There's something about a new CD that just doesn't exist with the soulless mp3s that pervade our lives.  With a CD, you first have to figure out how to get the shrink wrap off without breaking the CD case or getting a nasty paper cut.  Then there's the physicality of the CD and the brightly coloured liner notes in fonts that are impossible to read without access to a laboratory microscope.  And the CD is something you can absently leave out lying around somewhere.  Then there's the new CD smell!  Ah...!  That's pure pleasure as well!  None of this sensory overload is available to you poor folks who listen to your music on mp3s, or streaming from the inter-web.  So this time out, I feature seven new CDs - all music that is relatively new to this world.

I have pure drop gypsy jazz, Acadian amour, jaunty shanties, old-school folk rock, multicultural palettes beyond the causeway, inclusive folk songs, earnest indie contemplation and western cello rock.  From groups like Duane Andrews, David Carroll & Friends, Mary Beth Carty, Tim Baker, Angeline Morrison, Low Winter Sun and Kyle Waymouth.  Take off that shrink wrap and join me.

Routes & Branches & Beyond show #271 2023 04 06

Two local community members share music, and converse using a reoccurring segment format. Segments include local news, gold star of the week, sport update, and more.

Episode 1

Episode 2- Teaser

Midgic Airport Episode 2 - Extended Cut

Shelves can be pretty handy things.  They can introduce order to chaos.  On the other hand, they can sometimes result in being a touch random as well - I have a few shelves like that.  One of them is piled with various slips of papers, old theatre programs, notes about upcoming events, and CDs that I stuffed there thinking, "I should play this on the show someday!"  This is finally that day here on Routes & Branches & Beyond, when I do show on "Clearing the Shelf."  

We'll hear Djangoesque Newfoundland fiddle on guitars, Irish circus trad, Norfolk County bluegrass, Western homecoming folk, Appalachian gospel, genre-crossing stories of the human race, early French electric folk Stan on the Island, and Irish clear-cutting laments.  All from musicians such as Duane Andrews & Craig Young, Kíla, Northern City Limits, The JD Edwards Band, Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Maura O’Connell, Malicorne, Joey Kitson, Eileen McGann, Rawlins Cross, and The Chieftains.  Put down that book on de-cluttering and join me.

Routes & Branches & Beyond show # 342 2024 10 24

Maritimer’s Way is an anthem for the hardworking, resilient people of Atlantic Canada. From the rugged shores of Peggy’s Cove to the rolling tides of the Bay of Fundy, this song paints a vivid picture of life by the sea—where fishermen, farmers, and shipbuilders have shaped generations with grit, pride, and tradition.

With themes of heritage, perseverance, and celebration, Maritimer’s Way blends storytelling lyrics with the spirit of East Coast folk and roots music. It captures the rhythm of life in the Maritimes—the long workdays, the crashing waves, the warmth of kitchen parties, and the bond of a community that stands strong through every storm.

If you’ve ever watched the tide roll in, raised a glass to those who came before, or danced around a bonfire with the sound of fiddles in the air—this song is for you. 🌊🎶🔥

#MaritimersWay #MaritimeMusic #EastCoastVibes #SaltwaterSpirit #LifeByTheSea #FolkRock #StorytellingSong

The Maritimers Way

Two local community members share music, and converse using a reoccurring segment format. Segments include local news, gold star of the week, sport update, and more

Singer-songwriter inspired by life’s journey. From a preacher’s son moving coast to coast to finding home on Canada’s East Coast, my songs tell real, raw stories of resilience, the ocean, and the people who shaped me.

New tracks tagged #atlanticcanada