April 28, 2025

Last week's program, on April 21, featured an interview (with Rachel Therrien, which was great) so I figured I'd keep the words to somewhat of a minimum this week and have a music-heavy show (not that that BTT episodes aren't always full of music). Which is exactly what happened; nine songs played, many fairly long, from a fair number of styles (avant-jazz, contemporary jazz, afro-jazz, Canterbury sound, jazz-rock, and more). I invite you to give it a listen here.

Celebrate the arrival of May with another BTT show, on Monday, May 5, at cjsw.com or 90.9 FM, from 10 to 11 am MT. See you then!

Thanks.

Andrew

April 21, 2025

The main thing in this week's program was an interview with trumpet and flugelhorn player, composer, and bandleader Rachel Therrien. This was originally supposed to happen a few weeks ago but it came to pass today. It was great to chat with her about her music, her new album, her touring, and her future plans.

In addition to the interview, much fine music was played. Perhaps the best way to describe these is to say that there was heaven, angels, Satan, purgatory, and a necropolis. Take a look at the song titles and you'll figure this out! 😁

BTT finishes out in April with a show on Monday, April 28 (which is federal election day in Canada - if you can vote in Canada, get out and vote!). Go to cjsw.com or 90.9 FM from 10 to 11 am MT.

Thanks.

Andrew

April 14, 2025

What did we have on the Breaking The Tethers musical plate today? Notes on a few items:

*I went proggy and played some Emerson, Lake and Palmer (ELP). But it was a jazzy ELP, the "Piano improvisations" section from the live album Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends.

*Brian Baggett, he of Chapman Stick fame, is back with a new album, Travel past the aftermath. The track I featured on the show, "Ojos verdes", was completely appropriate, I think, as I have green eyes 😁.

*A recent fave discovery:"Starless and bible black" by the Stan Tracey Quartet of Under milk wood: jazz suite from 1965. Serious moody stuff.

*All hail "Big tuba" from the album of the same name by the Hot 8 Brass Band. Tuba! Tuba! Tuba!

You can listen to all of this and more here.

More great stuff next week, including the rescheduled interview with Rachel Therrien. Please join me on Monday, April 21, at cjsw.com or 90.9 FM, from 10 to 11 am MT.

Thanks.

Andrew

April 7, 2025

The main item was supposed to be an interview with trumpet and flugelhorn player Rachel Therrien. It didn't come to pass but it's been rescheduled for Monday, April 21. We'll talk about her new album and her tour and play a track or two from the album.

This week's show ended up being all music, which is never a bad thing. There was plenty of Canadian sounds, tunes from two all-female bands (Artemis and Ostara Project), and some of what could be called "oddball" jazz. The podcast of the program is here.

The next edition of BTT will be on Monday, April 14, from 10 to 11 am MT, at cjsw.com or 90.9 FM. It'll be all music again (well, I'll talk a bit between the tunes).

Thanks.

Andrew

March 31, 2025

Back after a week away (thanks for guest-hosting Hanna Ferrow!), I think I put out a pretty strong show, made out of a few parts out-there jazz (e.g. "Motion" by Joe Farrell, "Things and beings" by Sonny Simmons), a couple of touches of Africa ("Waka juju parts 1 and 2" by Manu Dibango), a dash of 70s jazz-rock ("Ice cream cakes" by the Jeff Beck Group), some long-time favourites (e.g. "Contemporary focus" by McCoy Tyner, "Pillars of Hercules" by Atlantis Jazz Ensemble), and two moody mellow set enders ("Summer storm" by Okonski, "Sonora" by Benjie Porecki). Four of the tracks were new releases. All in all, a nice package. You can listen to this program, for the first time or again, here. 

The next BTT edition will be the first in April, on Monday, April 7. The start time will be 10 am MT and the location will be cjsw.com or 90.9 FM. Please tune in!

Thanks.

Andrew