Entertainment

Submitted by McClure Music
Photo at right: Maylee Todd

The Canada-Japan music connection is getting stronger. Several Canadian acts have signed deals with Japanese labels or are set to perform in Japan as a result of the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA)’s trade mission to Tokyo and Canadian Music Week (CMW)’s Spotlight on Japan.

They include:
Singer/songwriter Maylee Todd, who performs at Billboard Live Tokyo on June 22
Singer/songwriter Ron Sexsmith, who is performing at the Fuji Rock festival on July 26
“Mediterranean”-style guitarist Pavlo, who’s signing with King Records and set to play Tokyo’s Cotton Club Aug. 31
Crooner Matt Dusk, who’s due to perform at this year’s Tokyo Jazz Festival, which takes place Sept. 6-8
Female rock trio Hunter Valentine, who will play at the Summer Sonic festival in Tokyo on Aug. 11

There are also rumors that Toronto-based power-pop band Courage My Love may strike a Japanese label deal. On the other hand, it seems to be harder for Japanese acts to break into Canada. Trumpeter Chihiro Yamazaki scored a booking for the Toronto Jazz Festival following her performance with the Route 14 Band at the CMW Japan showcase on March 20. Sebastian Mair, head of Tokyo-based consulting company Music Solutions, says many CMW delegates expressed interest in Japanese female rock act Baby Metal.

Submitted to Cashbox Canada

Launched in 2012, SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival features world-class concert performances in a wide range of genres, including pop and jazz groups, classical and gospel choirs, and world music ensembles.  Toronto’s only a cappella festival educates as well as entertains, with industry veterans leading vocal workshops for singers of all ages and levels of experience.  SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival will also offer a school workshop day, public sing-along, and presentation of the SING! Legacy Award to Toronto native Frank Busseri of The Four Lads. 
Feature concerts will include the Swingle Singers, a UK-based multi-Grammy winning ensemble celebrating 50 years as a vocal super group; Sweden-based The Real Group, performing bop, vocalese, pop, and originals; and Moments to Remember: A Tribute to Harmony Groups of the ‘50s and ‘60s, Honouring Frank Busseri of The Four Lads.

“The response to last year’s festival was overwhelmingly positive,” says artistic director Aaron Jensen, an award-winning, internationally-published composer, arranger, and performer.  “Since then, we’ve grown – both in size and with respect to artistic vision.”

“Building on last year's model that focused on world-class performances, workshops and educational outreach, this year we have expanded our programming to include cross-cultural collaborations and a world premiere concert of new Canadian choral works,” adds Jensen.  “We have more than a few surprises up our sleeves for our 2013 season.”

Submitted by Michael E. Williams

Live Music generates an estimated $455 million in revenues and contributes $252 million to the Canadian economy growing at an annual rate of 6.4 % since 2010. (Source:  An Economic Analysis of the Sound Recording Industry in Canada, PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2011)

A few weeks ago, the Ontario government started a Live Music Working Group with 21 industry experts including Graham Henderson, Gil Moore and Neill Dixon.  The aim is to make Ontario a world class destination for live music.

As I have seen such a waste of these funds over the years, I wanted to see what this new program might have to offer and how its success would be evaluated.   I called the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports, Michael Chan to answer my questions.  He graciously made time for me and I thank him.

MW:  Why did the provincial government decide to get involved in live music?
MC: I think it’s a good thing to do. Since the digitization of music, recorded music has been spiraling down, so we looked at the statistics, numbers and talked to industry leaders, big and small, in the music industry. We all joined together collectively to create a strategy for the growing segment of the industry, Live Music, to make Ontario an even greater destination for live music, sports and cultural based entertainment events.I have been driving this music file quite aggressively and we think there is a lot of good in there, that’s why we are doing it.

Submitted by Cashbox Canada

The Giacomo Variations, starring Hollywood icon John Malkovich as the legendary lover
Casanova, will play Toronto’s Elgin Theatre, June 7-9, 2013 for four shows only.

Based on the life of Giacomo Casanova, the Italian adventurer, writer and womanizer, The Giacomo Variations  is a remarkable and sophisticated fusion of theatre and opera and features
a superbly talented cast, breathtaking sets and costumes, and a live 35-piece Viennese orchestra,
Orchester Wiener Akademie, playing Mozart's most beloved arias.

John Malkovich (Warm Bodies, The Killing Fields, The Glass Menagerie, Dangerous Liaisons, In the
Line of Fire, Red, Burn After Reading, Being John Malkovich) is one of the most respected actors in
Hollywood. His career began in the theatre, in 1976, when Malkovich joined Chicago’s Steppenwolf
Theatre, newly founded by Gary Sinise. He appeared on stage in New York in the early eighties
before his film debut in 1984 as the blind lodger in Places in the Heart (Academy Award nomination).

The Giacomo Variations is Malkovich’s second foray into the world of opera. His first, and very
successful collaboration, in 2008 with the same production and creative team, was The Infernal
Comedy, which he continues to tour internationally.

Prior to its Toronto engagement, The Giacomo Variations  will receive its Canadian Premiere at
Place des Arts in Montreal, QC, June 4 & 5, 2013.