Entertainment

SUGAR MOON MUSIC INC. SIGNS “BASIC ENGLISH” FOR PUBLISHING, RECORDING & MANAGEMENT

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 03/18/2011 - 11:37

The president of Sugar Moon Music Inc., Margaret Dinsdale, is pleased to announce her company has taken on the roles of publisher, label and management for BASIC ENGLISH, a roots-rock band based in Toronto, Ontario.

“This is a very exciting time for us,” says Dinsdale from her Kensington Market office. “We've only just started working together and we already have interest not just from Ontario and the Maritimes, but also Europe, Australia and other parts of the world for touring and distribution.”

Dinsdale already has two of Canada's hottest producers interested in working on the project. “Now it's just a matter of fundraising,” she said. “The new material the guys have written deserves the best production values we can afford to underline their song-writing prowess as well as their solid chops.”

Originally from Moncton, New Brunswick, Tim Armour and John Davis became local heroes in Halifax with their band Basic English, then headed to Toronto in 1987. In a short time, they won Q107s Homegrown Contest and a Casby Award. They were breaking big, got themselves a manager and a record deal. They had a known producer, Terry Brown (Rush, Max Webster) and recorded their first studio album “Sweet Panic!” released in 1991. Just after it came out, the label when bust and that was the end of that phase of their career.

RUF RECORDS SIGNS DYNAMIC ROCK/BLUES SINGER DANA FUCHS

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 03/11/2011 - 23:40

Ruf Records announces the signing of dynamic rock/blues singer Dana Fuchs and the release of her label debut CD, Love To Beg, on April 12. Ruf Records is distributed in the U.S. by the Allegro Corporation. Fuchs is currently on tour in Europe and will celebrate her U.S. release with a special showcase in New York City on April 15 at the Highline Ballroom.

Love To Beg is a visceral combination of pure rock and blues, with touches of soul, gospel and R&B in the mix. Fuchs’ band has sold out shows all across the U.S. sharing the bill with such national acts as Joe Cocker, Dickey Betts, Gov’t Mule and Bob Weir. Dana and her band are a festival sensation, rocking to over 2000,000 people since 2008 at festivals in the U.S., Italy, The Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia.

Fuchs played the character “Sadie” in the highly-acclaimed Julie Taymor film, Across The Universe, and Dana’s featured lead vocals on the soundtrack CD earned her a platinum album, with over one million sales in the U.S. The accompanying DVD has also sold over 1.5 million units worldwide. She also starred as Janis Joplin in the Eric Nederlander production of the long running off-Broadway musical, Love, Janis.

Canadian Music Week is Here Again!

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 03/11/2011 - 23:40

Canadian Music Week (CMW) is here again in the streets of Toronto, and in the legendary Royal York Fairmount Hotel. The Canadian version of MIDEM, Neill Dixon’s brainchild is now in it’s 30^th year, and once again the music industry descends to wheel deal and listen to the music.

Like a giant musical magnet, people from all walks of life and the world show up to see and be seen during the conference days, and the wannabees strut their stuff while the ‘old school’ holds court with each other in the hotel bars.

On a serious business note, this huge gathering brings together international, national and local entertainment individuals who offer wares, advice and sometimes record deals, depending if you are good enough and smart enough to get your music out there. We compare notes, exchange ideas, and network at CMW, and hopefully impact the industry with the music being played in clubs throughout the city for the next few days.

Get out on the street, hear the bands, support the music. Come see the exhibitors. Sit in on a lecture.

Heather Otertag and Associates Have a Vision

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 03/11/2011 - 23:36

By Sandy Graham

"To succeed – you need A Plan. With A Plan things get done intentionally. With intent comes success!!!” These are the words that are part of the new model of doing business in the music business – and Heather Ostertag is ready to teach you how to meet the new challenges of the industry with a plan.

Heather Ostertag, C.M. an individual who 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 her. With her 30 plus years working the arts she has developed relationships with companies and individuals that have unique and distinct skills.

Always a trailblazer, Ostertag has come up with a new way of doing business for the artist or group – a visioning session. This session takes the artist into a safe environment with his ‘team’ – a group of people who have chosen to go through the steps of developing his or her plan to go forward in the music business. The only thing Ostertag demands is that they speak the truth, no matter how hard or difficult that may be.

One 2 Many, Vancouver Dual set to release “Life in a Shoe”

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 03/11/2011 - 23:29

By Bill Delingat

Vancouver is the home of two very talented writers and musicians David Jensen and Mark Reed. Together they are One 2 Many who are currently finishing off their second CD “Life in a Shoe”.T (he first project by the duo “You Don’t Know Me“is still available for download)

Back in the 60’s there was the cry ‘Go East young man’ as the flower power movement and the birth of a generation called for peace. David Jensen moved from Victoria Island and then to Vancouver. When the peace movement grew and the scene in Toronto’s Yorkville became known as the hub of the hippie movement and music scene, Jensen like others, headed to take a shot at fame. It didn’t take long before Jensen launched his solo career and landed a deal with Quality Records.

Jensen went on to play in a local hard rock act “Draco” where he met Joe Mavety (Marianne Faithful fame) who had an interest in jazz and brought on the phrase “J Rock , Blues” to describe the bands style. Jensen went on to sing for groups like “Kickback” with Ian Creighton (of Saga) on guitar and eventually landed a recording deal with Jack Richardson for his band “Scandal” on GRT Records. Jensen’s tall slender build and a mane of golden locks caught the attention of Tibor Takacs who cast Jensen as the alien rocker in the movie “Metal Messiah”.

SINGER-SONGWRITER YAEL NAIM RELEASES HER THIRD STUDIO ALBUM

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 03/11/2011 - 23:26

SHE WAS A BOY

-RELEASE MARKS SECOND COLLABORATION WITH DAVID DONATIEN –

French-born Israeli artist Yael Naim is thrilled to announce the release of her second collaboration with David Donatien and third studio album, She Was a Boy (tôt Ou tard / Select Distribution) on May 3, 2011. Recorded in the duo’s Parisian home studio over the last few years, Naim and Donatien have created a collection of distinct sounds, styles and influences that blend piano, strings and graceful melodies.

“I definitely felt the pressure of success, the follow up album was awaiting and I was terrified at first, I couldn’t write,” says Naim. “I had to isolate myself from the rest of the world and reconnect to a kind of unconsciousness. Classical Indian music and artists like Nina Simone and Tom Waits really inspired me. Additionally, I incorporated instruments like the Glockenspiel, Cristal Baschet and Ondes Martenot which I have always wanted to use in my music.”

Blankfest Quebec III Raises Over 700 Winter Clothing Items For Montreal's Homeless

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 03/04/2011 - 10:47

Blankets... What a simple and practical gift to someone who has no home, no shelter. A blanket can be carried during the day and used during the cold Montreal Winter nights. It is portable, durable, and, hopefully, can provide warmth and shelter for someone who really needs it.

This years 3rd annual Blankfest Quebec was hosted at Katacombes (1635 St-Laurent) on February 25th with a special guest performance from NYC's Blankfest founder Kenn Rowell and his band, The Baghdaddios.
Chuck DeBruyn and Kenn Rowell were sitting in a Nyack bar one night when they hit upon the idea of having a musical charity event benefiting NYC's homeless. It was so simple: provide a means for Kenn's musician friends to join him in giving back to the community by donating their time and talent to perform a concert where the cover charge is a blanket. This allowed his non-musician friends to participate as well. All he asked was "Come to my benefit. Bring a blanket." And why not? It's so easy. Give Kenn a blanket and he will personally put it in the hands of someone who really needs it.

Blankfest Quebec was launched after Jon Asher read about his friend, in New York City l, and how he founded Blankfest in 1997 and has been organizing the annual blanket fundraiser for the past 13 years.

Stony Plain marks its 35th Anniversary

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 03/04/2011 - 10:38

It's been 35 years since Stony Plain began its life as a record label - and to mark the anniversary, the label's prepared a giant 2CD-plus-DVD package, with more than 40 tracks and eleven videos. The souvenir package will be released in May.

One of the CDs is titled Singers, Songwriters and Much, Much More, while the other is titled Blues, R&B, Swing, Jazz and Even More.

In addition to rare material from the label's back catalogue, there are remarkable songs that have never been released before. There are no less than four tracks by Robert Nighthawk, recorded in a small Toronto studio 45 years ago, following a gig in a local club, possibly the last recordings he ever made.

And there are three unreleased tracks by the legendary singer-songwriter Bob Carpenter, recorded as publishing demos in 1979. Bob only made one album - Silent Passage, now out of print, but available digitally - and these tracks are a reminder of what music was lost when he passed away 15 years ago.

There 's also an unreleased track from Richard Newell, a.k.a. King Biscuit Boy, and preview tracks from new Stony Plain CDs by Harry Manx & Kevin Breit, and Rory Block.

“Toronto’s Music giants come forward to help record Ryan’s Song for the Nolan Fund drive”

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 10:35

The tragedy of January 12 as Toronto mourned a fallen officer spawned a song by Kimberly Dunn,”A Tribute for Ryan Russell”. Cashbox told a story about the music on that sad day and in turn contacted Ms. Dunn to tell her about the hopes of assisting the Nolan Russell Trust Fund with the story about the music that day and her song.

Kimberly was pleased and replied that she had hopes of recording the song as there had been many requests to see if it was available for I Tunes download. Cashbox reached out to the music community and there was no hesitation to help. Mark Nakamura of Blue Atlantis Records heard the call and made the dream come true. Last week Kimberley came into Toronto for a studio session at “Studio 92” where Juno Award winning engineer Norm Barker (Irish Descendants - Gypsies and Lovers, Julian Fauth - Ramblin' Son) graciously offered his services.

Kimberley DunnBen Winston provided the photography services and Kinetic Sight & Sound, another business owned and operated by Nakamura, will create and host the memorial website in honor of the fallen hero.

ONE SOUL THRUST UNVEILS NEW MANAGEMENT

Submitted by cashbox on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 10:34

EDMONTON, ALBERTA—Rock band One Soul Thrust has just signed a management deal with Cameron Tilbury Publicity in the United Kingdom.

One Soul Thrust is currently enjoying airplay around the world with their debut single, Go Home And Melt, which features guest vocals by Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Country Communion). The song is currently featuring on radio stations in the USA, Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, France and UK.

“We were introduced to Cameron through Nashville vocal coach Judy Rodman” says One Soul Thrust’s lead singer/songwriter Salem Jones. “he started getting our music out to international radio and doing our publicity. But he was also talking to booking agents, promoters and other people. We soon realized that he was doing a lot of what we wanted in a manager. Since our focus is international and our producer is based in Europe, we wanted an international manager. It just seemed like a good fit. We simply love C.”