Pioneer Grooves: Celebrating Ollie: A national Canadian icon in his 90th year

CKUT podcast project Pioneer Grooves features a diverse array of Montreal-based musicians whose music is deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of Montreal and Canada. Many of these artists left their birthplace in search of a better life, bringing with them a rich tapestry of musical genres.

Having originally profiled the legendary Steelpan players of Expo ’67, we now are pleased to publish a new episode, Celebrating Ollie: A national Canadian icon in his 90th year.

On a snowy afternoon last February, we had the privilege of spending hours with the legendary Oliver Jones in his home. He played music and shared captivating stories of 90 years of a wonderful life. Lovingly known as Ollie, he took us on a journey through his youth in Little Burgundy, with icons like Oscar Peterson and Daisy Sweeney, and gave us a glimpse into the dizzying heights of his remarkable career. We’re thrilled to share this episode with you — an entertaining and intimate look into the life of a Montreal master.

Modular Systems this Weekend..

Tune in to Modular Systems this Sunday from 13-14h for a guest dj set by elle fast, a DJ and promoter based in Winnipeg, Treaty 1 territory.

Unconcerned with genres, and dedicated to storytelling via unusual grooves, her sets weave through assorted shades and eras of house, techno, experimental, and breakbeat, often held together by a thick bassline and/or generous helping of machine funk.

Current projects and affiliations include music for bathtubs, a mix series inviting guests to explore the dustier, downtempo corners of their collections; and Proper, a Winnipeg-based event series showcasing local and regional artists.

Tune in live or catch it on the archives.

Layoffs on the horizon as McGill commits to major cuts

Funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, CKUT’s Local Journalism Initiative will publish local news stories from reporter Jules Bugiel. 

Senior administrators announced a $45 million target for budget cuts by this fall, with $30 million more over the next two years. More cuts are not off the table, Provost Christopher Manfredi says.

The university is adopting austerity due to a number of outside pressures – chief among them Quebec’s changes to international student tuition, and out-of-province tuition hikes, which came into effect last fall.

CKUT speaks to campus union representatives about the possible impact of the cuts – and what they’d like to see from McGill’s administration.

NEW POSTS ON THE MUSIC BLOG: DIG IN

M FOR MOTHLAND BY MUNIRA

EXODUS IN GRIFFINTOWN BY MC

SLASH NEED INTERVIEW BY CECELIA

PELADA SAY FAREWELL BY MARCEL 

NEW AMBER MARK EP BY YH

CKUT's Featured Archives

We’ve been broadcasting 24/7 for decades so for new ears it can be a little hard sometimes to know where to dive in. With hundreds of volunteers in the mix at any given time, even here at the station it can be tricky to know what is going on at times.

So – we’ve been trying to use our Featured Archives zone as a way to highlight great programming. It’s by no means an exhaustive list but it’s a good place to start if you’re trying to listen to some recent CKUT archives.

Thanks to our new website (WFMU heads might find it feels familiar) hosts are able to post playlists for their programming and help shine some light on the artists and figures hitting the air.

We’re hoping to turn this into a sort of “This Week at CKUT” update… stay tuned.

Black Education In Quebec

Black Education in Quebec is a compelling 9-part podcast series produced by the LaSalle Multicultural Resource Centre, aimed at enriching the Quebec educational landscape.

Hosted by journalists Phil Carpenter and Pat Dillon-Moore, and executive produced by Gloria Ann Cozier and Dr. Lerona Dana Lewis, this series delves into the Quebec school system through the candid stories of mostly retired Black teachers.

This podcast highlights the unique and pivotal contributions of Black teachers to the Quebec education system and beyond. It explores the vital importance of Black teachers’ representation and the profound impact their work has had on the lives of not only Black students but all Quebec students.

Inspired by the 2023 LMRC-led research project, “Changing Black Youth Futures,” which examined the experiences of Black students in Quebec schools, the research  showed  exclusionary practices that have affected the academic success and trajectories of Black Anglophone and Francophone youth. The two-year study revealed that Black students in Quebec are often placed into special groups, subjected to racially hostile environments, and faced with biased practices.

RadioTET and La Voz de los Migrantes

Two new CKUT shows – RadioTET and La Voz de los Migrantes – have been instrumental in empowering temporary foreign workers and migrants with precarious status, especially in the current challenging anti immigrant environment.

We’re really proud of them and the great work they have been doing on and off the air.

Radio LVM: La Voz de los Migrantes 
A radio magazine dedicated to newcomers, asylum seekers, and people in precarious status of Spanish-speaking origin, especially the approximately 60,000 people of Mexican descent that may be residing in Montreal and around Quebec, and the 30,000 residing across Canada.

Radio TET: La Voz de los Trabajadores Extranjeros Temporales en Canadá
A radio magazine dedicated to Temporary Foreign Workers of Latino origin (60,000 Mexican, Guatemalan, etc.), working with the Program of Temporary Foreign Workers in the food industry, and another 50,000 who may be working with private employment agencies at home as caregivers, clerks, etc.

Time Capsule: The Subterranean Jungle

From the crypt…

Subterranean Jungle was a radio show that aired on CRFM/CKUT from 1985 to 1999 and was hosted by Flipped Out Phil.

We recently acquired some never-before-listened-to-in-a-long-time cassette tape recordings (pulled direct from the late ’80s FM airwaves by a young listener) and have posted them in our time capsule, along with a piece of writing from Donald Côté, who made the recordings.

Take a listen and a read back in time for a taste of this influential radio program and what it meant to an anonymous listener out there soaking in the air waves.

UNIDENTIFIED TRACKS FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF COLLEGE RADIO

Show For Children host Spookyrat has been on a quest to discover new music from old CKUT broadcasts that his dad recorded off the air in the 90s.

Problem is, the obscurity on these tracks is a force to be reckoned with.

Spooky has made some significant progress over the past couple years tracking down a lot of stuff but these have proved to be elusive.

Do you recognize the artists of any of these tracks? Please let us know.