April 15, 2024

There were only six tracks played in today's BTT show but they were six mighty tracks. Well, maybe not all were "mighty" but they all were good food for the ears and brain. A few words on some of them:

"The magnificent 7" by Kamasi Washington, from the epic album, The epic. I haven't played anything from this record for a while but it's always a good one to return to. This was a fine tune with which to start the program.

"Nightclub jitters" by The Replacements. Post-punks do lounge jazz, just once.

"Five banana" by Carla Bley. An all-time fave of mine. I haven't put it on air for many years so it was due an outing.

"Leo" by Alice Coltrane. From a recently-released 1971 concert at Carnegie Hall. Crazy stuff.

You can take in all of these and more here.

BTT returns, as usual, in a week, on Monday, April 22, from 10 to 11 am MT, at cjsw.com or 90.9 FM.

Thanks.

Andrew

April 4, 2024 - Alternative To What?

On this day, I was privileged to be able to guest-host the long-running CJSW program, Alternative To What, again. As I usually do when I host ATW, I went all over the musical map and played all sorts and styles of songs, long and short, old and new. On this occasion, I think I may have done the best job at this I’ve ever done, at least on an ATW show. According to the texts that came into the booth, folks listening to the program live really liked it. I did too. If you’re reading this, I think you can listen to the show ASAP; to do that, go here.

Thanks.

Andrew

PS My fave title from this show is “Satanic immersion in goat piss” by Goring Christ. I played this song in the mini Satanic death metal set towards the end of the show.😆

April 8, 2024

This certainly wasn’t the craziest edition of Breaking The Tethers but some solid music was played, much of it Canadian. Plenty of newly released tunes were also featured. Here’s a few tracks I particularly liked:

“Lonnie’s lament” by the Mike Ledonne Groover Quartet. A great version of a fave Coltrane composition.

“Light through the window” by Sam Wilson. Sounds like she has been listening to Ryley Walker.

“Watergate” by Fumio Itabashi. Classic solo piano from Japan.

Listen to these and more here. 

BTT keeps on going on Monday, April 15, I’m going to play at least one longer tune. Hang out with me from 10 to 11 am MT at cjsw.com or 90.9 FM.

Thanks.

Andrew

April 1, 2024

Welcome to a new month. And it's April Fools Day. I didn't try to pull a fast one today, just played some fine tunes, mostly new releases. The main thing I noticed about this show was that many of the songs featured some great bass playing, both electric and acoustic. I didn't plan this but I'm glad it turned out this way. I dubbed this show The Cool Bass Playing Edition of Breaking The Tethers. Listen here.

The next time my dulcet tones will be featured on air at CJSW will not be next Monday. Later this week, on Thursday, April 4, I'll be filling in on Alternative To What. Regular host Kerry Clarke can't make it so she has deputized me to do my thing on her show. As always, thanks Kerry! Join me from 4 to 6 pm MT at cjsw.com or 90.9 FM.

All this being said, I will also be back with another episode of Breaking The Tethers next week. Usual time, usual place: 10 to 11 am MT, cjsw.com or 90.9 FM, Monday, April 8.

Thanks.

Andrew

March 25, 2024

The main event in this week's program was the first track played, "Africa" by Alice Coltrane, off the just-released-last-week album, The Carnegie Hall concert. This record documents a February 1971 concert by Alice and group (which includes two drummers, two sax players, two bass players, an harmonium player, a tamboura player, and Alice herself on piano and harp). While there is definitely structure, "Africa" is basically a half-hour long freakout, where Alice and the boys kick out the jams (as I read in a review of a bootleg version of the concert). It's a fine trip. You can listen to "Africa" and the other tunes featured in this show here.

Breaking The Tethers shows up again on April Fool's Day, Monday, April 1. I'm not sure if there will be any tricks but there will be treats of the musical variety (yes, I'm mixing up special days, I know). Check this out from 10 to 11 am MT at cjsw.com or 90.9 FM.

Thanks.

Andrew

March 4, 2024

Here's a BTT program I forgot to post about, March 4. It was mostly newly-released stuff this week. Here's a few tracks I particularly dug:

The Lori Bell Quartet with a jazz flute version of Joe Henderson's "Black narcissus". Joe's version (from Power to the people) is still the best but I quite dug this one.

"Passing ships" by Andrew Hill, from the album of the same name (which was recorded in 1969 but not released until 2003). Super-horn heavy album.

"Snafu" by Yusuf Lateef from the reissued Eastern sounds. I've really been digging this record. I've played a number of tracks on BTT over the last several weeks.

"KRITN" by the Budos Band from their recent release, the EP Frontier's edge. The Budos Band are always fun to play.

That's enough of a hint about this show. You can listen to it here.

Thanks.

Andrew

March 22, 2024 - The Future Language

I crashed another CJSW program. The Future Language! Normally, The Future Language is a punk show but it went in some very different directions this week. Future Language host and CJSW music director, Helen Young, and I often talk about prog-type music and we decided we needed to bring this to air.  Helen selected half the tunes and I picked the other half. All sorts of awesome proggy craziness was fed to the airwaves and we had lots of fun. We're going to do it again sometime! Listen to everything that went down here.

Thanks.

Andrew