Instrumental Canada

Singers of Canada, shelve your mics, and take a timeout, because here you are surplus to requirements. These Essentials are dedicated to those among our number who need no words to express themselves, just an axe, a keyboard, or in the case of Moe Koffman on "Swinging Shepherd Blues," a jazz-flute. The peerless pop-prog instrumentalists of Rush sit proud at the top of our selection with "YYZ", next to bluesman supreme Jeff Healey ("Hide Away"). The instrumental overview goes widescreen, in Next Steps.

Oscar-winning soundtrack composer Howard Shore cut his teeth as musical director for the house band on Saturday Night Live, but is best known for the vast sonic landscapes he created for Middle Earth in the Lord of the Rings trilogy — "A Storm Is Coming" features in the final instalment. Electronic experimentalist Daniel Snaith explores very different, but no less enthralling, sonic realms as Caribou, and Uzeb hits a jazz-fusion high with "New Hit." Groundbreaking compositions from the '70s through the '00s can be found in Deep Cuts.

Bell Orchestre shares personnel with Arcade Fire, but has found its own refined instrumental niche with outstanding jazz/classical-leaning tracks like "Les Lumieres Pt. 1" from debut album Recording a Tape the Colour of the Light (2005). Daniel Lanois' brother Bob showcases his incredible harmonica skills on debut album Snake Road (2006), while the late-'70s synth work of avant-garde progger Nash The Slash ("Masquerade") retains its exploratory freshness.

Never mind the virtuosity, feel the sheer variety. Our Instrumental Canada Essentials selection covers the entire spectrum of pop, from the big band stylings of the Gil Evans Orchestra ("Sister Sadie") to the solo-turntablism of Kid Koala ("Drunk Trumpet") and the smooth ivory-tinkling of Frank Mills, who took "Music Box Dancer" to international success in 1979. Frank Marino's axework, Skinny Puppy's electro-industrial brain-food, the Urban Surf Kings' hangwire twangs, Ashley MacIsaac's free-range fiddle . . . you'll find all of that here and much more besides.