May 26, 2025

I didn't plan to make this an "all-new" show and it wasn't but it ended up being close. 10 tracks played (which is a few more than usual), of which seven were new releases. The last six in a row were all new , something I didn't plan but noticed afterwards. The music all fit together well so definitely no harm done! You can give a listen to this program right here.

Time is zipping by and the first edition of BTT in June is coming up soon. Please join me on Monday, June 2, at cjsw.com or 90.9 FM, from 10 to 11 am MT.

Thanks.

Andrew

May 22, 2025 - Alternative To What?

This was the second of two Alternative To What shows that I guest-hosted. This one was probably more varied that its predecessor, on May 15. Among other things, in no particular order, there was big band, meditative music, ambient, solo drums, metal, hippie rock, folk rock, and no shortage of crazy/weirdo songs. You can check it all out here.

No more ATW programs for me for a while I carry on with my regular show, Breaking The Tethers. As of writing, the next one is on Monday, June 2, from 10 to 11 am MT, at cjsw.com or 90.9 FM.

Thanks.

Andrew

May 19, 2025

Breaking The Tethers last week was an "all new" program, something I hadn't done for quite some time (maybe 2024?). This week was a return to the usual form, a mix of old and new, with the regular jumble of  musical styles under the broad jazz umbrella. Not much else to say that it was a good show, well worth listening to, here. Oh, I will mention my fave track title from this week, "Yes! Ramen!! by Hiromi from the album Out there.

Monday, May 26 is the date for the next BTT show. Please tune in with me from 10 to 11 am MT at cjsw.com or 90.9 FM

I am also guest-hosting Alternative To What on Thursday, May 22, 4 to 6 pm, same place. Please join me then, too.

Thanks

Andrew

May 15, 2025 - Alternative To What?

This was the first of two Alternative To What programs I'm going to be guest-hosting in May. Many thanks as always to regular ATW host Kerry Clarke for tapping me to fill in. Today's program leaned a bit to the jazzy side of things, especially in the second hour. A fair chunk of the first hour was made up of a special feature: I played one track, in order, from each of Philip Glass' symphonies that were based on David Bowie's (and Brian Eno's) Berlin trilogy albums, Low, Heroes, and Lodger. The first symphonies were put out in the 1990s but the last one didn't appear until 2022 and I didn't hear it until earlier this year. Now that all three have crossed my ears I figured it was time to put a sampler on air. You can listen to the Glass/Bowie/Eno pieces plus the rest of the show on the podcast here.

The second edition of Alternative To What that I'll be hosting will be on Thursday, May 22. Come travel all over the musical map with me from 4 to 6 pm MT at cjsw.com or 90.9 FM.

Thanks.

Andrew

May 12, 2025

For the first time this calendar year, I decided, very close to airtime, that this edition of Breaking The Tethers was going to be an "all-new" show. And that's what it ended up being; eight songs played, in a variety of styles (perhaps leaning more to the outside?), all of which are newly-released or newly-re-released. While I dug them all, my favourite was probably "34a" by Steve Lehman from The music of Anthony Braxton. The recording of all of this is here.

Monday, May 19 features the next BTT program. Join me for more music and more music from 10 to 11 am MT at cjsw.com or 90.9 FM.

I'll also be making a couple of appearances on Alternative To What? in May, on Thursday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16, 4 to 6 pm both days. A tip of the hat to regular host Kerry Clarke for letting me do my thing on her show.

Thanks.

Andrew

May 5, 2025

May arrives for Breaking The Tethers and brings a show that definitely leans to more out there sounds leavened by some soul jazz ("Trane's terrain" by Jon Bentley) and a tribute to Joe Williams ("Sad song" by Planet D Nonet with Leonard King). The craziest of the crazy music had to be "Il Teatro Rosso, scene II - the spasms of trapped animals" by No Hay Banda / Steven Takasugi / Huei Lin which I described in an internal CJSW review of the album (Il Teatro Rosso) as, to paraphrase myself, "free jazz or chamber music made by rodents on meth". It's wild stuff; the last few minutes of the track sound like the end of the world is coming. You can listen to it, and the rest of the program here.

There will be more great music, wild and otherwise, on the next edition of BTT, on Monday, May 12, 10 to 11 am MT, at cjsw.com or 90.9 FM. Please join me if you can (and I hope you can!)

Thanks.

Andrew

PS I'll also be guest hosting on Alternative To What on two Thursdays in May, May 15 and 22. More on this soon.

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