09 December 2020

Ottawa Blues This Week - 09 December 2020

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OTTAWA BLUES THIS WEEK 

has moved back to an approximate weekly frequency.

If you would like to subscribe to the email, please complete the form at http://eepurl.com/bi1E3L

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Info below compiled from Facebook posts.

If you have updated info, or to share any corrections, please contact ottawablues@gmail.com

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LOCAL VENUES

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Please check with venues to determine their status.

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Irene’s Pub    

885 Bank Street

Check for updates on Irene’s Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/irenespub.ca/events/?ref=page_internal

www.irenespub.ca

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Atomic Rooster    

303 Bank Street

Wednesday – Sunday, 4 pm – 11 pm

Check for updates on the Atomic Rooster’s Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/267649179945257

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Rainbow Bistro

76 Murray Street

Check for updates on the Rainbow’s Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/rainbow.bistro.7

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AREA VENUES

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The Cove Inn

Westport, ON

Takeout and Hotel Rooms available as well! To guarantee a table, please make a reservation by calling us 613-273-3636 or email thecoveinnwestport@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you very soon! Live music is almost nightly. See calendar http://coveinn.com/index.php/events/

We welcome you back but please respect public health regulations to keep us all safe and healthy. We need to be diligent with respect to keeping COVID-19 out of our town! Thanks for your continued support!

www.coveinn.com

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WEEKLY EVENTS

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Please check venue websites for info.

Some venues offer live stream events.

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EVENTS THIS WEEK

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Jimmy Bowskill & Steve Marriner

The Cove Country Inn, Westport ON

Thursday & Friday, December 10 & 11; 6 pm – 10 pm

$70 + HST includes dinner

Limited capacity, book early; The Cove 613-273-3636 http://www.coveinn.com

Two of Canada's best Roots Blues guitarists/singer-songwriters together. 

Steve Marriner is a dynamic and powerful performer who incorporates various styles of blues, roots and soul. While he currently dedicates most of his time to fronting the highly acclaimed Roots Blues Band MonkeyJunk, he also performs intimate solo shows and acts as a dynamic sideman. Originally renowned for his prowess on the harmonica, Steve has become a multi-instrumental force in recent years, adding bass, guitar, drums, and keys into the mix. He’s won multiple Maple Blues Awards for Harmonica Player and Male Vocalist of The Year and 2 Juno Awards with MonkeyJunk.

Jimmy Bowskill’s professional career started at age 11 when he was discovered by the late, great Jeff Healey and he's continued to grow and mature ever since. He's toured North America and Europe as the Jimmy Bowskill Band and currently plays electric guitar with the internationally famous band The Sheepdogs. He's about to release his 6th album (first solo) album on which he plays most of the instruments.
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Al Tambay

Waterfront Gastro Pub, 12 Bell Street, Carleton Place ON

Thursday, December 10; 9 pm – midnight

and

Saturday, December 12; 3 pm – 6 pm

 

South Branch Bistro, Kemptville ON

Friday, December 11; 7 pm – 9 pm

Message from Al: “I want to give out a big shout out and Thank you to Mark the Staff and the people who have been going to the Waterfront A) To Mark and Staff for taking all the measures to make it safe B) To the Clients for respecting the regulations. But here's a bit of an extra Thank you. Mark has kept music going @ The Waterfront by building a music box for the musicians to be able to perform and has kept us working ... that’s a personal thank you, but also now Mark is doing all sorts of things to help out the community, including donations, fundraisers, and specials, and even a Christmas Dinner thing. Check out the Waterfront Gastro pub page … boy if that doesn't stuff my stocking ... wait … never mind ... but that's all folks, see you soon, and I won't say it yet but it's coming Merry … not just yet, peace out!”

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The Retro Heart Show

Rainbow Bistro, 76 Murray Street

Saturday, December 12; 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm; cover $5

Blues – Motown – Soul – Retro Rock

COVID protocols mandatory

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HoRoJo Trio

The Grand Hotel, 7 Bridge Street, Carleton Place ON

Saturday, December 12; dinner & show $150 + HST

The HoRoJo Trio recently won the international blues competition in Memphis, Tennessee and will be having their debut album produced by a Grammy-winning producer in Nashville.

The Grand Hotel will be hosting a 50-person event to raise money for their recording costs, as all musicians nationwide have been terribly impacted by COVID.

Tickets are $150 (+HST) per person with most going directly to the band to produce their album! We are selling quickly so please call the hotel to reserve. A credit card will be needed to book as it is first come. A beautiful 4 course dinner prepared by our awesome chef will be served and the band will play a full show.

Let's get together for this great cause and do some good.

For inquiries and to book please call Rod at 343-999-6774

https://www.facebook.com/thegrandcp/posts/2733406056988270

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Saturday Night Revue with Jamieson & Friends

Irene’s Pub, 885 Bank Street

Saturday, December 12 @ 7 pm; pay what you can

An Evening of music with Jamieson MacKay. Socially distanced seating available indoors.

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Rainbow Sunday Blues Showcase Series

Rainbow Bistro, 76 Murray Street

Every Sunday afternoon in December 2020

Door at 2, show 3/3:30-7/7:30ish; cover $5

Dec 13 – James Cochrane

Dec 20 - Crunchy Flower
Dec 27 - River City Junction

This is NOT an open jam.

Due to the nature of jams and the inevitability of cross-contamination, the new Sunday format is not an open mic/jam.

Please respect COVID restrictions:
- Wear your mask and use hand sanitizer.
- Stay at your table, please remain seated.
- No dancing,
- Groups no larger than 4 per table,
- Do not approach other tables.

Please note last call is at 8:45 pm, and that everyone must be gone by 9:30 pm.

Cover is $5, you may pay it in cash or with plastic to the bartender while they collect your ID for contact tracing.

Thank you for supporting live music.

Play safe, be respectful.

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Christmas Goose – A Benefit for the Ottawa Food Bank

Irene’s Pub, 885 Bank Street

Sunday, December 13 @ 3 pm

Featuring Pat Moore, Lynne Hanson, Shawn Tavenier, Nick Gauthier and Ann Downey.

Live at Irene's and Live streamed on Sidedoor.

In-house tickets are sold by tables of 2, 3 and 4.
Tickets for the live stream: https://sidedooraccess.com/shows/gInqsjHH0tl7j1UYOUhk

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EVENTS COMING UP

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Miss Emily, with full band

The Cove Country Inn, Westport ON

Friday & Saturday, December 18 & 19; 6 pm – 10 pm

$70 + HST includes dinner

Limited capacity, book early; The Cove 613-273-3636 http://www.coveinn.com

3X Maple Blues Award winner in 2020, a fabulous singer and performer whose career took off after she opened for THE TRAGICALLY HIP in 2011. She has remained close with members of that band ever since. Miss Emily just released a great new album - "Live At The Isabella". You seldom get a chance to see an artist of this caliber with her full band in an intimate setting like The Cove.
P.S. There's a nice added connection between The Cove and Miss Emily. Manager Seamus Cowan plays bass in her band. 

www.themissemily.com

Check out this great YOUTUBE video of her with the band
https://youtu.be/-W7Ku1RWFv0

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Lynn Miles Solo

Irene’s Pub, 885 Bank Street

Saturday, December 19 @ 3 pm

          Tickets: www.eventbrite.ca/e/lynn-miles-winter-solo-tickets-130141852785

Sunday, December 20 @ 3 pm

         Tickets: www.eventbrite.ca/e/lynn-miles-winter-solo-tickets-130142057397

Lynn Miles is an award-winning singer-songwriter, record producer, teacher, writer, public speaker.

https://lynnmilesmusic.ca/

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The Chocolate Hot Pockets

Irene’s Pub, 885 Bank Street

Sunday, December 20; 8 pm – 11 pm

The Chocolate Hot Pockets will be gracing the stage for a Christmas Funk & Soul show featuring the incomparable Michael Hanna live at Irene's Pub on Sunday, December 20.

This event will be a ticketed event that can be attended in person (assuming COVID protocols allow) as well as a paid online Zoom link which will be available soon. We'll be paying tribute to great artists such as Bill Withers, Steely Dan, Mavis Staples, Blood, Sweat & Tears and many more.

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MUSICAL ADVENT CALENDAR

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Three of Ottawa’s most popular singers — Angelique Francis, Rebecca Noelle and Kellylee Evans — are among a dozen top-tier local artists featured in a new series of 24 seasonal music videos, with one to be presented each day until Dec. 24. The musical Advent calendar is the result of an innovative collaboration between RBC Bluesfest and the Embassy of Germany. The videos will be posted on the embassy’s website, sogerman.ca/advent-calendar

According to Sabine Sparwasser, Germany’s ambassador to Canada, the idea for the online Advent calendar was devised in her office, while the Bluesfest team contributed the expertise to make it happen.

“The Advent calendar is a much-beloved thing in Germany,” said Sparwasser, referring to the holiday tradition of a calendar that has a small treat or gift tucked behind a flap on each day in December leading up to Christmas.

“Every day you open the little door and get the little present. You start off with a little joy in the morning, in particular when it’s dark and cold. It works up the anticipation to the 24th, which is the big present-giving day in Germany.”

Germans are known to be huge fans of music, and the German Embassy has long been a supporter of several Ottawa music festivals, including the Ottawa International Jazz Festival and Chamberfest. There’s normally a modest budget to organize and present cultural events, but because of the pandemic this year that budget was barely touched.

“It’s been a very difficult year to do anything live, and so we thought of doing something where we can engage young, local artists and spread the holiday cheer at the same time,” said Sparwasser. “We came up with the idea of the Advent calendar and found the perfect partner in Ottawa Bluesfest.”

Festival staff then turned to one of their Blues In The Schools instructors, the multi-talented artist Angelique Francis, to co-ordinate the effort, with help from her musician father, Kiran Francis, who also plays in her band.

Bluesfest executive director Mark Monahan said Francis had recently put together a promotional video for the school program, and the results were impressive. All 24 of the Advent calendar videos were shot at Festival House over one weekend, with Angelique and her father handling the myriad details, including producing, directing, shooting, editing, engineering, and mixing and mastering the audio. They also rounded up a selection of artists representing the diversity of the Ottawa music scene.

In addition to Francis, Noelle and Evans, the videos feature the Inuit throat-singing duo Tarniriik, bilingual singer-songwriter Kristine St. Pierre, spoken-word artist Jamaal Jackson Rogers, soprano Cara Gilbertson-Boese, the duo of guitarist Lucas Haneman and vocalist Megan Laurence, bluesy harmonica wiz Catriona Sturton, country-folk singer Julie Corrigan and singer-pianist Jeff Rogers with guitarist JW-Jones.

Most of the artists recorded two videos. The song selections include Christmas carols and winter-themed tunes, along with German favourites, secular standards and tidings from other cultures.

“This year is like no other year before, but the bright side is we’ve had to be more creative to reach out to people,” said Sparwasser. “We’re hopeful that with this calendar, maybe we’re going to reach people we’ve never had a chance to come into contact with before. And it gives artists a little something to do and a little revenue.”

Lynn Saxberg, Ottawa Citizen, 01-December-2020

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Southminster United Church

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December 2020

  Presented by Southminster United Church
  Wednesdays at noon, live at Music at Southminster

Dec 16    YULETIDE JAZZ 
The Yves Laroche Trio - Yves Laroche (piano), Tom Denison (bass), and Steve Gallant (drums) - offers up their Yuletide Jazz Suite featuring jazz compositions by Valerie Capers, Billie Holiday and Horace Silver.
Dec 23    A FESTIVAL OF LESSONS AND CAROLS
Caelis Academy Ensemble honors the season with a traditional Christmas festival of lessons and carols in the English Cathedral style. Caelis Academy Ensemble is directed by Matthew Larkin.

Support the DOMS series with a donation.
Thanks for reading and sharing,
Roland Graham, Artistic director, DOMS

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BLUES ON THE RIDEAU @ THE COVE
2021 WINTER SERIES
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Dinner & Show fundraisers for local charities
$70 (plus HST) for all shows * 7-10 pm
Two nights - Friday & Saturday - per engagement
Full COVID safety protocol in effect at all shows

Limited capacity due to COVID so book well ahead if you want to attend.
Limited number of tables for 2 available so, to help us maximize seating and for your added safety, please get together with family & friends and create your own "bubble" table.

Why not make this a nice little staycation getaway? Well-priced accommodation available at the Cove and nearby B&Bs.

ADVANCE RESERVATIONS REQUIRED * CALL THE COVE
613-273-3636 or email thecoveinnwestport@gmail.com

If you can't be there in person, all shows will be broadcast live on the BOTR YOUTUBE channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/ucwljdqbzal87xbjlg9sw-CQ
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JACK DE KEYZER TRIO
Friday & Saturday,
January 15 & 16
Proceeds from these shows go to St. Edwards elementary school

No need to introduce this act to Blues On The Rideau aficionados. Canada's King of the Blues guitar, Jack and his band are the most popular group to have ever played BOTR @ The Cove. This will be his record 10th visit since the Series started. A 2X Juno Award and 7X Maple Blues Award winner, Jack's career continues to blossom. He has a new album out and has just been nominated for 5 more Maple Blues Awards this year - Best Entertainer, Electric Act, Guitarist, Male Vocalist and Recording of the Year. And Alan Duffy (bass) and Richard Thornton (saxophone) who will be accompanying Jack for these shows are both up for MBAs in their respective categories as well. Blues, Rock, Funk, Soul and R&B at its best!
www.jackdekeyzer.com
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CHUCK JACKSON TRIO
Friday & Saturday,
February 19 & 20
Proceeds from these shows go to Rideau Vista elementary school

Another BOTR favourite - Chuck has played here with The Hogtown Allstars multiple times and is of course is famous as the lead singer and harp player in the legendary Downchild Blues Band. He lists his major influences as Big Joe Turner, Otis Redding and Junior Wells and you can hear a lot of each of them in his music - he has an unmistakable powerful, soulful Blues Shouter style. He's also an accomplished songwriter and is the founder and Director of the famous Southside Shuffle Blues Festival in Port Credit, Ontario. Chuck has won 2 Juno Awards and 5 Maple Blues Awards with Downchild over his career and has been nominated 6X for the MBA for Best Male Vocalist - and won it 3X. He's up for another one this year. Joining Chuck for this performance is long time friend (and a former member of Downchild) Tyler Yarema on keyboards and Pat Carey on sax (another Downchild member) who has won the MBA for Horn Player of the Year an amazing 7X. 

www.chuckjackson.com
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PAUL REDDICK TRIO
Friday & Saturday,
March 19 & 20
Proceeds from these shows go to P.A.W.S (Prevent Another Westport Stray)

A wonderfully talented singer, songwriter and harmonica player, Paul has been performing his critically acclaimed original material on stages across Canada, the USA and Europe for over 30 years. He has 10 albums to his credit and has recorded and written with Colin Linden, Tom Wilson and MonkeyJunk, among others. His most recent album "Ride The One" won him a Juno in 2016. Paul will be appearing with long time friend and collaborator Kyle Ferguson (from The Sidemen days) and Steve Marriner from MonkeyJunk (who is fast becoming a regular at The Cove) - both on guitars. 
www.paulreddick.ca

NOTE: All shows are subject to postponement depending on the COVID situation at the timeWatch for email updates, visit the BOTR website www.bluesontherideau.ca or the Cove website www.coveinn.com or call the Cove 613-273-3636 for updates
as the show dates approach. 
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KINGSTON SPECIAL EVENTS

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For more info, please contact Kingston Blues Society

www.kingstonbluessociety.ca

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MOVIES

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ByTowne Cinema    

325 Rideau Street

A message from Bruce

I have some sad news. I have decided to close the ByTowne, effective December 31st, 2020.

The cinema has been losing money every day since the pandemic hit. Even when we've been allowed to be open, audiences are dramatically smaller. The ByTowne has a fantastic customer base, but many ByTowners just aren't coming these days. And I don't blame them: our staff have done an amazing job with COVID protocols that keep customers as safe as possible, but everyone's risk assessment is personal, and specific to their circumstances. Many just don't want to make a non-essential trip to a cinema.

Fewer customers. Fewer films, too. Another factor in my decision to end programming as of December 31 is that we're running out of movies. Since the pandemic hit, distributors have also had to make some business decisions. They've sold some titles to streaming services, skipping the marketing expense of releasing them to only a few limited-seating cinemas. Other movies have been moved from fall and winter releases to, well, some unspecified point in a possibly rosier future.

Normal film distribution, normal cinema operations, and normal moviegoing are all waiting for a widely available coronavirus vaccine. And that, realistically, is many months away. Perhaps more than a year.

And there's one other reason. In August of 2019, I started seriously working on a succession plan. Who could I find to buy the business and carry on the ByTowne tradition? I'm at retirement age, and the cinema could use fresh ideas. I was making some progress at that. Then the pandemic hit.

It's still possible that someone will want to take over the ByTowne business and offer independent cinema to the ByTowne's wonderful fan base. But it's a scenario that's unlikely until we get out of the eye of the pandemic storm.

If there's eventual interest from someone, you may see ByTowne 2.0 someday. No-one will be more delighted than me, and I'll be there as one of you, a happy spectator of amazing movies. But I won't be your programmer.

Which brings us to some practical matters. Unlike the government-ordered shutdowns of 2020, the December 31st closure is more permanent. We can no longer sell Memberships or our pre-paid Vouchers, because they are promises of services that we can no longer live up to.

If you recently bought a Membership, or purchased some Vouchers for yourself or as gifts, I want to reimburse you for what you've lost. It's a bit complicated, but I've put all the details and instructions on our web site. Please visit www.bytowne.ca/we-owe-you and read up on the instructions.

Is it too late for you to help? Well, actually, yes. I know there are some of you who are willing to donate or loan money – anything to save the ByTowne. I've been so grateful for the kind messages and supportive purchases since March. If the pandemic has done anything positive, it's shown me the deep affection that you have for the cinema we built together. But it's a business, and the business model just isn't working now. I have two suggestions for channelling your love and support:

• Consider donating to my new project, the Staff Appreciation Fund. There are 15 wonderful ByTowne employees, many of whom have been working here for (literally) decades, who now have to find new employment. E-transfer any amount to cinemail@bytowne.ca and I will make sure the Fund is equitably distributed to the staffers, ideally in time for Christmas.

• Support the in-cinema experience in any way that you can. When post-pandemic life improves, attend any cinema, see any movie. Take chances; take friends; take a night off from Netflix.

I wish things could be different. My heartfelt thanks to you all.

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Mayfair Theatre    

1074 Bank Street

https://mayfairtheatre.ca/schedule/

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BLUES ON THE RADIO

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DAWGFM.com Blues 24/7 on the internet

Streaming at http://www.dawgfm.com/

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On CKCU-FM 93.1

The Mighty 93.1

www.ckcufm.com

Community Radio serving the Ottawa Carleton Region

Sundays: 9-11 pm

Black and Blues

with John Tackaberry

The show features a heavy dose of electric blues and rhythm and blues, with the occasional selection of sixties soul. The first hour is dedicated to artist profiles and reviews of recordings on particular labels. In the second hour there is a blues calendar, a rundown of events in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, and interviews with “new and reissued blues and rhythm and blues tracks on wax”, alternating with “live blues and R&B for a Sunday night” in the last half hour of the show.

http://www.ckcufm.com/black-and-blues

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Wednesdays: 9-11 pm

In A Mellow Tone

Hosted by Bernard Stepien, Ron Steeds, Allan Wigney, Jean-Michel Labatut and Aidian Thomas, ‘In A Mellow Tone’ introduces listeners to the entire history of jazz, from its beginnings to the latest innovations. Every program has a focus: on a musician, a city, a festival, an instrument, a record label or on recent releases. The hosts draw on their large personal CD and LP collections to supplement CKCU's extensive resources.

http://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/94/info.html

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On CBC Radio Two 103.3 FM

Saturdays: 6-8 pm

On CBC Radio One 91.5 FM

Saturdays: 9-11 pm

Saturday Night Blues

www.cbc.ca/snb

Host Holger Petersen has been a broadcaster, record producer, album collector, and serious blues fan for over 40 years.  His collection of blues records numbers in the thousands.  On Saturday Night Blues each week you’ll hear a mix of classic blues from the ‘Petersen Vaults’, concerts, interviews, artist features, new releases, plus anything that boogies, jumps, or swings, plus your requests from the Bluesline.

And check out SNB videos here http://www.cbc.ca/snb/video/

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On CJHR 98.7 Valley Heritage Radio

Thursdays, 8-10 pm

Got The Blues

Pat Watters is your host for this blues only radio show, now in its 13th year.  It can be heard throughout the Ottawa Valley and streaming on the internet at valleyheritageradio.ca.

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NPR from Canton NY

For those who live south of the city, the National Public Radio (NPR) radio signal at 89.5 FM in Canton NY comes in pretty strong in Manotick. “The Blue Note” Tuesdays 3 pm-5 pm, and “The Radio Bob Show” Wednesdays 3 pm-5 pm are both excellent shows – blues, ‘50s & ‘60s, rock & roll, R&B.

http://ncprmusic.org/ncpr-music-hosts/ellen-rocco/

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Unsung and On The Side

With Carolyn Fe

Carolyn wrapped up Unsung and On The Side after 200 shows. Previous episodes available at carolyn-fe.com/radio Featured Artists include: Little Axe, Jon Spear, Red's Blues, Cris Jacobs, Elam McKnight, The Soul Rebels, D.L. Duncan, Sybil Gage, Z Star, CheeseFinger Brown, Sami Joensuu, Billie Williams, The Unseen Strangers, CW Ayon, Sean Poluk Music, Victor & Penny, Tom Waits, Carolyn Fe, Fruteland Jackson, Jason Robert, Jersey Swamp Cats, KROM Christopher Minko, Becky Barksdale, Bing Futch, Sideshow Tramps, Tiffany Pollack and Eric Johanson, Bobby Rush, Big Daddy Wilson, Kathy Black, Chastity Brown

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