Friday 30 December 2022

Ian & Sylvia Tyson - Calgary/Trucker's Cafe (1970)


We lost an icon yesterday with the passing of Ian Tyson, a man who had a huge impact on country music in our part of the world. After settling into Longview in the mid 1970's, Tyson also settled into country music - releasing a series of singles and recording several albums at Sundae Sound (which we posted last year). 

For us, this 1983 article by James Muretich is a really great profile of Tyson as he was releasing his Old Corrals &Sagebrush LP. "This isn't a comeback, I haven't been away really, just been right here doing my thing (raising cutting horses), which is as important to me as the music," Tyson said at the time. "If the success of the album dictates a higher profile then fine. But I won't get too far from Longview."

We're going to celebrate his legacy with one of the things we absolutely love here at the CCPS, a song about our fair city. "Calgary" is a great song that showcases Tyson's resonant baritone - we've listened to this more times than you can imagine over the past day. This single is billed under Ian & Sylvia Tyson, but it's from their 1979 Great Speckled Bird album - arguably a key moment in Tyson's move from folk to country. 

Get it here.

Saturday 24 December 2022

Bent Spoon Duo - Holly Jolly (2009)


This Bug Incision CDr brings us to the end of our advent calendar of Calgary Christmas recordings. We decided to go out big - we were talking to Chris Dadge about this disc a few weeks ago and he described it as one of his favourite recordings. This isn't two experimental musicians taking the piss - these are heartfelt and honest renditions of popular and traditional songs of the season. With a lot of instrument switching and excellent musicianship (and vocals!). Our favourite on here is the sparse drums, trombone and vocals of "Let It Snow."

Get the digital download from the Bent Spoon Duo bandcamp.

Friday 23 December 2022

Santa's Elves - Santa's Elves Sing Christmas (1983)


We didn't realize that our copy of this Christmas gem is in kind of rough condition - but it kind of doesn't matter, since these are the exact same recordings as yesterday's Christmas LP. With improved cover art, at least.

Get it here.

Thursday 22 December 2022

Team Christmas Choir - A Gift Of Christmas (1981)


Oh, wow. Huge thanks to Jairus Sharif for finding this gem for us... A Gift Of Christmas is a record put out by entrepreneur Graham Ripper in partnership with Franklin Mall. This was linked to a fundraising hockey game Ripper put on in 1981 to collect toys for kids in need. 

We're pretty sure these songs are the work of Ron Mahonin and his Heart Records crew, with a few Mahonin-penned songs mixed in with Christmas standards. AND Chipmunks-style vocals. 

Get it here!


Wednesday 21 December 2022

German Church Choirs - Ein Deutsches Weihnachtskonzert



This Christmas record is a collection of songs from five German Church Choirs (assumedly all from Calgary and region). We're calling this a Christmas record (on Vocal records) in a fit of assumptiveness - the songs are in German, so we're not 100% sure but that's clearly a Christmas ornament on the cover isn't it?

Get it here.

Tuesday 20 December 2022

Choir Of The Cathedral Church Of The Redeemer - Advent And Christmas Music (1975)


We're onto the LP portion of our advent calendar, with an album of... advent music. This one (on Peter Bentley's Westmount Records label) is from the Choir Of The Cathedral Church Of The Redeemer and is a selection of traditional Christmas songs backed up by a smattering of organ and flute.

Get it here.

Monday 19 December 2022

Tom Manche - Santa Used To Be A Baker/Snowflake Lullaby (1987)

This one's kind of interesting. Tom Manche is an American producer (probably based in Nashville at the time this record was put together) - so why is he showing up at the CCPS? We suspect he had some deal going where he'd do up songs by aspiring songwriters - in this case, Les Howard, who penned this pair of Christmas tunes. There's a second 7" of Howard-penned songs sung by Manche out there somewhere.

Get this one here.

Sunday 18 December 2022

Sherry Kennedy - On Christmas Day


Today's Advent single is a single-sided single from Sherry Kennedy, a long-standing member of the Calgary music community. This soft rocker is an original composition about longing for your loved ones on that special day of the year.

Get it here.

Saturday 17 December 2022

Roy Thoreson - O Holy Night/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen-We Three Kings (1979)

Switching over to the 7" single part of the CCPS collection for this next bit of your Advent Calendar... here's a record from World Whistling Champion Roy Thoreson. As you can probably imagine, both sides feature Thoreson whistling familiar songs to the accompaniment of a church organ. 

Get it here.

Friday 16 December 2022

Centre Street Church Choir and Orchestra - Come & Behold (1996)



We had pretty low expectations when we put this one into the tape deck... but this one was a surprise to us with its high production value. The Centre Street Church Choir and Orchestra are huge and produce a lush sound. This is a big, ambitious production.

Get it here.

Thursday 15 December 2022

Trilogy - Two Thousand Years Of Christmas


Trilogy is a Celtic-tinged trio (hence the name) featuring Eileen McGann and her frequent collaborator David K, along with Cathy Miller. Our scan of the cover doesn't quite do this one justice - there's a bit of gold paint on this which is quite amazing. The songs on this tape are a mix of traditional English songs, original compositions by Miller and McGann... and "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch." It's maybe a weird one in the mix... but we're always suckers for that song.

Get it here.

Wednesday 14 December 2022

Stratus - Christmas With Us (1991)

We featured a 7" from the Stratus Singers (or just Stratus, as they're known here) earlier this year. This tape kicks off with a Stratus original about Santa getting stuck in singer Mary Jo Smith's chimney and the hilarity that ensues. The rest of side one features more modern Christmas tunes, which the second side features traditional carols. 

Get it here.

Tuesday 13 December 2022

Banks, Brown and Company - Christmas Everyday

We've decided to right our historical wrong of posting Christmas tapes/etc. at the wrong time of year, so get ready for a sort of CCPS Advent Calendar... starting with Bowden-based gospel soft rockers Banks, Brown and Company. This is super smooth stuff, a bit more laid back than their earlier full-length LP (which we'll get to posting at some point). But very Christmas-y.

Get it here.