Sultans Of String Go Caravaning

Fri Dec 07 2018
Sultans Of String Go Caravaning

It’s that time again folks, when Canada’s ambassadors of musical diversity, Sultans of String, take their show on the road with a Christmas flavour. Fresh off the heels of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) where their award-winning song "Snake Charmer" was included in the new film Hotel Mumbai, these string slingers are now set to take their Christmas Caravan show to venues across Canada and US for a special fundraising world music tour (calendar below).

The Christmas Caravan stops in Ontario with a date on Dec 13, 8pm at the Flato Markham Theatre with special guests Rebecca Campbell, Amanda Martinez, Donné Roberts, and Ken Whiteley for tickets call 905-305-7469 or log on at https://tinyurl.com/y9alew8l.

Sultans of String are fundraising partners with UNHCR, the United Nations Agency for Refugees in Canada. UNHCR is the world’s leading organization aiding and protecting people forced to flee their homes due to violence, conflict and persecution. UNHCR provides shelter, food, water, medical care and other life-saving assistance to refugees around the world.

Cashbox Canada Magazine Call For Showcase Submission Midem 2019

Fri Dec 07 2018
Midem 2019

Cashbox Canada Magazine is hosting an International Indie Showcase at MIDEM June 4-7, 2019 Morrison’s Irish Pub, 10 rue Teisseire, Cannes, France. Cashbox Canada Magazine is soliciting submissions from export-ready companies with international experience who represent export-ready artists for the 17th annual showcase (formerly Canadian Blast) at Morrison’s Irish Pub (10 rue Teisseire, Cannes, France) during MIDEM.

For the past 17 years, Canada has presented showcases at MIDEM, providing Canadian music companies with a strategic opportunity to showcase their artists to the world's largest gathering of international talent and music buyers. This has emerged as the longest-running initiative at MIDEM. The tradition continues with Cashbox Canada Magazine presenting a full spectrum of indie music genres & styles from Canada and across the world.

The Showcase Package will be €1,500 (Eur) per showcase with a deposit required upon acceptance (fee schedule in the application form)

and will include the following:

A Conway Christmas - Newfoundland Family Duo Keeps the Tradition Alive

Fri Dec 07, 2018

Preparations for the Christmas season means a lot of hustle & bustle. It’s especially true for teenagers Emily & Thomas Conway, the duo known as CONWAY.

A jam-packed schedule over the past month saw them perform at the iconic St. John’s pub, O’Reilly’s, the province’s cultural hotbed The Rooms, and this Christmas season, their first ever television special will air.

The Mount Pearl duo just recently taped the holiday special, which will be broadcast on NTV, Newfoundland & Labrador’s independent broadcaster, province-wide, and the station is also available on many cable systems across the country, as well as internationally in Bermuda.

“We’re very excited about this opportunity,” Emily tells Cashbox Magazine Canada. “We have some amazing talent joining us.”

It’s especially impressive, considering they haven’t released their first album yet.

BTW- Foxwarren, Jason Collett, Boreal, Carlos del Junco, The Mistletones, Fractal Cypher, Steve Brockley

Fri Nov 30 2018
Foxwarren Photo Credit Chris Graham

Here’s a departure of sorts for singer/songwriter Andy Shauf. Growing up in scattered small towns across the Canadian prairies, the men of Foxwarren are Shauf (guitars/keys/vocals) and his childhood friends Dallas Bryson (guitar/vocals), brothers Darryl Kissick (bass) and Avery Kissick (drums & percussion) who eventually found themselves in Regina, Saskatchewan.

The initial sessions for their self-titled debut, out on Arts & Crafts in Canada, began ten years ago in the Kissicks’ parents’ farmhouse while they were away on vacation. Upon their return, Foxwarren was forced to relocate and recording resumed back in Regina in a rented house where the members lived as roommates. The band's name comes from the Kissick brothers’ family home in Foxwarren, Manitoba.

John Harris A Night of Music, Magic and Memories

Fri Nov 30 2018
John Harris A Night of Music, Magic and Memories

On November 22, 2018, Cashbox Magazine Canada presented another in its series of Cashbox Canada Legacy Awards in Toronto to a Canadian music industry builder and educator, John Harris. The presentation ceremony took place at Harris Institute in Toronto, a music industry school started by Harris in 1989.

The evening was attended by many of John’s contemporaries and fellow music industry icons and was highlighted by a live solo performance by Lisa Hartt, whom John managed. Hartt performed her hit ‘Old Time Movie’ and a moving version of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Tower of Song’, a perfect fit for John and the evening.

Cashbox CEO/Editor in Chief Sandy Graham presented the award to an emotional Harris who gave a heartfelt acceptance speech where he gave thanks to all who helped him on his journey with a special thanks to “two people who are unable to attend because of the distance, and it’s a really far distance, so thanks Mom and Dad who are up there” as he pointed up to heaven.

Myles Goodwyn Myles to Go

Fri Nov 30 2018
Myles Goodwyn Myles to Go

Momentum can be wonderful and coupled with drive, passion and talent it’s a beautiful thing to see. Myles Goodwyn, Canadian treasure and founder of legendary rock ‘n’ roll band April Wine, is riding a great wave of momentum right now that is sure to keep the light shining on him and his music.

His solo blues project, ‘Friends of the Blues’ is doing very well, probably even better than Myles expected. “I have wanted to make a blues album for a long time, I always loved the blues so it’s not like I ’m a newcomer to the genre. I grew up loving the records of Howlin’ Wolf, BB King and Muddy Waters and I would write these blues songs that weren’t suited to April Wine so I just banked them. I always knew that one day I would record them and that’s what I’ve done over the last couple of years. I’m so excited by the reaction and am just about done with Volume 2 and currently planning the third blues album.” 

The reaction commercially has been excellent, hopefully enough to get Goodwyn a Juno nomination this year. “I’ve never won a Juno, been nominated but never won. It would be an honor just to be nominated in the Blues category.”

Karimah Performs on Alberta House for Opening of the Grey Cup

Fri Nov 30 2018
Karimah Grey Cup Photo Credit Cody Sander

Karimah, returned to her hometown of Edmonton, AB, after three weeks away at Calgary's National Music Centre, where she is participating in Canada's Music Incubator's Artist Entrepreneur West program.

"It was an honour to be asked to perform on the Alberta House stage, representing my province and hometown in front of audiences hailing from across Canada." - Karimah

On November 24, 7:45-8:15 PM, Karimah offered a solo performance, which doubled as a preview of her upcoming studio produced EP. She took her show one step further by performing with a American Sign Language interpreter (Nicole Sander of Nica Consolidated) an uncommon practice in the music industry.

"Accessibility is important to me, and since receiving feedback at the Black Arts Matter festival last year "Thank you for allowing me to hear music for the first time" from a deaf member of the audience, I have been interested in expanding musical reach to more audiences, namely the deaf community. I can't wait to keep working on making music more accessible and advocating for ASL interpreters to be a standard partner in live events". - Karimah

Billy Idol Vital Idol: Revitalized

Fri Nov 23, 2018

Vital Idol: Revitalized, the new Billy Idol remix album inspired by his 1980's remix collection, Vital Idol, is now available on CD, digital and 2LP 180-gram black vinyl in addition to a limited edition, red/blue smoke swirl viny variant by Capitol/UMe. The Punk And Rock Icon Continues To Break New Sonic Ground With Help From Rac, Tropkillaz, Moby, The Crystal Method And More.

 

The album garnered Idol his first appearance on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Chart in 25 years, when Vital Idol: Revitalized debuted in the Top 10.

More than 30 years after his groundbreaking Vital Idol compilation cemented the vibrancy of the dance-rock remix genre in the second half of the 1980's, Idol's Revitalized collection features 11 brand-new remixes of his most classic and enduring hits. Lending their hands to the Revitalized proceedings are electronic dance luminaries Moby, The Crystal Method and Paul Oakenfold as well as current innovators including RAC, Tropkillaz, Shiba San, Juan Maclean , and CRAY.

WATCH TWO VIDEOS FROM THE ALBUM, EACH CONTAINING NEWLY REMIXED FOOTAGE FROM THE ORlGINAL 1980s MUSIC VIDEOS:

BTW-Great Lake Swimmers, Daniel Romano, Chloe Watkinson, Souls in Rhythm, Georgian Bay, Joe Nolan, Fred Eaglesmith, Fergus Hambleton, Audra Santa

Fri Nov 23 2018
Great Lake Swimmers Photo Credit Gaêlle Legrand

Toronto unit Great Lake Swimmers are currently halfway through a nine week North American tour in support of acclaimed new album, The Waves, The Wake. The band returns home for what promises to be a very special performance on November 23 at The Danforth Music Hall with special guests Sister Ray prior to heading across the Atlantic for a 19 date European tour to close out the year.

Recorded in the 145-year-old Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church in London, Ontario and produced by Chris Stringer (Union Sound), lead singer-songwriter Tony Dekker decided to challenge himself by writing new music without any acoustic guitar, which has always been his instrumental mainstay. He further digressed from previous songwriting patterns by looking at each track individually and then tailoring the instrumentation to bring each song to life in its own distinctive way.

The Strumbellas Set Up Shop With eOne Music

Fri Nov 23 2018
The Strumbellas, eOne, Paquin Artists Agency

The Strumbellas know how to plot a long game. The six-piece collective may have rocketed to mainstream success two years ago with their breakthrough hit, Spirits, but they have always been thinking one step ahead. Today, they announce two of those next steps – the release of their new single,Salvation, and the start of a partnership with eOne Music. The band will release their new single on November 30th, via their own imprint, Underneath A Mountain Records, which is under exclusive license to eOne Music for Canada.

“The Strumbellas are a global force of nature and we are so excited that they have honoured us with the opportunity to work with them on this new music,” says Chris Taylor, Global President, Music, Entertainment One. “We are going to take very, very, very good care of them. Their manager has too many incriminating photos of me to do anything less!”

BTW-Jim Bryson, Naming The Twins, Soweto Gospel Choir, Yukon Blonde, Birds of Bellwoods, Art Of Breath, A Man called Wrycraft

Fri Nov 16 2018
Jim Bryson

Kicking off with something from the short’n’sweet category. Tired Of Waiting is a short statement of 6 songs, all written on the same $100 guitar. Recorded in three days at Jim Bryson's Fixed Hinge Studio with Jonas Bonnetta (Evening Hymns), the EP features the playing of the Arcade Fire’s Jeremy Gara, Scattered Cloud's Philippe Charbonneau, and Jamie Kronik.

If pressed for an answer, one might say Tired of Waiting is a place where maybe folk and indie music marry with almost punk edges and words at the forefront for those who listen to that sort of thing.

Bryson has released 5 critically acclaimed solo recordings, including 2010’s The Falcon Lake Incident - a collaborative effort with Winnipeg wonders The Weakerthans. His most recent studio album, Somewhere We Will Find Our Place, was produced by Charles Spearin (Do May Say Think, Broken Social Scene). Album single, “Ontario”, reached CBC Radio 2’s Top 5.

Quebec Superstar Ginette Reno Holds The Number 1 Spot In Canada For Second Week In A Row

Fri Nov 16 2018
Quebec Superstar Ginette Reno Holds The Number 1 Spot In Canada For Second Week In A Row

60 years into her career, the legendary Ginette Reno has achieved yet another milestone, by reaching #1 on the cross-Canada sales charts for a second week in a row. The 13 song French-language album “À Jamais”, which topped the Quebec sales charts in the first week of its release on October 19, shows no signs of slowing. It continues to out scan the seemingly unstoppable “A Star Is Born” Soundtrack by over 30 percent

“Ginette’s staying power is unparalleled,” said Anne Vivien, Executive Vice President of Music Development for Quebecor. “À Jamais is Ginette’s 40th original album. Her ability to top the charts after so many years is a testament to her incredible talent, the unique connection that she has with her fans, and an incredible ability to gain new fans over the course of more than a generation”

Said Ms. Reno, “After all these years, I’m deeply honored that my album has reached #1 across Canada and that my fans are still there to listen to new music. I thank each and everyone that has made this possible once again.”

Bob Livingston The Cosmic Cowboy Ridin’ High

Fri Nov 16, 2018

Ever hear of Bob Livingston? No? Yeah. Wait! I think so. It’s the degrees of separation that once brought to your attention bring Bob Livingston into clear focus. With names like Michael Martin Murphy, Jerry Jeff Walker, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Gary P. Nunn as associates on his resume, all Texas music legends, his place in Americana music history is cemented. And all of the aforementioned are proud to include Bob Livingston in their resumes. In fact, it was Bob who put the Wylie in Ray Wylie Hubbard and the P in Gary P Nunn. “ At the end of a Jerry Jeff Walker recording, I said ‘Ray Wylie Hubbard and Gary P Nunn’. Now Wylie was Ray’s middle name and Gary’s was Phillip hence the P, but from that moment on that was their identities.” Also, it was Bob who was responsible for Jerry Jeff recording Ray’s 'Redneck Mother'. Jerry Jeff broke a string while playing with Bob at the Broken Spoke and said to Bob ‘ sing them a song Bob’ and Bob sang Redneck Mother that he’d heard when Ray wrote it in Red River, New Mexico.

Leah Capelle Walking With Giants

Fri Nov 09, 2018

Cover Photo Credit Jessamyn Sheldon

One of the hardest things for a working artist to do these days is to follow their arrow. To go where they want to and need to go both musically and artistically without listening to the noise pulling them in the direction of popular compromise. But Leah Capelle is laser-focused on what she needs to do to fulfill her musical needs and please a hungry public. The alt/rock singer-songwriter came from the home of the blues Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California where pop dreams are turned into reality. “I moved to L.A. about 5 years ago now because I know this is where I need to be to make my music breathe life and fulfill my destiny. I love it here but I do miss Chicago sometimes. I miss the different seasons.”

BTW - Kenny Wayne, In/Vertigo, New Rose, Melanie Brule, The Scene Aesthetic, Lincoln, Tony Quarrington

Fri Nov 09 2018
Kenny Wayne

Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne has decades of playing, countless globetrotting tours and a slate of acclaimed, award-winning albums under the belt of his flamboyant zoot suit, the 74-year-old piano master might be the hardest-working bluesman in show business. And this true original isn’t changing his tune on his topnotch 10th album Inspired By The Blues. “I’m not looking for a different path,” says the Kelowna-based performer. “I love that jump blues and boogie-woogie. That’s where my heart is at. I’m just trying to keep that style alive. That’s classic stuff. And I’m at that classic age, so it all works out.”

H.W.R. Chase Steven Breathes Life Into Three Carved Initials

Fri Nov 09 2018
Chase Steven

Initials carved into a tree in a forest in Holland in a wooded area outside of the town of Eelde went largely unnoticed for nearly 70 years. The tree was marked by the letters HWR with the words Toronto Canada underneath. The message was discovered by a local resident who took a photo of it and posted it on Facebook and through the magic of social media, the wheels of discovery began turning.

A Dutch journalist named Ernst Abrouw was intrigued by the picture and began researching the initials and the location; Toronto, Canada. His search proved fruitful and the mystery was solved. The initials were carved by a Canadian soldier named Harold Wilber Roszwell. He was killed in action in April 1945 at the tender age of 21 only days before his scheduled return home.

Toronto singer/songwriter Chase Stevens was stuck in traffic and flipping through radio stations just around Remembrance Day last year and he came upon this story on the airwaves. He listened closely and was fascinated by the touching story and when he got home decided that this needed to be put into song form to get the story out to the world.

David Gogo 17 Vultures

Fri Nov 09 2018
David Gogo 17 Vultures

Since bursting onto the Canadian music scene with his 1994 self-titled album, 6-time Juno Award Nominee and a 3-time recipient of ‘Guitarist of The Year’ at the Maple Blues Awards, David Gogo has racked up a long list of accolades and accomplishments over his illustrious career.

David Gogo has released his 15th (!!!) studio album and because he’s not one to be pigeonholed into a strict blues category, “17 Vultures” may be his most diverse album to date. It was released on October 19 on Cordova Bay Records.

David Gogo has made a name for himself as an incredibly skilled and dynamic performer, effortlessly ripping up the stage as a lead guitarist. However, over the last decade, he has built a solid reputation with his acoustic performances as well. His solo shows not only display his diversity as a guitarist but also as a performer, sharing entertaining stories from the road between his songs.

Usually, he opts to keep these two sides of his abilities separate, but after listening to The White Album by The Beatles, he chose to accentuate both in his new album.

Eight Questions for Audra Santa

Fri Nov 09 2018
Audra Santa at MIDEM Cannes, France 2018

When casting the male lead what elements were you looking for?

 

I had a look and intensity that I wanted, but equally important was finding someone who was game to try different things. I went into the shoot with a rough outline and a few key shots I wanted to capture to tell the story, but the rest was improvised play.

Harrie Demero was recommended to me as someone who was professional and easy to work with. He endured freezing cold water, getting eaten by ants when tied to a tree, dodging rocks falling from the cliffs, and all my random ideas. Even the kiss at the end was decided on the day, while he was shivering between takes.

After I met him I actually rewrote the script slightly. I originally had a more nuanced plan for the video, but it would have required multiple takes and being able to review the shots to see if we captured what I was looking for. I realized that we only had a few hours to shoot to catch the morning light, so rewriting it in a way where the story was told more physically was helpful. Being able to tie him up wasn’t so bad either. I should write my own scripts more often.

BTW - Dan Mangan, The Marcus King Band, Kinnie Starr, Live at Massey Hall, ZYLA, Matt Jaffe, Lucinda Williams

Fri Nov 02 2018
Dan Mangan Photo Credit Vanessa Heins

Backwoods philosopher Dan Mangan’s More Or Less is about “witnessing a birth, and in some ways rebirth,” says the wise one. “It’s about feeling disconnected from a popular identity and becoming acclimated to a new one. It’s about raising kids in a turbulent world. It’s about unanswerable questions and kindness and friendship and fear.”

Out on Arts & Crafts, More Or Less is an album that he claims “feels more like ‘me’ than ever. More sparse. Less meticulous. More kids. Less time. More direct. Less metaphor. More discovery. Less youth. More warmth. Less chaos.”

In the years since 20-year-old Dan Mangan began boxing his way into the corner of every noisy bar that would let him bring in his guitar he’s released four other albums, toured relentlessly, won a few awards, found a partner who tolerated his schedule, married that partner, then welcomed a baby into their home...which is when things changed.

Meet Menage!

Fri Nov 02 2018
Menage Photo Credit Mark Maryanovich Photography

The Ferreira siblings spent their whole childhood travelling between Toronto Canada, and Smalltown Portugal where their heritage and much of their family still lived. Through being divided between Canadian, indoor boredom, and European culture, the common thread that was present on both sides of the globe, was the influence of the music that they were exposed to.