All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her at minismemories@hotmail.com
Photo Gallery: The Sheepdogs with Terra Lightfoot at Toronto’s OLG Play Stage
1-minute tip for artists: Milestones! Yay!
Congratulations on reaching whatever you just did! You rock!
TPOH -> Universal Honey -> Saskatoon, SK’s TUCKER LANE Releases New Single Paper Wings
Canadian alt-country rockers Tucker Lane are soaring high on “Paper Wings” with this, the release of their newest single — available now.
“This song is about taking a chance on love, even though you might get burned,” the band says of the track’s meaning, begging the question: “Is the fire going to be uplifting? As in a spark? Or will it be devastating, like a house fire?”
Featuring Platinum- and Gold-selling The Pursuit of Happiness and Universal Honey alums Leslie Stanwyck and Johnny Sinclair, as well as Brent Carlin and Warren Medernach, the song lands ahead of the award-nominated Americana act’s forthcoming album, available this Fall.
The release follows both Tucker Lane’s debut 2015 offering, West of Minnesota, North of North Dakota, as well as a lengthy separation due to COVID-19.
“We made it a point to follow the guidelines provided, and when we first began rehearsals for completing the album, we all included each other as part of our social bubbles,” Stanwyck shares. “It had been a while; after the lockdown first started in March, the band didn’t see each other until June. Getting together after a long separation fuelled a level of inspiration and creativity we feel is evident in the finished album.”
Mixed by industry heralded music master Bart McKay (Gord Bamford, Brett Kissel, Kevin Churko), the song — and album — was recorded entirely at Stanwyck and Sinclair’s Honeytunes production studio.
For the album, Tucker Lane added Sam Derbawka’s mandolin, violin, and Pedal Steel into the repertoire, adding “just the right amount of flavour to help us achieve that paisley, California, ‘easy going’ vibe,” Sinclair says. “The album is a collection of songs compiled much in the same manner as Some Girls by the Rolling Stones; we have lots of variety with no track ever sounding out of place.”
Ottawa’s Blues/Hip Hop Duo DRAE’s Political Prediction Comes True in “Take Cover”
Funnelling explosive blues-rock riffs into heady alt-hip hop rhythms and immersive electronic arrangements comes award-winning Ottawa, ON duo DRAE’s timely and culturally prescient new single “Take Cover” — available now.
“The revolution won’t be televised”
“This song was written as a hypothetical view of a world where a government and its systems — particularly law enforcement — have turned on its own citizens,” says frontman and producer Andre Thibault. “Unfortunately we are seeing this become a reality, both with our neighbours south of the border, as well as our own federal police force with minority groups and Indigenous peoples.”
“It’s a rally cry of sorts,” drummer and percussionist Matt Robillard adds. “A declaration that real change doesn’t come from burying our faces in screens and staying informed, it comes from confronting the source of the issue head on, no matter how ugly that may be.”
“Take Cover” is the premiere single to land ahead of the Ottawa-based duo’s forthcoming EP, TARDIGRADE — set for release this year via Montreal’s Dance Plant Records.
With a Toronto Independent Music Award to their credit, DRAE have performed at JUNOFest, RBC Bluesfest, Canadian Music Week, Northern Touch Music Festival, and more, and received radio-play and critical acclaim across previous releases TRI (2018), E/Scape (The Live Sessions) (2017), and E/Scape (2016).
Blue Frog Studios Announce First Fall 2020 Concert Streams with Legendary Blues Man Jim Byrnes — Plus Tributes to Heart, AC/DC & MORE
Canada’s Blue Frog Studios has announced their exclusive Fall 2020 concert lineup — including premium, high definition livestreamed tributes to Heart and AC/DC via Barracuda and Live Voltage, respectively, and a special upcoming concert series with the multi-award winning legendary blues icon himself, Jim Byrnes. Tickets can be purchased here.
The homegrown ‘first-and-only of its kind’ series of live-streamed concerts from the British Columbia-based broadcast and recording theatre are an experience for the ages, and feature everything audiences traditionally enjoy from a live show: premium production, incredible acoustics, stunning visuals…
Only thing missing is a drink spilled on your shoe!
“This is a way for audiences to support and enjoy live music from their comfy couch,” Blue Frog Studios co-owner Kelly Breaks says. “We connect Canadians with performers and immerse them in the best concert sound they’ll ever experience at home.”
Artists agree: GRAMMY and JUNO Award-winning singer/songwriter Dan Hill says “I want to kidnap Blue Frog Studios and take it around the world with me. I can’t wait to come back!” while Platinum-selling and one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s Greatest Singers of All Timers Paul Rodgers says “LOVE Blue Frog… What a great room.”
Located in the west coast beach town of White Rock, Blue Frog’s state-of-the-art concert theatre was already a jewel on the Canadian concert scene long before COVID-19 and the resulting concert cancellations factored in. Able to accommodate up to an 80-piece orchestra plus an intimate 100-seat audience, the studio provides world-class sound, lighting, video and audio recording technology — all helmed by an unparalleled production team.
Tickets for concerts at Blue Frog Studios range from $5.29 to $9.50 for individual shows, or music lovers can subscribe to the Studio’s Blue Frog TV. The $7.99 monthly ‘ticket’ of sorts includes a virtual seat to all upcoming live streams, exclusive behind-the-scenes content, and extended access to Blue Frog’s full library of archived shows — including the Philosopher Kings, Jane Bunnett, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, Crystal Shawanda, Jefferson Starship, Sue Foley, Daniel Wesley, Powder Blues, and (many) more.
Upcoming Concert Lineup at Blue Frog Studios:
Barracuda – Heart Tribute — LIVESTREAM
Saturday, September 19th @ 7pm PST / 10pm EST
Livestream Tickets – $9.50
Live Voltage – AC/DC Tribute — LIVESTREAM
Saturday, September 26th @ 7pm PST / 10pm EST
Livestream Tickets – $9.50
Jim Byrnes — LIVESTREAM
Saturday, October 3rd @ 7pm PST / 10pm EST
The Lonely – Roy Orbison Tribute — LIVESTREAM
Saturday, February 27th @ 7pm PST / 10pm EST
Toronto’s Alessandro Montelli & Karizma Amplify Messages of Equality, Justice & Humanity in New Collab, “1 Race”
At 10,000 streams across platforms, Karizma and Alessandro Montelli continue to amplify messages of equality, justice and humanity in their new collaborative track, “1 Race.”
“This is a song that represents the change we want to see in the world right now,” they say. “It’s inspired by everything that’s been going on in our world with police brutality, racism, and injustices.
“It also looks at the tough times, especially recently, and is wishing for everyone to stay safe and keep social distancing for a better world to minimize the spread of COVID-19.”
Having met in April 2020 during a street performance in partnership with Kisani Hub and Canadian Stage, Montelli jumped at the chance to work on the song that had yet to be finished by Toronto-based rapper Karizma (Brent Doctolero). They recorded in Montelli’s home studio with final production credits extending to James Taylor (Jay-Boz) and mastering by John Longley.
The collaborative foundation of the track doesn’t end there; the song’s first video is a lyric visual and features a compilation of videos from the pair’s fans around the world, as well as recognizable faces from the Canadian scene such as Ezra Jordan, Mike Ruby, Max Parker, Lorraine Lawson, Crash Adams, Nicole Haber, Sheena Osman, Sarah Jordan, Matt Von, Devin Moody, Joshua Sade James, MC Sulek, RRAQS, and more.
“Also, my friend and photographer Daniel Dorta, who edited the first video, had participated in one of the peaceful protests in Toronto and has some shots from the event,” Montelli adds. “I asked to pick one for the song’s cover art and, as you can see, it worked out perfectly; we couldn’t have found a better shot to represent the song and the movement we’re trying to create.”
“For the video concept in general, it wasn’t about us being in front of the camera,” Karizma shares. “We didn’t want to make an official music video because, for us, it was all about the message of the song; we wanted people to just focus on the lyrics.
“But people were reaching out to us and wanted an official one!”
The result is a secondary video release, filmed and directed by Renjie Li and Akiem Ra-Zhi, featuring on-the-ground footage from this summer’s #blacklivesmatters protests downtown Toronto.
The 7th Annual South Coast Jazz & Blues Festival Will Be Livestreamed Free THIS Weekend
The South Coast Jazz & Blues Festival is gearing up for its seventh annual iteration this weekend, this time as a free online live streamed production featuring the styles of Jackie Richardson, Micah Barnes, John Finley, Queen Pepper & more.
Set to take centre stage direct to your streaming device starting each day at 6:00pm EST this September 18th, 19th and 20th, the 2020 Festival will also include Jazz West, Aleef Mehdi, Ben Duff, The Jesse Murphy Trio, Aaron Bell, Gail Fuller, Ian Bell and the Shotts.
South Coast Jazz & Blues Festival is offering a special $25 VIP price for your own copy of the show, as well as a free-access virtual streaming option each day via their website.
Multi-Award Winning Guitarist & Lead MonkeyJunk-er TONY D Releases New Instrumental Compilation, Speak No Evil
A flurry of instrumentals on a genre-bending journey serve as a career retrospective of epic proportions when it comes to multi-JUNO, Maple Blues and Blues Music Award-winning guitarist Tony D’s new album, Speak No Evil — and newly minted track “70s Big Muff” — available now!
It’s a blues foundation stacked with layers of psychedelic rock, pseudo flamenco with a surf edge, and a thread of jazz throughout the ages wound around it all. Available now, Speak No Evil lands as a 11-track LP mining the archives of the critically acclaimed and internationally accomplished artist’s long-spanning career, including with The Tony D Band and MonkeyJunk.
“This is the only new song on the album,” Tony D says of “70s Big Muff.” “The title is a nod towards the fuzz pedal that was used to create the 70s style of psychedelic rock made by the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Cream. It’s been a big influence on my music from the beginning of my career.
“A lot of the songs on the album have very layered influences, which means many of the improvisational music styles work so well together, particularly in an instrumental format,” he continues. “Argentinian Surf Tango,’ for instance, melds together with Latin music and the surf styles of Dick Dale and the Gypsy jazz style of Django Reinhardt.
“I played with a band called James Cohen Caravan, and you’ll also find some of those tracks on the album. I was on tour in Europe and was fortunate enough to see some Gypsy jazz players in Paris, which inspired me to go back to my hotel room that night and write ‘Blue Gypsy’ — which, along with ‘Argentinian Surf Tango’ was produced by Richard Bell, pianist for Janis Joplin, The Band, and Bruce Cockburn.
“And then there’s Flamenco, which is not unlike blues in that you improvise within a set form of music, and is also why I’m attracted to jazz, which you’ll hear throughout some tracks as well.
“Flamenco, though…” he muses. “It’s one of the most romantic styles of guitar music around. I was born in Italy so much of the sounds of Latin rhythm music are familiar to me on account of my heritage.”
Speaking of heritage, Tony Diteodoro received his first guitar at age 13; purchased by his father, he was then told “with a guitar and a new pair of shoes, you can travel the world.”
And so he has; his 40+ year careers as an internationally heralded blues guitarist include Tony D’s extensive work as a solo artist, opening for Stevie Ray Vaughan, playing for Buddy Guy, and more recently, lead guitarist with MonkeyJunk — his band that’s amassed two JUNO Awards, a Blues Music Award, and more than 20+ Maple Blues Awards.
Speak No Evil rises to the top as the guitarist’s most impassioned collection of both early and current works, including the newest addition to his repertoire, “70s Big Muff” — and arguably the reason the album exists in the first place.
“I wrote and recorded this song on the spot last year in the studio with my band, Joe Hawkins and Mary Gellner. I think the version that’s on the album is the second take. It sent me into a bit of a time machine of my instrumental recordings over the years, and was the impetus for making the compilation.
“Why now? After recording ‘70s Big Muff,’ I realized how many instrumentals I had recorded over the years, and that I had a body of work worthy of compiling. I love the sound of guitar, I love instrumentals, and I love the different formats in which these sounds weave in and out of each other to make a nuanced piece of music.
“I always thought Speak No Evil would be a great title for an instrumental album because, obviously, nothing is spoken on the tracks,” he finishes. “But also, it’s about not speaking hate, being good to people, and spreading love.
“That’s what music is about to me: Spreading love.”
Toronto Alt. Pop Singer/Songwriter JADYN LAMB Calls Out the “Liar” in New Single
There’s a reason Toronto alt pop singer/songwriter Jadyn Lamb sounds so confident on “Liar,” her eighth, newest and smoothest single yet: she’s become fearless in love.
Bold, self-assured, dauntless, and daring, you could even say.
“I’ve played enough emotional games in relationships,” the Toronto-based vocalist shares. “If I feel like I’m being lied to, no matter who you are, I’ll call you out.
“And this time, ’Liar’ speaks for me.”
The track lands as an effortless fusion of chill pop and contemporary R&B, with a suave beat hitting hot-and-heavy while fragments of Lamb’s calm, calculated vocals swirl into a slick melody. In fact, she’s never sounded stronger, despite admitting she had no control at the time the song was being written.
“It’s frustrating, not knowing what the other person is thinking,” she recalls. “That lack of communication really annoys me.
“Sometimes, I wish I could read people’s minds…”
She might not be able to, but listeners certainly gain intimate glimpses into that of hers across her growing roster of work; 2020 alone has already delivered “Bad Sign” and “Friends,” the first a plea to her younger sister navigating an abusive relationship, and the latter an electrifying pop track layered with lush melodies as she tackles stunted relationship dynamics and feeling discontent.
Folk Duo KYRA AND TULLY Get a Life-Changing Lay of the Land in Their New Single “Flowers Wild”
Canadian folk-pop outfit Kyra and Tully ventured out among the “Flowers Wild” for this, their new single — available now!
The song blooms ahead of the duo’s forthcoming and fifth studio album, Time, set for release this November, and its inspiration stems from their unique experience staying at and tending to their friend’s 100 acre bio-dynamic farm.
“The lyrics for ‘Flowers Wild’ are a collection of ideas and feelings I had captured in a little journal during what was a life-changing experience,” Kyra recalls. “It was at our friend’s farm where we stayed for two weeks over March Break last year, and it was the first time we helped care for their animals: 25 chickens, 12 goats, four cows, four white ducks, a bunch of sheep, a Great Pyrenees and a cat — as well as our own dear dog, a Golden Labrador retriever who has since passed, Sodo.
“The farm was still in the grasp of winter when we arrived,” she continues. “It was frozen solid, but then very quickly changed into a major spring melt down which kept us busy while engaging our special needs son; we had cows and goats breaking out of the fence to the green grass that was calling… A chicken passed in our care…
“A massive vegetable garden lay on one side of the main house, covered in the soon-melting snow, and the barn where the animals lived was on the other. At the time, and even still, I was struck by the synchronicity of the relationship between the vegetables and the animals, with us humans in the middle. It stood out to me how, in my mind, we all need each other to exist in a healthy, balanced way.”
Further to “Flowers Wild,” Time is set to expand on the husband-and-wife artists’ own healthy and balanced coexistence, both creatively and as life partners. Recorded at Battersea, Ontario’s Leopard Frog Studio, and co-produced by engineer Chris Coleman (Nightsun, Nuvu Music), the LP’s 11 original songs span more than two decades in the couple’s story, from before they met to present day.
Teeming with heartfelt harmonies and orchestral instrumentation, Time and the lyrics woven within explore everything from the joys and challenges of parenting, to the delights of nature, to the lived experience in a shared humanity, and more.
Kyra and Tully have taken the stage at the likes of NXNE, Canadian Music Week, Brampton Indie Arts Festival, Skeleton Park Arts Festival, and more. Their music has been widely featured throughout all media formats, and they’ve appeared in community compilation projects such as Artists for the Algonquin – Artists Against Uranium Mining. Their previous releases include Kyra and Tully (2006), Far Away (2009), Wildlife (In and Out of the City) (2009), and Journey Home (2015).