I have just finished reading “You Get Bigger as you Go”, Bruce Cockburn’s Influence and Evolution by author M.D. Dunn.

What a wonderful rabbit hole to fall into! I As the reader, I was immersed for weeks in Bruce’s music, playing the tracks from all the albums that Dunn delves into, as I read the book. I followed the timeline along with Mark Dunn’s research and exploration of all Cockburn’s albums. This book explores the profound influence and remarkable evolution of Cockburn’s music. A renowned Canadian singer songwriter and guitarist, Cockburn has entertained and educated listeners for over five decades.

Speaking with Mark recently about the book, we discussed the fact that Bruce is like a war correspondent, a journalist observing through his lens of music the times we live in, complimented by the poetry of his complex guitar phrasing. Cockburn digs deep into the pathos of the song.

Mark reflected that: “Bruce is almost always the narrator in these songs, and they are not always about him, but they are always a reflection of his point of view.”

Their journey into a personal and musical relationship with Canada began in Newfoundland in 2019. Appearing on a showcase festival, the Newfies embraced them and the birth of the song “Hello Newfoundland” was a tribute to the people there which resulted in another tour and lifelong relationship. (And an official Kissing of the Cod Ceremony to make them both honourary Newfies!)

The new song “Knock Knock” is a follow-up song to “Hello Newfoundland” and is sure to be once again embraced by Newfies everywhere as well as the strong fan base they have established in the last few years.

Newfoundland is also where they met Sandy Graham, Canadian music industry icon, who immediately signed them to Entertainment Music Group Canada. This company has now morphed into EMG Collectives, a newly formed global entity of which they are major participants.

Travelling to all parts of the world had them meet up with Dance Plant Records out of Montreal, Quebec and now they are being released with this new single with a Canadian label, proving once again that music has no borders.

Check out the YouTube for Knock Knock here:

Fiery blues, rock and soul songstress Caroline Cotto’s first full album is a musical tribute to her quest for her own individual truth. Before landing permanently in her now home of New Orleans, she spent years soaking up experiences while living in New York, Paris and London, walking the same inspirational paths of her artistic influences, writing her own music and poetry, and playing in downtown bars and clubs. Her album Bayou Sun, out now, is Cotto’s own stunning autobiography, with each track divulging crucial weaves that have formed her life tapestry of faith, love, and self-understanding.

Cotto’s track “Young Girl in the City” takes us to the start of her journey which began in New York City, a city Cotto refers to as the first love of her life. “I wanted to capture the rhythm of New York in my song,” she explains. “I see myself vividly walking up and down the avenue with desire in my soul to make a name for myself in the world. I feel the grit of the sidewalk and footsteps of my heroes. I see the young girl with a guitar performing in cafes rambling through the night with love and passion.”

Check out “Young Girl in the City” on YouTube here:

When a band has been around for nearly half a century, you don’t necessarily expect their music to carry any particular message beyond “Yep, we’re still alive.” The legendary Martha and the Muffins are a blessed exception: Their jaw-dropping new single shows they’re less concerned with their own survival than with everybody else’s.

With their radical reworking of a certain anti-violence perennial, the venerable Toronto-based group have paid full respect to the source material while simultaneously contorting it into a bone-chilling lament that couldn’t be more pertinent to the mortal dangers of today.

Music in Motion Canada created its inaugural contest to provide the opportunity for artists to connect with industry professionals to adjudicate their music and provide advice on moving forward in their careers.

Awards and prizes were given to individuals who exceed in their originality, skill, and distinction. Prizes include branding, media marketing, consulting & mentoring, and promotion and distinction.

“In order to foster the growth and advancement of musicians in their careers, EVERYONE who enters will be adjudicated by a panel of professionals in the music industry and gain valuable feedback, and receive a certificate of participation, Founder Barb Keck explained.

It was a challenging contest for the adjudicators to pick the winners as they were all so talented. 

Here are the 3 Winners. Each one will be featured in upcoming Cashbox stories, so you can check out their websites and we will be posting exciting news updates soon.

Music has always been a part of my life and it is in everything around us. We all have falling in love songs, wedding songs, breakup songs, sad songs, happy songs and the ones that make you want to rock. I could say I have been working for decades in the music industry, but I truly don’t know if I would call it work.

My mission with Cashbox Canada for the last 15 years has been to honour the legacy artists and to give the indie artists a chance to be heard. Whatever country, language or genre the origin of the song is from, I truly believe that music has no borders. I still love hearing new artists and the songs that were the musical tapestry of my life.

But there would not be a Cashbox Canada without the amazing team that works behind the scenes to bring our readers, friends and fans a weekly eclectic mix of music offerings.

Cashbox Cover Design & Graphic Artist:
Jain McMillan

In a world where treasured vocalists are born, covering a legend’s classic isn’t for the weak. More so a recreation of Dennis Brown’s reggae classic– an artist once christened by Bob Marley as one of the greatest reggae singers out there. And yet Jay Douglas’ re-embodiment of “The World Is Troubled” is a timely homage to the original.

Check out 'The World Is Troubled' on YouTube here:

Renowned Canadian jazz vocalist, Molly Johnson, officially releases the vinyl edition of her most recent full-length album, It’s A Snow Globe World, for the first time via Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company.

It’s A Snow Globe World was initially released by the JUNO-Award winner on October 29, 2021 on CD and digital formats. Her first holiday-themed album includes favourites “Don’t You Know It’s Christmas,” “This Holiday Season,” and more. The project was produced by John “Beetle” Bailey and executive produced by Johnson herself.

The new vinyl edition arrives several months after the iconic singer-songwriter was awarded the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. Johnson was also honoured this year as a Chevalier in l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France.

Christmas is the twenty-seventh studio album by American singer Cher. It was released on October 20, 2023, through Warner Brothers and is her first album with original material in ten years, following Closer to the Truth (2013) as well as her first ever Christmas album.

Cher first announced a plan to record a Christmas album in 2018. However, no progress was made at this time, and she did not comment again on this album until hinting at its production in July 2023, when she announced that she was already working on material for it. She shared on Twitter that she never wanted to do a festive album but it came out "as good as any record" she has made. In an interview in the UK with Good Morning Britain last September Cher expressed her pride over the record, saying that it is "not your mother's Christmas album" but a Cher Christmas album.

Chicago And Earth, Wind & Fire Launch Legendary Co-Headlining Heart & Soul 2024 North America Tour with One Canadian date in Toronto at the Budweiser Stage, July 23, 2023.

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT
www.livenation.com 
All Ages / General Admission and Reserved Seating

TICKETS: Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning on Friday, November 17 at 10am local time at EarthWindAndFire.com and ChicagoTheBand.com

Tickets for the November 28 Halifax show are available now at www.dal.ca/artscentre or by calling (902) 494 3820 or 1-800-874-1669

Tom Jackson is a true Renaissance man, known for his multifaceted career as a singer-songwriter, actor, and dedicated activist. However, it's his extraordinary philanthropic efforts that have left an indelible mark on the world. Since the 1980s, Jackson has tirelessly worked to make the world a better place, raising an astonishing estimated $250 million in cash and in-kind donations for food banks and disaster relief efforts. He has become a symbol of hope and generosity, using his talent and platform to effect change on a grand scale.

December 6, 2023 MASSEY HALL TORONTO
December 9, 2023 CORONA THEATRE MONTREAL
December 14, 2023 CALGARY ARTS CENTRE CALGARY
December 15, 2023 CALGARY ARTS CENTRE CALGARY

The Andy Kim Christmas returns to Toronto, Montreal and Calgaryfor another unforgettable evening celebrating the magic of the season with performances from iconic Canadian artists. This year’s show marks the 19^th year that luminary musician and Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee, Andy Kim will bring together some of the nation’s most applauded talent for a night of intimate performances, with all event proceeds donated to various charitable causes in each city.

“I can’t believe it’s the 19^th Annual Andy Kim Christmas since I started and now moving across the country to different cities. I’m so thankful to Canada’s community of talented artists, each year they come together & donate their time for such a worthy cause,” said Andy Kim. “The heart of this great country continues to inspire as we come together, as one, for an evening of music and love.”

The eponymous disc; a timeless soundtrack of rebellious youth.

The last ones about after the squares got called home; Shook Boys’ stompin’ grounds are the Streets of Toronto. Infamous in the city, their names painted on walls, carved in trees besides those of long forgotten conquests. Unhinged with instruments in hand, they indulge the nasty rhythms that boil primitive urges to the surface. Vocals fixated on the grit of street life, showcasing a rebellious spirit that defies conventional norms.

The self-titled album, “Shook Boys” is a reflection of the boys’ lifestyle.

A soundtrack to juvenile delinquency and reckless living.

Inspired by the no-holds-barred ethos of the 1950s rock’n’roll era, the band stays true to the roots of rockabilly while fearlessly pushing its boundaries with sounds of garage, doo wop and rhythm & blues.

War (Fear) Peace (Love)
Humanity on the precipice?
A splitting of worlds, the choice is ours.
Never in recent memory has the world been so close to all out World War.
Marshall Potts tackles this new reality in the only way he knows how, through music and his latest release Save The Day.

Marshall Potts is a singer/songwriter from Kamloops B.C. where he lives on 160 acres. His crossover writing style has found acceptance in the Americana, Country Rock and Rock formats. Marshall not only writes inspiring music and lyrics, he mixes in ringing, interwoven guitar lines and buoyant arena-rock beats. Combine Potts’ powerful, yet tender insistent vocals that share the experience of saving himself deliver a universal message of positivity and optimism. His music is about moving beyond your past, taking back your power, embracing the moment and living in the here and now.

December, prepare to celebrate 48 1/2 years of Monty Python and The Holy Grail with a special nationwide theatrical re-release in select theaters via Iconic Events Releasing and Mercury Studios, Nationwide Film Release Launching December 2023.

This cinematic event kicks off in over 500 theatre locations nationwide on Sunday, December 3rd with encore screenings beginning on Wednesday, December 6th. Select theatre locations will also be offering a Quote-A-long version of the film for audiences to experience the joy in sharing together, as you quote your favorite lines with the characters.

In this new Quote-A-long rendition, fans not only witness the absurdity of Arthurian legend but also actively participate in the laughter. It’s a sidesplitting cinematic event that honors the timeless humor of Monty Python while inviting fans to quote, laugh, and sing-a-long like never before. Get ready to journey into a world of Medieval madness, coconut-clacking horses, and unforgettable one-liners in this uproarious Quote-A-long version of a comedy classic.

Watch the trailer here:

Van Morrison unveils his 45th studio album, Accentuate the Positive, which is now available to pre-order HERE ahead of its release on November 3rd. This electrifying homage to rock ‘n’ roll is launched alongside its first single, a new take on the Johnny Kidd classic ‘Shakin’ All Over’. Check it out on YouTube here:

“Where We Are Gathered” is the 3^rd album release of the award winning New Age artists Opium Moon, garnering much attention in the just released offering of new music. 

Winning a Grammy in 2019 for their debut album, Opium Moon, they were again honored with a nomination for their sophomore release, “Night + Day” (2021). 

Opium Moon creates sensuous, enchanting soundscapes that evoke ancient worlds while remaining thoroughly contemporary. Elegant yet deeply emotional, their distinctive sound draws upon the diverse backgrounds of its members: Iranian santoor master Hamid Saeidi, innovative Israeli bassist Itai Disraeli, sought-after American percussionist M.B. Gordy, and virtuosic Canadian-American violinist Lili Haydn.

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/album/4Q9LDRGNMa9KFULcXANcw5

Having just turned 83 and after a decade lay-off from recording on her own, Sylvia Tyson announces the release on November 3rd, 2023 of her most powerful, and most incisive recording to date, “At The End Of The Day,” on Stony Plain Records – and shares that this will be her final album.

“It was time,” says the beloved Canadian artist, renowned for her independence, intelligence, and songwriting prowess. “It is kind of a gathering of all of the things that I wanted to record, but never got around to.  I just felt that it was time to record. I really feel that this may be the best album that I have ever done.”

With her final studio album, the aptly titled recording combines an intensely personal artistry with a broader vision of a public figure at peace with her ordered life as a songwriter, and as an artist. For a woman who has lived a public life for decades, Tyson is the most private of household names.

Front Cover Photo Credit: Pete Dadds

While performing at the Lilla By Festivalen in Rinkaby, Sweden this past August, I had the chance to see a headliner, Rodney Branigan.