Resultats 2021

Le Diable à Cinq is a five multi-talented musicians’ traditional music band whose mission is to capture the spirit of the festive evenings they grew up with. Le Diable à Cinq is also a story of family, a story of three brothers, one cousin and a friend whose close bond becomes palpable during their shows. Inspired by the traditional pieces of their hometown, the band offers an array of lively and entertaining pieces that set fire to the show. With a dazzling and dynamic stage presence, the five musicians radiate with an energetic, warm -and definitely unifying, sound which captivates all spectators.

One of Canada’s finest artists, Bruce Cockburn has enjoyed an illustrious career shaped by politics, spirituality, and musical diversity. His remarkable journey has seen him
embrace folk, jazz, rock, and worldbeat styles while travelling to such far-flung places as Guatemala, Mali, Mozambique, and Nepal, and writing memorable songs about his ever- expanding world of wonders. “

Regarded as pioneers in the folk and Americana genre, Ian &Sylvia first came into prominence in the early 60s folk scenes in Yorkville and Greenwich Village.They are both in the Canadian music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, and are both recipients of the Order of Canada.

Pharis and Jason Romero are a sentimental anchoring, and a warm antidote to this sped-up life. A study in complimentary personalities – shining and story-worn with gently weathered – they sing of hopes and love, painting a quietly show-stopping picture of simple times. They’ve released six records, won two Juno awards, and toured from Celtic Connections to A Prairie Home Companion. They choose the unconventional – touring with two small kids, building banjos, recording at home, spending less time on the road – and they live and sing about those choices with vibrancy and a powerhouse set of skills.

Catherine MacLellan is folk music troubadour, representing Canada at home and internationally for 20 years. Her 7th album, COYOTE, is nominated for a Juno. Recorded and self-produced at her studio in PEI, COYOTE is reflective and hopeful; a travelogue through heartbreak, loss and the joy of life. She is respected by her peers for her talent and dedication to the craft of songwriting – a craft she had a front row seat to at an early age, watching her father, the legendary Gene MacLellan. Seven albums and many honours later, Catherine’s passion remains at the heart of her work.

JUNO Award-winners, The East Pointers, are redefining the ever-evolving genre – modern folk – with Billboard-worthy pop hooks, deep acoustic groove, trance-like trad breakdowns and three-part harmonies. Already internationally acknowledged as musical trailblazers, their new album Yours To Break captures the furious energy of their live shows and push the boundaries of East Coast folk while lighting a path for a new generation of music lovers.
In the short time between their 2015 JUNO Award-winning debut Secret Victory and their 2019 album Yours To Break, the band has performed over 500 shows worldwide.

Heralded by outlets such as the Globe & Mail and No Depression as a roots rock wunderkind, the release of Joe Nolan’s fifth album Drifters builds upon the momentum of his 2018 album Cry Baby. Over that time, Nolan has played over 175 shows through North America and Europe, recorded an EP in Sweden, signed deals with Mongrel Music Agency (Chuck Prophet, Lake Street Dive) and European label Rootsy Records (John Prine, Patti Griffin). Furthermore, Nolan won the Maple Blues Awards’ Cobalt songwriting prize and was nominated for Roots Solo Artist Of The Year at Breakout West 2019.

Canadian folk singer-songwriter Mike McKenna Jr. enchants his audience with his raspy, intimate voice and captivating storytelling. Hailing from Cape Breton, NS, Mike now resides in Montreal, QC, but continues to bring us the nostalgia of home through true stories about life and death in Nova Scotia’s coastal, working-class communities.

Known for his powerful lyricism and intricate musicianship, Mike’s latest record At The Edge of the World (April 2020) was met by incredible support with features in Spotify Editorial playlists including Renegade Folk and Contemporary Folk, on Mahogany’s YouTube playlist, in The Bluegrass Situation, Americana UK, Canadian Beats, Roots Music Canada, The East and more.

Bulat is a three-time Polaris Music Prize finalist and has been nominated for three JUNO Awards. In 2012, she performed for Leonard Cohen at Massey Hall’s Glenn Gould Prize Gala and in 2014, she headlined her own Massey Hall gig.
Somewhere in the middle of making her new album, Are You in Love?, Basia Bulat took almost a whole year off. Because she had fallen in love, because her father died, because she had lost her sense of beauty and where it might be hidden. She wanted to make a really beautiful record about compassion.

A rock band without a drummer, a bluegrass band without a fiddler. To the gentlemen of The Dead South, a self-styled 4-piece string band from Regina, Saskatchewan, it’s about how, not what, you play. The Dead South’s combination of cello, mandolin, guitar and banjo has all the hallmarks of a group tuned to bygone times, but with their signature sleight of hand, The Dead South find distinctly ­modern bathos in this old time rigging.

A beguiling teller of tales and master guitarist, Stephen Fearing is one of Canada’s finest singer-songwriters. With a mesmerizing blend of folk/roots music he cultivated a worldwide audience and released 13 solo albums, including Every Soul’s a Sailor (2017), earning Blues & Roots Radio’s Worldwide Album of the Year and CFMA’s Contemporary Singer of the Year. Fearing co-founded roots-rock supergroup Blackie and The Rodeo Kings with Tom Wilson and Colin Linden. Over the course of his career he has collaborated with artists including Bruce Cockburn, Rosanne Cash, Richard Thompson, Nick Lowe, Sarah McLachlan, Keb’ Mo’, Erin Costelo, and Rose Cousins.

Artist Ginalina is a unique treasure on the Canadian children’s music scene. Her upbeat, playful, and emotive style appeals to the whole family, and her songs are highly praised for their insightful lyrics, beautiful harmonies, and tight folky instrumentation.

Her music in English, French, and Mandarin have toured internationally, and her three previous albums have received honours including: a WCMA artist of the year, two Juno nominations, and three CFMA nominations. Since 2016, she has co-produced two seasons of her music video series for Kids’ Knowledge and Universal Kids’ networks.

Ginalina’s projects are constantly inspired by her four children.

Consider the tales of Spencer Burton, an Ontario boy, raised across the country in beautiful British Columbia with a hankering for travel, farm life and the great beyond, Burton’s upbringings are as sincere as his demeanor.

Teenage years of strumming in the Welland, ON music scene would blossom his twenty-somethings into constant road mileage playing in the critically lauded Attack In Black. Cities upon cities, always moving, writing, performing, Burton’s experiences were absorbed along the way. Sometimes shrewd, often reflective, his occurrences had callused into their own form of beauty.

The friendly character invites kids to express themselves through movements and sounds. Everybody will have a crazy time dancing along to a rich and catchy music delivered by outstanding musicians. This project will bring a little grain of folly into the children’s everyday life, with poetic yet realistic themes. Strong lyrics are accompanied by a wide variety of musical genres. The melodies are catchy and won’t get on the parents’ nerves, which is one of the reasons why Henri Godon is so unique and engaging.

Charlie Hope is a Juno award winning children’s music singer songwriter. Her new album « Goodnight to you All: Traditional Songs from Ireland and the UK » which is inspired by her family’s history and travels, dives deep into the traditional sleepy tunes native to Ireland and the United Kingdom. It was important to Charlie to explore the music of these countries and find songs to lull children to sleep not only in English but in the traditional languages of these countries. Charlie partnered with producer Dean Jones, together they bring these melodies alive with rich instrumentals, layered vocals, and wistful sound.

The Durham County Poets are a lively, soulful group who write and perform an eclectic blend of roots blues and folk music. The five musicians work individually and collaboratively, releasing four albums to date. Intrepid lead singer Kevin Harvey has led the band on countless tours throughout Canada and the US, to festivals, concerts and clubs. Their obvious joie de vivre is reflected in the good times audiences have felt consistently since their 2011 début. Hand Me Down Blues, produced by Bill Garrett, has earned the band both JUNO and Maple Blues nominations, and is their first dedicated blues album.

Rum Ragged are performers and purveyors of the musical traditions of Newfoundland and Labrador, the easternmost province of Canada that lies on the Atlantic Ocean. Brought together in 2015 by their shared passion for collecting and arranging the undiscovered traditional songs and tunes of their home. With four full length studio albums and a an extensive touring history, Rum Ragged show no sign of slowing down. With a combination of striking vocal harmonies, staggering musicianship, and captivating storytelling these new champions of their time honoured influences look to bring their history, culture and music to listeners everywhere.

Mike Bravener began is career as a professional Elvis entertainer in 2003. Mike has worked with Hall Of Fame Drummer and Elvis’ drummer from 1955-1968 D.J. Fontana. Mike in 2019 was awarded a grant from MNB to record an album of Traditional Miramichi and New Brunswick Folk music from the 19th century. The album « Depends Upon The Pay » is the result of his research and is available now in some record stores and on all digital platforms. This album is a weekly feature for the summer on CBC’s info am shows in Fredericton, Moncton and Saint-John.

Natale Music Inc. was founded in 1981. Since then, Lou has garnered a Genie Award for Best Song, nominations for six Gemini Awards, 1 Canadian Screen Award, the Ontario Arts Council 2014 Louis Applebaum Composers Award, and has scored many other award winning shows, including Atlantis Films’ Oscar winner Boys and Girls (1984) and the classic A Child’s Christmas in Wales.

Lou’s other credits include the Canadian series Traders, Blue Murder, and PSI Factor, the U.S. series Mutant X, Playmakers and Tilt, as well as many movies of the week and features, including Eugene Levy’s Sodbusters, and many more.

Catherine MacLellan is folk music troubadour, representing Canada at home and internationally for 20 years. Her 7th album, COYOTE, is nominated for a Juno. Recorded and self-produced at her studio in PEI, COYOTE is reflective and hopeful; a travelogue through heartbreak, loss and the joy of life. She is respected by her peers for her talent and dedication to the craft of songwriting – a craft she had a front row seat to at an early age, watching her father, the legendary Gene MacLellan. Seven albums and many honours later, Catherine’s passion remains at the heart of her work.

JUNO Award-winners, The East Pointers, are redefining the ever-evolving genre – modern folk – with Billboard-worthy pop hooks, deep acoustic groove, trance-like trad breakdowns and three-part harmonies. Already internationally acknowledged as musical trailblazers, their new album Yours To Break captures the furious energy of their live shows and push the boundaries of East Coast folk while lighting a path for a new generation of music lovers.
In the short time between their 2015 JUNO Award-winning debut Secret Victory and their 2019 album Yours To Break, the band has performed over 500 shows worldwide.

Bulat is a three-time Polaris Music Prize finalist and has been nominated for three JUNO Awards. In 2012, she performed for Leonard Cohen at Massey Hall’s Glenn Gould Prize Gala and in 2014, she headlined her own Massey Hall gig.
Somewhere in the middle of making her new album, Are You in Love?, Basia Bulat took almost a whole year off. Because she had fallen in love, because her father died, because she had lost her sense of beauty and where it might be hidden. She wanted to make a really beautiful record about compassion.

For his eagerly-awaited sophomore album, songwriter William Prince begins with single word, Reliever, which informs a collection of exceptionally rendered explorations of what, who and how peace is found . Relievers come in all forms; for Prince, it is song. With its emphasis on words and confidently unfussed accompaniment, Reliever puts Prince’s gift for sparking powerful emotions of both personal and communal relevance at the fore . A masterclass in skillful simplicity, Reliever works a generous and profound kind of magic.

Nick Hornbuckle has long been recognized as a masterful banjo player. A founding member of John Reischman and the Jaybirds, Nick’s tasteful playing has graced all seven Jaybirds albums, helping to propel two to Juno nominations.

His first solo album, 12×2(+/-1), was nominated as ‘Solo Instrumental Album of the Year’ by the Canadian Folk Music Association in 2015.

Ranging from lively full bluegrass band arrangements to meditative solo pieces, Nick’s first solo album of original banjo music, 13 or So, has been called « so brilliant and beautiful » by Steve Martin.

Rooted in the traditions of flamenco, Benjamin Barrile prefers to speak through his instrument, expressing emotion without words. A remarkable soloist, Benjamin also excels as both accompanist and composer. In 2000 Benjamin set off to Spain for the first time where he studied under many great maestros.

Benjamin has appeared on numerous television/radio broadcasts and is also the recipient of two Dora Mavor Moore Awards for Outstanding Sound Design/Composition.

Benjamin’s debut album ‘Esperando el Alba’ is a reflection of his long and arduous battle with musician’s focal dystonia, an all too often career-ending neurological condition for many musicians.

Natalie MacMaster has built a career
on electrifying playing and innovative recordings that stretched the world. With award nominations and wins too numerous to count, honourary doctorates and several hall of fame inductions, it’s hard to imagine Natalie doing anything but music. But she has somehow managed to raise a family of SEVEN children, who along with husband and fellow fiddler Donnell Leahy

“Gordon Grdina Makes Music that is Important for Humanity”- Eyal Hareuveni

BIO// Gordon Grdina is a JUNO Award (Canadian Grammy) winning oud/guitarist whose career has spanned continents, decades and constant genre exploration throughout folk, jazz, free-form improvisation, contemporary indie rock and Arabic. His singular approach to the instruments has earned him recognition from the highest ranks of the jazz/improv world. Grdina has performed and collaborated with a wide array of field-leading artists including Gary Peacock, Paul Motion, Marc Ribot, Mark Helias, Mats Gustafsson, Hank Roberts, Mark Feldman, Eyvind Kang, Colin Stetson, Mat Maneri, Christian Lilinger, Matt Mitchell, & Jim Black.

A project of original compositions by Louis Charbonneau and Anne-Marie Leclerc, Rhizome is inspired by traditional music while being firmly rooted in the present era. These works combine tradition and modernity, combine the festive side of traditional music with atmospheres that make travel.
Rhizome performed at the Sutton Traditional Violin Festival in 2017.
In September 2019, Rhizome released Double capture, a first album produced by Marc Maziade, in collaboration with Eric McDonald on guitar and many guest artists. Double capture is nominated in the Best album of the year 2019 category at the Indie Acoustic Awards.

Gordon Grdina’s The Marrow led by Juno Award winning Oud Player Gordon Grdina, the group brings together Arabic Maqam and Persian Dastgah with a western improvised approach and ethos. The original compositions are intricate and delicate, exploring a deeper level of expressive fusion between worlds, some more or less rooted in tradition, others more fluid in the influences they stir together and the emotions they evoke. The performers have an intuitive grasp of the material and a group dynamic that is very finely honed. This exciting project defies categorization while remaining comfortably engaging.

Created by Jessica Deutsch in April 2012, this unforgettable band allows traditions to merge and alter, without losing their essence. Classically trained violinist Deutsch wanted to bring together the seemingly disparate worlds of folk and chamber music. She has successfully done this with Ozere. They released their third album, « Traces, » in March 2020, an incredible work full of emotional intensity and beauty.

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, and both draw on wide musical influences and experience including Klezmer, early jazz and blues, and various fiddle traditions from Canada and France, currently exploring traditional dance styles and tunes of western Europe. They are also developing a repertoire of original music meant equally for social dance and concert settings, and love teaching groups of people how to dance traditional dances to their music!

Coco Love Alcorn has been described as a “legendary soul-folk singer-songwriter” (The Coast, Halifax). Her latest album Rebirth features a collection of songs that will captivate audiences and showcase her dynamic vocals. With soulful melodies, heartbeat grooves, and lyrics that come from a personal place yet speak to the listener on a universal level, Rebirth is her bravest and most vulnerable album to date.

Coco’s career has spanned over 25 years, 10 albums, many cross-Canada tours, collaborations, festival appearances and award nominations including Contemporary Singer of the Year at the 2017 Canadian Folk Music Awards.

Julian Taylor doesn’t fit in a box. He never has—and more power to him. A Toronto music scene staple and a musical chameleon. Of West Indian and Mohawk descent, Taylor first made his name as frontman of Staggered Crossing in the early 2000s. In everything he does, Taylor has carved his own path, creating genre-free music with a generosity of spirit and a strong belief in the healing powers of song.

Bulat is a three-time Polaris Music Prize finalist and has been nominated for three JUNO Awards. In 2012, she performed for Leonard Cohen at Massey Hall’s Glenn Gould Prize Gala and in 2014, she headlined her own Massey Hall gig.
Somewhere in the middle of making her new album, Are You in Love?, Basia Bulat took almost a whole year off. Because she had fallen in love, because her father died, because she had lost her sense of beauty and where it might be hidden. She wanted to make a really beautiful record about compassion.

Three-time Canadian Folk Music Award nominee, Sarah Jane Scouten’s music delivers a signature mix of vintage folk and country, with modern sounds and subjects. Sarah Jane is steeped in North American and British folk music from years of finding folk music at its source, from the folklorists of Vancouver Island to all-night old time jams in West Virginia, Sacred Harp singing in Kentucky, the song craft of Nashville, two-stepping in Louisiana and her Glasgow roots. Touring throughout North America and Europe, this seasoned performer boasts a top-notch live band and considerable acclaim for her last three full length albums.

Pharis and Jason Romero are a sentimental anchoring, and a warm antidote to this sped-up life. A study in complimentary personalities – shining and story-worn with gently weathered – they sing of hopes and love, painting a quietly show-stopping picture of simple times. They’ve released six records, won two Juno awards, and toured from Celtic Connections to A Prairie Home Companion. They choose the unconventional – touring with two small kids, building banjos, recording at home, spending less time on the road – and they live and sing about those choices with vibrancy and a powerhouse set of skills.

Singer-songwriter from Montreal, Flavie released a first album in 2011, Un an debout, that was heard on francophone radios, at the Francofolies de Montréal, in Tadoussac and in France. She is also a member of the Bouches Bées, a country-folk group with whom she produced two albums. Both were nominated for Best country album of the year at the Gala de l’ADISQ. Meanwhile, she also produced a second solo album, Brûler dehors (2015). Flavie has received several awards and appeared in various festivals over the years. She released her third album in February 2020 in Montreal.

Monsieur Raph est le projet musical solo de Raphaël Delahaye, auteur-compositeur-interprète montréalais. Inspiré par son histoire personnelle et ses voyages, le multi-instrumentiste oeuvre à développer une musique originale et organique.
Salué par la critique au Festival International de la Chanson de Granby, au Festival Vue sur la relève et aux Francofolies de Montréal (Étoile Montante), Monsieur Raph lance en 2017 un premier E.P. présenté à travers le Québec, le Nouveau-Brunswick et l’Ontario.
Après avoir complété une résidence artistique en Colombie, il présente enfin cette année son premier album, Le sens de la dérive.

At the same time poet, philosopher, storyteller – and in another life professor -, the singer-songwriter Alexandre Poulin is a plural artist with a singular destiny. In his career, Alexandre has launched five albums: Alexandre Poulin, Une lumière allumée, Le Mouvement des Marées, Les temps Sauvages, and Nature Humaine. Since his beginnings in music, he has accumulated hundreds of sold-out shows and several nominations at the ADISQ and Félix Awards. In addition, he lends his unique pen to other artists, signing the lyrics and music for numerous artists, from 2Frères to Petula Clark, including France D’Amour and King Melrose.

Ever since he hopped in his singer songwriter pickup 20 years ago, Gaspesian Guillaume Arsenault has steered its wheel through many musical trails and highways. With his feet manly rooted in the folk genre, he fully embraces his adventurer’s instincts by taking on experiments that are just as bold as they are harmonious. He is at once sensitive and resolved, funny and placid. He sees and hears things that we only skim on the surface. In his backpack, he carries around his successes and six albums.

Crystal Shawanda is an Indigenous musician, who grew up on the Wikwemikong reserve on an island in Ontario, Canada. Crystal has performed for the Obamas in the 2013 Inauguration and she has served as a board of director for Nike 7. She is a world class motivational speaker and speaks regularly to colleges, communities and reserves, delivering her thoughts on never giving up and truly believing in yourself.

Blue Moon Marquee are an authentic band living on the Salish Coast (BC). A.W. Cardinal (vocals/guitar) and Jasmine Colette (vocals/bass/drums) write and perform original compositions influenced by Jazz, Blues and Folk masters and anything that swings, jumps or grooves. Artists such as Lonnie Johnson, Louis Armstrong, Charley Patton, Howlin’ Wolf, Tom Waits, Memphis Minnie, and Django Reinhardt are deeply infused in the soul of their music.

They are the recipients of a Maple Blues Award nomination for New Artist of the Year (2016) and a West Coast Music Award nomination for Indigenous Artist of the Year (2017).

It’s folk music that’s brimming with the kind of chemistry that could only come from a husband and wife. Jason, a Plains-Cree guitarist, and Nadia, a Francophone-Métis singer-songwriter, create the award-winning duo: Burnstick. Two performers whose voices and languages blend together with ease, Burnstick pushes the boundaries of contemporary folk music, weaving together the unique sounds of vintage Weissenborns with intriguing vocal harmonies, while allowing the beauty of simple melodies to shine through. With their new album, Kîyânaw, Burnstick encourages the reclamation of each other’s respective cultures while choosing to be stronger, together.

From the land that never melts comes a sound that radiates life, youth and promise. Riit, from majestic Panniqtuq, Nunavut, is a new artist making space for herself in the electropop world with Inuktitut lyrics and deep rhythmic vocals layered over gemological synth cuts and sticky, staticky electronic textures. Riit’s music emerges from very distinct circumstances of place, language and experience.

Kennedy Road is a Toronto-based Americana duo, comprised of veteran performers Sheila Carabine and Brian MacMillan. Their seamless vocal blend and electric, often hilarious on-stage chemistry is perfectly matched by their authentic and poignant songs.
Sheila comes by collaboration honestly, having spent the last 16 years in the Juno-nominated and CFMA-winning duo Dala. Brian is a much beloved singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who has released three solo albums. He has performed with Barenaked Ladies, Wailin’ Jennys, Garth Hudson, John McDermott and Lowest Of The Low.
“A Little Fight Left Yet” is Kennedy Road’s debut album

Big Little Lions have been described as ‘a blissful marriage of new folk and sophisticated pop’ (Mariposa Folf Festival). Prolific songwriting, infectious folk-pop style, and an offbeat, memorable live show. This award winning duo consists of Helen Austin and Paul Otten who, despite living thousands of miles apart, have found a way to connect and create music together. Despite being in two different countries, they have found common ground to share their message. Despite the pull to avoid the hard topics and pretend it’s all ok – they’ve chosen to speak out.

She’s a little bit prairie, He’s a little bit Acadian wide open spaces.
Jocelyne Baribeau and Danny Boudreau have joined their voices to create BEAUSÉJOUR, a prairie-acadien folk-country duo.
Beauséjour’s songs are pictures of moments spent together on Roadtrips performing Home Routes-Chemin Chez Nous shows through the prairies and were written in Manitoba, Québec and on the East Coast.

A gem of Toronto’s bluegrass scene, The Barrel Boys are an acoustic string band with a tight sound built around rich vocal harmonies and virtuosic instrumentals. Their instrumentation lends itself to traditional bluegrass, but their diverse array of original material also shows their fondness for old-time, classic country, and Americana music. The band is a dynamic collective of seasoned professionals, with all five members contributing powerful, earnest songwriting and strong lead vocals to the whole and weaving together their instrumental skills into a seamless unit.

3x JUNO nominees/CFMA winners/Billboard charting band Sultans of String creates “energetic and exciting music from a band with talent to burn!” (Maverick Magazine UK). Thrilling their audiences with their genre-hopping passport of Celtic reels, flamenco, gypsy-jazz, Arabic, Cuban and South Asian rhythms, the group celebrates musical fusion and human creativity with warmth and virtuosity. They continue collaborations with a global community including Béla Fleck, Ladino singer Yasmin Levy, Dr. Duke Redbird, Paddy Moloney (Chieftains), Alex Cuba, Benoit Bourque, and Sweet Honey in the Rock. “Refuge is a fantastic, moving, dreamlike, epic, timely album.” – Ken Micallef (Jazz Times, Stereophile, Downbeat).

The genre-bending ensemble led by old friends, award-winning songwriter and performer Rob Lutes, and celebrated vibraphonist Michael Emenau, has joined forces again to create The Ocean Wide, an eclectic, original and exciting new voyage to the heart of roots music. Featuring Emenau on vibraphone and pianica, Lutes on guitar, banjo and vocals, and with special guests Ivanhoe Jolicoeur on Trumpet and Bruno Lamarch on clarinet and saxophone, the album features 13 new originals in styles from folk to blues to the frontiers of jazz and Americana, and includes a beautiful version of Steve Goodman’s forgotten gem, Lookin’ for Trouble.

A rock band without a drummer, a bluegrass band without a fiddler. To the gentlemen of The Dead South, a self-styled 4-piece string band from Regina, Saskatchewan, it’s about how, not what, you play. The Dead South’s combination of cello, mandolin, guitar and banjo has all the hallmarks of a group tuned to bygone times, but with their signature sleight of hand, The Dead South find distinctly ­modern bathos in this old time rigging.

OKAN
Women-led Afro Cuban Roots
Taking their name from the word for heart or soul in the Afro-Cuban religion of Santeria, JUNO-nominated OKAN fuses Afro-Cuban roots with jazz, folk and global rhythms in songs about immigration, courage and love. Winners of two Independent Music Awards as well as a Stingray Rising Stars Award, the group has been invited to perform and showcase at Blue Skies, Mariposa, Philadelphia folk and Folk Alliance International as well as many jazz and global roots festivals across North America.

Catherine MacLellan is folk music troubadour, representing Canada at home and internationally for 20 years. Her 7th album, COYOTE, is nominated for a Juno. Recorded and self-produced at her studio in PEI, COYOTE is reflective and hopeful; a travelogue through heartbreak, loss and the joy of life. She is respected by her peers for her talent and dedication to the craft of songwriting – a craft she had a front row seat to at an early age, watching her father, the legendary Gene MacLellan. Seven albums and many honours later, Catherine’s passion remains at the heart of her work.

Lynn Miles is one of Canada’s most accomplished singer/songwriters. Lynn’s 15th album We’ll Look For Stars” was released on
July 3 2020 and immediately entered the Euro Americana Chart at the #5 position. With fifteen solo albums to her credit, winner of the 2002 Juno award for Roots and Traditional Solo Album and multiple Canadian Folk Music awards including “Solo Artist of The Year” for her CD “Downpour” and 2011 “English Songwriter of the Year”.
Lynn is one half of the duo “THE LYNNeS” who in 2018 released the Album “Heartbreak Song For The Radio”. which received two 2018 Canadian Folk Music Awards

For his eagerly-awaited sophomore album, songwriter William Prince begins with single word, Reliever, which informs a collection of exceptionally rendered explorations of what, who and how peace is found . Relievers come in all forms; for Prince, it is song. With its emphasis on words and confidently unfussed accompaniment, Reliever puts Prince’s gift for sparking powerful emotions of both personal and communal relevance at the fore . A masterclass in skillful simplicity, Reliever works a generous and profound kind of magic.

From the land that never melts comes a sound that radiates life, youth and promise. Riit, from majestic Panniqtuq, Nunavut, is a new artist making space for herself in the electropop world with Inuktitut lyrics and deep rhythmic vocals layered over gemological synth cuts and sticky, staticky electronic textures. Riit’s music emerges from very distinct circumstances of place, language and experience.

WCMA nominated world/latin band MAZACOTE is a hard-hitting six piece with deep roots in the music of Nicaragua, Mozambique and Colombia. Inspired by Afro-Caribbean percussion and tropical party sounds, they play brass-heavy latin dance beats with a socially conscious message.
Their new politically-charged album PATRIA, on Justin Time/Nettwerk Music, draws upon themes of identity, immigration and resistance, reflecting on the plight of those escaping violence and corruption in Nicaragua and around the world.

Multiple instruments, ten languages, and seven countries define Okavango African Orchestra, winners of the 2017 JUNO Award for World Music Album, and nominees for the 2020 JUNO for the album Africa Without Borders. Okavango African Orchestra brings together music and instruments of several African cultures to create a new music, harmonizing different tunings, rhythms and timbres. The musicians and instruments of Okavango represent a continuum of traditions and cultures from time immemorial to the present day. Okavango African Orchestra looks ahead on its continuing journey to an “Africa without borders… before the borders were created”.

OKAN
Women-led Afro Cuban Roots
Taking their name from the word for heart or soul in the Afro-Cuban religion of Santeria, JUNO-nominated OKAN fuses Afro-Cuban roots with jazz, folk and global rhythms in songs about immigration, courage and love. Winners of two Independent Music Awards as well as a Stingray Rising Stars Award, the group has been invited to perform and showcase at Blue Skies, Mariposa, Philadelphia folk and Folk Alliance International as well as many jazz and global roots festivals across North America.

La Serena is the latest offering from soul-stirring singer Aviva Chernick.
She brings together mentorship with Flory Jagoda (Mother of Balkan Ladino tradition), ongoing work as a Cantor leading traditional Jewish prayer and a decade-long adventure in the Juno
nominated and CFMA awarded band Jaffa Road.
La Serena marries original arrangements and music for traditional Hebrew and Ladino texts.
Aviva is joined by the virtuosity of Joel Schwartz on electric guitars, Justin Gray on bass and Naghmeh Farahmand on Persian percussion.
Full of intimacy and emotional range, Aviva and her band
bring this musical legacy full-bodied into the present moment.

Maya and her brother, Gabriel, started writing songs together in the summer of 2018. Inspired by classic singers like Carole King and Nina Simone, iconic performers such as The Beatles and Joni Mitchell.

With its combination of exhilarating performances, and powerhouse vocals, ‘Can You See Me?’ is a dynamic album from an impressive artist. Listen carefully as Maya Rae sings these twelve songs that beautifully articulate a young woman’s place in an emerging world. It deserves to be heard.

“A Supremely gifted artist who is able to phrase like Sarah Vaughan but write a lyric like Joni Mitchell.” -CBC Music

Rum Ragged are performers and purveyors of the musical traditions of Newfoundland and Labrador, the easternmost province of Canada that lies on the Atlantic Ocean. Brought together in 2015 by their shared passion for collecting and arranging the undiscovered traditional songs and tunes of their home. With four full length studio albums and a an extensive touring history, Rum Ragged show no sign of slowing down. With a combination of striking vocal harmonies, staggering musicianship, and captivating storytelling these new champions of their time honoured influences look to bring their history, culture and music to listeners everywhere.

Following the widely accepted release ‘When Guinevere Went Under’, Emily Triggs continues to break down walls while staying true to her folk roots with her album ‘Middletown’.

Originally from Montreal, Emily captures an undeniably authentic style of songwriting and arrangement with influences spanning from Texas blues to French Canada. Her music is double edged, unapologetic and a unique sound in the genre of folk.

2019 solid performances include western Canadian folk music festivals, national CBC Radio play into USA, #2 on National Folk/Roots Charts, top 10 – 6 weeks, #1 on CKUA for 3 weeks, top 4 for 7 weeks.

Montreal-based indie singer-songwriter Emily Rockarts’ Little Flower is bursting with sonic easter eggs. Poised, polished, poppy and endearing, it’s hard to believe it’s a debut album.

Rockarts’ 2016 EP Mapmaker saw Rockarts and her band traversing Canada’s map, alongside a few top 20 appearances on !earshot charts, as well as airplay of “Whale Song” on CBC’s The Sunday Edition.

A 2018 singer-songwriter residency at Banff propelled Rockarts to quit her Toronto office job and relocate to Montreal to focus on music. Little Flower is about that journey of personal growth, empowerment and not being afraid to take up space.

Hailing from Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec, where she studied music at Lionel-Groulx College, Marie-Ève Laure has been a singer-songwriter on the local and international scenes since 2012. After many summers spent performing shows on the Magdalen Islands, Marie-Ève started writing her own original songs. Her folk-pop melodies tinted of country sounds tell of her travels and chance encounters on the road. Marie-Ève Laure, through her passion for performing music, brings her new songs from her most recent album, « Onze ».

Roy Forbes is one of Canada’s best loved singer/songwriters. There is a street named after him in his hometown of Dawson Creek and a star on Vancouver’s Granville Street as part of the BC.Entertainment Hall of Fame.

Roy is firmly etched in the minds of thousands of music lovers across the country. He has made his mark for generations of listeners as a solo, band leader, ensemble member, interpreter and songwriter.

Roy recently released his latest album “Edge of Blue”.

Over the last five decades Roy has had a few brushes with fame and endured, becoming an organic part of Canadian music.

Striking original material, superb three-part harmonies and a fresh acoustic sound have made Steel Rail a favourite of fans and critics alike. The Montreal-based trio’s first three albums received rave reviews in Canada and the U.S. Their fourth album, Coming Home, was released on May 23, 2020.

Lead singer Tod Gorr, bass player Ellen Shizgal and guitarist Dave Clarke all write songs that draw on folk, bluegrass and country traditions and are steeped in the Canadian landscape. Add Clarke’s fluid picking — one critic called him “Canada’s most tasteful acoustic guitarist” — and you have a sound that defies easy categorization.

Pharis and Jason Romero are a sentimental anchoring, and a warm antidote to this sped-up life. A study in complimentary personalities – shining and story-worn with gently weathered – they sing of hopes and love, painting a quietly show-stopping picture of simple times. They’ve released six records, won two Juno awards, and toured from Celtic Connections to A Prairie Home Companion. They choose the unconventional – touring with two small kids, building banjos, recording at home, spending less time on the road – and they live and sing about those choices with vibrancy and a powerhouse set of skills.

Juno nominated artist Dayna Manning exemplifies the very best that Canadian Folk music can be. Her cool clear voice along with her insightful songs represent a history of Canadian musical art that goes back to the early ’60s and sounds just as vital today. Dayna self-produced the last three of the seven records she has released, including her most recent album, « Morning Light”, featuring chamber-folk arrangments by Stratford Festival alumnus Ben Bolt-Martin for cello, flute, French horn, and violin. Her first book, “Many Moons: A Songwriter’s Memoir” was released by Blue Moon Publishers in October 2019.

A Toronto-based “nearly-instrumental” group that performs as a quintet, but records with a larger stable of players. Led by Don Rooke since 1990, the band’s goal has always been to compose, record and perform original music that draws on a variety of styles in an original, identifiable way.

Greg Quill: “‘Old instruments, new sounds’ is the way Rooke describes what The Henrys do – they extract from a resonator guitar and other plucked acoustic instruments the harmonics, overtones and oblique noises behind the rustic notes to create landscapes that are astonishingly romantic, frightening, sexual, spiritual – and quite beautiful.”

JUNO Award-winners, The East Pointers, are redefining the ever-evolving genre – modern folk – with Billboard-worthy pop hooks, deep acoustic groove, trance-like trad breakdowns and three-part harmonies. Already internationally acknowledged as musical trailblazers, their new album Yours To Break captures the furious energy of their live shows and push the boundaries of East Coast folk while lighting a path for a new generation of music lovers.
In the short time between their 2015 JUNO Award-winning debut Secret Victory and their 2019 album Yours To Break, the band has performed over 500 shows worldwide.

Mélisande [Électrotrad]
Mélisande and Alexandre “Moulin” de Grosbois-Garand have fused their ethnological music roots and traditional instrumentation with complex electronic programming to create a sonic experience like no other.
Here is the recipe for Mélisande [électrotrad]’s award-winning cocktail: pour equal parts of centuries-old traditional Québécois songs, state of the art electronic instruments and relentless drums, add an ounce of fiery fiddle, peaty flute and hypnotic jaw harp, a dash of tangy banjo and a hint of full-bodied bass. Shake vigorously, garnish with a sparkling singer and serve.
“An unusually well-balanced blend…definitely achieved some hard-edged traditude !”
—HUFFINGTON POST USA

From the land that never melts comes a sound that radiates life, youth and promise. Riit, from majestic Panniqtuq, Nunavut, is a new artist making space for herself in the electropop world with Inuktitut lyrics and deep rhythmic vocals layered over gemological synth cuts and sticky, staticky electronic textures. Riit’s music emerges from very distinct circumstances of place, language and experience.

Quin Etheridge-Pedden is a young emerging musician in British Columbia. He started taking fiddle lessons at a young age and is now performing all around the province. He also plays guitar and sings, performing a lot of his originals as well as covers. Quin’s knowledge of music of different genres and experience playing in different groups has allowed him to create a solo ‘one-man band’ using a loop pedal, multiple effects, his guitar and voice.

In 2017 Quin released his first solo CD, Embark. It is an eclectic mix of traditional fiddle and new contemporary.

Paige Penney. Two time MusicNL nominated, 15 year old singer songwriter from Newfoundland. Paige is a two-time winner Music NL Newfound Talent Contest and Arts and Letters Award Winner for her song “Natural Disaster”. 2018, Paige crowdfunded and reached her goal recording her first EP in the same studio as Taylor Swift, Nashville’s Dark Horse Studio! In Nashville, Paige played The Bluebird Café! Paige’s EP released May 2019, first single, »Watch Out For Your Step », feat. The Once. Paige’s second single, « Shooting Star » feat. a co-write with Alan Doyle.

Maya and her brother, Gabriel, started writing songs together in the summer of 2018. Inspired by classic singers like Carole King and Nina Simone, iconic performers such as The Beatles and Joni Mitchell.

With its combination of exhilarating performances, and powerhouse vocals, ‘Can You See Me?’ is a dynamic album from an impressive artist. Listen carefully as Maya Rae sings these twelve songs that beautifully articulate a young woman’s place in an emerging world. It deserves to be heard.

“A Supremely gifted artist who is able to phrase like Sarah Vaughan but write a lyric like Joni Mitchell.” -CBC Music

Moscow Apartment create lush, folk imbued indie rock that is interwoven with the timeless and perceptive writing of singer-songwriters Brighid Fry and Pascale Padilla. The harmonious teenage duo are slated to release their sophomore EP, Better Daughter, on June 26, 2020. The EP presents an evolution of their sound from acoustic beginnings to the freedom they now enjoy playing live in a full band, which is translated in Better Daughter’s layered arrangements.

Since winning a CFMA in 2017, Moscow Apartment have played festivals across Canada and opened for Good Lovelies, Lowest of the Low and the East Pointers.

If you’re from the North, Leela Gilday’s music is home. If you’ve never been, it will take you there. Born and raised in Denendeh, she writes about the people and the land that created her. The power in her voice conveys the depth of love and life in a rugged environment and vibrant culture. This Juno Award-winner has toured extensively both nationally and internationally. She believes music has an inexplicable effect on people- a place where she can share light, dark and the most vulnerable moments. Her recent album North Star Calling is a raw, intimate, and beautifully revealing journey. 

JUNO Award-winners, The East Pointers, are redefining the ever-evolving genre – modern folk – with Billboard-worthy pop hooks, deep acoustic groove, trance-like trad breakdowns and three-part harmonies. Already internationally acknowledged as musical trailblazers, their new album Yours To Break captures the furious energy of their live shows and push the boundaries of East Coast folk while lighting a path for a new generation of music lovers.
In the short time between their 2015 JUNO Award-winning debut Secret Victory and their 2019 album Yours To Break, the band has performed over 500 shows worldwide.

Craig Cardiff is a Canadian singer-songwriter, his 20-year career as a pioneer in the Canadian music industry. Cardiff’s songs have now been streamed more than 100 million times, and he has been heard on NBC’s award-winning television series This Is Us. Cardiff has also been nominated for a Juno Award and for a Canadian Folk Music Award. When not performing, Cardiff blends humour, honesty and enthusiasm as he offers workshops at schools, camps, festivals and churches.

For his eagerly-awaited sophomore album, songwriter William Prince begins with single word, Reliever, which informs a collection of exceptionally rendered explorations of what, who and how peace is found . Relievers come in all forms; for Prince, it is song. With its emphasis on words and confidently unfussed accompaniment, Reliever puts Prince’s gift for sparking powerful emotions of both personal and communal relevance at the fore . A masterclass in skillful simplicity, Reliever works a generous and profound kind of magic.