Johnny Max Releases New Music with His So-Called Friends

The award-winning Johnny Max Band, led by the charismatic and whip sharp Johnny Max, have been touring Canada and Europe for over 30 years and bring their remarkable rhythm & blues, Memphis meets Chicago and New Orleans sound to enthusiastic crowds wherever they go. 

With two JUNO award nominations, eight Maple Blues awards nominations, and the winner of the International Songwriting Competition Award for “Daddy’s Little Girl”, off the album A Long Road. The Johnny Max Band consistently wows audiences with joyous, sometimes raucous rhythms and masterful showmanship. 

Brampton will come alive with the rhythm, flavour and spirit of the Caribbean as the JAMBANA One World Festival lights up Brampton Sports Park on Monday, August 3, 2026. Presented by TD and in collaboration with the City of Brampton, the free festival celebrates Emancipation Day with an unforgettable day of live entertainment, cultural experiences, and family-friendly activities.

Recognized as one of Canada’s premier multicultural festivals, JAMBANA brings together thousands of attendees each year to honour the rich heritage and lasting contributions of the African and Caribbean diaspora while celebrating the diversity that makes Canada stronger.

August 14, 2026, Jazzin’ Juniors. Youth Showcase, Brantford, ON (Sold Out)

August 15, 2026, Main Event, Port Dover Community Centre, Port Dover, ON, 5 PM

August 16, 2026, Glenhyrst Gardens, Brantford, ON, 1 PM

Canadian Rock Icon Bif Naked Returns with New Single "Lift Me Up"

Canadian rock icon Bif Naked has released "Lift Me Up," a new single written with longtime collaborator Ezra Cipes and produced by Cipes alongside Peter Karroll. The track marks a reunion between two artists whose creative history stretches back nearly two decades, and it arrives as Bif continues one of the busiest stretches of her career, touring behind both her acclaimed, multi award winning documentary and her 2025 studio album 'Champion.'

Photos and content submitted by Tracey Savein
© for Cashbox Canada

This new addition to our brand is a column dedicated to the night life (and some days) in the great city of Toronto, featuring live event photos. Tracey Savein brings an incredible eye (of the lens) capturing special moments in time. Because as the saying goes – A picture is worth a thousand words.

Any kind of photography, as I see it, is all about capturing motion and emotion. Whether the subject is raucous and rockin’ or the location is silent and still, if you can transport the viewer into a moment in time with an image and relay the energy of that moment, well, there’s your photograph – Tracey Savein

Hiromi - June 27th @ Koerner Hall, Toronto

Hiromi having a blast during the Toronto Jazz Festival at Koerner Hall in Toronto

Rockstalgia Music Festival announces its inaugural two-day celebration of rock music, set for July 11 and 12, 2026 at the Orono Fairgrounds in Orono, Ontario. Spanning 70s, 80s, and 90s rock across two stages and 24 bands, the festival is anchored by JUNO recognized Canadian headliner Wide Mouth, with tickets at $39.95 for Sunday, $69.95 for Saturday including taxes and fees.

Acclaimed classical guitarist Emma Rush, widely regarded as one of Canada's premier classical guitarists (Vivascene Magazine), returns with her new EP 'Home Sweet Home,' available now on 7" vinyl and through Bandcamp. The Hamilton-based virtuoso has built a remarkable career bringing forgotten music to light, and this release continues that mission with warmth, curiosity, and a deep sense of place. Recorded on a historic instrument and paired with a trio of striking videos, the project finds Rush at her most personal and inviting. 

They came, they sang, they conquered! The 15^th SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival wrapped on June 6 after more than two weeks of concerts and workshops.  This year’s theme was Singing Together and there were many opportunities for groups to collaborate and the public to join in.

Deke Sharon, considered the “father of contemporary a cappella”, led a singalong of songs from the popular Pitch Perfect movies, where he was Music Director.  There were behind-the-scenes stories from the movie sets, and everyone got a chance to try the famous “cup song” using cups autographed by Deke.

Tackling tunes from the 80’s, Retrocity belted out old favourites, then invited audience members to a live karaoke, where the a cappella band provided the accompaniment.

Hundreds of beatboxers gathered at Toronto’s Rec Room for a full weekend “all from the mouth” sounds and rhythms. It was an international showdown featuring a Top 16 solo performers and Top 4 loopstation competitors from across the globe. The winner of the solo competition qualified for the Grand Beatbox Battle 2026 in Poland later this year, which reaches 10 million fans globally.

Toronto’s Most Beloved Neighbourhood Jazz Festival Announces Its Return — Artist Lineup to Follow

Toronto, Ontario — The Kensington Market Jazz Festival (KMJF) is coming back. Now in its 11th year, the festival returns to the streets, stages, patios, and intimate venues of one of Toronto’s most storied neighbourhoods on September 18, 19, and 20, 2026. Artist announcements are coming, and they will be worth the wait. In the meantime, mark the dates: three days of live jazz, community energy, and the magic that only KMJF delivers, in the one neighbourhood that has always understood what music is for.

The acclaimed audiovisual tour of Eglinton West's storied cultural district expands with more dates, new locations, and private bookings

The Canada Black Music Archives' Little Jamaica Music History Walking Tour is back and better than ever, returning to Toronto for a new season that celebrates one of the most culturally significant neighbourhoods in the country. Following a sold-out run last year that drew residents and visitors alike, the immersive 1.5-to-2-hour audiovisual tour invites participants to walk through the living history of a community that became the second largest hub for reggae music in the world, after Kingston, Jamaica.

Tia McGraff, the Simcoe, Ontario-based Canadian folk singer-songwriter, children's author, and Norfolk Music Hall of Fame inductee, releases her delightful new children's single "Caterpillar Song" today on Bandana Records, a warm and wonderfully singable kids' pop anthem that celebrates perseverance, the joy of finding your way home, and the quiet magic of taking life one step at a time. Produced by McGraff's husband and longtime musical partner Tommy Parham, with keyboards and mixing by Kevin Fisher in California, the song arrives as the perfect companion to McGraff's new middle-grade children's book 'In Your Dreams, Jake,' the second instalment in her beloved Jake the Road Dawg series, which launches this fall.

Ron Pastore, the New York-based composer, multi-instrumentalist, and sonic architect behind one of independent music's most quietly thrilling catalogues, releases his new single "Robot Hands" today, the lead track from his latest album 'Turtle Rock,' out now on all major streaming platforms. Built from analog synths, live drums, layered improvisation, and the kind of head-nodding, forward-leaning groove that has defined Pastore's sound across five albums in five years, "Robot Hands" is an immediate and fully realised entry point into a musical world that rewards the curious listener enormously.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWk908TG0PA

Beloved Toronto chamber music series closes landmark anniversary season with an all-Canadian lineup of celebrated artists and alumni

Off Centre Music Salon concludes its landmark 30th Anniversary Season, Dream The Impossible Dream, on June 7, 2026, with its celebratory fundraiser gala (Erik) Satie-Sfaction Guaranteed, an afternoon of musical brilliance, wit, storytelling, and joyful reunion featuring an extraordinary roster of acclaimed Canadian artists and longtime Off Centre collaborators. Please note the special concert start time of 2:30 PM.

Founded in 1995 by Ukrainian Canadian pianists Inna Perkis and Boris Zarankin, Off Centre Music Salon has spent three decades redefining the concert experience in Toronto through intimate performances that blend music, narrative, humour, and intellectual exchange.

From the much-heralded artistry of the contemporary a cappella ensemble that has earned standing ovations worldwide, Countermeasure is bringing it home to where they started. On the heels of the release of the fifth album, Guest Sessions Vol II, they are giving their final concert, One More Spin, on Saturday, June 6 at Hart House Theatre as part of SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival. Tickets are available  https://harthouse.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=1772

Juno Award-Winning Francois Bourassa Quartet Announces Landmark 30th Anniversary Summer Tour Across Canada

Montreal's Celebrated Jazz Piano Quartet Marks Three Decades Together with New Music and Dates from Victoria to the Montreal International Jazz Festival 

Bruce Cockburn Announces Extensive 2026 North American Tour

Bruce Cockburn, one of Canada's most celebrated and enduring singer-songwriters, today announces a sweeping North American tour spanning 2026, bringing his extraordinary catalogue of songs to stages from coast to coast across Canada and the United States. The run of dates represents one of the most anticipated live events of the concert season, uniting longtime devotees, and new listeners around a body of work that has shaped the very soul of Canadian music for more than five decades.

Tracey Savein brings an incredible eye (of the lens) capturing special moments in time. Because as the saying goes – A picture is worth a thousand words. “Any kind of photography, as I see it, is all about capturing motion and emotion. Whether the subject is raucous and rockin’ or the location is silent and still, if you can transport the viewer into a moment in time with an image and relay the energy of that moment, well, there’s your photograph.” 

Yacht Rock Show - May 16th @ The El Mocambo, Toronto

The mellow sounds of the 70’s anchored with groovin’ rock classics launch a smooth sailing trip to the Yacht Rock universe, as captain hats and Hawaiian shirts ebb and flow under the neon palms of the El Mocambo in Toronto

A Landmark Multi-Indigenous Collaboration of Live Performance, Teachings, award-winning Feature Film with Elder Dr. Duke Redbird, Shannon Thunderbird, Marc Meriläinen, Sultans of String & More!

On Sat June 6, 2026, LUMINATO brings the magic of collaboration to the Harbourfront Stage with The Power Of The Land, a full day of free programming that showcases award-winning First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists from across Turtle Island joined by Billboard-charting/6x CFMA winners Sultans of String’s Walking Through The Fire project.  Walking Through The Fire is a three-tiered offering – a profoundly collaborative Album, live Performance, as well as a feature Film - all created in direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action.

Mystery Romance Unveils the first single “Losing You” from the new album FACES OF YOU. Following the success of their 2025 pop-R&B album ELECTRIC LOVE Canadian alt-rock collective Mystery Romance returns with “Losing You,” a polished new single from their forthcoming album FACES OF YOU.

Cashbox Canada has been following this band for a few years now and under the management and direction of Current Records label owner Gerry Young,  each release is top quality and “Losing You” is proving to be another hit on the horizon.

Country Crawl, supported by RBCxMusic, will showcase emerging artists through a series of free performances in Saskatoon, SK during Country Music Week 2026 (September 16–19). All Country Crawl events are free and open to the public.

CCMAU – the CCMA's professional development platform – expands with support from RBCxMusic, including an in-person session in Montreal on May 28, 2026.

Toronto, ON The Canadian Country Music Association® (CCMA®) has announced a new national collaboration with RBCxMusic, rooted in a shared commitment to help strengthen Canada’s country music community and support the next generation of artists and industry professionals. This collaboration will deliver a combination of live performance and year-round professional development opportunities designed to foster sustainable careers in the country music industry.