CBC Radio 2 drops Tonic and The Signal; jazz relegated to Saturday nights

If you listen to CBC Radio 2 in the evening for the last decade or so, your nightly listening habits are going through a significant change.

Tonic helped out jazz fans from 8 pm-10 pm local time while The Signal brought out eclectic music from 10 pm-Midnight.

Tim Tamashiro hosted the jazz program for about a decade. Laurie Brown hosted The Signal for about a decade. Now, CBC Radio 2 listeners have AfterDark with host Odario Williams (right) Monday-Friday from 8 pm-Midnight.

Tamashiro left Tonic at the end of June. For the summer, CBC Radio 2 employed 5 top female jazz vocalists to fill in on the show:

• Laila Biali – July 3–15; August 28–September 2
• Sophie Milman – July 17–29; August 21–26
• Shakura S'Aida – July 31–August 5
• Barbra Lica – August 7–12
• Diana Panton – August 14–19

Saturday Night Jazz with Laila Biali (left) as the host will run in the 8 pm-Midnight slot on Saturdays.

The CBC Web site describes the music in AfterDark as leading off with "popular contemporary hits. As the night unfolds you'll discover new sounds ranging from art-pop to avant-garde. Hear: Amy Winehouse, Bobbi Bazini, Andra Day, and Sam Smith — then Tei Shi, Chet Faker, Leif Vollebekk, Charlotte Day Wilson."

CanadianCrossing.com radio coverage

Listening to the first hour last night, I heard a soundtrack that wasn't particularly relaxing nor special: music that was okay but felt too commercial, music I could hear elsewhere. The second hour was more promising but not terribly consistent. That isn't quite what I want to hear before I go to bed.

Odario Williams has a pleasant presence as a host. The soundtrack needs to be as good as the host. Over a cursory listen, the music mix is definitely not there.

If bedtime isn't in your near future, the music mix isn't as bad. Hopefully, the mix will truly be more soothing over time. The final 2 hours were closer to The Signal mix, but Tonic fans were left in the dark, just not the AfterDark.

The sharp reduction in jazz, Canadian and otherwise, is a real disappointment. I didn't listen as much to The Signal but I was missing that mix a lot more while listening to the first 2 hours of AfterDark.

The bumpers used to refer to "CBC Radio 2" but the AfterDark bumpers identified as "CBC Music."

The good news, if you are on Canadian soil, is that you can stream jazz and other great music through CBC Radio 3 on the CBC Music app or Web site. I can vouch for how nice those feeds are but you have to be literally in Canada to enjoy those streams. You can even find a stream for AfterDark if you enjoy the show.

As for CBC Radio 2, Canadians can tune into any of the 6 time zone feeds. Americans can only access the Eastern and Pacific time zone feeds through the CBC Radio app or the Web site. For example, if you live in the Central Time Zone in the United States, you can listen to AfterDark from 7-11 pm on the Eastern Time Zone feed and 10 pm-2 am on the Pacific Time Zone feed.

photos credit: CBC Radio

Comments

[Molly]

I do not like the new After Dark program at all!!!.....really missing the soothing voice and music of Laurie Brown....thought she was excellent and would tune in nightly just to hear her and her music before going to bed. I find the new host Odario "flat" and uninteresting and I don't like his choice of music. I'm sad to say, you've lost a faithful listener.

[Molly]

Please, please can't you bring back Laurie Brown and The Signal!

[Issy T.]

I can appreciate Odario Williams' music knowledge and his eagerness to please, but the show seems all over the map. Like it's trying to please everybody, all at once. Totally agree that the commercial stuff is best left to mainstream radio. We can hear that anywhere! I suspect that the old farts at CBC are trying to appeal to what they perceive as the "cool, hip, generation." No doubt they see dollar $ign$ floating all around those kids. But believe me the "cool, hip generation" are not going to switch over to CBC just because of one show, especially one that has a "weirdo" element they just don't understand (I used "weirdo" with much fondness here!). CBC please just stick to what you do best, providing an ALTERNATIVE to all that is mainstream, bland and otherwise easily accessible. Tim Tam and Laurie Brown, you are both sorely missed!

[Andi]

Bring back jazzz ! I miss Tim!!

[Kristiina Hollo]

Well that ruins my evenings. TomTam & Laurie gone

[B.Pil]

I don't like the new evening program. Bring back jazz and Tim Tam please. He was really knowledgeable.

[Liza]

What a bad move, alienating longtime CBC listeners. How's that working out for you, CBC?

[Susan]

I have listened to Tonic for years in the US and I miss the jazz and Tim Tam - he was fantastic, knowledgeable, and always had great stories and an excellent playlist. I am so sad.

[Jono]

I can't believe the only protest about this desecration of the evening airspace on CBC radio 2 is coming from a U.S. blogger. Not a whimper from Canada. I only just realised this happened, because truth be told I prefer Ici Musique; but I agree it's a terrible loss; about 1 minute of the new program told me I would hate it.

[Jono]

I updated the Wikipedia page about the program to relect its cancellation, and cited your blog as a reference. Thank you for posting about this, and sharing your experience!

[Charlotte Currie]

I agree with Jon above, bring back JAZZ!

[Dorte Koster]

I miss Tonic! It was my favorite radio show, the only one I would regularly tune into when on the road at night or streaming the online version during the day. It was high quality, accessible, educational and sooo relaxing. Please bring something similar back and thanks to Tim for all the good times!

[Chad]

Thanks Juno for your kind support. I do think there are Canadians who are upset. And Canadians can still get jazz via CBC Music but the app doesn't work on U.S. soil.

[SteverinoB]

Radio 2 used to be my go to evening radio, both Tonic and The Signal. Both informative and entertaining content and hosts. Change for the sake of change? Was this really necessary?

[Linda]

I want Tim and Tonic back !!!

[Marian]

Missing the 2 hours of nightly jazz. Do not understand why cbc has officially alienated jazz from it's on air airwaves.The new afterdark show has a very commercial feel with no energy. So sad!

[Laura]

Tonic was the best show!!! I don’t even bother to listen to CBC radio 2 in the evenings anymore. The programming is garbage. If you were trying to appeal to younger listeners you’ve failed. Numerous people I’ve spoken to have commented on how much they miss Tonic and TimTam! Bad move CBC.