Sessions with Karim Mosna

This interview is part of the People's History Project series with ⁠OPIRG Guelph⁠ and broadcast on the radio show RadiOPIRG heard Thursdays at 3pm on ⁠⁠⁠CFRU 93.3 FM⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, I speak with Big John Leacock, a long-time figure in the Guelph music community who particularly in the 80's and 90's brought reggae, calypso, soca, and hip-hop music to Guelph at a time when this music was not being heard or represented.

This interview is part of the People's History Project series with ⁠OPIRG Guelph⁠ and broadcast on the radio show RadiOPIRG heard Thursdays at 3pm on ⁠⁠CFRU 93.3 FM⁠⁠.

In this episode, I had a fascinating conversation with long-time Guelph based activist, Byron Murray. We sampled and spoke about the origins of some of his songs that examine police brutality, environmental degradation, developers and corporations. We also recalled his performance at a G20 Legal Defence Fundraiser, the impact of the Punk House and more.

Byron presently works with The Guelph Outdoors School and hosts the weekly radio show/podcast To Know The Land on CFRU.

This interview is part of the People's History Project series with ⁠OPIRG Guelph⁠ and broadcast on the radio show RadiOPIRG heard Thursdays at 3pm on ⁠CFRU 93.3 FM⁠.

In this episode, I am joined by Emjay Wright-a Guelph based improvising sound maker, and Queer experimental arts community builder. Emjay currently hosts the monthly improvised music series AudioPollination Guelph at Silence and performs as: Bodywaltz. We discussed removing barriers for Queer performers, improvised music, and the benefit concert Make Noise For Palestine which brought together musicians and other sound makers to raise funds to go toward providing aid to those in Palestine impacted by the violence. 

This interview is part of the People's History Project series with ⁠OPIRG Guelph⁠ and broadcast on the radio show RadiOPIRG heard Thursdays at 3pm on ⁠CFRU 93.3 FM⁠.

In this episode, I speak with Guelph-based multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, member of The Lifers and Tragedy Ann, and earth advocate with Music Declares Emergency, Liv Cazzola. Liv shared thoughts on music's role in earth advocacy, how the climate emergency inspired tracks by the Lifers and Tragedy Ann, climate grief and more.

This interview is part of the People's History Project series with OPIRG Guelph and first broadcast on the radio show RadiOPIRG heard Thursdays at 3pm on CFRU 93.3 FM.

In this episode we focus on a group that brings people from the Guelph community together for biweekly meetings to play a Brazilian samba style of music, and then they bring the music to social and environmental justice protests. One of the cofounders of Sound Of The Drum Natasha Pravaz joins me to talk about the group's origins and some key rallies and protests that the group participated in.

This interview is part of the People's History Project series with OPIRG Guelph and first broadcast on the radio show RadiOPIRG heard Thursdays at 3pm on CFRU 93.3 FM.

In this episode, I speak with the illustrious singer-songwriter James Gordon who for decades has examined ongoing societal inequities and ecological problems in his art including: Emergency Climate Change Musical and Stephen Harper The Musical. We will also sample some of James' music.

Every year at The University of Guelph, there is the Improvisation Festival presented by the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation. Bassist and composer Ben Finley is a PhD Candidate in IICSI program and he joined me on CFRU 93.3 FM to talk about improvised music, his studies and the festival.

Ahead of the 2024 conference Awakening The Body's Wisdom for Complete Health and Well-Being run by the University of Guelph's Yoga and Meditation Collective, I spoke with two members of the group, Lalit Jairath and Monique Vischschraper to learn more about what will be covered in the conference.

For more information please visit The University of Guelph's Wellness at Work website.

I sat down with Giller Prize winning author Omar El Akkad to talk about how his own personal experiences growing up in Egypt and Qatar along with his work as a journalist influenced his latest novel "What Strange Paradise." We also talked about the unique format of the book and more. This interview was recorded September 25th, 2023 in Guelph, Ontario ahead of his talk with Gryphon Reads at The University of Guelph.

The Eclectic Selection is an ongoing weekly segment that airs Wednesday afternoons on 100.9 Canoe FM. I join the drive host Cara to select a song not often heard on the radio. It could be from any genre: folk, alternative, reggae, trip hop, jazz, bluegrass, etc. It's often said that people "like what they know," well I aim to challenge that claim by introducing songs that listeners may have not heard before in a way that will encourage them to open their mind and give an artist, or genre a chance.