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Chantal Kreviazuk – one of Canada’s most accomplished songwriters and recognizable voices –released her eighth studio album, “Get to You,” this summer. Heralded by the title track and first single, the album features 11 songs, all written and produced by Chantal with Dylan Wiggins.
“This album means so much to me because it has a positive message throughout about self-love, acceptance and perseverance,” says Chantal. “It’s also the album I created the most independently without outside influence. It’s my essence of recording at the moment and for that I am so proud and happy.”
The choice to proceed with the release of an album during a global pandemic was an easy one for Chantal. “The wonderful thing about music is that it is always welcomed and needed,” she says. “In times of crisis, it offers solace and comfort. Without question, now is the time to release music.”
Chantal Kreviazuk is a platinum-selling, three-time Juno Award-winning artist from Winnipeg. In 2016, she returned with her sixth album “Hard Sail” after a nearly seven-year break from recorded music. During that time, she was focused on raising her three sons with husband Raine Maida, as well as her other musical passion, crafting songs. Chantal has written for Drake, Pitbull, Kendrick Lamar, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Josh Groban and countless others. A holiday album – “Christmas Is A Way Of Life, My Dear” – followed in 2019, and a brand new album “Get To You” was released this summer.
In 2014, Chantal and Raine became members of the Order of Canada, recognizing their efforts to raise awareness and support for numerous causes including human and animal rights, mental health, education and the environment. Chantal has been an ambassador to War Child for nearly two decades and one of the organization’s founding artists. Raine and Chantal released their first collaborative album together as MOON VS SUN, “I’m Going to Break Your Heart,” as well as an accompanying documentary, earlier this year.
Check out their website here
Chemistry, passion, energy and evolution are a few words that come to mind when Andy Maize and Josh Finlayson talk about twenty-five years together in Skydiggers. “It all started in the beverage room of The Spadina Hotel. That is essentially when the band came together,” says Josh. “Andy and I performed there as a duo as part of Andrew Cash’s Monday night series called Acoustic Meltdown. When Andrew released his debut album and could no longer host the night, we took it over. We put an ad in Now Magazine answered by Ron Macey, and together with Wayne Stokes and Andrew’s brother Peter Cash, who was quietly writing some amazing songs, Skydiggers were born.”
The sound developed at an impressive rate, thanks to the discipline and work ethic the weekly showcase placed on the band. New songs, new covers and a sound that grew to include electric instruments developed in the hothouse atmosphere of rehearsals, songwriting sessions and live performances. A quarter of a century later, thanks to years on the road and in the studio, Skydiggers are not only riding all of those years of momentum but continuing to evolve as well. According to Andy Maize andJosh Finlayson, one of the keys is chemistry.”You can spend your life searching for chemistry” Andy muses. “For any relationship to remain vital and continue to grow you need chemistry. We were lucky to have found that early on with each other. We were also fortunate to play four very big shows before our first record even came out” remembers Andy. “We opened for 5440, The TragicallyHip, Cowboy Junkies and Blue Rodeo early on and I think we learned a thing or two about chemistry from those experiences. After all, those four bands are also still together.”
Check out their website here
The only good thing about not shopping in record stores anymore is you won’t have to figure out what genre to look for Danny under. If that were the case, you could try looking under, rock, pop, folk, world or even classical. His own self-described musical A.D.D. has kept his music fresh for decades. Maybe it has something to do with being born next to a candy factory, or his ambidextrous brain, but his thoughtful lyrics & charming performances have earned a devoted fan base, multiple nominations for Junos, The Polaris Prize, CBC’s “Heart Of Gold”, and most recently winning the CFMA’s “Producer of the year” and “Oliver Schroder Pushing the Boundaries” Awards. When he’s not performing he’s fighting for musicians’ rights, the environment, making short films, producing, running his studio or filming his comedy/sci-fi/music show “Dan’s Space Van”
Check out their website here
You may have spotted Brooklyn-born, Swiss-raised & Canadian-based Shakura S’Aida performing at Festivals in Dubai, Australia, Rwanda or Russia, in her 4 woman tribute to Nina Simone, ‘The Nina Project’ or in shows like Schitt’s Creek, Titans & Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker. From her beginnings as world music band Kaleefah’s lead singer, this versatile vocalist and consummate entertainer has blown audiences away with her scorching vocal style, uncanny ability to deliver powerful original songs and to get deep into the guts of the most venerable standard.
Shakura’s long-simmering career initially moved into high gear in 2008 with a triumph at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, when she earned the runner-up position, competing against more than 100 bands from more than 20 different countries. In the past 11 years since, her tour schedule has taken her to almost 30 countries.
Shakura S’Aida has been consistently thrilling audiences with her powerful pipes for years, most recently as a guest host on CBC Radio 2’s Weekend Morning. As a veteran of the international music scene, she’s performed both as a featured artist with musicians like Jimmy Smith, Lee Oskar (WAR), Bettye LaVette and Keb Mo’, as well as an award winning solo artist.
Check out their website here
Samantha Martin is the lead singer, songwriter and focal point of the group Delta Sugar. A dynamic front woman, she possesses a stunning voice that is capable of summoning up tidal waves of spine-tingling emotion in one instance while delicately bringing out the nuances of a gut-wrenching lyric in the next. A torrid force of nature, night after night she takes audiences to emotional peaks while leaving them stunned with her sheer pin-you-against-the-wall power. While Martin is a powerhouse unto herself, the vocal alchemy of Delta Sugar is not the work of a single talent. In combination with what she likes to term her “co-vocalists,” the vocal blend that Delta Sugar produces is pure, unadulterated gospel-tinged, neuron-tingling magic where the sum is even richer than the already soul-melting parts.
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With nine critically acclaimed releases, a #1 single, a JUNO Award, and a devoted fanbase blanketing the globe, roots-pop combo The Good Lovelies are among Canada’s brightest musical lights. The hardworking trio of Caroline Brooks, Kerri Ough, and Susan Passmore — guitar-wielding songwriters all, and queens of the goose bump–raising three-part harmony — enter 2020 at full steam, with plans to write and record new material, reduce their carbon footprint via multiple green initiatives, and to build on their reputation as electrifying performers with extensive touring, culminating in their highly anticipated annual seasonal concerts.
Check out their website here
Kelly Prescott comes by her music in the most honest way possible, as a third generation singer/songwriter on both sides of her family. She grew up between a tour bus & a world class recording studio, her childhood steeped in traditional country music. Kelly and her family recently made their Grand Ole Opry debut as guests of Terri Clark.
She has toured all over North America with such acts as Alan Doyle, Kyle Cook (Matchbox 20) Terri Clark, Dallas Smith, Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo) Colin James, Dean Brody, her former band The Claytones and performing as Emmylou Harris in the theatrical production of Grievous Angel: The Legend of Gram Parsons.
Check out their website here
Conjuring a unique but universal language from that most ubiquitous of instruments, the acoustic guitar, Tony McManus has both extended and transcended the parameters of contemporary Celtic music. Ranked by peers and predecessors alike alongside the guitar world’s all-time greats, his fiendishly dexterous, dazzlingly original playing draws on traditions from the entire Celtic diaspora – Scotland, Ireland, Brittany, Galicia, Asturias, Cape Breton, Quebec – along with still further-ranging flavours, such as jazz and east European music. Long applauded for his uncanny ability to transpose the delicate, complex ornamentation characteristic of traditional bagpipe or fiddle tunes – even the phrasing of a Gaelic song – onto his own six strings, McManus is increasingly being acknowledged also as a pioneering figure in bridging the realms of Celtic music and other guitar genres.
Check out their website here
Emm is a member of the International Coach Federation, a graduate of the Music Industry Arts program at Fanshawe College and a 3-time Juno Award nominee, twice for Pop Album of The Year. Her first book “The Healing Power of Singing: Raise Your Voice, Change Your Life (What Touring With David Bowie, Single Parenting and Ditching The Music Business Taught Me in 25 Easy Steps)” will be published by ECW Press in Fall 2021. For 25 years, Emm has made a name for herself as a recording artist, label president and occasional CBC host. She helped make the first music video in outer space and toured the world with David Bowie, appearing on the albums Bowie at The Beeb, Glastonbury 2000 and others. Emm’s career co-exists alongside her work as a vocal coach and success coach. Coaching has become a deep passion for Emm and she believes it is one of the most powerful agents for change.
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The year was 1991. Presumably, some significant world events occurred. The world truly changed in the fall however, when something truly magnificent happened in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. A beacon of hope was lit and has shone brightly ever since – The Arrogant Worms. The Arrogant Worms began as a comedy troupe performing songs and sketches on campus radio. The early feedback on the live shows was clear: lose the sketches. So the songs endured and they all remain because the band hates to throw anything out.
The songs were written to make fun of a big dumb world. Luckily, the world is still dumb and The Arrogant Worms (Mike McCormick, Chris Patterson and Trevor Strong) still have plenty to sing about. The shows are fast, furious and family friendly. The wit is quick, the satire is biting and the musicianship is second to none. Their appeal has earned them fans from kids to parents to grandparents to Princess Leia.
So nearly a quarter century after they began, The Arrogant Worms continue to provide tuneful and silly escapism for everyone who needs it. And if you think you don’t need it, well you’re wrong. You do. The Arrogant Worms know what’s best for you and what’s best for you is The Arrogant Worms.
Check out their website here
WE’VE TAKEN TWO GREAT ACTS AND JOINED THEM. NOW YOU CAN JOIN THEM FOR COMPELLING SONGS, AWARD-WINNING GUITAR PLAYING AND BEAUTIFUL VOCALS.
Katherine Wheatley and Wendell Ferguson are the best of musical pals – her heartfelt lyrical vision and poignant voice, and his honest yet irreverent humour make for both a moving and hilarious show. Here’s what one presenter said: “It was an absolutely transcendent concert…she didn’t leave a dry eye in the house and he didn’t leave a dry seat”.
Six time Canadian Country Music Association Guitar Player of the Year, Wendell Ferguson has traveled the globe and accompanied a veritable who’s who in both the country field – (George Fox, Duane Steele, Tommy Hunter) and the folk arena – (Gordon Lightfoot, Quartette, Bob Snider, Cindy Church). He is one of the best loved and most respected guitar players in the country. Wendell performs his own, very funny songs at Folk Festivals and concerts.
Arresting vocals, fine guitar playing and a “down to earth” feel that some attribute to her years working as a geologist, mark Katherine’s work. As well as touring extensively, she has written music for film and television documentaries and has been a musical guest on many shows, including CTV’s Canada AM and CBC Radio’s Vinyl Cafe.
Check out Katherine’s website here
Check out Wendell’s website here
Toronto-based alt-rock outfit Birds of Bellwoods have wasted little time making an indelible mark on Canada’s musical landscape, having amassed an impressive pile of achievements and accolades in a few short years on the back of their boisterous blend of anthemic alternative, folk, and pop music.
Birds of Bellwoods released their highly anticipated debut LP, Victoria, (© eOne Music) in late 2018. The album invites listeners to join the band’s high-energy musical parade built on honest, emotive songwriting and laced with sweet, sticky hooks.
Much of the attention to come their way thus far has stemmed from the band’s energetic and engaging live performances. The band has crossed Canada and dipped into the U.S. for all kinds of dates, including a slew of major Canadian music festivals, and most recently, a 28-show national arena tour as the musical guest on Rock The Rink, supporting Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir on their farewell shows.
They are currently set to release two new projects before summer 2021, the first being a five song self produced acoustic EP, the second being a full length album produced by radio rock icon Dave Schiffman.
Check out their website here
Born in Havana, Cuba, Elizabeth Rodriguez is a classically trained violinist who served as concertmaster for Havana’s Youth Orchestra. Magdelys Savigne hails from Santiago de Cuba and graduated with honours in orchestral percussion from Havana’s University of the Arts. Both are also Grammy-nominees for their contributions to Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, of which they are former members. Having recently worked with Bomba Estereo, Lido Pimienta and Bianca Gismonti, OKAN follows up on their Juno-nominated and Independent Music Award-winning debut album Sombras, with their sophomore release Espiral, out on the Lulaworld Records label.
Check out their website here
At the end of a gruelling two-year stretch on tour promoting her third studio album, New Mistakes—a trek that took her to every corner of the world—Terra Lightfoot found herself at home and sapped. Life on the road had done a number on her body, her voice, and her mind, and despite isolating herself from friends and family, sitting down for hours a day at her writing desk, she was coming up with nothing inspiring.
A trip to Nashville changed all that. Just a few weeks in Music City broke the dam wide open. In rapid succession, Lightfoot wrote the songs that would form her new record, Consider the Speed. Out poured more than a dozen, one after the other, reflecting on life as a touring musician, past relationships, and the death of her grandmother. “The healing power of rock ‘n’ roll,” a true blue sentiment that Lightfoot and her bandmates keep the faith in on tour, was in full force. And you could even say it hit her like a jolt of electricity.
Until then, Consider the Speed at which you’re falling for Terra Lightfoot—a spectacular velocity that will gain momentum with every electrifying note.
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Rich, sweet, and lush with vibrato. These are only a few of the unmistakable qualities that constitute Evangeline Gentle’s voice. Their songwriting possesses authenticity and depth as rare and unique as their own journey.
Born on the Northeast coast of Scotland, Evangeline has live performance in their blood. Queer, and passionate about social justice, Evangeline believes in the good-naturedness of people and our capabilities of growing together.
At only 23 years of age, Evangeline’s accolades are already accumulating at an impressive rate. They were awarded Emerging Artist at the 2015 Peterborough Folk Fest, Best Female Vocalist of the year at the 2015 Wire Awards, and have shared stages with notable artists such as Basia Bulat, Craig Cardiff, Matt Andersen, Lee Harvey Osmond, and more. Their debut LP has sparked international success garnering CBC and BBC radio play, as well as interviews with NPR, Forbes and more.
Check out their website here
Evolving creatively is a key goal for any artist, especially for songwriters. Being able to tap into the vein of shared experiences by way of a personalized point of view is a gift the best songwriters are able to build upon from song to song and album to album. Only the best of them are able to transition from being a soother one minute to a soothsayer the next with relative ease, confidence, and expertise.
Taylor’s inherently cinematic approach to his storytelling has a lot to do with his heritage and upbringing. “It’s an interesting thing to be part Mohawk and part West Indian, because I’ve always had this feeling that I never fit in anywhere,” he admits. “As a mixed person, it’s like, oh, where do you go, and how do you connect with people? That’s all I’ve been trying to do, and my life experience as a person who is mixed helps me do that. These stories are all coming from a person who tries to fit in, but doesn’t quite fit in. That’s really what my work has always been about — that longing to be a part of something.”
Check out their website here
Musicians. Wanderers. Artists.
After 20 years together, Juno nominated singer-songwriting duo, Madison Violet, are as much wanderers as they are musicians. It is a career filled with endless roads stretching into the horizon, winding through changing landscapes, each kilometer traveled carrying with it the promise of inspiration. Perhaps that is the secret of what has made Madison Violet such an enduring band. Because with each new town, each new venue, their curiosity grows, their love of music deepens, their desire to push musical boundaries expands.
It is believed that the spark that ignited Madison Violet’s irrepressible curiosity came from an unlikely source; while sitting in Brenley’s grandmother’s kitchen in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, filled to bursting with family, friends, instruments (and maybe even a foe or two), and miles from their adopted home of Toronto, Ontario, two musicians looked at each over the flickering light of the old wood stove and knew that theirs would be an unconventional journey. Inspired by their heritage, emboldened by their vision, Lisa MacIsaac and Brenley MacEachern decided that they would create a sound that would have it’s roots in their past while continually exploring new sounds. From the beginning, the multi-instrumentalists have carried authenticity with them like a talisman, writing all of their own music and lyrics, believing that the best way to connect to their audiences was to treat them like old friends sharing a secret and a smile. As vocalists they have an innate ability to break your heart, slyly knowing that their soaring harmonies will mend it, often all in the span of one song.
Check out their website here
Raven meets Lion was born to musically express the heart and cultural stories brought to Canada by new settlers. They tell the stories of leaving, bringing rich ancestral wisdom ,cultural sharing and love for the earth. The melodies often reference gaelic sean nós style with new world accompaniment and harmonies. Raven meets Lion is a modern bardic experience, inviting you to realmwalk this ancient and modern soundscape with them.
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The first thing you notice about Coco Love Alcorn, is the voice. It’s a rich, dynamic, supremely soulful instrument – hailed by the press as extraordinary, beautiful, and stunning – that has a way of touching your heart and making you care.
As a performer, Alcorn is always in the moment, joyful, and genuine. She combines diverse musical influences including jazz, R&B, pop, folk, and Gospel. Her playful and witty character, love of improvising, and willingness to engage fearlessly with the audience has made Alcorn an established presence on the Canadian music scene.
Born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia and now based in Owen Sound, Ontario, Alcorn’s career has spanned more than 20 years, 12 (9 solo) albums, cross-Canada tours, collaborations, festival appearances, award nominations, and notable success in TV and film licensing. And it took someone with a spirit like Alcorn’s to navigate this path.
“Throughout my career I have explored across many genres, collaborations and projects, taking a winding path to get to here,” she says. “But I’ve loved every step of my journey and trusted my inner curiosity to take me where it wanted to go.”
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Ken Whiteley is one of Canada’s most respected “roots” musicians. Drawing on his incredibly rich background in blues, gospel and folk styles, this 7 time Juno award nominee is always a wonderful addition to any festival or concert series. He has played at virtually every major folk festival in Canada and performed and recorded with such legends as Pete Seeger, John Hammond Jr., Tom Paxton, Blind John Davis, Stan Rogers, The Campbell Brothers, Guy Davis, Raffi, Linda Tillerey & the Cultural Heritage Choir and countless others. A prolific songwriter, a gifted and versatile instrumentalist and a powerful singer, Whiteley’s music communicates themes of freedom, love, spiritual aspiration and social comment. His performances are presented with participatory humour, grace and energy.
His performing career began as a teenager in the 1960’s with brother Chris and friend Tom Evans as The Original Sloth Band. With the Sloths, Ken performed all over North America and appeared on Saturday Night Live with Leon Redbone. His collaborations with brother Chris (The Whiteley Brothers) and old friends Mose Scarlett and Jackie Washington (Scarlett, Washington & Whiteley) resulted in a wonderful collection of recordings, garnering high praise, successful tours and several awards. Ken’s most recent collaborations are Ken Whiteley and The Freedom Blues Band and Ken Whiteley and the Beulah Band. Whether performing solo or playing with any of his large circle of musical friends, as one critic has said, “with Ken Whiteley our enjoyment is virtually assured.”
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Basset is an all-acoustic group from Toronto admired for their “fresh and distinct sound”. Co-writers Yasmine Shelton and Sam Clark draw on folk traditions from both sides of the pond, with songs that will take you from a beekeeper’s fields to the haunted basement of a second hand store. Young and imaginative, their inventiveness is on full display in their use of fiddle, harmony, and Shelton’s commanding lead vocals. From tender ballads to driving blues, Basset’s style has been called “cinematic” and “full of timeless heart”.
Yasmine and Sam met at university in 2016 while studying philosophy, and bonded over their shared love of creative writing and traditional music from America and the UK. By the time they left school, they had landed a spot at the Summerfolk festival in 2018, and were quickly swept into a life of music. Since then, they have performed across Ontario including The Cameron House, Lee’s Palace, and Heartwood in Owen Sound, alongside NEFE, The Lifers, The Pairs, and more. They released their debut EP in June 2019, recorded in the snowy woods of Grey County and funded by a FACTOR grant, with features in Music Talks and Indiesource. They are preparing to release their debut LP in spring 2022 and are booking tours and showcases across Canada and the US.
Check out their website here
Ontario based duo Emilyn Stam and John David Williams merge the voices of clarinet, violin, diatonic and chromatic accordions to create a modern sound steeped in tradition. They met in 2011 as members of the Lemon Bucket Orkestra. During quiet hours of busy tour schedules they discovered a similar sensibility in improvisation and composition, and began to create a distinctive duo sound mainly featuring clarinet and violin. They both draw on wide musical influences and experience including Klezmer, early jazz and blues, and various fiddle traditions from Canada and abroad. Their first CD is a collection of original compositions based on improvisation and exploring playful instrumental duet dialogues. Currently, they are focusing on the folk music and dance traditions of western Europe. In addition to exploring traditional dance styles and tunes, they are developing a repertoire of original music meant equally for social dance and concert settings. They have released an album of this repertoire titled “Honeywood”in July 2020.
Check out their website here
david sereda is a singer, songwriter and composer. He is one of Canada’s most distinctive voices and one of Canada’s first openly queer singer-songwriters. He is passionate about the power of the human voice, song and the importance of singing your truth.
sereda collaborates in music, theatre, film and interarts projects. He has been Associate Artist with Sheatre since 2002, a community-engaged arts company devoted to social change and telling community stories based here in Grey Bruce.
Whether performing solo, leading a choir or Song Circle, or playing with stellar musicians (like Tyler Wagler and Keira McArthur this Summerfolk) he sings from the heart about what the world is and what it could be.
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Mia Kelly is a young Ottawa-Gatineau based singer / songwriter. Melding folk and rock with a twist of soulful blues, Mia’s powerful voice draws audience members into songs that are filled with deep themes and raw emotions. She lights up the room with her happy soul and infectious energy. As one of Ottawa’s ten artists to watch in 2020 (Ottawa Citizen), with her youthful spirit and fresh bilingual tunes, 18-year-old Mia Kelly is making her mark in the Canadian music scene. With an EP to her name, she recently performed at RBC Bluesfest, Blacksheep Inn, CityFolk (Marvest), Festival of Small Halls and Blueskies Music Festival. Mia creates an unforgettable show with her joyful energy, anecdotes and sweet melodies.
Check out their website here
With spell-binding harmonies, heart-melting honesty and pure joie-de-vivre, Tannis Slimmon, Katherine Wheatley and Angie Nussey celebrate the coming of winter and the spirit of the holiday season with their show “Songs For The Snowy Season”. Each member of the trio is an award-winning songwriter with a successful solo career. They set aside time every year to make music together and to shine their Boreal light on Canada’s coldest and darkest months.
Boreal’s lyrics conjure up sights and sounds that bring chills of recognition to the listener: squirrels’ footprints in the snow, winter’s hush, snowball fights, angel truck drivers who lead us home in blizzards. They’re sure to make you laugh, cry, clap, sing (if in doubt, sing the word “snow!”) and find comfort and joy in knowing that we’re all in this frosty and glorious season together.
Boreal underwent a big change in 2019 when Jude Vadala, who had been with the trio for its first twelve years, lovingly retired and was replaced by Angie Nussey. Angie, hailing from the northern city of Sudbury, Ontario and armed with, you guessed it, plenty of funny and moving songs about the snow, has been a dynamic addition to the band. In their first season together, the newly configured trio was met with packed rooms and standing ovations and they soon realized that the new incarnation of Boreal would develop its own special offering.
The trio has been writing up a “winter storm” and recording their new songs. Working “alone-together” in their own home studios, Angie, Katherine and Tannis have laid down instrumental and vocal parts and met numerous times on zoom to edit and mix the new songs. They are gearing up to launch their new CD in November 2022, a follow-up to Boreal’s 2014 debut release ‘Winter’s Welcome’.
Check out their website here
Owen Sound’s Rob Elder caught the music bug as a kid on the family farm where classic country & western songs, the Beach Boys, and Bob Seeger were the sound track to barn chores. Back then, picking up a guitar was an easy way to wind down at the end of a long day. Turned to music, his farm boy’s work ethic led to quick growth and an early creative blossoming, his festival debut at the age of 20, and the release of two self produced albums shortly afterwards.
By his mid-twenties, Rob was chasing the Canadian dream. He got married, had two kids, and was advancing in a straight-laced career while gigging tirelessly in Toronto. There wasn’t much time for recording back then and Rob and his wife knew that they didn’t want to raise children in the city. So in 2012 they moved back to Grey County where a vibrant musical community welcomed them wholeheartedly. Rob put together a band, started mentoring younger musicians through the Georgian Bay Folk Society, and – as always – filled every available moment with music.
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Marshall Veroni is a contemporary folk singer-songwriter from Owen Sound, Ontario with a sound that rings with a raw honesty about the human condition that turns his performances into something intimate and personal, regardless the size of the audience.
From a young age Veroni had a passion for word craft which is evident in his ability to speak to an audience, commanding their presence. Veroni’s music is best summed up like this: you can’t ignore the feelings he evokes when playing to you. Though they are yours, uniquely, he has an ability to bring them out.
With the release of his first studio record he intends to share his music with all of Canada. From October to December of 2018 Veroni is touring all of Ontario for his tour as a part of the In Fields release. After booking the entire tour, he was inspired to plan the next and intends to tour the entirety of Canada from spring to winter of 2019. During the summer of 2019 Veroni intends to self-release a four-track EP of songs recorded, fittingly, from a small southern Ontario cottage by a river. His next full length album is set to begin tracking in November of 2019.
Check out their website here
Hailing from the countryside of rural Ontario, Benjamin channels his penchant for starry nights and nostalgia into a stylized folk sound full of heartbreak and grit featuring instruments such as guitar, banjo, and fiddle.
Benjamin found a passion and purpose in folk music after inheriting his GreatGrandfather’s violin at the tender age of seven. From budding musician to awe-inspiring performer, his love of creating meaningful music has taken the reins and garnered much attention from folk artists and enthusiasts alike. “Rogers’ unique voice, thought-provoking lyrics, energetic performances and dynamic fiddle techniques leave this up-and-coming musician in a class of his own.” – InSpades Magazine.
This singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist folk-phenom proves he’s at the top of his game in every way imaginable, grasping for the stars that light up his quaint hometown of Brantford, ON as he prepares for the release of his most ambitious project to date. Benjamin Dakota Rogers continues to redefine the genre with an infinite sound evolution that promises to deepen the path he’s already carved for himself for years to come.
Check out their website here
The fifth album from Ottawa-raised, Toronto-based singer/songwriter Amanda Rheaume, The Skin I’m In presents a compellingly portrait of an artist fully comfortable in her own skin, personally and musically. Produced by Colin Cripps (Blue Rodeo, Junkhouse) at The Tragically Hip’s famed Bathouse Studio, it sports a full-blooded band sound, thanks to the contributions of an A-list musical supporting cast.
Rheaume’s supple and expressive vocals fit neatly in the centre of the sonic landscape, while her eloquent and well-crafted songs were written with such noted collaborators as Jason Blaine, Melanie Brulée, Jim Bryson, Justin Glasco, and Tim Bovaconti.
One of Rheaume’s great gifts as a songwriter is her ability to take the personal and make it universal, drawing upon her own experience to deliver messages with a wide resonance. She digs deep on The Skin I’m In, reflecting upon her Metis heritage, as on the profoundly moving title track and “Return To The Water,” and addressing issues of identity and mental health. Her earlier albums met with widespread critical acclaim. 2013’s Keep A Fire earned her a 2014 Canadian Folk Music Award for Aboriginal Songwriter of The Year as well as a Juno Award nomination for Aboriginal Album of the Year, while 2016’s Holding Patterns received a Canadian Folk Music Awards nomination.
An engaging performer, Rheaume has developed a following across Canada and in Europe, where she tours regularly. She has long employed her music as a force for good, as shown by three trips to Afghanistan to perform for Canadian military personnel, plus visits to the Alert base in Canada’s far north and the Indigenous community of Attawapiskat. Rheaume co-founded Babes4Breasts, an initiative that, through concerts and recording projects, raised money for breast cancer charities across Canada over a 10-year period. This is an artist with a heart as big as her talent.
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Kurt Swinghammer is a Canadian singer-songwriter and visual artist based in Toronto.
He has released 13 full-length albums of original songs and as a session musician appears on over 100 CDs. He has also composed extensively for film and TV. As a visual artist he is represented in the permanent collection of the Canada Council Art Bank. He has worked in the commercial realm as illustrator, graphic designer, wardrobe designer, set designer, and art director on music videos.
Swinghammer currently exhibits his paintings at INabstracto in Toronto and the True North Gallery in Waterdown, Ontario. In 2016 True North Records released “Sexsmith Swinghammer Songs” by Lori Cullen, which features 12 songs co-written with lyricist Ron Sexsmith. In 2017 he independently released the self-produced album titled “Another Another” and created animated videos for each of the twelve tracks.
Check out their website here
It’s her singing that always draws attention, and partly for the things that it doesn’t have. No vibrato, no trendy affectations, no unnecessary melodic ornamentation. Just a pure and uniquely beautiful voice.
It started happening in the late 90’s at the Free Times Café – an important singer/songwriter incubator for Toronto’s resilient acoustic scene. With a natural flair for performing, she honed her skills by hosting the weekly open mic night and cultivated an early fan base of peers in the local music community.
The first Lori Cullen CD came out at the start of a new century. Garden Path reflected a young sensibility informed by her heroes Joni Mitchell and Jane Siberry. Two years later she shifted gears to jazz standards for the well received So Much. Her third release Uneven Hill focused on original writing and dramatically broadened the scope of her sonic world. Calling For Rain in 2006 brought together all the previous elements to create a hybrid of jazz and pop which became her lasting artistic identity. Largely a collection of carefully curated covers, it was nominated for a Best Vocal Jazz Juno. One of her original tunes on the album won the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award from the Ontario Council Of Folk Festivals.
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Acclaimed raconteur Ray Bonneville strips his bluesy Americana down to its essentials and steeps it in the humid grooves of the South, creating a compelling poetry of hard living and deep feeling. His ninth release, At King Electric, delivers more than his trademark grit and groove. Songs such as “The Next Card to Fall” and “Codeine” gleam with intimate narratives of characters reaching for hope and wrestling with despair. Rich guitar and harmonica lines resonate over spare but spunky rhythms, while Bonneville’s deep, evocative voice confesses life’s harsh realities.
Jim Withers (Montreal Gazette) describes his sound as “folk-roots gumbo… a languid Mississippi Delta groove, seasoned with smooth, weathered vocals and a propulsive harmonica wheeze.” Whether performing solo or fronting a band, playing electric or acoustic guitar, Bonneville allows space between notes that adds potency to every chord, lick, and lyric. Thom Jurek (Allmusic.com) remarks, “With darkness and light fighting for dominance… he’s stripped away every musical excess to let the songs speak for themselves.”
Often called a “song and groove man,” Bonneville has lived the life of the itinerant artist. From his native Quebec, he moved to Boston at age twelve, where he learned English and picked up piano and guitar. Later, he served in Vietnam and earned a pilot’s license in Colorado before living in Alaska, Seattle, and Paris. Six years in New Orleans infused his musical sensibilities with the region’s culture and rhythms. And then, a close call while piloting a seaplane proved pivotal: After two decades working as a studio musician, playing rowdy rooms with blues bands, and living hard, Bonneville’s lifetime of hard-won experience coalesced into an urge to write his own music.
Ray recorded his first album, On the Main, in 1992. He’s since released nine albums, earned wide critical and popular acclaim, and won an enthusiastic following in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. His awards include a prestigious Juno, the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy, for his 1999 album, Gust of Wind. In 2012, Ray won the solo/duet category in the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge. His post-Katrina ode, “I Am the Big Easy,” earned the International Folk Alliance’s 2009 Song of the Year Award, placed number one on Folk Radio’s list of most-played songs of 2008, and was recently covered by Jennifer Warnes for the BMG label.
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Crystal Shawanda grew up on the Wikwemikong reserve on an island in Ontario, Canada, Her parents raised her on Country music and taught her to sing and play guitar, but it was her oldest brother who introduced her to the blues. He would hang out in the basement cranking Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Etta James, and Crystal would sit at the top of the stairs, straining to hear those soulful sounds. There was a part of her that often wandered if she would ever be able to sing like that. And when no one was home, Crystal would practice singing the blues.
She learned early on, by observing her family, that music was like cheap therapy. That’s what the blues is all about: releasing and healing. While she was secretly pining to be a blues mama, out on stage it was Patsy and Loretta. She started performing country when she was six and started getting paid gigs when she was 10, relentlessly playing every stage she could.
Crystal’s dad was a truck driver and they started taking frequent trips to Nashville when she was 12. She recorded her first album when she was 13 and moved away from home that same year to attend a music school. Crystal got restless, however, and dropped out at 16 to move to Nashville. She didn’t know anyone but was determined, so she spent days playing where she could and busking in between.
Crystal Shawanda is reminiscent of a time gone by. She will make you feel every word with a powerful voice that never fails, pure and gritty at the same time. Do yourself a favour and see if she’s playing somewhere near you.
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Quique Escamilla was born and raised to a family of six in the warm, tropical southern lands of the state of Chiapas, Mexico. He started singing Mexican folk songs at the age of four at his family reunions. Today, Quique is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, producer, and an international touring artist based in Toronto, Canada.
Since his arrival in 2007 in Canada, he has rapidly become a rising star on the Canadian, and consequently in the North American and the European scene. He breaks down language barriers through his powerful voice and passionate delivery while fusing traditional Mexican styles of music with modern sounds of rock, reggae, ska, pop, jazz, cumbia, bolero, and a variety of other diverse sounds from Latin American and the Caribbean.
Despite the distance from his homeland, Quique remains strongly attached to his Mexican roots. He is honoured to be in Canada to share with and disseminate among his audiences a flavour of his Mexican culture, heritage and traditions
through his music and live impassioned performances. His first full-length record “500 Years of Night” was released in 2014, which won him the World Music Album of the Year at the JUNO Awards 2015. The album also won the World Best Solo Artist of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards 2014.
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The Slocan Ramblers (2020 IBMA Momentum Band of the Year Award Winner & 2019 Juno Award Nominee) are Canada’s bluegrass band to watch. Rooted in tradition, fearlessly creative and possessing a bold, dynamic sound, The Slocans have become a leading light of today’s acoustic music scene. With a reputation for energetic live shows, impeccable musicianship and an uncanny ability to convert anyone within earshot into a lifelong fan, The Slocans have been winning over audiences from Merlefest to RockyGrass and everywhere in between.
On their much-anticipated album Queen City Jubilee (2019 Juno Award Nominee for Traditional Roots Album of the Year), The Slocans showcase their unique blend of bluegrass, old-time and folk with deep song-writing, lightning fast instrumentals and sawdust-thick vocals. With their trademark raucous energy, this album presents The Slocan Ramblers at the top of their game – writing and playing tunes to keep you up all night. This is roots music without pretension, music to make you feel something – say hello to your new favourite band.
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For over a decade, the Acadian trio Vishtèn has dazzled audiences with its fiery blend of traditional French songs and original instrumentals that fuse Celtic and Acadian genres with a modern rock sensibility and indie-folk influences. Lauded as “traditional but fiercely up-to-the- moment” (Penguin Eggs), this band from Canada’s east coast has been recognized as an ambassador of Francophone culture around the world.
The trio comprises multi-instrumentalists Emmanuelle and Pastelle LeBlanc from the Evangeline Region of Prince Edward Island, and Magdalen Islands’ native, Pascal Miousse. Cradled in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, in the North Atlantic Ocean, Prince Edward Island is home to a small but thriving a Francophone Acadian community with a rich tradition of song and instrumental music. Nearby, the even smaller archipelago of the Magdalen Islands (les Îles de la Madeleine) is predominantly Francophone, recognized for its distinctive French dialect, songs and unique fiddling style. All three members of Vishtèn were raised in homes in which traditional music, percussive dance and kitchen parties were part of everyday life. Together, they pay homage to their traditions and to the historic and strong musical connections between their two island Acadian communities.
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Multi-award winning, chart-topping Indigenous artists Twin Flames Build bridges across cultures, continents, and styles. The husband and wife duo of Chelsey June, métis (Algonquin Cree) from Ottawa, and Jaaji, Inuk and Mohawk from Nunavik, are long celebrated for their sonic landscapes spanning Canada and the Arctic, and honouring their ancestors through song in English, Inuttitut and French. Twin Flames, brings together a richness of personal history and musical experience, 2x Canadian Folk Music Award recipients for Aboriginal Songwriters of the year and 3x Native American Music Award winners and most recently 3X Winners for the Inaugural Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards. Their songs tell stories of courage and survival. A beloved powerhouse with 28 Music award Nominations and having played more than 1000+ shows throughout Canada, Greenland, the United States, Australia and France they are well on their way to becoming a Canadian household name.
Using unique sounds, Indigenous Spirit flutes, traditional drums and western instruments, synthesizing harmonies, singing songs in English, Inuktitut, French they offer a truly unique experience. Before combining their talents under the title of Twin Flames, Chelsey June and Jaaji had their own respective award-winning and nominated careers; they met on-set during the filming of APTN’s TAM (Talent Autochtones Musical) in 2014.
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MIMI: NEW MUSIC FROM AN OLD SOUL
Mimi O’Bonsawin is an award winning roots songstress. You can find Mimi out on the road bringing songs and stories to diverse audiences all over this country and abroad. Her songs are heavily influenced by her French Canadian and Abenaki roots and flow through a centre of love and creativity. Her compositions are nurtured by the beauty of her home landscape, and her performances honest and raw.
Her newest release ELLE DANSE if a self-produced french EP that has been gaining momentum with placements on Spotify, Amazon and Apple Music curated playlists. ELLE DANSE was in ELMNT FM’s top 10 Best Albums of 2020 and it was recently nominated for two prizes at the TRILLE OR Awards.
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Moskitto Bar is a fresh and unique sound created in the multi-cultural hub of Toronto, Canada. Their sound combines a beautiful and original mix of Ukrainian, Balkan, Iraqi Middle-Eastern and French Celtic music. The project was initiated by Tangi Ropars when he met newcomers Yura, from Ukraine, and Ahmed, from Iraq. In June 2016, during a gathering in Northern Ontario, they met every day in the woods to share and teach each other their respective melodies and rhythms. As they were playing, the rural Ontario mosquitos, were joyfully feasting on the multicultural group inspiring their eponymous name.
Almost two years later, the trio connected with the notable violin player, Fethi Nadjem freshly landed for Algeria, adding his oriental flavour to the sound mix.
More than the music, despite their diverse traditions, political and social stories, they share a deeper connection, a mutual love and respect for each other and a common desire to spread messages of unity. “Connecting Cultures For a Better Future” Moskitto Bar. Toronto saw the band playing in the streets, community events and bars and more recently in public libraries, Aga Khan museum, Opera House, Ashkenazi festival and Korner Hall. Moskitto Bar shared the stage with international musicians such as famous Russian band Dobranotch, the Bosnian icon Bozo Vreco, and Burdon Fold Band from Ukraine. Collaborations with other artists is embedded in the band’s culture/mandate.
The Moskittos and their community of musicians can often be found jamming at Drom Taberna the new iconic live music venue in Toronto.
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Travel to the crossroads of classical, jazz and improv music and you will find the Ostertag-Homzy Quartet, an ensemble is equally at home playing quartets by Mozart as they are composing their own Parisian jazz tunes, and reworking some of the 20th century greatest hits.
Led by cellist Sebastian Ostertag, who has performed in string quartets, baroque orchestras, and Canadian icons Shad and Basia Bulat, and violinist Aline Homzy, an award winning performer and composer who is heard at Jazz festivals around the world, as well as Koerner and Massey Halls.
In October 2009, Larry was awarded the very first “Owen Sound Cultural Award.” In 2015, Larry was chosen Owen Sound Poets Laureate 2015 -2017. 2019 Fall/Christmas release of Book/CD compilation “Late Nights on Irish Mountain” with Lyricist Poet Rob Rolf. Songs, essays and stories of the pictured history of Owen Sound and area. In 2020 May 7, Larry’s book launch of Book/CD “These Streets I Know” Life and Music by Larry Jensen.
Tyler Beckett has established himself as a valued multi-instrumentalist in the country and bluegrass music scene. After university, Tyler toured extensively throughout the United States with IBMA nominated contemporary bluegrass group, The Chapmans. After returning to Canada, Tyler continued his free-lance and recording career with several artists, including a Canadian Service Tour to Afghanistan with Jason McCoy, and shows throughout Canada and China with Dan Davidson. Tyler was recently inducted into the Central Bluegrass Hall of Fame after winning the Fiddle Player of the Year Award five times.
Tyler Wagler plays the acoustic and electric bass, the guitar, writes songs, wrangles children, curses at The Maple Leafs and makes a mean eggplant parmesan. He spends a lot of time playing reggae and jazz music, but at Summerfolk he will be performing with Larry Jensen, Raven Meets Lion and david sereda.
Morgan Barrie is an original Canadian singer-songwriter whose sound
seamlessly intertwines warm guitar riffs and thoughtful lyrics. Morgan finds a way of
opening the channels to your soul, singing about challenges all generations collectively
face in the 21st century. He’s raw, honest, and slightly haunting. Morgan’s songs
encompass topics of love, waste, and loss in equally passionate terms.
As an artist, Morgan takes control over all elements of the production process. From composing the
music to engineering the final product in his personal studio. Morgan’s ambitious efforts
pay off in his powerful sound.
Reticent to play in public at first, Morgan did not start sharing his music until 2015. His
debut solo LP ‘North’ was released to modest success in 2017. To promote the album,
Morgan preformed several sold-out shows and strengthened his music community.
Following the success of ‘North’, Morgan released his second full length album. Fall
(2018), is filled with beautiful soundscapes. It displays a subtle, yet palpable, angst over
the state of humanity. Songs from Fall hit the top 10 list for the CFRC Kingston station,
were played on CBC North, and have received praise from music critics across globe.
Morgan’s music has also been showcased internationally. Touring across Germany,
Morgan opened for Matt Epp on his 2018 European tour.
As follow-up to his experience overseas, Morgan has now secured his own fully-booked
three week tour through Germany and Switzerland in 2020. Morgan continues to
develop his abilities as an artist and a producer. From his first two albums, he has
learned how to connect with listeners and tell stories important to today’s complex
environment.
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Singer-songwriter Tomi Swick is a Hamilton native who was recognized for his debut album “Stalled out in the Doorway” in 2007 by winning the Juno for best new artist and a nomination for pop record of the year as well as 2 Canadian radio music awards, the Socan A/C songwriting award and multiple Hamilton music awards. A Warner/Chappell Publishing recording artist, Tomi spent four months in London England where he recorded his second album with top British producer Chris Potter of Verve / Richard Ashcroft Acclaim as well as many others. This self titled record ” Tomi Swick” was released on Warner Music Canada in 2012. Tomi has written, toured and played with many great bands and artists such as Julian Lennon, The Barenaked Ladies, The Goo Goo Dolls, Stabilo, Collective Soul, Tom Cochrane, Tom Wilson, Sam Roberts, Big Wreck, Feist , Jeremy Fisher, Blue Rodeo, Ron Sexsmith etc…. A new record in collaboration with Slaight Music scheduled for release in 2015 is in the works.
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Jaffa Road is a highly acclaimed Toronto-based ensemble, featuring some of Canada’s most exciting and innovative interpreters of intercultural music. Their sound takes listeners on a journey that is at once ancient and modern, acoustic and electronic, sacred and secular, blending influences and inspirations from the worlds of Jewish music, classical Arabic and Indian music, modern jazz, blues, electronica, rock, pop, funk and dub.
The Jaffa Road vibe is ignited by the ethereal vocals of Tamar Ilana, the evocative oud & guitar playing of the band’s founder Aaron Lightstone, the visionary grooves of Justin Gray (bass & bass veena), the exhilarating sounds of saxophonist & flautist Sundar Viswanathan and the driving beat of drummer & percussionist Rakesh Tewari. Recently, Jaffa Road has added Shawn Rompre on electronic percussion & effects to the mix. Along with a cadre of top-notch guest artists, these stellar musicians challenge accepted notions of Jewish music while creating a new form of expression that breaks cultural boundaries.
In 2013, they won the Canadian Folk Music Award for World Music Group of the Year, and have been nominated for two Canadian Juno Awards for Best World Music Album. Jaffa Road has recently finished their much-anticipated third album Until When, and are planning for its release in the fall of 2021. The band’s trailblazing musical odyssey has taken them to festivals and theatres across North and South America.
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Alysha Brilla is a 3X Juno Award nominated artist, composer, sound designer, music producer and creative wellness facilitator; with a special interest in bioacoustics and sound as a healing modality, Brilla’s work is driven by a deep belief in music’s power to transform ourselves and our world.
Brilla’s music, blogs and spirituality are inspired by growing up with parents from two different cultural and religious backgrounds; a Muslim Indo-Tanzanian father who immigrated to Canada and a Christian European Settler-Canadian mother. Raised in Brampton, Ontario, Brilla’s rocky youth and intersecting cultural influences encouraged the birds eye view, non-linear philosophies that inform her artistry and teachings.
Brilla has performed internationally including across Australia, Singapore, Tanzania and Chile. In addition to live performances of music, Brilla has conducted creative wellness workshops in schools for the past ten years; promoting storytelling through music and mentoring in self-expression through the arts with a focus on developing skills in songwriting and music production. A special focus on encouraging and promoting the voices of youth and young women across the world for their critical perspectives on environment and social awareness and action.
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