Music News Digest, Oct. 27, 2022

By Kerry Doole

Awards news

On Oct. 21, imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival announced Chandra Melting Tallow as the recipient of The 2023 Harmonize Prize. This took place at The Rivoli in Toronto for the fest's annual music showcase The Beat. The 2023 Harmonize Mentorship Program, in partnership with Slaight Music, is an opportunity for an Indigenous musician to bring together film and music by creating a commissioned project to premiere at the Festival in 2023. The Harmonize commission mentorship includes $10K towards the project budget, an in-kind Home Studio Prize Pack from Long & McQuade, and additional mentorship support determined by the imagineNATIVE Institute team and the mentorship participant. This Mentorship Commission is possible thanks to the Slaight Family Foundation and Lead Institute Partner Netflix. Chandra Melting Tallow is a musician/visual artist/filmmaker of mixed ancestry from the Siksika Nation. Their work has been exhibited in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Victoria and Istanbul. Here is an earlier piece, recorded as Mourning Coup.

– Folk Music Ontario recently announced its Award winners during its annual conference, held in London, ON. Amanda Rheaume (below) won Performing Artist of the Year. See the full list of winners and nominees here. 

– Mackenzie Critch takes first, Reagan Holmes takes second and Deah-Lee Robertson places third, in the Equinor NewFound Talent Contest presented by MusicNL and the NL Folk Arts Society. Talented young musicians, 19 and under, from across Newfoundland performed at the event, in front of a panel of three noted judges. Hosted by Sarah Newell, the event was the first of Music Celebration Week 2022, held at the Rotary Arts Centre, Corner Brook. The competition offers professional development prizes valued at over $6K to aid young performers. 

– A reminder that tomorrow (Oct. 28) is the deadline for the 2023 Juno Awards Submissions. Submit here .

Industry news 

– The second Come Together Showcase and Industry Event comes to Toronto on Nov. 14 -15. Presented by Canada’s Music Industry Associations, SODEC and CIMA, this initiative is for artists ready to break into Canada’s largest music market. Music BC has already announced its two participants, Nicky MacKenzie and IAMTHELIVING. More info here.

– After 40 years as a charitable service organization for Canada’s musicians, the International Resource Centre for Performing Artists (IRCPA) is ceasing operation on Nov. 30. Eleanor Friedland, president of the IRCPA Board, made the announcement last week. “The Board would like to thank Ann Summers Dossena for having developed innovative programs to serve the needs of Canadian artists. Not just singers but many of Canada’s musicians and personnel working behind the scenes in the performing arts owe Ann a huge debt of gratitude,” said Friedland. 

Summers Dossena is an award-winning* Canadian artists’ manager who retired from management in 2013 after 55 successful years in New York, Rome and Toronto. At that point, she channelled her energy to become fulltime volunteer artistic director of the IRCPA. The org's initiatives included Encounters with international mentors, workshops and other life skills programs that enabled Canadian artists to move forward in their international careers.  SlippedDisc

– Share the Warmth is a local event to gather outerwear for Hamilton community members. This year's edition takes place at The Corktown on Nov. 12, and the impressive list of local notables performing includes Shari and Jonny, Deeps, Greg Brisco, Alfie Smith, Steve Sinnicks, and Heather Valley. The event runs a good portion of the day. Recommended. Info here.

– The ever-popular Andy Kim Christmas returns to Toronto’s Massey Hall on Dec. 7. The lineup is yet to be announced, but a star-studded cast is guaranteed for the show's 18th edition.  All proceeds will again be donated to CAMH Gifts of Light. Tix are on sale tomorrow (Oct. 28) here and here.

– The Advanced Rate discount for the 2023 Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas City expires soon, and prices increase for industry AND artists by $100. Info here.  Valerie June has been named the conference keynote presenter.

– The Ontario Creates Discussion Series is returning to an in-person format for its first session, Understanding the New World of Web3: NFTs, Blockchain and Crypto. It takes place in Toronto on Oct. 27, (9-10 am ET),  Room ABCD 77 Adelaide Street West, presented by Manuel Badel, Senior Advisor, Strategic Planning and Business Intelligence, CBC. Info and free registration here. Sessions two (Nov. 24)  and three (Jan. 26) will be held virtually. All sessions will be made available on the OC website as podcasts.

Artists news

– Drake and 21 Savage released a teaser video on Oct. 22 that announced the surprise release of their joint album, Her Loss (OVO/Republic). This had been planned for tomorrow (Oct. 28), but TMZ just reported that the date has been pushed back to Nov. 4. The pair previously collaborated on Jimmy Cooks from Drake's latest LP, Honestly Nevermind. Read more here.

– Joni Mitchell returns to the stage next summer, with a concert set for June 10, 2023, at the Gorge Amphitheatre, a venue east of Seattle. Her friend, singer Brandi Carlile, announced the news on The Daily Show last week. “I can’t believe it’s happening, but it’s happening,” Carlile said. “And she is going to crush it.” Carlile plays at the venue the day before. She brought Mitchell onstage with her at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island during the summer. The 78-year-old singer has battled back from suffering an aneurysm in 2015 and hadn’t performed a full show in public in two decades. AP

– Juno-winning Toronto-based rock outfit Alvvays has announced its spring 2023 tour in support of its globally acclaimed third studio album Blue Rev. Kicking off in Ottawa on March 2, the tour will make its way across Canada before wrapping at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom on March 17th. Public on-sale starts  Oct. 28th at 10 am here. The quintet recently wrapped dates in the UK and is travelling through the United States and South America before ending the year at home with back-to-back shows at Toronto’s History.

– Nickelback releases its 10th studio album, Get Rollin’, on Nov. 18 (via BMG), preceded by a special one-night-only club show at Toronto venue History. Tix went on sale yesterday (Oct. 26). Here's the current single from the hard rock hitmakers.

 – Award-winning veteran East Coast singer-songwriter Lennie Gallant tours his popular seasonal show, The Innkeeper’s Christmas, 2022 throughout Ontario & Atlantic Canada in Nov. and Dec. Tour dates and tix here.

– On Nov. 18, Milan Records releases The Menu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) and shares All Aboard, the album’s lead single by Montreal composer and saxophonist Colin Stetson. add vid

– Two ace acoustic guitarists, James Bryan and Jeff Gunn, team up for a Nov. 3 show at Supermarket in Toronto. The versatile Bryan found Canadian fame in The Philosopher Kings and Prozzak, and will soon release his 4th solo album, We Rise, a collection of duets that feature his guitar work with a variety of guest artists. ·Gunn's new album Momentum, showcases his sonic storytelling on the guitar. Tix here.

– Toronto soul-based 10-piece group, Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar are taking the songs from their Juno-nominated record, The Reckless One, to stages across Canada on their Love Is All Around tour, which kicks off Nov. 13, and runs through western Canada. Full details here.

– Veteran power-pop outfit Universal Honey celebrates its 30th anniversary with the release of a music video for their new single, Hush A Word. Based out of Saskatoon, ​Universal Honey was formed by Johnny Sinclair and Leslie Stanwyck after playing in platinum-certified Canadian power pop group The Pursuit of Happiness. Their songwriting partnership has spanned three decades and earned Universal Honey a 1993 CASBY award as Best New Group. The pair are also currently active in roots combo Tucker Lane.

– Toronto jazzman Brownman Ali is back with his Halloween Thriller concert series. This year it covers 3 Ontario cities -- Kitchener (Oct. 29), Toronto (Oct. 30), and Guelph (Oct. 31) and features the Brownman Electryc Trio + 1 playing the entire Michael Jackson Thriller record top to bottom, re-imagined through the lens of Miles-like electric jazz. The always well-received annual show started back in 2007.  Tix here

– A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Alberta-based swing singer and actress Terra Hazelton as she recovers from shoulder surgery and is unable to work. Details here.

– Noted Toronto singer/songwriter Rosanne Baker Thornley (RBT) has released a new album, Sorry I'm Late, to a very positive response. Here is the title track single/video.