The ultimate OG saxman Pee Wee Ellis and Canadian global-roots visionary Jason Wilson are teaming up for a special night at Hugh's Room Live. Ellis was an essential part of James Brown's band and later served as Van Morrison's bandleader. Jason Wilson is a two-time Juno-Awards nominee who fuses reggae with jazz and folk. He has recorded with artists such as Dave Swarbrick, UB40, Jackie Mittoo and Ron Sexsmith. Together, Ellis and Wilson's funky-reggae mix has charmed audiences across Canada, the UK and Jamaica.

Submitted to Cashbox Canada

Earlier this month, singer-songwriter Jessica Mitchell quietly dropped two incredible new singles digitally: "Don't Love Me" and "Tear It Down", co-written by Mitchell herself and produced by Karen Kosowski.

Less than two weeks later, "Don't Love Me" has already hit the Top 50 chart as the #5 Canadian release and has been included on the highly coveted "Wild Country" Spotify playlist with more than half a million followers. In true Mitchell fashion, both songs are moving, relatable and emotive, with "Don't Love Me" showing signs of a true heartbreak ballad and "Tear It Down" echoing tones of empowerment.

A celebration of the life of Ritchie Yorke has been planned to honour a 50 year career of a music writer, author, journalist, cultural critic, broadcaster and media personality, Ritchie Yorke.

On Tuesday June 6, the music industry will gather together in Toronto, Ontario from 5 pm – 9 pm at Drums ‘N’ Flats located at 1980 Avenue Road (just below the 401).

Ritchie Yorke passed away on the night of Monday the 6th of February in Brisbane’s Prince Charles Hospital from complications with his struggle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Ritchie’s career has been long and illustrious, and he will forever be remembered by his family and fellow lovers of music.

Submitted to Cashbox Canada 

AMAARA is the Ethereal Pop music and multi-media project of Kaelen Ohm. A musician, actor and award winning filmmaker, Ohm began AMAARA as a basement project in between tours as a guitarist and singer for Canadian band, Reuben and The Dark. Today, AMAARA shares the news of her forthcoming debut EP, Black Moon, set for release on June 22^nd. For a taste of what is to come, see below for the video for the title track, and listen to new song, Dreamcatcher .

The six-track EP features guest appearances by Charles Spearin of Broken Social Scene, L.A. Guitarist/Producer, Joel Shearer, and Grammy-winning Producer/Engineer, Shawn Everett. Recorded at OCL Studios in Calgary and at The Banff Centre, as well as pieces in Ohm's basement in Calgary and Shearer's home in Topanga Canyon, L.A., Ohm calls the album a practice in creative self-trust.

The current offering from The Wilderness Of Manitoba, The Tin Shop EP is something of a changeup for the band. The layers of anthemic folk rock it's known for have been stripped back to reveal the heart of Will Whitwham’s songwriting. Whitwham together with vocalist/guitarist Raven Shields will support the release with a string of tour dates throughout Spring with Jenny Berkel and Eamon McGrath.

Since its inception The Wilderness Of Manitoba has continued to grow and evolve with every new release. Throughout it all founding member Will Whitwham has left his imprint on each and every sound the band has produced - from the chamber folk debut, Hymns of Love and Spirits, to the cinematic indie pop of Between Colours.

Toronto songwriter and musician Sean MacLean is launching his new project ‘Waves That Stray’ with the release of the video for his debut single “Brick By Brick” on June 1st, 2017. Training a lens on the colourful roots of his hometown, MacLean populated the video with a diverse cast, found through an open casting call put out just weeks before the shoot. The result is a cross-section of Toronto’s thriving culture, featuring actors, dancers, parents, professionals, and students alike. Filmed in an empty loft above now defunct Toronto venue The Hoxton, the video is a sometimes somber yet uplifting glimpse into the personalities of those who have built their lives in the ever-changing landscape of Toronto’s downtown core.

Destined to be the ideal soundtrack to glorious summer in its alternately spirited and languid days and always-convivial nights, If It Feels Right – the hotly anticipated new studio album from Canadian folk/pop giants Lunch At Allen’s – arrives June 16.

Featuring chart-topping musical veterans Murray McLauchlan, Cindy Church, Marc Jordan and Ian Thomas – who have collectively shifted a staggering 25,000,000 units as both solo artists and songwriters for stars like Chicago, Josh Groban, Bonnie Raitt, America, Santana, Cher and Rod Stewart – Lunch At Allen’s is that rarest of beasts: a genuine musical democracy.

If It Feels Right soars as a result.

Paul Kelly, arguably Australia’s preeminent songwriter, will spend the month of May performing intimate shows across North America — his first concerts on this continent since 2013 The tour is in support of Kelly’s 2016 release, the uniquely conceived Death’s Dateless Night , although he will also be playing songs from an award-winning career that has earned him induction into Australian Recording Industry Association’s Hall of Fame and, just earlier this year, being appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his distinguished service to the performing arts.

Death’s Dateless Night, a collaboration with highly regarded Australian multi-instrumentalist Charlie Owen, contains songs that they have played at various funerals. Featuring a mix of covers, traditional tunes and a few Kelly originals, the album’s vibe is actually far from funereal. The spare, stirring set has been hailed as a “powerful meditation on life, death and the mess we make in-between.”

It was a year of many grassfires, upon occasion a decent brush fire or three but there weren't any roaring, all consuming forest fires at CMW this year.

The Aussie showcase came close to an all out blaze, especially as the night wore on at The Hideout's new home on College and the outdoors temp on the rise. Ducked in to catch Quivers, making their Canadian debut with a fistful of brisk pop songs, cheeky clever lyrics, lotsa chiming guitars and likeable frontman Sam J. Nicholson. The hard candy-coated Eliza & The Delusionals brought shades of The GoGos and flavours of KPop to their indie poprock with a skittery edge. There are decent hooks and the stirrings of something here but it didn't really get across to the room.

A dazzling roster of musical, literary and stage talent is set to host an uplifting evening while raising funds for a dementia support program.

A marquee Canadian line-up – iconic folk singer/songwriter Murray McLauchlan, best-selling author Margaret Atwood, East Coast fiddle sensation Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, Soulpepper Theatre Company founder, actor/director Albert Schultz, acclaimed Canadian tenor Ben Heppner, dancer Travis Knights and blues singer/guitarist Matt Andersen, will appear at Toronto’s Glenn Gould Studio on Friday, May 5, 2017 for Voices That Care, a concert benefiting the Room 217 Foundation.

Proceeds from Voices That Care support Room 217’s dementia singing program, which vastly enriches the lives of Canadians suffering with dementia, while providing education to caregivers wishing to integrate music into their care practice. Click here to watch a video of the program in action.

The rich musical legacy of Ian and Sylvia continues to entertain millions of fans across the globe, and today singer songwriter, painter, and essayist Tom Russell announced a project honouring their music with new interpretations of classic songs with his May 19th release of “Play One More: The Songs Of Ian And Sylvia.”

Russell has recorded 35 highly acclaimed records, & published five books - including a book on his art and a book of his songs. Russell and Ian and Sylvia share similar values and cultural traditions – both deeply rooted in the depth of the song and story. Russell says, "The music of Ian and Sylvia has stood up over a half of a century and is still recognized as deeply Canadian, it was an honour to pay tribute to them.”

In 1992, Ian and Sylvia were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame during the Juno Awards ceremony. In 1994 they were both made Members of the Order of Canada.

Headstones, one of Canada's most enduring and hardest rocking bands, announced earlierthis year that they were heading to the studio to record their forthcomingalbum Little Army. Today they are thrilled toreveal it will be unleashed to the world on June 2nd via Cadence Music and have given fans a first taste of thealbum with first single "Devil's On Fire."

A smart, addictive, dirty rock 'n' roll track, "Devil's On Fire" is acontagious, aggressive rock anthem. Fans have been getting an exclusiveinside look at the making of Little Army on the band's socialchannels since February, in real time. With tours of the Bathhouse,adventures around NYC, and a little inside look at the recording process,Headstones once again kept the fans close and a part of the process.Headstones frontman Hugh Dillon couldn't be more excitedto share this with the world, saying "We set out to write the best rockalbum of our career, and I think that's what we've done."

Saskatoon-based roots singer / songwriter Steph Cameron is sharing “Winterwood,” the latest track from her upcoming album Daybreak Over Jackson Street. “Winterwood” is about “being at the mercy of uncertain forces,” says Cameron. “Of a moment where time is frozen and clear and our own vulnerability is stark and beautiful.”

Cameron supported Daybreak Over Jackson Street with a hometown release show on April 15 in Saskatoon before making her way to Toronto for Canadian Music Week.

In 2014, Steph Cameron arrived on the scene like a bracing gust of fresh musical air with her debut record Sad-Eyed Lonesome Lady, receiving unanimously enthusiastic reviews. “This is a monumental, brilliant album… heralds the crowning of a bright new talent,” declared PopMatters in calling it the #1 Canadian album of 2014. No Depression termed it “a stunning debut,” while Exclaim! noted that “ Sad-Eyed Lonesome Lady delights from start to finish. Steph Cameron is the real deal.” The record also made the coveted longlist for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize in 2015.