Stephen Sondheim teaches a student from the Guildhall School of Music, London a fragment of ‘Send in the Clowns.’
Rocky Mountains, AB Folk-Roots & Appalachian-Country Swing Band OVER THE MOON Release “Lonesome Bluebird”
Straight from their ranch nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Alberta folk-roots and swing duo Over The Moon deliver their signature stone-ground sound in the form of new single, “Lonesome Bluebird”— available now via Borealis Records.
“This song is basically about a beautiful young woman who is letting the fear of failure or the impression she might be making cause her to miss out on so many of life’s real experiences,” co-front Craig Bignell explains. “She makes up for it by only focusing on her outer beauty and possessions.
“We’ve always loved the movie ‘Cat Ballou’ and the way Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye are always in the shot somewhere, singing songs about the scene,” he continues, with a nod to the duo’s counterpart, Suzanne Levesque. “We thought this would be a great concept for the ‘Lonesome Bluebird’ video.”
As musicians that spent their previous careers recording and performing ‘live’ with other artists, the multi-instrumentalists and singer/songwriters endeavoured on their own pairing — in more ways than one… Somewhere between the milestones of having met and married, the duo discovered that, not only do they collectively draw inspiration from their surroundings, but their voices also blend together beautifully.
Creating music that reflects the pulse of life lived in a territory that is both dirt-hard rugged and breathtakingly stunning, their music is a wild ride from Appalachian old-timey 1940s-esque western swing to contemporary cowboy blues — all woven together with a common thread that speaks of the Canadian west. And as a follow-up to their critically acclaimed debut LP, Moondancer, in 2017, nowhere is this more apparent than through the soundscape that is this year’s 10-song sophomore album, Chinook Waltz.
“Our concept for Chinook Waltz was to try and convey a feeling that one gets living in the foothills of Southwestern Alberta’s ranching community,” Bignell offers, citing the pair’s home base of Longview. “It’s beyond beautiful, but also rugged and unforgiving; people help each other here, and a neighbour is just as important as family.
“Like John Denver’s song ‘Country Roads’ says: ‘Life is old there.’
“We produce and record our music at home, which was a huge learning curve for us, but we feel that we’re able to get the songs and sounds we wanted that way. Words that come to mind to describe it are ‘organic’ or a ‘stone ground sound’…
“There are no studio tricks because we don’t know any,” he adds, with a wink.
“Lonesome Bluebird” and Chinook Waltz are available now.
Waterloo, ON’s JP Sunga Delivers Powerful Testimony In Newest Alternative Soul “Dirty Water”
Diving into the theme of self-redemption and rediscovery, multi-award nominated Canadian singer/songwriter JP Sunga inspires listeners across the board to find inner strength with his profound new single, “Dirty Water” — available now.
“Many of us tend to collect, carry, and keep baggage as we journey through our lives from negative experiences we’ve endured,” JP Sunga shares, “and it can really start to wear us down mentally, emotionally and even physically…
“‘Dirty Water’ is about self-renewal; allowing oneself the courage to accept, and the strength to heal and progress from the hurt, burdens, and regrets of their past.”
In a full-circle moment, embracing the journey towards his own self-renewal is how “Dirty Water” came to be.
While JP Sunga’s career was put on a brief hold in pursuit of creating a loving family, Sunga long-felt the call of music. Launching his music career in the early 2000’s, his respective passions for his family and his craft culminated in the decision to record a legacy project for his children.
In wanting to give his children something they could remember him by forever and, after a long internal journey to prove to himself that, no matter your age or stage in life, you can and should continue to pursue anything you feel called to do, JP Sunga got to work on his upcoming album.
From there “Dirty Water” was conceptualized; featuring an interwoven message of courage and self-renewal, JP Sunga sought to deliver strength to his listeners: “strength to heal and progress from the hurt, burdens, and regrets of their past.”
“Dirty Water” features an eruption of texture and harmonies that pair perfectly with the explosion of joyful voices that are featured in the background. With the help of US-based gospel vocal group, STEMS Music, alternative soul singer-songwriter JP Sunga is able to deliver a mini-pop-opera that is as riveting as it is thunderous.
Pair “Dirty Water” with a music video that expertly outlines the internal struggle of moving forward, and you are graced with a truly remarkable experience. Beyond his innate ability for performance, the Toronto-born, Waterloo-based artist has found success in the scene accompanied by critical acclaim for visual storytelling; the music videos that pair with most of Sunga’s releases have landed this emerging artist several Canadian Independent Music Video Award nominations.
“Dirty Water” is available now.
Brazilian Alt-Rockers WRY Release Poignant, Electric “Where I Stand” About the Complexity of Relationships
Brazilian alternative rock band WRY blesses the musical landscape with their electric new single ˆWhere I Stand” — available now.
The latest single off of WRY’s forthcoming splashy new album Reviver is a poignant love song about the complexity of relationships, and our place within them. The airy nature of the music accompanies the hopeful tone of the message embedded in the lyrics, and demonstrates the sophisticated approach to music that flourishes within the well-travelled band.
“I’m going through this thing in my head
Love is here but she is in despair
I can see her in the shadows
She’s waving in slow motion
I’ll bring her back.”
The international appeal of WRY’s unique flavour is effortlessly telegraphed through their lyrics like a warm breeze across the sands of Brazil’s world-famous beaches. The fun and liberating aesthetic of the band is conveyed further through the music video by renowned director Alex Batista. The video is a callback to childhood innocence with the band riding bicycles on an airplane runway in their hometown of Sorocaba, Brazil.
ˆWhere I Stand” joins nine other catchy tracks set to form Reviver — the third in a trilogy of album releases planned by the band; the award-winning first record release, Noites Infinitas (2020), and the second remix album, Reimagining Noites Infinitas (2021) were released in the past year to critical acclaim.
For its part, Reviver is composed of musical arrangements accumulated throughout WRY’s career that have been resurrected and re-recorded. WRY’s philosophy is to “rescue and recycle art,” and “to show how timeless the power of music can be.”
While the writing process took place in multiple countries, the recording process occurred at the band’s own Deaf Haus studios in Sorocaba, Brazil.
With a culturally diverse and rich musical history, there is no shortage of inspiration for any aspiring band in Brazil. WRY was formed in the late 90s to counter conventional sound, and take cues from genre-defining artists — including The Cure, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, and The Clash.
WRY’s debut album Direct (1998) would find some success locally before moving their musical operation to London, UK, to develop their artistry further. Gracing soundstages across Europe allowed the band to refine their craft while putting their music out in multiple formats on cassette, CD, and vinyl. The band is currently composed of Italo Ribeiro on drums, William Leonotti on bass, guitarist Luciano Marcello, and vocalist/instrumentalist Mario Bross rounding out the group.
WRY’s infectious new single “Where I Stand” is available now!
Toronto Folk-Rocker Dany Horovitz Captures the Joyful Sound a Mended Heart Makes with “Moving On”
Capturing that golden moment when you realize time truly heals and that the spiritual superglue of making new memories can actually mend a broken heart is Canadian folk-rock artist Dany Horovitz and his joyful and personal debut single, “Moving On” — available now.
The lead single in advance of Horovitz’s forthcoming debut album, Free Times, due in early 2022, “Moving On” takes the ‘moving’ part of its title — moving, as in high energy — very seriously. The Toronto-based singer-songwriter calls this jubilant stomper “an upbeat folk-pub song about the moment you’re no longer heartbroken”; think The Lumineers plus a few beers.
Knowing so many playlists are packed top to bottom with romantic pathos, Horovitz gathered inspiration from personal experience for “Moving On” and opted instead to shine a light on a bright, new day after the dark drama. “We focus a lot on the agony of a breakup,” he explains, “but one day, some time after my heart had been broken, I became aware of feeling great for the first time in a while, and wanted to capture that feeling.”
Horovitz riffed on those good feelings and wrote down everything he could about them. “Then, I worked on and refined my thoughts until it became a song,” he says. “Our protagonist telling his tale in a pub to friends, and everyone relating, eventually joining in the chorus.”
And all my haunting memories,
They do not mean a thing to me,
They’ve faded and I know I lost my marbles.
But I kept my promise too,
I met the night, saw it through.
And so I pack my bags and I am leaving,
Moving on.
The jovial, Beatles-style double/single handclaps and foot stomps in “Moving On” go a long way to moving forward Horovitz’s musical cause of “resurrecting that old school rock ‘n’ roll sound and reforming it for the modern era.” It’s an influence and desire that hits very close to home for the Montréal-born artist.
“My grandfather, who was a watchmaker by trade, had a record store franchise in Montréal when I was growing up,” Horovitz recalls in a recent interview with podcast Music From Friends. “So, my parents always had great records in the house. We’d always be listening to a very old style of music. It would be ‘50s and ‘60s rock ‘n’ roll.”
His father would play Beatles songs on guitar for him and his brother and eventually, Horovitz started picking up his dad’s guitar and writing his own songs.
A songwriter with a gift for infusing modern takes on familiar melodies, Horovitz lists his main influences as an all-Canadian, intriguing combo of urban poets Leonard Cohen, Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor and Bryan Adams, along with rural daydreamers Gordon Lightfoot and Stan Rogers. Horovitz’s lyrics are stories of love, loss and life, drawing inspiration from ancient poets, modern philosophers and personal experiences.
“When you go to McGill and you’re in Literature, the ghost of Leonard Cohen is everywhere. I mean that in the best of senses!”
However, even though this songwriter has a literature degree, don’t expect a bunch of academic and pedantic prose. First and foremost, Horowitz writes songs to be enjoyed — and he hopes you do, starting with this one.
“Moving On” from the forthcoming debut album Free Times is available now!
Sonic Reducers: Oasis Cover Band Fans Snowed In At Venue For 3 Days!
Sonic Reducers. 1 topic. 2 music nerds. 5 minutes.
We discuss about the bunch of pubgoers being trapped with an Oasis cover band for 3 days by a snowstorm, try to imagine which bands we wouldn’t mind being stuck with.
Canadian Rocker SINEMATIC Navigate Depths of Reconciliation & Struggle in Blistering “Indigenous”
Navigating the depths of reconciliation and the Indigenous struggle, Quebec-based hard alt.rock outfit Sinematic scorch the soundscape with a blistering new single, “Indigenous” — available now.
The alter-ego of author and composer Ayden Grey, “Indigenous” is the first single to land from the artist’s forthcoming sophomore album, The Dark Circus. The release was produced under NTRTNMNT.ca to craft a soundscape that complements his vision, and the visceral feel of the song was achieved by the sonic craftsmanship of Cree sound-designer/programmer Zachary Ithahokow, Metis guitar maestro Everett Mayhew, and with backing vocals provided by Janessa Von Koppen.
Armed with compositional expertise and stellar production value, Sinematic takes the stereotypical trappings of a hard rock/metal band and refines the formula. Along with the band’s signature sound, the heart-pounding lyrics are a testament to the resilience of Indigenous communities and the pride of a culture that has endured for countless generations.
“I am Indigenous
I will speak my voice out loud
So together we must rise up
After all this time in the dark
They can’t take control of our hearts
Cause we are Indigenous.”
Sinematic released “Indigenous” on Orange Shirt Day in remembrance of all the lives lost during the prominence of Canada’s residential school system. The song is inspired by the injustices that continue to be perpetrated against all First Nations communities, and serves as an urgent call-to-action in addressing the horrors that have tormented Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations for decades.
The lyrical intensity of the track aligns with Sinematic’s overarching agenda: to continue to shine a light on the darkness through the power of music so society may never again affirm a world in which cultural genocide is accepted.
Sinematic is challenging the status quo by harnessing his creative talents and aligning with other Indigenous artists to raise awareness in a genre of music typically scolded for promoting controversy and indecency.
Sophisticated compositions seamlessly weave through cerebral conversations on the fight for social justice and equality, and the unapologetic urgency with which Sinematic speaks on the most pressing issues reflects a new consciousness in the newer generation of artists.
With Ayden Grey’s musical storytelling ability ensuring Sinematic will be on the frontlines of fighting for Indigenous freedom for as long as it takes, this year’s upcoming release of The Dark Circus follows Sinematic’s 2020 12-track debut LP, Relentless.
“Indigenous” is available now. The Dark Circus is available December 2021.
Cape Breton Artist, Advocate & Educator Buffy MacNeil’s “Somebody Pray” Launches to Support Indigenous Youth
In honouring those who have suffered within Canada’s Residential School system, as well as supporting Indigenous youth, multi-award nominated singer, songwriter, advocate and educator Buffy MacNeil’s new song, “Somebody Pray,” is available now.
“I was asked during a conversation with Dr. Isabelle Knockwood to promise not to forget her stories,” Buffy shares of the now-late esteemed author, advocate, and Residential School survivor. “Dr. Knockwood’s words resonated as I put pen to paper to honour those who have suffered so terribly in these institutions.”
When MacNeil began to envision all the ways she could bring support to the health and well-being of Indigenous youth, the lyrics for “Somebody Pray” came pouring out as she reflected on those in her life who have been impacted by the system’s violent history.
“I felt like the song just needed to come out,” Buffy says. “My heart was thinking of my daughters, their families, and other relations in my life who have been affected across, and within, generations.”
The song is part of the “Somebody Pray Project,” which started in this past January; as part of a recently launched crowd-funding campaign, its purpose is to support the creation of a youth care and advocacy centre in the community of the Paq’tnkek Mi’kmaw Nation.
“As the project moves forward, I believe that it’s important to give back to the Indigenous community,” she continues. “My goal is to raise awareness — both locally, as well as provincially, nationally, and globally — about the systemic and institutional barriers and exclusion that historically and currently impact Indigenous youth, and to advocate for social change relevant to policies impacting Indigenous youth through the arts and music.
“I’m hoping to promote youth engagement that focuses on mentorship, skill development, and empowerment towards community well-being, and envision the creation of a space for Indigenous youth that provides relevant traditional knowledge, support and advocacy.”
Born in Arichat, Cape Breton — the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Mi’kmaq — Buffy MacNeil’s musical roots are inspired by her Scottish, Acadian, and Mi’kmaw ancestry.
Her foray into music started young; encouraged to sing at age five, and receiving her first fiddle from her grandmother at age 11, she was later mentored by Cape Breton fiddle legends John Donald Cameron and Gordon Cote. Inspired by her grandfather’s love of fiddle musicians such as Winston Fitzgerald, Lee Cremo, and Ashley MacIsaac, Buffy’s talent and vocals would soon soar into a unique, natural soprano so distinct, they immediately whisk audiences into her powerful and transformative world.
Landing ahead of her forthcoming album, “Somebody Pray” — and the project at large — joins Buffy’s previous releases, including several albums with her husband, Larry Boutilier: 2014’s Surrounded and 2005’s Petals from the Roses, with the Birchmountain Bluegrass Band. The former release was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award, and the latter was nominated for the East Coast Music Award.
Jesse Cook Announces Cross-Country Canada & U.S. “Tempest II” Tour — PLUS New Studio Album, Libre
Jesse Cook — the multi-Platinum/Gold award-winning and internationally acclaimed producer, composer, and guitarist — has announced his Canadian and U.S. “Tempest II” tour, alongside the release of his new music video for the song “Oran,” and another single, “Updraft” — available now.
The two songs arrive ahead of Jesse Cook’s 11th studio album, Libre. Out Friday, December 3rd via Jesse’s own Coach House label imprint, distributed by Outside Music/Redeye, the 10-track album combines Cook’s iconic Spanish guitar flair with Algerian multi-instrumentalist Fethi Nadjem, modern trap rhythms and 808 beats.
“I wrote and recorded Libre during the pandemic when, like most people, I was longing for freedom,” Cook shares of the new project. “My music was my escape from the four walls that surrounded me, and the storm that was swirling outside.”
The inspiration for Libre came from a long summer-day drive with his 14-year old, Cook reveals. “My daughter entertained me with her favorite playlists, much of which were trap and 808-inspired. I loved them too, and a question was planted in my mind: ‘what would my music sound like mixed with those sounds?’”
He wasn’t short on material to draw from; it’s been more than 25 years since the internationally-lauded virtuoso first stepped onto the scene with his now-iconic release, Tempest. In the time since, he’s come to hold ten Gold and Platinum studio albums with a combined sales of two+ million copies, five concert DVDs and live discs, five PBS specials, and multiple awards — a JUNO win, 11 nominations, three Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards, a Gemini, and an Acoustic Guitar Magazine Player’s Choice Silver Award.
The digital convergence of the past several years has also resulted in Cook’s music streamed in rather impressive numbers across a series of platforms; by September 2021, his Spotify stats had surpassed 55+ million, and plays on Pandora soaring beyond the 300+ million milestone. YouTube’s universally visual appeal has also grown steadily for Cook’s connection with audiences, with his channel accumulating upwards of 25+ million views since 2010.
“Oran” and “Updraft” are available now. Libre is available December 3rd.
And Jesse Cook’s Tempest II Tour officially kicks off this January.
// Track Listing for Libre
“No. 5”
“HEY!”
“Boom”
“Libre”
“Onward Till Dawn”
“Solace”
“Jaleo”
“Updraft”
“Oran”
“One World, One Voice”
// Tempest II Tour Dates
January 17 – The Port Theatre, Nanaimo, BC
January 19 – Bing Crosby Theatre, Spokane, WA
January 20 – Edmonds Centre For the Arts, Edmonds, WA
January 21 – Aladdin Theatre, Portland, OR
January 22 – Tower Theatre, Bend, OR
January 23 – Criterion Theatre, Medford, OR
January 25 – Pioneer Performing Arts Centre, Reno, NV
January 26 – The Centre for the Arts, Grass Valley, CA
January 27 – World Records, Bakersfield, CA
January 28 – Palace of the Fine Arts Theatre, San Francisco, CA
January 29 – Rio Theatre, Santa Cruz, CA
January 30 – California Centre For the Arts, Escondido, CA
February 1 – Del E Webb, Wickenburg, AZ
February 2 – Virginia G Piper Theatre at the Scottsdale Centre for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale, AZ
February 3 – Fox Tucson Theatre, Tucson, AZ
February 4 – National Hispanic Cultural Centre, Albuquerque, NM
February 5 – Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO
February 22 – Winspear Centre, Edmonton, AB
February 24 – Kelowna Community Theatre, Kelowna, BC
February 25 – The Clarke Theatre, Mission, BC
February 26 – The Centre, Vancouver, BC
March 2 – Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary, AB
March 3 – Knox United Church, Saskatoon, SK
March 4 – Knox United Church, Saskatoon, SK
March 5 – Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg, MB
March 30 – Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak, MI
March 31 – Wealthy Theatre, Grand Rapids, MI
April 2 – South Milwaukee Performing Arts Centre, South Milwaukee, WI
April 3 – The Sheldon, St. Louis, MO
April 6 – Lincoln Theatre, Columbus, OH
April 7 – Music Box, Cleveland, OH
April 8 – Memorial Hall, Cincinnati, OH
April 9 – Walker Theatre, Chattanooga, TN
April 10 – Buckhead Theatre, Atlanta, GA
April 11 – Franklin Theatre, Franklin TN
April 14 – Stafford Centre, Houston, TX
April 15 – The Majestic, Dallas, TX
May 11 – Centennial Hall, London, ON
May 12 – Centre in the Square, London, ON
May 13 – Meridian Hall, Toronto, ON
May 14 – The Empire Theatre, Belleville, ON
May 15 – National Arts Centre, Ottawa, ON
June 8 – Salle Louis-Frechette at the Grand Theatre de Quebec, Quebec City, QC
Songs Inspired By The Film The Beatles And India 2CD Set Available Now
Complementing the documentary release detailing The Beatles and their culturally groundbreaking time in India, Songs Inspired By The Film The Beatles And India is available now.
The album features Beatles’ songs written during their stay in Rishikesh, India — including “Mother Nature’s Son,” “Revolution,” “Sexy Sadie,” “Dear Prudence,” “Child of Nature” — as well as songs from their incredible catalogue coloured by their earlier leanings to the magical sounds of India. The two-disc set also includes an all-original score written by award-winning composer Benji Merrison.
Featuring a diverse cast of Indian artists showcasing their own musical styles — including Vishal Dadlani, Kiss Nuka, Benny Dayal, Dhruv Ghanekar, Karsh Kale, Nikhil D’Souza, Anoushka Shankar, Farhan Ahktar, Soulmate, and many others — Songs Inspired By The Film The Beatles And India also brings contemporary and classical Indian influences and techniques to the record.
The hypnotic, lyrical soundtrack for The Beatles and India was written by award-winning composer Benji Merrison and recorded at Abbey Road Studio 2, the legendary home of The Beatles recording sessions, Budapest, Hungary and Pune, India. Both a classically trained composer and a skilled music producer and engineer, Benji has scored music for projects across film, television, installations and events. His distinctive musical voice is in high demand and he is known for SAS: Red Notice, Forces of Nature with Brian Cox, Dynasties, General Magic.
The award-winning film The Beatles And India is a unique historical chronicle of the enduring love affair between The Beatles and India that started more than half a century ago. Rare archival footage, recordings and photographs, eye-witness accounts and expert comments along with location shoots across India bring alive the fascinating journey of George, John, Paul and Ringo from their high octane celebrity lives in the West to a remote Himalayan ashram in search of spiritual bliss that inspires an unprecedented burst of creative songwriting. It is the first serious exploration of how India shaped the development of the greatest ever rock band and their own pioneering role bridging two vastly different cultures. The Beatles And India was directed by Ajoy Bose and co-directed by Peter Compton. The film was produced by Reynold D’Silva (Renoir Pictures / Silva Screen Productions) with executive producers Adam Greenup and Keith Ferreira. The documentary won Best Film Audience Choice and Best Music at the 2021 UK Asian Film Festival.
// Disc One – Songs Inspired By The Film
Tomorrow Never Knows – Performed by Kiss Nuka
Mother Nature’s So – Performed by Karsh Kale / Benny Dayal
Gimme Some Truth – Performed by Soulmate
Across The Universe – Performed by Tejas / Mali
Everybody’s Got Something To Hide (Except Me And My Monkey) – Performed by Rohan Rajadhyaksha / Warren Mendonsa
I Will – Performed by Shibani Dandekar / Neil Mukherjee
Julia – Performed by Dhruv Ghanekar
Child of Nature – Performed by Anupam Roy
The Inner Light – Performed by Anoushka Shankar / Karsh Kale
The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill – Performed by Raaga Trippin
Back In The USSR – Performed by Karsh Kale / Farhan Ahktar
I’m So Tired – Performed by Lisa Mishra / Warren Mendonsa
Sexy Sadie – Performed by Siddharth Basrur / Neil Mukherjee
Martha My Dear – Performed by Nikhil D’Souza
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) – Performed by Parekh & Singh
Revolution – Performed by Vishal Dadlani / Warren Mendonsa
Love You To – Performed by Dhruv Ghanekar
Dear Prudence – Performed by Karsh Kale / Monica Dogra
India, India – Performed by Nikhil D’Souza