Meet Victor Ubaru one of this summer’s Radio Camp Counselors at CKCU!

Born in Benin City Nigeria, Victor is going into his last year as an Aerospace Engineering and Computer Science student here at Carleton University. He is a self-professed “hardcore nerd” who loved to read encyclopedias when he was younger and apparently had no friends, so lucky for the care and love of a giant family! At only 13, his father decided to move to Calgary which Victor describes as “less of a culture shock and more of a cultural electrocution”, and then eventually landed in Ottawa to study at Carleton.

Victor is an audio enthusiast who enjoys being creative; he does podcasting and has produced a few “wannabe rappers” along the way and appreciates the opportunities, freedom and space that CKCU provides… “Working with and around the people here I have learned a lot not just about the technical aspects of live audio production but also about how to bring people and ideas together like nothing before.”

Victor was introduced to CKCU by his favourite human being Selali Ayitey-Wallace, host of two radio shows on CKCU’s program The Take-Over and Love Lessons. Like Selali, Victor enjoys the emphasis on giving “a voice to the community in a way commercial radio just cannot. Because CKCU is not for profit it allows us the freedom to allow anyone who has something to say to speak up. It gives a platform to the ordinary man not yet corrupted by wealth or power, and lets the people in the community find and connect with other like minded people…”

Victor and his co-counselor Colin (Boudreault, who was “CKC-You profiled” earlier this year) are busy with an energetic group of Radio Camp Kids as we speak, and they encourage others to sign up ASAP. It is a fun, enriching and rewarding experience for kids 10-14 years to take part in… There are still spots available in all four weeks remaining, so DON’T DELAY!
https://www.ckcufm.com/radio-camp/

 

SurroundSound is an annual Canadian radio documentary festival celebrating interesting and compelling audio stories by emerging and veteran journalists, producers and writers. Now in its fifth year, it takes place in July on community radios across Canada. Organized by CKCU volunteer Kristine St-Pierre, it will begin Monday, July 8th at 9-10AM and continue through the month of July in that timeslot while the Filibuster takes a hiatus.

https://surroundsoundfest.com/
https://www.facebook.com/SurroundSoundFest/

You can also hear the episodes from years previous, just navigate to “All Playlists” (middle menu) to see them: https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/490/info.html

 

On Saturday July 6th, The Groove will be celebrating 40 years on CKCU!

For the occasion, Elorious Cain will present the ‘Real History Of Disco‘ over 18 hours, with his usual Saturday at 1 PM start and finish at 7 AM Sunday morning! This extra long shift is something he has done in the past, and no better time for a repeat to celebrate the Groove’s 40th!  When he did it in 1999 and then in 2009 it was very well received.

“THE REAL HISTORY OF DISCO”  is an intensive eighteen hour guide that chronicles the industry and it’s music from it’s very beginnings. It talks about the different musical genres, some of the dance crazes and significant clubs. Expect plenty of music from the super-groups that changed everything, amazing vocalists along with many of the divas and discoqueens! Also included are certain treats like spectacular cover-versions, remixes, megamixes and mash ups!

In Elorious’ own words: “It has been a tremendous honor to have been permitted to do a radio show at CKCU for the last 40 years.  During those 40 years so much has changed at the station.  The first 21 episodes of my show were prerecorded on reel-to-reel tape in the production studio.  Sure don’t do that anymore!  Are there any reel-to-reel tape machines left at the station?  Many other devices like cassette machines and cart machines have been replaced with new technology.  I have had the pleasure of meeting and interfacing with many of the great legends of CKCU that are no longer with us in this world like Ron Sweetman, Rob Stewart, Chopper McKinnon, Marc Valcour, and Nadine Gelineau.  There are also hundreds of others I mentored or spared with.  So many personalities like John Westhaver, Trevor Walker, Janis Lockwood, Lance Baptiste, Roch Parisienne, Alwin Ross, DJ Ducats, Len Puckerin, Deb Ford, Ron Moores, Stephen Neale, Jon Degan, VH3, Ralph Hopper, Ean Skizzle, Gabriella Bregman, Junior Smith, Teknobrat and John Stamos have had a profound influence on me over the years.  I am still learning and CKCU is one of the best places for that in the world!“

Thanks to all the programs and hosts that have stepped aside on this weekend to give Elorious the airwaves! They will all resume as usual the next week.

~ Reggae In The Fields  – 3-5:30PM ~ Spirit Of Vietnam – 5:30-6PM ~ Steve Kirkland – 6-8PM ~ Heavy Friends – 8-10PM ~ Vintage Love – 10-midnight ~ Midnight In A Perfect World – midnight-2AM ~ Rick’s Rhythm Ride – 2-7AM

New York Asian Film Festival – a BAZILLION reviews by Michael O’Keefe, host of Mystic & Severe (alternating Thursdays, midnight to 2AM)

Covering #NYAFF2019 has truly been a privilege and while I’ve reviewed plenty of films over the radio this has proven to be a very fun exercise that ate up the majority of my spare time for 2 weeks out of choice.  Trying to understand any culture that is different is challenging but the medium of film is certainly the strongest medium to do just because of the power on the senses that watching a movie provides can lead to empathy.  These 40 different film scenarios that have been reviewed all have their strengths while they are not all great there were plenty of gems to be found in here and if there was a negative review that still captured your interest then that’s fantastic.  Enjoy the last batch of reviews and remember it has been a true pleasure for me to let you know about these films! …..

If you find yourself in New York during June 28th to July 14th you should check out the New York Asian Film Festival at the legendary Lincoln Centre!  There you could see all the finest films from Tibet, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam & Japan.  If you’re a little tired of Hollywood Blockbusters & would like to be entertained outside the system you cannot go wrong with contemporary Asian cinema.  Check in every Friday to read about these fine films!

Ottawa would be very fortunate if the ByTowne Cinema or Mayfair Theatre book films from the New York Asian Film Festival because of the diversity of the work.  Tibetan and Taiwanese mysticism, odd Japanese humor, historical oppression, horror and action can be found in the films being reviewed here.  As the festival begins we should remember it’s not about being Asian or wanting to be respectful of a different culture it is really about the quality of the work as a reason to watch these films!

The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale: This is the ultimate Zom-Com of the festival.  Not to knock ‘Zombiepura,’ but this is just set the bar higher for Asian Zom-Com’s it may be the best one yet and obviously is comes from South Korea a country who is now producing one of the greatest production systems out of Hollywood.  This is a film that looks at family and what one does when an old relative gets a little funny – we’ve all been there & the lengths we’d go to protect that family member basically doesn’t differ.  The visuals are really strong in the film the camera buzzes around at appropriate time and they make the movie have a lot of flare which is totally appropriate for a Zom-Com in fact this movie has pulse throughout its duration.  To expect effects like ‘The Walking Dead,’ is unfair & arguably the effects in this film are better because they’ve got more heart and soul in them instead of being as slick or as high budget as possible.  There also isn’t all that much gore and it is the family element that makes this film the best Asian Zom-Com ever!

Lying to Mom: Japan has some incredibly repressed individuals but because of that some of the most expressive but it comes out in art they do not feel differently than other cultures and that is evident in ‘Lying to Mom.’  The subject matter is incredibly dark so it will clear not be for everyone it is about covering up suicide for the Mom in the title of the movie and how a family is effected by this total trauma.  Suicide seems to go against human instinct which is usually to survive and the pain that it inflicts on love ones knows no end so if we don’t learn how to communicate with the mentally ill we simply will keep seeing this act performed.  It is not right to judge those who commit this act as will never know the extent of their suffering and this film becomes beautiful in its completely depressing subject it is more transcendental information than entertainment.  There is levity but it is in a dark way but if you have had someone commit suicide in your life or someone you think is capable of doing it this movie might be a huge release for you to see your life in a Japanese movie scenario is satisfying but not entertainment.  The medium of cinema is believed to entertain but at times it can do something else which helps us connect with each other to see what it is to be human in sometimes an extreme way but that should be deemed okay.  The film is heavy from start to finish but from a writing perspective it flows quite well and we really get to explore the experience of grief which is something that can’t be simply gotten over or snapped out of: we stay with it for over 2 hours but know others face it much more than that in their lives.  While this is not an easy watch it is very good and will appeal to some people.

Continue reading →

Ottawa Psychfest II returns to House of Targ, 1077 Bank Street, for 2 nights of original, brain frying, monster tuneage!

Friday June 28th, Tee Pee Recording artists Comet Control from Toronto, headline the first night with BC’s doom, drone,psych duo Anunnaki, Ottawa’s best 70’s inspired hardrock groove merchants Monobrow and the dynamic drum cello onslaught and jaw dropping sounds of Ottawa’s Horseman, Pass By.

Saturday June 29th, legendary Chicago Psych giants Plastic Crimewave Syndicate will bake all brain cells with the aid of Ottawa’s The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol, Montreals’ hard psych rockers Technicolour Blood and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan’s master of electronic space jazz Wasted Cathedral.

Weekend passes are $30, each night is $20. And tickets are available at Birdman Sound, 593 Bank Street in Ottawa.  Ottawa Psychefest II  is presented by Birdman Sound, Cardinal Fuzz Records and CKCU-FM 93.1.

This festival is a must see! Space is the only place!
more info: https://www.facebook.com/events/518548048666402/

 

With recent releases on Blu Ray of Sergio Martino’s ‘Torso,’ (1973) by Arrow Video or ‘All the Colours of the Dark,’ (1972) by Severin Films the man’s work still gets appreciated by fans of Italian Genre movies.  CKCU FM’s Michael O’Keefe even arranged an interview with Kat Ellinger author of  ‘All the Colours of Martino,’ (2018) but decided to go directly to the man himself for more questions!  Thanks to Patrick Lang for translating Sergio Martino’s Italian to English.

Michael O’Keefe: Hello Sergio Martino!  In the West there have been a lot of recent Blu Ray releases of your work by Arrow Video and also Severin Films.  How does it feel to have your work appreciated by fans to this day?

Sergio Martino: I am surprised but also happy… Especially since I receive all the benefits on the sales as the author. Alas, I am worried about piracy, which has bad impacts upon our branch, but also in the whole industry of show business.

Michael O’Keefe: Critics have been frosty to you in an unwarranted fashion.  Does fan enthusiasm give you a sense of vindication?

Sergio Martino: Of course, some critics I got from time to time could be very hurting, and from my point of view deliberately despicable to destroy the cinema of genre in favor of art house cinema. I’m convinced that these critics didn’t even watch our movies. Their first intention was to bash the films from scratch.  This happened mostly in Italy. The re-evaluation of this cinema really began abroad, and it finally came back to our own country.  Honestly, I think that it was a bit exaggerated, and now it makes me smile. I am serene and like this old wise Chinese, I stand by the river and wait…but I don’t want a revenge. I just don’t want cinema to die out. Continue reading →

Alyson Duffy is a fourth year Communications and Media Studies, originally from Halifax. She currently hosts a show called Bench Warmers on Tuesday afternoons with co-host Kwabena Oduro. She originally started at CKCU doing the program On The Sidelines in her second year with her friend Courtney Trim because we wanted to shed light on topics in sports that don’t get talked about.  Courtney and her even did commentary and play-by-play live on CKCU of both a Women’s basketball game and a Women’s hockey game from the Raven’s Nest and Icehouse respectively. Still sticking with the original mandate on the new program, Alyson and Kwabena continue to discuss sports that are not covered by mainstream platforms, while also discussing topics such as pay equality and female sports leagues that don’t receive the same coverage.

Alyson found out about Radio Carleton at the Fall orientation for students and came looking to gain experience in radio as being a broadcaster is something she wants to pursue as a career, and thinks CKCU is important and realistic way to gain experience in the broadcasting industry. “It is a very unique opportunity to gain hands on experience in multiple ways at a radio station. For those who are like Kwabena and I, it allows us to grow our skills that we can apply to the work force. CKCU allows us to meet others in the radio industry and to learn from which is crucial in our personal skill development.” Continue reading →

Nico Bompadre is in his final year of communication and media studies with a minor in feminist and gender studies. He immigrated from Argentina to Ottawa eight years ago with his parents and little brother. “My parents and brother have since moved back to Argentina to join my other two siblings as my dads work contract ended. I decided to stay in Canada after high school to go to university and have been in Ottawa ever since!” Nico did some program training at Radio Carleton and  now hosts a show called The Tea Party, along with Brianna Gardner on alternating Wednesday nights from 8 to 9 PM. They discuss Queer, Trans, and Femme issues through discussions on popular culture, news, and politics. “We strive to keep a social justice lens while bringing some humour and personal testimony to these very serious topics.” Nico loves CKCU because it “gives us a space to discuss our own experiences, celebrate difference, and question the problems that we and people like us face on a daily basis.” Continue reading →

I’d like to introduce Carlos Felipe Mendoza, known mostly around here at CKCU as DJ Los.  Carlos was born and raised in Ottawa and is Carleton Alumni, having graduated with B.Eng in Mechanical Engineering the spring of 2017.

Los is co-host of Midnight In A Perfect World (MIAPW) on Saturdays with his buddy Aslam Yehia (DJ Slama) who had initially introduced CKCU to him.  Los followed the Programming and Production training sessions that CKCU run regularly and before long, MIAPW was born.  Broadcasting bi-weekly, MIAPW is a late night entertainment show, featuring underground & local talent, interviews, and live DJ mixes. They have consistently had interesting guests on the program since its inception in November 2016.

Carlos wanted to get more involved with DJing and music production, and Radio Carleton turned out to be a great fit for him.  He feels that Campus Community Radio gives real people from all backgrounds a voice, and provides first hand accounts and experiences of what is going on in the city.  It is also the first point of exposure for emerging talent and local artists. Continue reading →