February 2011

HEATHER OSTERTAG AND ASSOCIATES – ‘THE SOLUTION TEAM’

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 02/18/2011 - 23:01

Heather Ostertag is a name that the Music Industry knows well. Ostertag is best known for holding the seat of president of FACTOR, but also sits on the Board of the CCMA, Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, founder and Chair of the Panty Schmooze and proudly wears the prestigious Order of Canada. Heather Ostertag is an individual that is considered to be an inspiring values based leader. She is also a passionate supporter and developer of Canadian culture, with a reputation that has demonstrated strong strategic and operational management execution skills – a dedicated people developer. Achievement, creativity, results driven, tenacity, resilience, empathetic problem solver and persuader are some adjectives used to describe this indefatigable individual who is driven to succeed and excel at any undertaking she involves herself in.

With her 30 plus years working in the arts, she has developed relationships with companies and individuals that all have unique and distinct skills. These positions have put her name firmly ensconced in the Canadian Music Industry and would lead her to her next incarnation of an already successful and illustrious career.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Heather Ostertag and getting to know more about the person behind the engine.

Moulin Rouge- RWB Style - Right en Pointe

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 02/11/2011 - 22:56

By Natasha Slinko

‘Moulin Rouge - The Ballet’ is in town & they are doing it Cancan Style and right en pointe. In celebration of their 70th Anniversary The Royal Winnipeg Ballet (RWB) is doing a central Canadian tour. I had the opportunity to sit down with Artist Director Andre Lewis, who said they were looking for something very special for the 70th Anniversary of the RWB. He wanted to honour the 1939 founders of the RWB, Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Farrally, who believed in creating versatility, technical excellence and captivating style and the RWB continues their vision of thinking outside the box - to create artistic tradition with a twist. Their goal is to reach a wider audience to draw them into the world of art, of dance, ballet and they have succeeded as they are the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America.

So for this special 70th Anniversary Levis approached Jordan Morris, Choreographer to submit a series of ideas for the production, one of which was Moulin Rouge.

Holly Dish: Dishology

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 02/11/2011 - 18:42

Unsigned

*****

When you first see the cover of Holly Dish – Dishology it reminds you of the gorgeous long-legged pin-up girls of the 1940’s, but with the sweet, innocent face of Holly Dish staring out at you. Then you listen to her sing.

Although Dish would be categorized as a rap/hip hop type of singer, she is much more than that. She is a poet, a lyricist that grabs you with amazing rhyme patterns that you scramble to try to keep up with as she sings them to you with a pulsating beat.

The opening song, ‘Panic Now’, is a sure-fire club hit, with nostalgic semi-wha wha guitar licks by Ed Stevens, and a dance music bed that should be on every dj’s list for play.

‘Go So Far’ has a great line in it about ‘If I speak so soft you can’t hear’ which everyone has felt in a relationship from time to time. With the answer-vocals of Voyce, this is another great tune ‘dished’ out by this new vibrant talent.

‘Rise Up’ (Ladies Anthem) is encouraging to ‘rise up ladies, stand up girl, wp man up, women, wo man up, women’, while complicated lyrics make you try to understand the anthem this singer wants all of her gender to take on.

Cashbox Canada is pleased to feature a new series by Keith Bradford – Studio Trix

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 02/11/2011 - 15:11

The Demo Studio

Cowboy Junkies Drop ‘DEMONS’ , Second Album in Nomad Series

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 02/11/2011 - 15:07

On February 15, 2011, Cowboy Junkies will release Demons, the second album in the four-volume Nomad Series on their own Latent Recordings. A collection of songs by the late Vic Chesnutt, Demons is described by Michael Timmins as “a labour of love” that explores Chesnutt’s deep and much overlooked catalogue. It follows the critically acclaimed first volume of the series, Renmin Park.

The band approached Chesnutt’s music with the same sense of adventure that Chesnutt approached his own recordings. Timmins says, “We let happy accidents happen and tried to invest his songs with the same spirit in which they were written, but at the same time adding our own Northern spin. Exploring his songs and delving deeper and deeper into them has been an intense, moving and joyous experience. I don’t think Vic would have wanted it any other way.”

Also available on February 15 from the band’s website (http://latentrecordings.com/cowboyjunkies/ ) will be a bonus digital only EP of seven Vic Chesnutt songs that Cowboy Junkies recorded during the Demons session that are not available on the CD. Demons will be followed by volumes 3 and 4 of the series: Sing in My Meadow and The Wilderness.

1. Wrong Piano

2. Flirted With You All My Life