings together words from over a millenium’s worth of writers in his “World of Light.” But then he uses the orchestra to create sound visions based on those ideas. I don’t know if we should consider that a lower brain function, but the more powerful emotions seem to grow out of a place where the best we can do is sing is la-la-la.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
June 20, 21, 22
The Signal with Pat Carrabré- Friday JUNE 20, 2008
This evening Pat samples the intensity of the acclaimed Penderecki String Quartet. There will be new sounds from Sigur Ros, John Zorn, Human Bell and Will the Circle. Then chill out when Pat brings you tonight’s concert: David Kristian, one of Canada’s premier experimental/techno artists. The concert comes to us from Radio Canada's very excellent Bande A Part The whole evening is set to be one smooth ride.
The Signal with Pat Carrabré - Saturday, JUNE 21, 2008
Tonight a very special concert: a re broadcast of Tomson Highway’s world premier of The Journey, a music drama he collaborated on with composer Melissa Hui and choreographer Michael Greyeyes. Pat will spin new music from Garth Stevens, El Perro Del Marr and Mogwai. Pat also quickly slips into a cape and some blue tights for some superhero music. We should all have our own theme song, don’t you think?
The Signal with Pat Carrabré - Sunday, JUNE 22, 2008
We have reached the summer solstice, join Pat tonight on the Signal when he celebrates the light with a cello-tastic evening. Tonight three concerts have been brought together from across Canada: one by Owen Underhill from Vancouver, A cello-tastic world premiere by David R. Scott with a little help from The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra and from Montreal two pieces, one by Claude Vivier and more cello from Sean Ferguson. The vibrations continue into the night when Pat samples a film soundtrack composed by Montreal singer/cellist Jorane.
This evening Pat samples the intensity of the acclaimed Penderecki String Quartet. There will be new sounds from Sigur Ros, John Zorn, Human Bell and Will the Circle. Then chill out when Pat brings you tonight’s concert: David Kristian, one of Canada’s premier experimental/techno artists. The concert comes to us from Radio Canada's very excellent Bande A Part The whole evening is set to be one smooth ride.
The Signal with Pat Carrabré - Saturday, JUNE 21, 2008
Tonight a very special concert: a re broadcast of Tomson Highway’s world premier of The Journey, a music drama he collaborated on with composer Melissa Hui and choreographer Michael Greyeyes. Pat will spin new music from Garth Stevens, El Perro Del Marr and Mogwai. Pat also quickly slips into a cape and some blue tights for some superhero music. We should all have our own theme song, don’t you think?
The Signal with Pat Carrabré - Sunday, JUNE 22, 2008
We have reached the summer solstice, join Pat tonight on the Signal when he celebrates the light with a cello-tastic evening. Tonight three concerts have been brought together from across Canada: one by Owen Underhill from Vancouver, A cello-tastic world premiere by David R. Scott with a little help from The Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra and from Montreal two pieces, one by Claude Vivier and more cello from Sean Ferguson. The vibrations continue into the night when Pat samples a film soundtrack composed by Montreal singer/cellist Jorane.
Friday, June 13, 2008
June 13, 14, 15
The Signal with Pat Carrabré- Friday JUNE 13, 2008
Lucky or unlucky, it is Friday the 13th and tonight Pat digs into the idea of luck and fortune with music from Halifax composer, pianist Peter Allen and Montreal’s Besnard Lakes. In concert this evening, also from Montreal, the high energy of electronics collides with jazz when Misteur Valaire take the stage. Pat also samples the many vintages of England’s electronica genius: Four Tet.
The Signal with Pat Carrabré - Saturday, JUNE 14, 2008
Tonight Pat will blow your mind with a concert from Halifax; the verbosity of Buck 65 joins arm in arm with the elegance of Symphony Nova Scotia. In high rotation tonight the latest release from Katie Stelmanis plus Pat will be giving away tickets to Calgary’s fab Sled Island Music Festival. Music from Montreal’s Matt Haimovitz, Iceland’s Múm and New York string quartet Ethel will also be woven into the night.
The Signal with Pat Carrabré - Sunday, JUNE 15, 2008
Tonight Pat will musically toast all the papas out there on Father’s Day. Sound track Sunday features music from the stress fest, Oscar winner Little Miss Sunshine with music by Toronto composer Michael Danna and Denver neo-gypsies Devotchka. This evening’s concert is all about memory but titled Requiem for a Polka from Winnipeg’s Groundswell music series. The performance features work by composers Claude Vivier, Jim Hiscott and James Harley.
Lucky or unlucky, it is Friday the 13th and tonight Pat digs into the idea of luck and fortune with music from Halifax composer, pianist Peter Allen and Montreal’s Besnard Lakes. In concert this evening, also from Montreal, the high energy of electronics collides with jazz when Misteur Valaire take the stage. Pat also samples the many vintages of England’s electronica genius: Four Tet.
The Signal with Pat Carrabré - Saturday, JUNE 14, 2008
Tonight Pat will blow your mind with a concert from Halifax; the verbosity of Buck 65 joins arm in arm with the elegance of Symphony Nova Scotia. In high rotation tonight the latest release from Katie Stelmanis plus Pat will be giving away tickets to Calgary’s fab Sled Island Music Festival. Music from Montreal’s Matt Haimovitz, Iceland’s Múm and New York string quartet Ethel will also be woven into the night.
The Signal with Pat Carrabré - Sunday, JUNE 15, 2008
Tonight Pat will musically toast all the papas out there on Father’s Day. Sound track Sunday features music from the stress fest, Oscar winner Little Miss Sunshine with music by Toronto composer Michael Danna and Denver neo-gypsies Devotchka. This evening’s concert is all about memory but titled Requiem for a Polka from Winnipeg’s Groundswell music series. The performance features work by composers Claude Vivier, Jim Hiscott and James Harley.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Matrix Remixed!
For the last year or so I’ve been wondering what the next step is beyond post-modernism. If that hasn’t been the burning question on your mind, I can’t blame you. I think that most people don’t even notice it any more. The easy availability of digital copies of almost everything has made the creation of new meaning from artistic artifacts that already exist part of our everyday life.
In contemporary music, this has been going on since the late 70s. Luciano Berio’s amazing tour-de-force, his “Sinfonia,” is a great example and on the other side of the spectrum is John Oswald’s Plunderphonics. He was obviously an early adopter on the non-classical side and he paid for that, when the industry didn’t really know how to deal with what he had created – and chose to make him take it off the market. Since then, the whole DJ genre has evolved, based on using records that already exist, as a way of creating new music in a new context.
Remixing and re-making is nothing new, but it just seemed to hit me when I was working my way through the music for this weekend’s shows. There’s a maturity and depth to some of these musicians who aren’t just using bits and pieces that already exist, but are building the foundation of their craft on this idea of renovating art. Early on Friday night, we’ll hear Tortoise and Bonnie Prince Billy doing Elton John’s “Daniel” and right afterwards, its Margaret Leng Tan’s quirky version of “Eleanor Rigby.” They’re just a warm-up for Four Tet and his awesome re-thinking of Caribou’s “Melody Day.”
But the real shocker for me was learning that the Montreal band Misteur Valaire are releasing their CDs under The Creative Commons Copyright license. This is a whole new way of thinking about what we create. It goes way beyond so called “fair use” or peer-to-peer sharing. It assumes that we can make use of things that already exist, while it continues to recognize the role of the original creator. Up to this point, most remixing has been done in a rigidly controlled environment, often to give new life to music that’s already sold itself silly in the market. The results can be great, like Psapp’s take on Astrud Gilberto’s “Bim Bom” from the new Verve Remixed 4, that’ll show up in the first hour of Saturday’s show. But think about Aphex Twin’s famous 26 Mixes For Cash. At that point, the industry was chasing him all over the place, because an Aphex Twin remix had the potential to rejuvenate a career with the same kind of certainty that appearing in a Quentin Tarantino movie would for an overexposed actor.
In the end it’s probably all about the money – as usual. Our consumer culture has given us access to the whole world of art. All we have to do is watch the commercials and put up with the banner ads. But as we move into the new on-demand world, somebody has to come up with a new way of making sure the artists get paid. For their part, artists have to learn to accept that once they’ve finished their creation that it might take on a life of its own. Think about the Rolling Stone’s iconic anthem “Satisfaction.” How many times have you heard it used to sell stuff on TV? On the other hand, listen to Prince’s take on Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” or Stina Nordenstam’s re-think of Prince’s “Purple Rain.” For me, they’re in the same league with Glenn Gould’s interpretations of Bach. Blasphemy? Maybe, but they all present compelling artistic statements that reflect the “remixing” artist as much or more than they do the originals.
There are still lots of new original voices appearing in our world – despite what we might think after a particularly bad run of TV shows. I’ll just give one example. CocoRosie have a new single out for download and it’ll kick the show off on Saturday night. But this idea of renovating music that already exists is appealing. It’s no different aesthetically than taking an old house with good bones and completely overhauling it, so you can have a to-die-for bathroom or kitchen. I might not do it to a Frank Lloyd Wright original, but you have to be a pretty special person to live in a house that unique anyway.
So I welcome the remixers. They’ve already taken on classics like Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time” and Handel’s “Messiah.” I think this new “genre” is just beginning to spread its wings.
In contemporary music, this has been going on since the late 70s. Luciano Berio’s amazing tour-de-force, his “Sinfonia,” is a great example and on the other side of the spectrum is John Oswald’s Plunderphonics. He was obviously an early adopter on the non-classical side and he paid for that, when the industry didn’t really know how to deal with what he had created – and chose to make him take it off the market. Since then, the whole DJ genre has evolved, based on using records that already exist, as a way of creating new music in a new context.
Remixing and re-making is nothing new, but it just seemed to hit me when I was working my way through the music for this weekend’s shows. There’s a maturity and depth to some of these musicians who aren’t just using bits and pieces that already exist, but are building the foundation of their craft on this idea of renovating art. Early on Friday night, we’ll hear Tortoise and Bonnie Prince Billy doing Elton John’s “Daniel” and right afterwards, its Margaret Leng Tan’s quirky version of “Eleanor Rigby.” They’re just a warm-up for Four Tet and his awesome re-thinking of Caribou’s “Melody Day.”
But the real shocker for me was learning that the Montreal band Misteur Valaire are releasing their CDs under The Creative Commons Copyright license. This is a whole new way of thinking about what we create. It goes way beyond so called “fair use” or peer-to-peer sharing. It assumes that we can make use of things that already exist, while it continues to recognize the role of the original creator. Up to this point, most remixing has been done in a rigidly controlled environment, often to give new life to music that’s already sold itself silly in the market. The results can be great, like Psapp’s take on Astrud Gilberto’s “Bim Bom” from the new Verve Remixed 4, that’ll show up in the first hour of Saturday’s show. But think about Aphex Twin’s famous 26 Mixes For Cash. At that point, the industry was chasing him all over the place, because an Aphex Twin remix had the potential to rejuvenate a career with the same kind of certainty that appearing in a Quentin Tarantino movie would for an overexposed actor.
In the end it’s probably all about the money – as usual. Our consumer culture has given us access to the whole world of art. All we have to do is watch the commercials and put up with the banner ads. But as we move into the new on-demand world, somebody has to come up with a new way of making sure the artists get paid. For their part, artists have to learn to accept that once they’ve finished their creation that it might take on a life of its own. Think about the Rolling Stone’s iconic anthem “Satisfaction.” How many times have you heard it used to sell stuff on TV? On the other hand, listen to Prince’s take on Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” or Stina Nordenstam’s re-think of Prince’s “Purple Rain.” For me, they’re in the same league with Glenn Gould’s interpretations of Bach. Blasphemy? Maybe, but they all present compelling artistic statements that reflect the “remixing” artist as much or more than they do the originals.
There are still lots of new original voices appearing in our world – despite what we might think after a particularly bad run of TV shows. I’ll just give one example. CocoRosie have a new single out for download and it’ll kick the show off on Saturday night. But this idea of renovating music that already exists is appealing. It’s no different aesthetically than taking an old house with good bones and completely overhauling it, so you can have a to-die-for bathroom or kitchen. I might not do it to a Frank Lloyd Wright original, but you have to be a pretty special person to live in a house that unique anyway.
So I welcome the remixers. They’ve already taken on classics like Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time” and Handel’s “Messiah.” I think this new “genre” is just beginning to spread its wings.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
The Years Abroad.
There’s a long tradition of artists leaving home to explore the wider world. Some bring back a lifetime’s worth of experiences that enrich their work for years to come. Then there are others who need to stay in exile for a while. Being away from home seems to set them free from whatever’s been holding things back and gives them the courage to jump to a new level. It’s a bit like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon.
This Saturday night we’ll be putting the new CD by Gonzales into High Rotation. It’s called Soft Power. He lived in Paris for years and that great city has long been a magnet for artists seeking out creative inspiration. Feist, Buck 65 and Sarah Slean have also spent time there, and the American sister group CocoRosie have set up shop in the Eiffel tower city too. We’ll play their Rainbow Warriors on Friday night.
This year marks the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City. While, I’m not much for the news, the controversy surrounding Michaëlle Jean’s visit to France has certainly reminded us about the link that still exists between Canada and France. A tour there is often the first big step for Quebec artists as they start to make their mark beyond our borders. That’s how it worked for Jorane, who’s gone on to break down lots of musical barriers. On Friday and Saturday night we’ll be playing her music. For me, she is one of the most interesting artists around. Jorane takes her classical training and fearlessly explores the feast of sound possibilities that are available to a musician in our time. Look down this page a bit to find a video of her performing with Bobby McFerrin at the Montreal Jazz Festival.
Friday night, we also have a concert set from Ghislain Poirier. He played Paris last month as part of a European tour. His dance floor DJ style is another example of a multi-stylistic fusion.
Maybe we live too close to the supposedly mono-lingual US, but we often seem to be afraid of a multi-lingual future. I spent my exile years in New York City and I can tell you that the ads in the subway are often in Spanish (that was actually the first time that I realized the word cucaracha meant cockroach – listen to Jorane’s song Cucaracha on Friday night around 11:45).
From my experience Canada’s multi-cultural foundation is really valued in the broader world. We’re seen as a place where people aren’t just free to express themselves, but that conformity to some approved style isn’t possible – because we don’t have one. So what does it mean to be Canadian – other than being nice and polite? Perhaps it means really finding your own voice.
This Saturday night we’ll be putting the new CD by Gonzales into High Rotation. It’s called Soft Power. He lived in Paris for years and that great city has long been a magnet for artists seeking out creative inspiration. Feist, Buck 65 and Sarah Slean have also spent time there, and the American sister group CocoRosie have set up shop in the Eiffel tower city too. We’ll play their Rainbow Warriors on Friday night.
This year marks the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City. While, I’m not much for the news, the controversy surrounding Michaëlle Jean’s visit to France has certainly reminded us about the link that still exists between Canada and France. A tour there is often the first big step for Quebec artists as they start to make their mark beyond our borders. That’s how it worked for Jorane, who’s gone on to break down lots of musical barriers. On Friday and Saturday night we’ll be playing her music. For me, she is one of the most interesting artists around. Jorane takes her classical training and fearlessly explores the feast of sound possibilities that are available to a musician in our time. Look down this page a bit to find a video of her performing with Bobby McFerrin at the Montreal Jazz Festival.
Friday night, we also have a concert set from Ghislain Poirier. He played Paris last month as part of a European tour. His dance floor DJ style is another example of a multi-stylistic fusion.
Maybe we live too close to the supposedly mono-lingual US, but we often seem to be afraid of a multi-lingual future. I spent my exile years in New York City and I can tell you that the ads in the subway are often in Spanish (that was actually the first time that I realized the word cucaracha meant cockroach – listen to Jorane’s song Cucaracha on Friday night around 11:45).
From my experience Canada’s multi-cultural foundation is really valued in the broader world. We’re seen as a place where people aren’t just free to express themselves, but that conformity to some approved style isn’t possible – because we don’t have one. So what does it mean to be Canadian – other than being nice and polite? Perhaps it means really finding your own voice.
JUNE 6,7,8
The Signal with Pat Carrabré- Friday JUNE 6, 2008
Tonight on The Signal expect the crackle of electricity when Pat heads to Ottawa for live electronica and heavy beats at a Ghislain Poirier concert. Then chill out in Pat’s happy place- the music of Montreal cellist and singer-songwriter Jorane. There will be a ticket giveaway to Calgary’s Sled Island festival and new music from James, Panda Bear, and Tycho. In the last hour suit up, ‘cause a hard rain is a gonna fall.
Friday Grab bag question: What river runs through Calgary
(send answers and contact info to: thesignal@cbc.ca)
The Signal with Pat Carrabré - Saturday, JUNE 7, 2008
Tonight our Jorane positive weekend continues here on The Signal. Pat will dip in and out of an extraordinary Jorane concert, recorded live in Montreal, throughout the evening. The bar remains high all night long as Pat puts Canadian ex-pat Gonzales’ new CD into high rotation. But wait there is more: you will even have a chance to win that Gonzales CD and new music will be spun from The Tiny, Sea Wolf, Alex& Sam and a track inspired by the Tate Modern’s Rothko collection.
Saturday Grab bag question: What city does Gonzales live in?
(send answers and contact info to: thesignal@cbc.ca)
The Signal with Pat Carrabré - Sunday, JUNE 8, 2008
Tonight Pat features a concert by Pulitzer Prize winning composer George Crumb including the stunning piece Black Angels. Inspired by the beat poetry of Ginsberg and Kerouac, Pat has dug up a wide range of pieces that riff on the spoken word. Stepping up to the mic will be Montreal’s D. Kimm, Laurie Anderson, Winnipeg’s Poor Tree and Halifax’s Buck 65 to name a few. The evening will also include a work inspired by the poetry of Leonard Cohen by composer Kelly- Marie Murphy. Basically it is an evening of talk radio.
Tonight on The Signal expect the crackle of electricity when Pat heads to Ottawa for live electronica and heavy beats at a Ghislain Poirier concert. Then chill out in Pat’s happy place- the music of Montreal cellist and singer-songwriter Jorane. There will be a ticket giveaway to Calgary’s Sled Island festival and new music from James, Panda Bear, and Tycho. In the last hour suit up, ‘cause a hard rain is a gonna fall.
Friday Grab bag question: What river runs through Calgary
(send answers and contact info to: thesignal@cbc.ca)
The Signal with Pat Carrabré - Saturday, JUNE 7, 2008
Tonight our Jorane positive weekend continues here on The Signal. Pat will dip in and out of an extraordinary Jorane concert, recorded live in Montreal, throughout the evening. The bar remains high all night long as Pat puts Canadian ex-pat Gonzales’ new CD into high rotation. But wait there is more: you will even have a chance to win that Gonzales CD and new music will be spun from The Tiny, Sea Wolf, Alex& Sam and a track inspired by the Tate Modern’s Rothko collection.
Saturday Grab bag question: What city does Gonzales live in?
(send answers and contact info to: thesignal@cbc.ca)
The Signal with Pat Carrabré - Sunday, JUNE 8, 2008
Tonight Pat features a concert by Pulitzer Prize winning composer George Crumb including the stunning piece Black Angels. Inspired by the beat poetry of Ginsberg and Kerouac, Pat has dug up a wide range of pieces that riff on the spoken word. Stepping up to the mic will be Montreal’s D. Kimm, Laurie Anderson, Winnipeg’s Poor Tree and Halifax’s Buck 65 to name a few. The evening will also include a work inspired by the poetry of Leonard Cohen by composer Kelly- Marie Murphy. Basically it is an evening of talk radio.
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