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Oct 2: Feist, Tom Wilson, Dave Bidini, Rik Emmett, Michie Mee & More Headline NewsAid in Support of West End Phoenix Newspaper

Eric Alper
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Oct 2: Feist, Tom Wilson, Dave Bidini, Rik Emmett, Michie Mee & More Headline NewsAid in Support of West End Phoenix Newspaper

Rheostatics, Rik Emmett, Michie Mee, Tom Wilson, Feist, Hawksley Workman, Zaki Ibrahim, Tara Slone, Daniel Greaves, Charlotte Cornfield, The Mercenaries, and more are all on board for this Fall’s NewsAid — a fundraiser in support of iconic non-profit community newspaper, West End Phoenix. Get your tickets here: NewsAid: A Benefit to Support West End Phoenix.

Taking place Saturday, October 2nd at Junction Craft Brewery, doors open wide at 2:00pm to also welcome the likes of Stephen Stanley, Ansley Simpson, Dave Robinson, Gentleman Reg, Randy Ray, Wax Mannequin, Ensign Broderick, Andrew and Sam Cash, Lucas Silveira, Sleahy, Mike Ford, Dave Wall, Selena Evangeline, and Darryl Webster to the fold in what promises to be a full-throated afternoon in support of the long-lauded publication. The all-ages show requires proof of double vaccination to attend. It is currently sold out but organizers are hoping to release a new lot of tickets in the coming weeks.

Helmed by Rheostatics’ Dave Bidini, the West End Phoenix first went to print in 2017, and has since platformed a wide cross-section of contributors, from emerging voices to established mainstays like Chief Ladybird, Margaret Atwood, Michael Winter, Claudia Dey, Roddy Doyle, Eternity Martis, and more.

“After 40 years as a rhythm guitar player and writer, this is me now: a local newspaper publisher,” Bidini nods. “Go figure.

“Honestly, when we started the West End Phoenix five years ago, we had no idea if we’d last beyond our first publishing cycle,” he continues. “But seeing the original involvement of the community, and the verve of the writers and photographers, we knew that if we could stay alive in the beginning, we might have a chance.”

Bolstered by widespread support both through subscriptions and fundraising events, from both its local neighbourhood, the city-at-large, and beyond, the NewsAid benefit couldn’t be more timely; West End Phoenix has seen an uptick in interest in the increasing rapid-fire of current and pressing events.

“The whole world has circled back to local concerns and awareness, and we were a little ahead of that trend,” Bidini shares, reflecting on the past 18-month news cycle in particular. “Also, I think people have been a little wearied — and suspicious of — getting news on their phones and other devices. Having people they trusted making a paper in their community went a long way towards re-establishing that bond between ‘reader and paper.’

“Plus, print is beautiful, and we get to explore new ways of making a community paper that even people beyond the community want to read, and our 500+ readers outside of the city definitely testify to that.”

The Canadian Folk Music Awards Announce 2022 Nominees

Eric Alper
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The Canadian Folk Music Awards Announce 2022 Nominees

The Canadian Folk Music Awards celebrates its 17th edition, with a roster of nominations that celebrates the breadth and depth of Canadian folk music. This year’s nominees span the country from Whitehorse, Yukon to Cambellton, New Brunswick, and from Banff, Alberta to Halifax, Nova Scotia — celebrating the diversity and talent of artists and musicians across Canada.

Established by Canada’s vibrant and internationally-recognized folk music community, the awards currently boasts 19 categories. Nominees are chosen for each category through a two-stage jury process. More than 100 jurors, located across Canada, representing all official provinces, territories and languages, determine the official recipients in each category.

New for 2022, ‘Global Roots Album of the Year’ is the new name for ‘World Album of the Year,’ and the CFMAs announced that submissions of an album were now eligible to be submitted in more than one songwriting category, provided they meet the category requirements.

The CFMA 2022 Awards Weekend takes place Apr 1-3, and we are looking forward to heading to Charlottetown, PEI! The weekend will  capture the true heart of our folk community, while celebrating the 2022 nominees and the category recipients. Visit our website and/or join our mailing list to stay on top of our upcoming events, announcements and awards weekend details.

The 2022 Canadian Folk Music Award Nominees are:

 

Children’s Album of the Year / Album jeunesse de l’année

  • Campfire Time! by/par Peter Lenton aka Peter Puffin’s Whale Tales (AB)
  • Falling in Africa by/par Garth Prince (AB)
  • Believe in Your Magic by/par Penny Pom Pom (BC)
  • Heart Parade by/par Splash’N Boots (ON)
  • Think About the Wild by/par Remy Rodden (YT)

Contemporary Album of the Year / Album contemporain de l’année

  • XO, 1945 by/par Ryland Moranz (AB)
  • All This Time Running by/par Craig Cardiff (ON)
  • Solar Powered Too by/par Rick Fines (ON)
  • Voyageur In Song by/par David Leask (ON)
  • Outside Child by/par Allison Russell (QC)
  • À l’ouest du réel by/par Reney Ray (QC)
  • Come Around by/par Rob Lutes (QC)
  • Encounter by/par BEYRIES (QC)

Contemporary Singer of the Year / Chanteur contemporain de l’année

  • Kelly Bado for/pour Hey Terre (MB)
  • Terra Spencer for/pour Chasing Rabbits (NS)
  • Craig Cardiff for/pour All This Time Running (ON)
  • Denise Flack for/pour Good Water (ON)
  • Rob Lutes for/pour Come Around (QC)

English Songwriter(s) / Auteur compositeur(s) anglophone

  • Scott Cook for/pour Tangle of Souls (AB)
  • Noah Reid for/pour Gemini (ON)
  • Rick Fines for/pour Solar Powered Too (ON)
  • Allison Russell for/pour Outside Child (QC)
  • Ian Tamblyn for/pour A Longing for Innocence (QC)
  • Rob Lutes for/pour Come Around (QC)

Ensemble  of the Year / Groupe de l’année

  • The Hello Darlins for/pour Go By Feel (AB)
  • The Fugitives for/pour Trench Songs (BC)
  • Elliott BROOD for/pour Keeper (ON)
  • OKAN for/pour Espiral (ON)
  • Whitehorse for/pour Modern Love (ON)

French Songwriter(s) of the Year / Auteur-compositeur(s) francophone de l’année

  • Émilie Landry for/pour Arroser les fleurs (NB)
  • Anne-Sophie Doré-Coulombe for/pour Nos maisons (QC)
  • Flavie Léger-Roy for/pour Les trous dans les coeurs (QC)
  • Guillaume Beaulac for/pour Guillaume Beaulac (QC)
  • Reney Ray for/pour À l’ouest du réel (QC)

Global Roots Album of the year/  Album traditions du monde de l’année

  • El Currucha by/par Eliana Cuevas (feat. Aquiles Báez) (ON)
  • Espiral by/par OKAN (ON)
  • Songs From Home by/par Polky (ON)
  • VelkomBak by/par Gypsy Kumbia Orchestra (QC)
  • Wutiko by/par Elage Diouf (QC)

Indigenous Songwriter(s) of the Year / Auteur compositeur(s) autochtone de l’année

  • Phyllis Sinclair for/pour Ghost Bones (AB)
  • Morgan Toney for/pour First Flight (NS)
  • David Laronde for/pour I Know I Can Fly (ON)
  • Chelsey June & Jaaji for/pour Omen (QC)
  • Laura Niquay for/pour Waska Matisiwin (QC)

Instrumental Group of the Year / Groupe instrumental de l’année

  • Amber & Zebulun for/pour South of North, East of West (ON)
  • Shane Cook & The Woodchippers for/pour Be Here for a While (ON)
  • Frank Evans & Ben Plotnick for/pour Madison Archives (ON)
  • Bùmarang for/pour Echo Land (QC)
  • Oktopus for/pour Créature (QC)

Instrumental Solo artist of the Year / Instrumentiste solo de l’année

  • Adam Young for/pour Yearbook (NS)
  • Maneli Jamal for/pour Soul Odyssey (ON)
  • Cédric Dind-Lavoie for/pour Archives (QC)
  • Dave Clarke for/pour The Healing Garden (QC)
  • Olivier Demers for/pour À l’envers d’un monde (QC)

New/Emerging Artist(s) of the Year / Artiste(s) de la relève de l’année

  • The Hello Darlins for/pour Go By Feel (AB)
  • Oxlip for/pour Your Mother Was A Peacock (BC)
  • Noah Reid for/pour Gemini (ON)
  • Polky for/pour Songs From Home (ON)
  • Allison Russell for/pour Outside Child (QC)
  • David Lafleche for/pour Everyday Son (QC)

Oliver Schroer Pushing the Boundaries Award / Prix Innovation musicale Oliver Schroer

  • Decoration Day for/pour Makeshift Future (ON)
  • Speaker Face for/pour Crescent (ON)
  • Briga for/pour Territoire (QC)
  • Allison Russell for/pour Outside Child (QC)
  • Cédric Dind-Lavoie for/pour Archives (QC)
  • Rosier for/pour Légèrement (QC)

Producer(s) of the Year / Réalisateur(s) de l’année

  • David Travers-Smith, Fernando Rosa, Annabelle Chvostek for/pour String of Pearls (ON)
  • Luke Doucet, Melissa McClelland for/pour Modern Love (ON)
  • Cédric Dind-Lavoie, Corne de brume for/pour Archives (QC)
  • Quinn Bachand for/pour Légèrement (QC)
  • Rob Lutes, Rob MacDonald for/pour Come Around (QC)

Single of the Year / Monoplage de l’année

  • Still Waters by/par The Hello Darlins (feat. Matt Andersen) (AB)
  • Never Mind The Weather by/par Big Little Lions (BC)
  • Gospel First Nation by/par William Prince (MB)
  • Everything Reminds Me by/par The Deep Dark Woods (NS)
  • Yellow Snow by/par Andrea Bettger (NT)
  • Elmira (Remix) by/par The East Pointers (feat. Lonely Kid) (PEI)
  • Pontoise by/par Rosier (QC)
  • The River by/par Loryn Taggart (QC)

Solo Artist of the year / Artiste solo de l’année

  • Dana Sipos for/pour The Astral Plane (BC)
  • William Prince for/pour Gospel First Nation (MB)
  • Laura Smith for/pour As Long As I’m Dreaming (NS)
  • Maneli Jamal for/pour Soul Odyssey (ON)
  • Rick Fines for/pour Solar Powered Too (ON)
  • Alicia Toner for/pour Joan (PEI)

Traditional Album of the year / Album traditionnel de l’année

  • Kitchen Days by/par Braden Gates (AB)
  • Alive by/par Fred Eaglesmith & Tif Ginn (ON)
  • Be Here for a While by/par Shane Cook & The Woodchippers (ON)
  • Le bonhomme Sept Heures / The Bonesetter by/par Grosse Isle (QC)
  • Les sessions du Vices & Versa – 15th Anniversary by/par David Boulanger (QC)

Traditional Singer of the year / Chanteur traditionnel de l’année

  • Ray Schmidt for/pour Sold Out at the Ironwood (AB)
  • Pat Chessell for/pour The Road Not Taken (BC)
  • Ewelina Ferenc for/pour Songs From Home (ON)
  • Nicolas Boulerice for/pour Maison de pierre – Confiné au voyages (QC)
  • Sophie Lavoie for/pour Le bonhomme Sept Heures / The Bonesetter (QC)

Vocal Group of the year / Groupe vocal de l’année

  • The Fugitives for/pour Trench Songs (BC)
  • The Gilberts for/pour Tell Me (NS)
  • Whitehorse for/pour Modern Love (ON)
  • Les Bouches Bées for/pour Les trous dans les coeurs (QC)
  • Twin Flames for/pour Omen (QC)

Young Performer(s) of the year / Jeune artiste(s) de l’année

  • Paige Penney for/pour When All is Said and Done (NL)
  • Isabella Samson for/pour If It’s Not Forever (NS)
  • Hannah Thomas for/pour Christmas Don’t Be Late (ON)
  • Irish Millie for/pour Thirteen (ON)
  • The Broken Bridges for/pour The Porch Sessions (ON)

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of FACTOR, the Government of Canada and Canada’s private radio broadcasters.

 

CFMA 2022 event details:

The 17th Edition of the Canadian Folk Music Awards takes place over the weekend of April 1-3, 2022

Coldplay And BTS Release New Versions Of ‘My Universe’ Single

Eric Alper
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Coldplay And BTS Release New Versions Of ‘My Universe’ Single

Coldplay have today unveiled two new versions of My Universe, their hit collaboration with BTS which has been streamed more than 50 million times since its much-anticipated release three days ago.

The stripped-back Acoustic Version of the track is available here, while the Supernova 7 mix, created by Coldplay’s Guy Berryman, can be streamed here.

Meanwhile, a short film documenting the recording of My Universe in BTS’s Seoul studio alongside Coldplay’s Chris Martin premiered yesterday on the South Korean group’s YouTube channel, at https://youtu.be/viM_c-Fc7sc.

My Universe, which hit Number One on iTunes in 95 countries upon its release last week, has already been heralded by NME as “a sparkling single”, with Billboard praising the “galaxy-sized collaboration” and USA Today calling it “another surefire hit.”

The song’s music video is expected to follow soon.

Sonic Reducers: Dave Grohl Almost Joined GWAR

Eric Alper
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Sonic Reducers: Dave Grohl Almost Joined GWAR

Sonic Reducers. One topic. Two music nerds. Five minutes.

We marvel at the fact that Dave Grohl almost joined GWAR, share our memories of being in the Gwar splash zone, and compare our favourite Grohl guest spots and side projects.

Wet Leg Unleash Second Single and Video “Wet Dream”

Eric Alper
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Wet Leg Unleash Second Single and Video “Wet Dream”

June saw the arrival of the brand new Isle of Wight duo Wet Leg with their storming debut single “Chaise Longue”; since then, the song has clocked up over 3,000,000 streams, over 1,000,000 video views and won Wet Leg’s Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers fans in the likes of Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Iggy Pop and Florence Welch.

Now, the two-piece are ready to unleash their next single, “Wet Dream”. A 2 and half minute slice of exuberance as unforgettable and buoyant as “Chaise Longue” that cements them as one of the most thrilling bands to emerge this year. Teasdale explains its origins: “Wet Dream is a breakup song; it came about when one of my ex’s went through a stage of texting me after we’d broken up, telling me that ‘he had a dream about me’.” The video—directed by Teasdale—is like something out of Věra Chytilová and Salvador Dali’s wildest dreams.

Also announced today are Wet Leg’s first ever US tour dates, playing New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco this coming December. Tickets will be available Friday, October 1st at 10am local; grab those here:

Wet Leg Tour Dates
Dec 9 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
Dec 14 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Moroccan Lounge
Dec 15 – San Francisco, CA @ Popscene at Rickshaw Stop

…and here’s the best song of 2021. Hell, it’s the best song of 2020. And 2019.

Sonic Reducers: R. Kelly Has Been Found Guilty

Eric Alper
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Sonic Reducers: R. Kelly Has Been Found Guilty

Sonic Reducers. One topic. Two music nerds. Five minutes.

We discuss the R. Kelly guilty verdict, and ponder the impact the documentary had on the case.

Nanaimo, BC Country Singer/Songwriter JOEL LEE Brings The Perfect Stomper With “This Party Ain’t Over”

Eric Alper
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Nanaimo, BC Country Singer/Songwriter JOEL LEE Brings The Perfect Stomper With “This Party Ain’t Over”

If your 2021 party vibe has been feeling a little too laid back and low-key so far, Nanaimo, BC country singer/songwriter Joel Lee’s newly unleashed banger is sure to kick up the good times; “This Party Ain’t Over” is available now.

In the afterglow of the Top 30 success of his previous release, “Adrenaline,” Lee isn’t hitting the brakes any time soon; rather, he’s upping the stakes with his dazzling, brash, new single.

A tongue-in-cheek glimpse into the summertime routines of country folks living on the west coast, complete with their ‘warm breeze and tall trees,’ “This Party Ain’t Over” throws open the gates on the rockin’ country truth of how Canada’s Pacific-side revellers like to rip it up during festival season.

“I wanted to really pull together a vibe that accurately describes the shenanigans here celebrating our west coast summer,” the Nanaimo, B.C.-based artist says. “Anybody who has been to a country music festival knows ‘there ain’t no party like a country music festival party. I wanted to convey what it’s like being at a four-day country music festival on the morning of day three: hungover and tired, and still with another big night left to go.

“You don’t feel much like ‘ripping it up’ again but, you know… Hair of the dog, and all that!”

This new single marks the first time Joel Lee has taken the producing reins in hand, full on, he shares. “‘This Party Ain’t Over’ was my real first shot at producing my own music. My tendency is to write love songs or melancholic ballads but, with ‘This Party Ain’t Over,” I wanted to be the ‘fun guy’ for a day and show off my inner party animal.

“I had a very specific direction I wanted this recording to go in, and I couldn’t be happier with the result.”

The right recipe for making the song’s accompanying music video was to “throw an epic party” for his friends, of course. “It was a blast to shoot,” Lee recalls. “Turns out, I have several personalities! A couple of beers, and I’m Superman.

“Welcome to the Joel Lee show. ‘Nuff said.”

Lee grew up in a house where “hockey and country music reigned supreme,” fueling a goal-oriented passion that led him to write, record and tour with his sons Marshall and Brayden throughout the 2010s and now, to build a burgeoning solo career.

He released his debut and sophomore singles “No Filter” and “Adrenaline” in 2020 after recording his forthcoming debut EP at Nashville, Tennessee’s legendary Blackbird Studios with producers Brent Fortin and Shawn Moore. Lee has also worked with production giants Mike Fraser (ACDC) and Jeff Dawson (Daniel Powter), and shared the stage or opened for the likes of Emerson Drive, The Washboard Union, Gord Bamford, Chad Brownlee and more.

In addition to being a talented musician, Lee has finely tuned skills in visual artistry; he’s also a highly sought after tattoo artist with his own shop, Joel Lee Tattoo on Vancouver Island.

With dynamite reaction to the single so far and an early add to Sirius XM Canada’s CBC Country channel, Lee is aiming for “This Party Ain’t Over” to be the biggest party yet on the airwaves all across the country.

“This Party Ain’t Over” is available now!

Montreal Jazz Composer FRANCIS NICOLAS Soothes World Weary Souls with “Don’t Feel So Sad”

Eric Alper
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Montreal Jazz Composer FRANCIS NICOLAS Soothes World Weary Souls with “Don’t Feel So Sad”

In a time when the magical medicine of music is working overtime at soothing troubled souls, beautiful songs are a prescription to be taken aurally whenever needed, and Canadian jazz-pop artist and composer Francis Nicolas has your next delicious dose with his new release, “Don’t Feel So Sad” — available now.

In “Don’t Feel So Sad,” the Montreal-based musician’s piano and trumpet melodies float over a pulsating rhythm, softly punctuated by ethereal female vocals lifting the song up into a dreamscape filled with anything but sadness. If listening to “Don’t Feel So Sad” pulls you into a cinematic and joyful experience, then that’s exactly what the young composer was intending.

“I really like movies,” explains Nicolas. “The atmosphere created by the director and supported by the music… All you need is a scene, a moment when you no longer have the impression of being a spectator, but a character in movement.”

“Don’t Feel So Sad” opens up a window to Nicolas’ personal sound lab, where the multi-talented musician composed, arranged and produced the track all on his own, out of both desire and necessity.

“When I created my song, it was a time when you couldn’t do much because of the pandemic,” he recalls. “So I created my own scenario.”

Nicolas has incorporated vocals into his compositions before but “Don’t Feel So Sad” marks the first time he is featuring a vocalist in one of his songs, and that vocalist is sought-after Montréal studio session singer, Ilea. As Ilea dreamily implores the listener not to feel sad, she also reminds us that we are not alone. It’s a simple, universal message of the power of community and the strength of our hearts when brought together.

“Don’t feel so sad.
I share my heart with you.”

Nicolas has already shared his considerable talents with us two previous singles that revealed his unique identity as a jazz trumpeter; “Gibbous Moon” and “Blue Light” were released in 2020 and earlier in 2021 respectively. “Don’t Feel So Sad” adds a new facet to this exciting young composer’s evolution.

Born and raised in Montréal, Nicolas first discovered his passion for music while playing his family’s piano as a child. While participating in elementary school harmony, he met the trumpet and it was love at first breath. So began a great adventure that has seen him grow into playing with a number of big bands, jazz combos and pop groups in and around Montréal. In July 2019, he participated in the 40th edition of the Montreal Jazz Festival with the ‘‘Ensemble Jazz de Montréal’’.

Francis Nicolas’ third solo composition and single, “Don’t Feel So Sad”, is available now.

SiriusXM’s Urban View Channel Adds More Powerful Black Voices to Its Lineup with the Premiere of Four New Weekend Programs

Eric Alper
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SiriusXM’s Urban View Channel Adds More Powerful Black Voices to Its Lineup with the Premiere of Four New Weekend Programs

SiriusXM announced today four new, diverse weekly shows led by powerful voices in race relations, culture, business, politics, law, medicine and more. The new programs bolster the Urban View channel’s commitment to featuring dynamic discourse from prominent Black voices across a range of topics. The channel will unveil its new Sunday lineup starting Sunday, September 26.

Qasim Rashid, a human rights lawyer, author, Truman National Security fellow, and former nominee for United States Congress, will kick off the day with The Qasim Rashid Show. The program’s focus will be on racial, economic, and gender justice, and will tap into the wisdom of diverse leaders and activists who help illuminate how our unique experiences can guide us towards justice, wholeness, and accountability. Guests will include national thought leaders, activists, and politicians. The Qasim Rashid Show airs Sundays at 10:00 am ET.

Dr. Robin Smith is a licensed psychologist, bestselling author and national television personality who was first introduced to viewers around the world as the on-air therapist for The Oprah Winfrey Show. Her new SiriusXM program, The Dr. Robin Show, will address today’s most pressing societal challenges through fearless, soulful conversations. She will also bring a uniquely healing perspective to our nation’s most daunting social justice and mental health issues: from systemic racism and racial violence, to grief and loss, to discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation, to recovering and rebounding as a nation after the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Listeners will hear in-depth conversations with preeminent thought leaders, entertainers, experts, artists, athletes, and activists who share their own insights and stories on rising up toward truth, justice, and joy. Dr. Robin will also draw from her professional and personal experiences to help others transform adversity into purpose and power. The Dr. Robin Show airs Sundays at 11:00 am ET.

Shelly Bell, entrepreneur, business and technology strategist, finance expert, CEO & Founder of Black Girl Venture, and 2019 Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 100 Powerful Women in Business is known to move ideas to profit while empowering people to live, build, and foster better relationships. She connects entrepreneurs, investors, and corporations in order to diversify their talent pipeline, increase equity, and grow their brands. The Shelly Bell Show will be hosted by Bell and co-hosts Takia Ross and Sherrell Duncan, who will discuss topics surrounding entrepreneurship, career growth, and will cover all things money, wellness and pop culture. The Shelly Bell Show airs Sundays at 12:00 pm ET.

Shermichael Singleton is a writer, commentator, former Contributing Host of Vox Media’s Consider It, and political strategist who has worked on multiple presidential campaigns in addition to being named to Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree for Law and Policy (2019).  Now Singleton will host Bigger Than Politics with Shermichael Singleton, which will be dedicated to discussing the intersection of politics and culture. Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, or Independent — the show seeks to explore the nuances of politics and the cultural underpinnings that impacts policy, elections, and culture. Shermichael will have robust and fun conversations with notable journalists, political leaders, content creators, and other influencers and trendsetters on trending and important topics. Bigger Than Politics with Shermichael Singleton airs Sundays at 1:00 pm ET.

“I’m thrilled to see the continued growth of Urban View and to welcome this diverse group of experts to the team,” said Karen Hunter, Urban View host and Programming Consultant, SiriusXM. “In keeping with the channel’s mission, our new programs will elevate the national dialogue about a wide range of topics that impact the African-American community. There couldn’t be a better time to have these impactful, topical conversations, and there is no better place to have them than on Urban View.”

The new programs join a powerful Sunday lineup that includes For Your Soul w/ Rev. Dr. DeForest Soaries (8:00-9:00 am ET), Sunday Civics with L. Joy Williams (9:00-10:00 am ET), The Mike Muse Show (2:00-3:00 pm ET), and Forward Progress (3:00-4:00 pm ET). Urban View is also home to some of the leading voices in talk radio, including weekday hosts Joe Madison, Heather B., Clay Cane, Karen Hunter, Reverend Al Sharpton, and more.

SiriusXM Urban View (channel 126) is available to listeners nationwide in their car and on their phone and connected devices at home with the SXM App. Streaming access is included for most subscribers. Go to www.siriusxm.com/ways-to-listen to learn more.

Various Artists – The Vinyl Series: Volume Three Curated By Chris Blackwell Released October 29

Eric Alper
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Various Artists – The Vinyl Series: Volume Three Curated By Chris Blackwell Released October 29

Since its beginnings in Jamaica in 1959, the story of the pioneering Island Records label has been inextricably linked to the story of its founder, Chris Blackwell. Now, Blackwell has curated a series of compilation LPs featuring his hand-picked tracks that correspond with his and Island’s legendary history.

On October 29, Island Records / UMe will release the third volume of The Vinyl Series, an 18-track double LP compiling some of the label’s key releases of the late 1960s and early ’70s. Volume One included pivotal songs from 1962 to 1969, and Volume Two, released over the summer, covered the years 1969 to 1973. Taken together, the sets explore the wide-ranging highlights from Island’s remarkable and extensive catalog. Volume 1 + 2 are available now HERE.  Pre-order The Vinyl Series, Volume 3, or the Volume 1-3 bundle HERE.

“The counterculture, which came to full force in 1967, had coincided with Island’s launch as a label,” writes Blackwell in the new collection’s liner notes, examining the connections that remained strong as the label moved into the evolving world of the ’70s. “Most of the acts we started off with remained with Island…To many of us, there didn’t seem to be much change.”

This volume of The Vinyl Series includes material which remained rooted in the folk and acoustic-based styles that were crucial to Island’s foundation. That side of the label’s history is represented by Nick Drake’s “Way to Blue” (from his first album, Five Leaves Left) and “Late November” by Sandy Denny, which first appeared on a 1971 label sampler. But it was Cat Stevens who was identified most commonly with Island in the U.K.—he “continued to be Island’s biggest seller,” notes Blackwell—and this album contains his 1971 global smash “Morning Has Broken,” an adaptation of a Christian hymn.

But Island had also broken through into enormous success on the harder rock front. Free hit big with the 1970 album Fire and Water, whose title track opens the Volume Three collection. “Incredibly young, but in many ways wise beyond their years,” Blackwell writes, “the four-piece was such a talented group, led at the time I signed them by the 15-year old (!!!) Andy Fraser.”

When Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke split with Free to form Bad Company, they stayed with Island and became a worldwide sensation; “it seemed like a culmination and justification of their great talents,” writes Blackwell. And prog-rock supergroup Emerson, Lake and Palmer, represented here with their biggest hit single, 1970’s “Lucky Man,” were also “hugely successful on a global scale,” as Blackwell puts it.

Island’s rock roster reached into the world of glam in the early ’70s. Blackwell admits that “When I heard the first Roxy Music album, I confess that I wasn’t immediately certain of it.” But when he fully absorbed the group’s complete sound and vision, he said, “I understood that this was a true artistic endeavor, conceived and executed as such.” Along with Roxy’s magnificent first single, “Virgina Plain,” and lead singer Bryan Ferry’s solo cover of “The In Crowd,” The Vinyl Series: Volume Three also includes Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” and “Better By You, Better Than Me,” by Spooky Tooth, as well as “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us,” by the enigmatic duo Sparks, whose unparalleled career was recently the subject of an acclaimed documentary film.

But Chris Blackwell and Island Records will forever be associated with the music of Jamaica, and the period addressed in this album includes two landmark events that changed the world. Blackwell observes that he “began to see [reggae] was also starting to be taken up by some of the same audience who were the fanbase for underground rock.” Though he had released Bob Marley’s first solo single in the UK in 1962, he finally met and signed the Wailers a decade later. “I loved what they recorded in Jamaica for what became the Catch A Fire album,” he writes. “Although initially, it didn’t sell in colossal terms, it was critically a smash.” And it set in motion one of the greatest careers music has ever seen.

Concurrently, Island released the soundtrack for the revolutionary 1972 film The Harder They Come, which introduced reggae to an international audience. This collection includes two classics from that film—”Johnny Too Bad” by the Slickers and Jimmy Cliff, the star of the movie, singing “You Can Get It If You Really Want.” The majestic Toots and the Maytals, heard on this set performing 1974’s “Time Tough,” were also part of the soundtrack, which helped launch them to global prominence. “This Is Reggae Music,” a declarative single by the Jamaican band Zap Pow released in the wake of the soundtrack’s success, is also included.

In track-by-track essays by noted author and longtime Island Records chronicler Chis Salewicz, the album package features reminiscences that offer Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Blackwell’s own perspective. The third volume of The Vinyl Series—which also illustrates the label’s ventures into funk (The Meters), dub (Augustus Pablo), and blue-eyed soul (Robert Palmer)—rounds out the tale of Island’s visionary, eclectic path as it solidified its place as one of the most distinctive and bold labels in music history.

The Vinyl Series
Volume Three
Various Artists

Disc 1 – Side A:
1. Free- Fire And Water
2. Robert Palmer – Sailin’ Shoes
3. The Meters – Cissy Strut
4. Bryan Ferry – The “In” Crowd

Disc 1 – Side B:
1. Zap Pow – This Is Reggae Music
2. Toots and the Maytals – Time Tough
3. The Slickers – Johnny Too Bad
4. Jimmy Cliff – You Can Get It If You Really Want
5. Augustus Pablo – King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown

Disc 2 – Side A:
1. Traffic – Dear Mr. Fantasy
2. Bad Company – Bad Company
3. Spooky Tooth –  Better By You, Better Than Me
4. Sparks – This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both of Us
5. Roxy Music – Virginia Plan

Disc 2 – Side B:
1. Cat Stevens – Morning Has Broken
2. Nick Drake – Way To Blue
3. Sandy Denny – Late November
4. Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Lucky Man

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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