Home Blog Page 1288

How Has the Nigerian Sports Betting Scene Evolved, and What Factors Drive Its Popularity?

Eric Alper
-
0

By Mitch Rice

The gaming and gambling scenario has changed drastically over the years in many countries across the globe. Now, you can bet from anywhere in the world, and Nigeria is a perfect example of this.

Nigeria has become a central part of online sports betting, which has transformed the country’s gambling and gaming industry. This growth is primarily influenced by the widespread access to the internet and phones along with Nigeria’s long and old love for sports.

1.   The Evolution of the Sports Betting Scene in Nigeria: Top Factors Driving the Sports Betting Scene

Today, we will determine and review the main factors that have changed the sports scene in Nigeria and how it has changed the gaming sector of this country.

1.1) Widespread Access to the Internet and Phones

As I have already mentioned, access to the internet and smartphones was the crucial accessory in revolutionizing the betting scene in Nigeria. While all the factors that we will review today have their own perks and impacts, the internet is the key here.

After all, if we are being honest, without the internet and smartphones, the whole concept of online betting has no existence. The surge in the market for affordable mobile phones and Internet coverage has allowed many Nigerians to enter the world of online sports betting. By understanding this concept, many betting organizations have launched mobile sites and apps to grow their consumers.

1.2) Love for Sports in the Country

The love for sports can be seen in many countries worldwide. However, some nations take it to another level in their genuine enthusiasm – Nigeria is undoubtedly such a place.

Nigeria’s true passion and love for sports, most noticeably football, plays a massive part in the growth of online sports gambling. The country’s enthusiasm for football knows no bounds, which you can certainly see in local as well as global matches. This demand for more and more games has expanded the gaming market to a great extent.

1.3) Rise in Job Opportunities and Employment in the Industry

For every industry, there is a job market, and online betting has also created a considerable vacancy in many departments.

Mobile sports gaming in Nigeria has undoubtedly given the country’s people a way for entertainment, but more importantly, it has also created many work opportunities. Many people have found jobs in different sectors of the industry – be it in marketing, tech, or advertising.

1.4) Efficient Marketing Strategies

The right marketing strategies can differentiate between a failed and a successful company. Gambling sites in Nigeria employ ingenious marketing strategies to attract users and ensure they stay.

Advertisements, promotions, rewards, and subscription offers for all players significantly drive the online betting industry to more profits and success.

The future of gaming and eSports is growing in the global market, and Nigerian betting sites are also developing side by side.

Online sports gambling in Nigeria appears to have a bright and promising future. As the industry grows, teamwork among owners, supervisors, and tech teams will ensure further advancement of eSports and online casino games in Nigeria.

 

16-Year-Old Dave Grohl Playing The Drums Shows Why He Was Born To Be A Rock And Roll Star

Eric Alper
-
0
16-Year-Old Dave Grohl Playing The Drums Shows Why He Was Born To Be A Rock And Roll Star

In 1985, one of Dave Grohl’s earliest musical ventures, a band named Mission Impossible, took to the stage for a performance that would eventually find its place in the annals of punk history. As the band unleashed their raw energy and rebellious spirit on the audience, little did they know that their performance would be captured for posterity. Fast forward to the present day, and footage from that electrifying show has found its way into the DC Punk Archive, a testament to Grohl’s roots in the vibrant punk scene of Washington D.C. This archival footage serves as a time capsule, immortalizing a pivotal moment in Grohl’s journey from underground punk rocker to global rock icon.

Winners Announced for the 2024 JUNO Opening Night Awards

Eric Alper
-
0
Winners Announced for the 2024 JUNO Opening Night Awards

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) celebrated the artists and industry veterans at the top of Canada’s music scene this evening at the 2024 JUNO Opening Night Awards Presented by Music Canada, at the Halifax Convention Centre. The exclusive industry event was co-hosted by Aba Amuquandoh and Damhnait Doyle, featuring electric performances from five Canadian artists and the presentation of 40+ JUNO Awards including the prestigious Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award, awarded to Chip Sutherland.

Canadian pop sensation Tate McRae took home her first JUNO Award for Artist of the Year Presented by SiriusXM Canada and Single of the Year Presented by YouTube for her hit “greedy.” She’s also been nominated for TikTok JUNO Fan Choice Award which will be announced during tonight’s Broadcast Awards.

Chip Sutherland, Halifax’s own esteemed industry veteran, entertainment lawyer and artist manager, was awarded the prestigious Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award for his amazing work supporting the success and development of countless Canadian musicians.

The JUNO Opening Night Awards Presented by Music Canada put a spotlight not only on Canadian music veterans, but also its rising stars with 17 awards going to first-time winners: The Beaches (Rock Album of the Year), Tate McRae (Artist of the Year Presented by SiriusXM Canada, Single of the Year Presented by YouTube), New West (Breakthrough Group of the Year Presented by FACTOR, The Government of Canada and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters), Aysanabee, Co-Songwriters: Ali Willa Milner, Charlie McLean, Derek Hoffman, Sean Sroka, (Songwriter of the Year Presented by SOCAN, Alternative Album of the Year), Colin Stetson (Instrumental Album of the Year), Les Cowboys Fringants & l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (Francophone Album of the Year), Orchestre classique de Montréal, conducted by/dirigé par Jacques Lacombe (Classical Album of the Year). Constantinople (Classical Album of the Year (Small Ensemble)), Nicole Lizée (Classical Composition of the Year), Blue Moon Marquee (Blues Album of the Year), K-Anthony (Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year), Bambii (Electronic Album of the Year Presented by Nissan), Crypotopsy (Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year), Amanda Marshall (Adult Contemporary Album of the Year), Kyle Brownrigg (Comedy Album of the Year Presented by SiriusXM Canada), Aqyila (Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year), BLOND:ISH (Underground Dance Single of the Year), Joel Wood (Traditional Indigenous Artist Or Group of the Year)

Nova Scotia-born Feist took home her fourteenth JUNO Award, Adult Alternative Album of the Year Presented by Long & Mcquade Musical Instruments with fellow east coasters The Swinging Belles winning Children’s Album of the Year.

Five electric performances elevated the evening from 2024 Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year Winner Aqyila, 2024 Adult Alternative Album of the Year Presented by Long & McQuade Musical Instruments nominee Begonia, Nova Scotian and 2024 Reggae Recording of the Year nominee Jah’Mila, multi-hyphenated creator Lili-Ann De Francesco and LU KALA, 2024 Single of the Year Presented by YouTube and Breakthrough Artist of the Year Presented by FACTOR, The Government of Canada and Canada’s Private Radio nominee.

The 2024 JUNO Opening Night Awards Presented by Music Canada are available to rewatch on-demand on CBC Gem or CBCMusic.ca/junos.

 

Toronto’s Arturo Rojas Strikes a Chord With “Te Diré” (Live) Release, a Journey of Emotion and Artistry

Eric Alper
-
0
Toronto’s Arturo Rojas Strikes a Chord With “Te Diré” (Live) Release, a Journey of Emotion and Artistry

In 2023, Toronto’s Arturo Rojas gifted our ears with great music with the release of the success “Te Diré” (Song of the Week on Toronto’s Voces Latinas CHHA 1610 AM), and his last release, “Entre Mi Fuego y Sangre”, a harmonious fusion of artistry and emotion.

Written by Rojas, his latest release is a personal artistic expression of positivity, after experiencing a near-death situation. “It made me wonder about life”, the singer shares. “What comes after we die? Where are we going after death? Is there a place waiting for us after we pass away? But in the end, we need to learn to give…”

Despite drawing inspiration from a challenging life moment, Rojas skillfully channels his emotions into a captivating ballad, effortlessly blending Latin, pop, and jazz influences.

After unveiling his debut album, Rojas engaged in a conversation with his producer and guitarist, Jimy Smallbach. Together, they made the decision to offer the world a glimpse into the band’s raw sound, akin to the atmosphere of live shows and rehearsals, before unveiling the full melody for uninterrupted enjoyment.

“I loved the idea. I wanted to catch the energy, the dynamic, and what comes out spontaneously from our hearts and instruments when we play live. To me, playing a show is a celebration of the musicians and the songs. It is so special to see and hear what the musicians bring into the song, and how they add their own sound, tone, and feeling”, unveils Arturo.
The Latin Rock musician, born in Peru and now based in Toronto, also emphasizes that sometimes a song on a record may feel “petrified,” but it springs back to life when performed for live fans and listeners.

In their pursuit of authenticity, Rojas and his band opted for the familiar surroundings of Ratspace Studios—a beloved rehearsal spot with a welcoming ambiance and excellent sound quality. With Robin Easton, a skilled sound engineer, at the helm, the recording process felt effortless and enjoyable, evoking a sense of comfort akin to being at home.

Choosing to present a live rendition of “Te Diré,” the group aimed to forge a deeper connection with their audience. The song’s unique blend of rock, pop, and bossa nova has captured the hearts of listeners, drawing them in with its mesmerizing rhythm.

Yet, beyond its musical appeal, “Te Diré” conveys a meaningful message—one of embracing human imperfection and extending forgiveness for past mistakes. “Its message of embracing our humanness and forgiving ourselves for our past mistakes had touched people’s hearts,” says Rojas.

This message has struck a chord with audiences, resonating deeply and prompting reflection. “I think we all wish we could make it up for our past failures and mistakes, that it’s important to learn from them, and that learning process makes us better human beings,” he completes.

‘Oh, si pudiera
Cambiar algunas escenas,
Como quisiera
Borrar aquellas escenas
Cuando no era yo el que actuaba
Y te hacía llorar

Pero no llores tanto,
Levántate
Te necesito para poder seguir
Recorrer cantando,
Seguir cantando(…)’

Translated into English:
“Oh if I could
Change some scenes,
How I wish I could
Delete those scenes
When I wasn’t myself
And I made you cry

“But don’t cry so much
Get up
I need you to be able to continue rolling
To go around singing,
Keep singing(…)”

Rooted in Spanish influences evident in the song’s entirety being sung in his native tongue, the track transcends mere cultural boundaries. Throughout, Rojas’s vocals occasionally take on a punk-infused edge, while the instrumental arrangement draws from a diverse range of genres including pop, folklore, jazz, and salsa.

Connect live with Arturo Rojas on the guitar and vocals, Alex Sarrín on the drums, Hugo Bravo on the percussion, Enderson Herencia on the bass, Jimmy Smallbach on the guitars (and production), and Pepe Céspedes on the keys.

Use Your Allusion: Funky Reference-Happy Rapper K.O. Strat Raises The Arcane On Debut Album ‘Glass Sandwich”

Eric Alper
-
0
Use Your Allusion: Funky Reference-Happy Rapper K.O. Strat Raises The Arcane On Debut Album ‘Glass Sandwich”

Good hip-hop lives and dies on the cleverness of its wordplay. But when it comes to witty namechecks, rapper K.O. Strat is playing in a different league entirely. On his debut album, Glass Sandwich—and its spotlight track, “The Moleskine”—he’s dropping pop-cultural nods so deep they might have stumped even Dennis Miller in his prime.

A short but sweet peek into a restless creative mind, “The Moleskine” packs its 2-minute running time with references to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Flintstones, Tekken, Metallica’s first album and the Space Shuttle Challenger. Even the title is an IP: It’s the brand name of the notebook in which Strat used to jot down his lyrical ideas and other bursts of inspiration.

“My close friend had gotten me a grossly overpriced but undeniably nice Moleskine notebook as a gift. If he hadn’t, the song might be called ‘The Hilroy,’” he muses.

All of those lyrical footnotes are in the service of an unabashedly boastful paean to the skill with which Strat hits on his ideas and brings them to the mic. As with most of his material, the aim of “The Moleskine” is to combine an almost free-associating stream of self-promotion with geekisms that are delivered with such flow and rhyming technique that you almost don’t notice how nerdy they are. “Sleight-of-hand rap,” he calls it.

On a musical level, the song basically qualifies as an extended callback of its own. It’s a breezy, finger-snapping little ditty with a sampled acoustic bassline and melodic layers that create what Strat calls “almost a cheat code to appeal to fans of A Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets, and other early-’90s jazz-sample-heavy artists.”

A host of such pleasures await on the album proper, a self-produced compilation bookended by two new tracks but otherwise made up of singles the artist has released over the past 4 years. That was when this Thornhill, Ontario native—formerly a breakdancer and audio engineer—was still getting serious about making music of his own. Now that he’s entered what he’s calling Phase II of his career, the time seemed ripe to issue a musical refresher course that could sum up Phase I while clearing the decks for a deluge of new material he says is coming.

In the meantime, prepare to be dazzled and confounded by plenty of that aforementioned sleight of hand. Glass Sandwich is loaded with brain-teasing mentions, namedropping everything from Canadian rock band Max Webster, Cloris Leachman’s Frau Blücher character from the movie Young Frankenstein and blues great Howlin’ Wolf to professional wrestling, Italian horror movies, the Led Zeppelin concert flick The Song Remains The Same and what Strat calls “more things that only a limited number of people would understand – and how many of them would listen to hip-hop?

“One of the hallmarks of my music is that I don’t care in the slightest if someone understands what I’m talking about,” he shrugs.

Consider yourself one of the enlightened few if you recognize the album title as being inspired by a Primus song, and the cover art as a mashup of Frank Zappa’s Weasels Ripped My Flesh and the silent classic Nosferatu.

A product of Toronto’s Nekkrak hip-hop collective, Strat classifies his output as “wide-ranging hip hop music made by someone just being themself.” He says to expect more of the same but better in the wake of Glass Sandwich, promising even greater emphasis on the eclectic in everything from samples to style. And if you don’t catch all the references at first, don’t worry: That’s what Google is for.

Squalor My World: Punk Purists G.F.U. Toast Life Among The “Rats”

Eric Alper
-
0
Squalor My World: Punk Purists G.F.U. Toast Life Among The “Rats”

It’s a proud tradition for punk bands to pay tribute to the absolute disaster area they live in. Fear did it with “I Love Livin’ in the City,” and Manitoba’s Wild Kingdom followed suit with “New York, New York.” To that list, add the York Region, Ontario, quartet G.F.U., who immortalize their life of filth on “Rats,” the latest track pulled from their 2023 four–song debut ep, Grand Slam.

Over a classic amphetamine rhythm and guitar riffs Cheetah Chrome might envy, the band peel off an anthem to a neighborhood where the garbage is piled as high as your knees and “the stink is rising high.” (It probably has something to do with those “fishbones in the trash can.”) And of course, there’s that titular infestation they chant about on the chorus, with all the nihilistic bravado of a young Black Flag:

Rats in the streets
We got rats in the streets

Bassist/vocalist Thomas “Tommy Boy” Miliband wrote the song about some living conditions he had to endure back when he was a member of a group called Tomcats. But a chance meeting at a rehearsal revealed the true destiny of the song—and of its author too. One room over from where Tomcats were woodshedding, guitarist/singer Matt “Mad Matty” Bergman was producing some tracks for the singer Jeremy “Jayboe” Cibirka. In the veritable wink of an eye, the latter two had conscripted Millband to form a new group with them—one they knew could deliver the authenticity they were missing in today’s punk.

Christening themselves G.F.U. (you get three guesses what the name stands for, one for each initial), they embarked on a frenzied burst of pandemic-era activity. They recorded Grand Slam at The Hive Studios in York Region, relying on the production expertise Bergman had built up working with the likes of the award-winning surf-punk band King Beez and the Grammy-nominated Green Jelly. He even played drums on the record, their first choice of Dan Felushko being initially unavailable. In their first year as a group, they not only released the record but played more than 60 live shows, including high-profile gigs with legends like Forgotten Rebels, Ripcordz, Chris Murray and Random Killing. (Friend of the band Billy Briggs filled in on drums until Felushko could finally take his rightful spot.)

G.F.U.’s high-impact playing style and novel three-vocalist format have since won them plenty of fans of their own, a rabid cult following that call themselves The Wrecking Crew. The band are proud of their combined weight of over 1,000 pounds and their collective height of more than 25 feet tall, which they feel give them the look of pro wrestlers working a side hustle. But they can show a sensitive side too, reveling in the diversity of having an Indigenous guitarist/producer and an autistic lead singer.

In spring 2024, the band is embarking on a big cross-Ontario tour that’ll include a March 23 appearance with Forgotten Rebels and Random Killing at Lee’s Palace in Toronto. Dates are as follows:

March 16: Newmarket – The Lion
March 17: Newmarket – The OV (covers show)
March 23: Toronto – Lee’s Palace
March 28: Hamilton – Casbah
April 5: Barrie – CW Coops
April 6: Meaford – Ted’s Diner
April 12: Toronto – Seescape
April 13: Newmarket – The OV (covers show)
April 19: Windsor – Villains
April 20: London – Palasad Socialbowl
April 27: Richmond Hill – Archibalds
May 3: Oshawa – Simcoe Restrobar
May 4: Guelph – Red Papaya
May 10: Waterloo – Dive Bar
May 11: Niagara Falls – Taps Brewery
May 24: Barrie – CW Coops
May 31: Newmarket – The Lion
June 1: Toronto – Bovine Sex Club
June 22: Barrie – CW Coops
June 29: Newmarket – The OV (covers show)

In the midst of all that live activity, G.F.U. will be releasing another three-song EP in April. And they promise that plenty more shows are coming in the summer and fall, including the second annual Punk Rock BBQ and the third annual West Queen West Punk Fest, both to be held in Toronto with some legendary bands TBA at the top of the bill. Knee-high garbage and fishbone stink for everybody!

Bif Naked Secures Prestigious Screen Award Nomination From The Academy Of Canadian Cinema & Television

Eric Alper
-
0
Bif Naked Secures Prestigious Screen Award Nomination From The Academy Of Canadian Cinema & Television

Bif Naked has garnered a coveted nomination for the prestigious Screen Award for Best Supporting Performance, Web Program or Series by The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. This esteemed recognition is in tribute to her outstanding portrayal in the captivating new CBC Gem original series, ‘I Hate People, People Hate Me’.

‘I Hate People, People Hate Me’ has picked up 4 Canadian Screen Award nominations.

Bif Naked’s unparalleled talent, dedication, and enduring impact continue to captivate audiences worldwide. As she embarks on this remarkable journey, the celebration of her illustrious career and the anticipation surrounding her latest accolades reach new heights.

Bif Naked, a dynamic force in music, TV, film, and dance, boasts a storied career as a multi-platinum and gold singer-songwriter. Celebrated and notorious in equal measure, her journey reads like a whirlwind—a gripping saga of resilience, rebellion, and unwavering advocacy.
Orphaned in India, she found solace and liberation in punk rock, her indomitable spirit only growing stronger through the trials that followed. Empowered by her triumph over

breast cancer, kidney failure, heart surgery, divorce, and the relentless challenges of navigating the cutthroat Entertainment Industry as a Woman, Bif emerges as an undeniable icon, her legacy marked by multi-platinum-selling records, best-selling books, and an irrepressible entrepreneurial spirit.

Yet, Bif’s impact extends far beyond her own success. As a mentor and manager, she generously imparts her wisdom to fellow artists, leaving an indelible mark on the creative landscape. A tireless advocate for animal rights and human rights alike, Bif stands as an unstoppable force, defying every obstacle in her path.

In a world where conformity reigns supreme, Bif Naked transcends expectations, emerging as one of the 21st Century’s most distinctive, recognizable, and cherished icons—a living testament to the enduring power of resilience, passion, and unwavering commitment.

As a trailblazing figure in the realms of music, television, film, and dance, Bif Naked stands poised at the pinnacle of her illustrious career marking a significant milestone, as she proudly commemorates the 25th Anniversary of her multi-platinum album, “I, Bificus XXXV,” released under her private label, HerRoyalMajestys.com, in Canada.

Bad Romance: Insider-Turned-Novelist HUNTER SNOW Puts Music-Biz Types In The “Crush” Groove

Eric Alper
-
0
Bad Romance: Insider-Turned-Novelist HUNTER SNOW Puts Music-Biz Types In The “Crush” Groove

If you had to assign the music business to a literary category, you’d have lots of options: horror, true crime, maybe science fiction. But none of those possibilities has the storytelling potential of a good romance. Enter Rock Crush and Roll, an amorous potboiler from author Hunter Snow that shows what happens behind the scenes can be even spicier than what goes on in the lyrics.

The plot in a nutshell: A female artist manager named Tyler Robertson works at a company that represents the biggest rock star in the world, Cary Kingston. But when their relationship becomes more than professional, she has a lot of soul-searching to do. For one thing, she’s violating her hard-earned policy against dating musicians. (Ever been in or around a band? Good call!) And his lifestyle is hardly conducive to having a serious relationship. Now she must navigate a precarious courtship while trying to figure out if her attraction is really to him, or merely to what he represents.

“This book, at its core, is about navigating relationships,” says author Snow. “Friends, families, partners, colleagues, and what truly makes you happy at the end of the day.”

The musical milieu of the story was a natural for Snow, a resident of the Pacific Northwest who once held an unspecified job in the business.

“I had to be careful not to base the characters on specific people in the music industry,” she says, “but you might recognize some of them—or think you do.”

And if that weren’t a guessing game enough, she’s sprinkled her narrative with more than 300 bits of music trivia and related references. Can you spot them all before Tyler and Cary find genuine domestic bliss … or rip each other’s hearts to shreds like off-brand Kleenex?

Not just a steamy page-turner, the novel has its light-hearted elements as well. “My copy editor spit out his coffee while reading one part of the book because he was laughing so hard,” Snow says. “That made my day.” Yet there’s a serious agenda at work here too.

“As a single woman, I wanted to write about positive relationships with men. Yes, some men are terrible to women and some women are terrible to men. But it was important to me that the main character in this book had a good relationship with her dad.”

Written in six weeks and edited over the course of a year, the novel is now available as a 332-page paperback or Kindle download from Tellwell Talent. And it isn’t the last word on the subject from Snow—at least not exactly:

“I don’t have any plans to write a sequel,” she says. “However, my next book is also a rock ‘n roll romance with an entirely different trope.”
One horror/true crime/sci-fi relationship story, comin’ right up!

RUTH MOODY of The Wailin’ Jennys Makes Triumphant Return With “Seventeen” From Upcoming Album ‘Wanderer’ Out May 17

Eric Alper
-
0
RUTH MOODY of The Wailin’ Jennys Makes Triumphant Return With “Seventeen” From Upcoming Album ‘Wanderer’ Out May 17

No matter how far you think you’ve come, it’s hard to resist thinking about what might have been. That’s the rationale behind “Seventeen,” the achingly wistful single from Canadian singer-songwriter Ruth Moody’s forthcoming album, Wanderer, out May 17 on Blue Muse Records/True North Records.

In her gentle yet authoritative soprano, Moody looks back on a teenage crush that followed the sad but typical trajectory from something craved to something squandered:

If I could go back
I’d show you all the ways that you made me feel
If I could go back
I’d take you in my arms, try and set us free
If I could go back
I wouldn’t be here now trying to say “I’m sorry”
I was seventeen

The open-tuned guitars, delicate delivery and overall “sadder but wiser” vibe of the track reveal Moody’s debt to one of her musical heroes, Joni Mitchell, indeed. At the same time, the infectious melody and eternally relevant depiction of adolescent yearning give “Seventeen” a commercial potential that puts it right up there with the Taylors and Avrils of today.

The song is an uncharacteristically long look back for Wanderer, which mostly concerns itself with the path Moody’s life has taken since the release of her last album, 2013’s These Wilder Things. Basically, she went on an extended hiatus to start a family—hey, John Lennon did it too—and being a mother to a now-7-year-old has lent maturity and focus to the 10 new cuts she and co-producer Dan Knobler laid down at Sound Emporium in Nashville – she currently splits her time between Music City USA and Victoria, BC.

Accruing wisdom has been a lifelong process for Moody, starting with her formative years on a goat farm in Manitoba and the dual education in music and English she received from her teacher parents. She went from singing with her siblings to picking up a guitar, and by her 20s was firmly on the road to success with the Billboard-charting and JUNO-Award-winning folk trio The Wailin’ Jennys, which she co-founded in 2002 (and remains with to this day). Her parallel solo career began in 2010, and she’s also made time for a number of high-profile collaborations with the legendary Mark Knopfler. As a guest in his band, and The Wailin’ Jennys, and as a solo act, she’s appeared on some of the most prestigious stages around the world.

Moody will celebrate the release of Wanderer with a tour of top listening rooms in the U.S. Dates booked so far are as follows:
May 21: Ram’s Head, Annapolis, MD
May 22: World Café Live, Philadelphia, PA
May 23: The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA
May 25: Joe’s Pub, New York City
May 26: State Theatre, State College, PA
May 28: SPACE, Evanston, IL
May 29: Vivarium, Milwaukee, WI
May 30: Ludlow Garage, Cincinnati, OH
July 13 + 14: Winnipeg Folk Festival, Winnipeg, MB

Moody’s welcome back to the concert stage begins less than a week after Wanderer drops. What a way to say “You barely look a day past ‘Seventeen.’”

Canadian Best-Selling Author Jennifer Buchanan Leads Online Seminars Trumpeting The Healing Power Of Music

Eric Alper
-
0
Canadian Best-Selling Author Jennifer Buchanan Leads Online Seminars Trumpeting The Healing Power Of Music

Players and listeners alike love to say that music is their therapy, but not all of them realize the idea has a firm grounding in scientific reality. With March marking Music Therapy Awareness Month all across Canada, there’s no better time to put two events on your April calendar that are poised to reveal just how much music and a well-curated playlist can keep the human mind, body and soul on an even keel.

Presented by renowned expert and advocate Jennifer Buchanan along with some of her team from JB Music Therapy, the online events will approach the topic from two different perspectives. 

The general public is the audience for “What is Music Therapy,” a free webinar being hosted on Wednesday, April 17. The event will provide an introduction to the use of music therapy in everything from the medical field to online music therapy to employee assistance programs. (Read more and register at https://info.jbmusictherapy.com/publicseminar/) 

One day earlier, on Tuesday, April 16, working professionals like psychologists, counsellors and other mental health professionals including music therapists can attend a paid workshop that delves deep into the use of music, and in particular the power of a playlist as an effective treatment in clinical settings. And they can even earn continuing education credits while they do it. (Space is limited; sign up at https://info.jbmusictherapy.com/coursesforclinicians/)

“There is so much scientific, clinical and personal evidence that proves music improves health and well-being,” Buchanan says. “Music can be a sure friend, and I believe there is no better way to give our mental health the care it needs than through the right music, at the right time and in the right way.”

If anyone can make such a statement with authority, it’s Buchanan, a true trailblazer in her field who has been championing the benefits of music therapy for over three decades. As a music therapist herself, she has been instrumental in introducing music therapy to hundreds of individuals and organizations across Canada. And as a keynote speaker and author of best-sellers like 2021’s Wellness, Wellplayed: The Power of a Playlist, she’s introduced countless new converts to the vital function music performs in helping people recover from physical and emotional trauma—not to mention its proactive use in fostering everyday well-being. Those are all especially important considerations in these challenging times, when the scourges of social alienation, work-related stress and homelife pressures have just about everyone feeling overwhelmed and searching for a little harmony.

Buchanan holds both an MTA (designating her as a Certified Music Therapist) and an MBA in social entrepreneurship. A former President and Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Music Therapists, she’s now a Director at the National Music Centre (NMC), where she holds regular public presentations on the ability of music to stimulate the brain and improve mood, memory and motivation.

Her company, JB Music Therapy is home to a diverse team of Certified Music Therapists who treat clients of all ages in medical, educational and community-care environments. The company has been nominated three times for the Community Impact Award by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, and frequently partners with corporations, healthcare institutions and law-enforcement agencies. Buchanan and her work have been profiled in publications like The Guardian, The Huffington Post and The Globe and Mail, giving her a wider platform to explain music’s critical relationship to heart health, neuro-rehabilitation and overall well-being. 

 “Just like our physical health, our mental health requires attention—perhaps now more than ever,” Buchanan says. “When you are in transition or feeling lost, music can be the lifeline you need to get you through to the next step. Even during the most challenging of times, it can reassure us that everything is going to be okay.”

1...1,2871,2881,289...3,081Page 1,288 of 3,081

Follow us on Instagram @thatericalper

That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

Popular posts

Popular category

© Copyright - That Eric Alper