The SOCAN Foundation today announced it is accepting applications for its Travel Assistance Grant, after the widely-used program was put on hold in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions.
Founded in 1992, the SOCAN Foundation is dedicated to fostering musical creativity and promoting a better understanding of the role of music creators in today’s society. The organization is a part of the SOCAN Group of organizations and guided by a Board of Directors, which consists of composers, songwriters and music publishers, and reflects concert music and popular music genres, as well as the geographic and linguistic regions of Canada.
The travel assistance program offers eligible music creators and publishers up to $1,000 for travel per calendar year to attend significant career-defining events in Canada and abroad, such as, but not limited to: award presentations, performances, residences, showcases, and workshops.
“As the music industry recovers from the pandemic, the travel grant will allow music creators and publishers to access financial support to engage in significant activities that require travel in the future,” said Charlie Wall-Andrews, Executive Director of SOCAN Foundation. “While this initiative supports music creators, we recognize the importance of responsible travel, and we have implemented processes to ensure grant recipients are adhering to travel safety protocols.”
To be eligible, all applicants must be a member of SOCAN and provide a letter of confirmation or invitation to attend the event or activity. Additionally, each applicant must submit a comprehensive project plan demonstrating compliance with travel safety regulations set by the government of Canada and international markets.
The deadline for applications is ongoing.
Applicants can learn- more about the program, guidelines, and eligibility criteria at www.socanfoundation.ca.
A refreshing departure from the current landscape of female R&B, 21-year-old singer/songwriter Ebhoni keeps it realer than real on her latest mixtape “Good Dick & Weed” out today through Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company. The 10-track project includes a collaboration with Jamaican rap star Beam in addition to Ebhoni’s breakout single “Rep It” & her confident ode to women with options, “Rotation,” produced by industry heavyweight FORTHENIGHT (Bad Bunny, Don Toliver). Born & raised in Toronto, Good Dick & Weed is heavily influenced by Ebhoni’s Caribbean upbringing and is full of bold & honest convictions, a fierce body of work that is sure to redefine what it means to be a woman fully in charge and uninhibited.
Good Dick & Weed in many ways channels a keen sense of the best parts of what some would define as nostalgia: the era of mixtapes and tumblr, telling a story through visceral imagery and honest anecdotes, the internet in its rawer early form. Good Dick & Weed paints snapshots of different cities in the same harshly ephemeral gleam, from Westwood to Wilshire, specific places made universal by the heartbreak and hopefulness within them.
On opening track “If You Know You Know”, Ebhoni speaks directly to a night where gunfire punctured six bullet holes in the backseat window of her family’s car, and they had to temporarily relocate to her grandmother’s house, where she openly wonders: what if she had been sitting in that backseat? Putting up walls for her own self-protection, she’s only now beginning to draw from the power that comes from her own vulnerability. “I really have been through so much, and it’s important to show that to help others who might not have that platform.” Good Dick & Weed draws from this agency, a declaration of assured frankness that shows the choices you make don’t have to be perfect as long as you believe in them.
Good Dick & Weed is a product of nighttime, connecting the dots and piecing together information from strings of late night texts, voice notes from the calls you choose not to pick up, as well as poignant diary vignettes curled up in the sink from the washroom of the Atlanta apartment she currently resides. where the low-key 21-year-old feels her most authentic self. It’s also a matter-of-fact acknowledgement of growing up on Weston Road in Toronto where her father sold drugs, waking up to ringing doorbells early in the morning, seeing notes left on her mother’s car and playing outside of housing complexes while her father was inside doing deals.
Praised for her powerhouse talent, Office Magazine predicts Ebhoni “is on a fast track to worldwide recognition.” Earlier this year, Ebhoni released her EP “X,” to critical reception from press and rare groove enthusiasts. In addition to Pitchfork praising Ebhoni for “reclaiming the Toronto R&B crown for women.” HotNewHipHop wrote, “Ebhoni has been one artist to keep an eye out for in the 6ix,” it’s no wonder FLAUNT crowned her “Our favorite new R&B artist.” Tracks like “Rotation” only bolster the rep she’s built as one of R&B’s most magnetic young stars, and with the release of Good Dick & Weed, Ebhoni’s growing fandom will surely only continue to expand.
Montreal born, LA based polymath Chiiild released his eagerly awaited debut album Hope For Sale, out now via Avant Garden Records/Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company. Alongside the release, Chiiild announced his Apocalyptic Optimistic Tour, starting on August 1st at Lollapalooza and ending in Berlin, Germany next year, see details below. Chiiild describes the album as a representation of his journey throughout the last year, “Aiming to cover the whole human experience, I dive into my outlook on life, love and social justice. ‘This is Hope for Sale’.” Chiiild will also be supporting Leon Bridges next year on the US leg of his Gold Digger’s tour.
The album has garnered millions of streams and praise from Nylon, UPROXX, PopDust, Complex, Okay Playr, KCRW, Hot New Hip Hop and many more – you can read his Exclaim! cover story out now. He made his U.S TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, performing two of his most acclaimed singles to date in “Pirouette” and “Sleepwalking”, watch HERE.
Chiiild has made a name for himself occupying a space typically not representative of Black artists within the alt/pop genre. Chiiild uses music to tell stories about diversity, ask questions about humanity, and unify people over shared personal experiences. Taking influence from music as diverse as D’Angelo, Tame Impala, Pink Floyd, and Marvin Gaye, he’s created an expansive timeless sound that is uniquely genre-bending yet still somehow reminiscent of something you’ve heard or felt, before.
For the past 127 years, Gibson–the iconic American instrument brand–has been synonymous with creating and shaping sound across genres of music and generations of players. Gibson today announced the launch of Gibson Records, headquartered in Music City, Nashville, TN—alongside a strategic label partnership with BMG.
Over the past two and a half years, Gibson has launched successful music initiatives built around their iconic brands, premium guitars, and amazing artists. Not to mention initiatives that have re-energized the Gibson fanbase and the music community at large including Gibson Artist Collections, Gibson TV, the Gibson App, the Gibson Generation Group (G3), Gibson Gives, and the newly opened Gibson Garage in Nashville. Gibson Records is the next major step contributing to the evolution of collaborative artist partnerships.
Iconic music that inspired generational movements have been recorded with Gibson guitars since the inception of recorded music. Gibson Records will work with Gibson artists to produce, record, and promote their music to fans around the world, spreading the power of their music, creating, building, and delivering guitar centric music, across genres to fans across the globe.
“Launching a record label that is in service to our artists is the natural evolution of our 127 years of history. Gibson Records will work with Gibson artists to capture, record and promote their music under an artist friendly partnership,” says Cesar Gueikian, Brand President, Gibson Brands. “Gibson Records will keep all of us at Gibson focused on our artist first culture that is engaged and connected to music. We are excited to launch Gibson Records, to announce that Slash is our first signed artist and that we have entered into a label partnership with BMG.”
Gibson Records has also announced that it has entered into a strategic label partnership for the release with BMG, the world’s fourth-largest music company.
“It’s an honor to be the first release on the new Gibson Records,” says SLASH. “It’s a zenith in our partnership for sure and having worked so closely with Gibson for so long, I know they will be a label that genuinely supports their artists creatively. Not just me, but all the artists they choose to work with. It’s perfect.”
Once again unleashing a sonic flood all their own, Montreal low-fi alt-rockers Astral Gates have flung open a preview to their forthcoming EP with the release of this, their new single, “Devil In A Silk Dress” — available now.
An all-familiar tale of a tantalizing woman who uses what she needs to get exactly what she wants, the supercharged rock hit “Devil In A Silk Dress” is told in a way only Astral Gates can. A heart-thumping anthem to the jezebel that fooled ‘us all,’ its lyrics spell out a defiant notion that we won’t fall prey to her trap — which is both equally worth rooting for as it is a knowing grin that this scarlet letter will charm her way into your arms, whether you like it or not.
The supercharged dance-rock and sure-fire hit is the result of coworkers Evan Falcone and Dan D’Urbano; formed in 2020, the duo were quickly defined by their innate song writing prowess and equally enchanting production — ultimately coming together after a myriad of other meetings on their plate.
“We would book fake meetings with each other just to sneak in a half-hour brainstorm session about songs we had in the works,” they reveal. “The time spent collaborating after hours just wasn’t enough for us, I guess.”
The delivery on their debut EP scored the two tens of thousands of streams across global platforms, earning them legions of fans. They soon recruited the engineering talents of Dave Traina (The Damn Truth, Warner Music Publishing / Spectra Records) who would sign on as their dedicated drummer.
And now, their sophomore offering, EP II — earmarked to drop this year — is a highly anticipated sequel for rock lovers. Their up-tempo, high-octane energy matches heavy percussion and stunning guitar solos, all with soaring vocals that all tie the project together.
“We have been a duo writing virtually pretty much since day one,” D’Urbano recalled in one interview, “so when COVID hit, people were like, oh my God, we can’t be in jamming; we can’t write as a band,; how are we gonna do this?
“We were sitting back saying: Really?! We have been doing that for the last two years!”
The subsequent music video for the track encapsulates the soul of Astral Gates; a pair of guys in different cities, writing rock music from the comfort of their homes before it all comes together in the studio. With the full band delivery, the song comes to life live-off-the-floor; a full-bodied rock concert moment captured at the historical Freq Shop studio in Montreal (home to JUNO nominated The Franklin Electric, The Damn Truth, and Storry).
To summarize the sound of Astral Gates, lean into a 70s rock time capsule, but with modern, industrial flare. Should the Arctic Monkeys ever have gone into a lyrical sound session with Jimi Hendrix, you might have found yourself locked inside the Astral Gates.
In celebration of not only his first major project, but his beloved hometown of Montreal, fast-rising Canadian rapper Jesse Travaglione — AKA YNG Travs — has just released a brand-new song, aptly titled “For My City.”
The two-minute, 45 second track serves as the lead single from his breakout EP, More Than Music, and serves as an homage to the French-Canadian city where he grew up and kickstarted his fiery music career. The nine-minute project features two other originals from the 19-year-old rapper: “Hold on,” and opening track, “The Code.”
For those entranced by the new wave of R&B and hip-hop, “For My City” is the perfect track for you. Upon a single listen, it’s evident this young and talented musician has been inspired by the likes of many rap legends, as well as some of the key players in the modern scene — taking instrumental elements and vocal delivery inspiration to make a familiar, but modern and unique sound all his own.
But how does he keep it fresh, you might ask? Well, having grown up under the wing of his father — a rock and funk musician and aficionado, YNG Travs pays tribute to those distinctive legacy genres by integrating samples and production elements into his music. The result? Find out for yourself. It’s worth the listen!
Despite the edgy and dark computer-generated beats heard throughout “For My City,” YNG Travs’ lyrics mostly cover all the good that has come to him through his musical endeavours — apart from a handful of struggles. And with an EP and nine singles under his belt, YNG Travs is only just getting started not only for himself, but with a big-picture vision for the future that extends beyond his own sound; he wants to elevate his own community and inspire younger generations to boldly follow their wildest dreams.
He also focuses on the folks he has met along the way, as well as the importance of his partners and production team. “I’m very team-oriented, and have a strong belief in partnership, so I tend to really express that in my music,” he says.
This is something that, contextually, resonates throughout his music as well as the video for “For My City;” rather than singing of skyscrapers and poutine, the breakthrough rapper with upwards of 150,000+ streams across Spotify alone says he also wanted to capture the bustling community of young talent among all genres (and art forms) — “not just music.”
“The ‘4’s’ that are being thrown up don’t represent our individual team, but rather a unity in our city,” he explains. “The reasoning behind that was mostly because we found Montreal gives off a very individualistic idea when it comes to the music scene, and we tried to show the exact opposite. By bringing in some other local artists to participate in the shoot, as well as showcase some of the city’s more well-known landmarks, the video’s intentions are to put the city — and all its talent — on a podium to show the industry that we’re here, and we’re here to stay.”
With that, YNG Travs revealed he was admittedly “a little nervous” to write a song to represent his homestead. “Coming from Montreal, our music scene is very local and home-based, so I knew I had to do something different. The main ideology I wanted to represent was that this city is more than just a place with big buildings.
“This song was purely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ‘what’s next’ for both myself, and — most importantly — Montreal.”
“For My City” and More Than Music are available now.
Stony Plain Records proudly announces the signing of 2020 International Blues Challenge Winner HOROJO Trio, and will release the band’s debut album in early 2022.
Representing the Ottawa Blues Society in the 2020 competition, HOROJO Trio is a soul rockin’ rhythm & blues act that features drummer Jamie Holmes, singer/keyboardist Jeff Rogers, and guitarist/singer JW-Jones, who was named the year’s Best Guitarist at the IBC. The band name is derived from the first two letters of each of the member’s last names. Pronunciation: HO-RO-JO. 1) HO – Think Santa Claus; 2) RO – “Row Your Boat;” 3) JO – “Joe.”
Jeff Rogers is known as one of the hardest working artists in Canada’s capital, clocking over 250 shows per year. The Ottawa Citizen says “his voice practically bowls you over with intensity, as sweet, rich and gooey as molasses in a heatwave;” while Nick Krewen (Globe & Mail, Grammy.com, Billboard) calls JUNO nominee JW-Jones “a frequent resident of Billboard’s Top 10 Blues charts and roots radio favourite.” Jamie Holmes is one of the most versatile drummers in the country and has toured throughout North America and Europe and recorded in Nashville with Grammy-winning producer Tom Hambridge.
The trio came together organically from a chance jam session after a corporate event that was so inspired that it left the audience and the musicians wanting more. Even before their first gig, they had already been called an Ottawa “super group,” ensuring the future certainly looks bright for the exceptional HOROJO Trio.
Samples of more than 60 songs from 1991 mixed together into one 3½-minute song by The Hood Internet featuring 2 Unlimited, A Tribe Called Quest, Amy Grant, Big Audio Dynamite II, Black Sheep, Blur, Bonnie Raitt, Boyz II Men, Ce Ce Peniston, Chubb Rock, Color Me Badd, Crystal Waters, Cypress Hill, D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, De La Soul, Enya, Future Sound Of London, Geto Boys, Guns N’ Roses, Heavy D & The Boyz, Jodeci, Lenny Kravitz, Marc Cohn, Mariah Carey, Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch, Massive Attack, Matthew Sweet, Metallica, Michael Jackson, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Moby, Mr. Big, My Bloody Valentine, N.W.A., Naughty by Nature, Nirvana, Paula Abdul, Pearl Jam, PM Dawn, Primal Scream, Primus, Prince, R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Roxette, Soundgarden, Spin Doctors, Teenage Fanclub, Temple of the Dog, Tom Cochrane, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, U2, Van Halen
Fresh off the sweet success of her first time win for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year at the 2021 JUNO Awards, St. Catharines, ON Jazz-Pop R&B singer-songwriter Sammy Jackson arrives with her rapturous new single, “What Is There To Say?” — available now.
Further exemplifying her distinct sound that smoothly melds elements of jazz, R&B and pop, “What Is There To Say?” showcases the celebrated Jamaican-Canadian vocalist and songwriter in top form; it’s the perfect happy-sad song with Jackson delivering an achingly beautiful lament of pain and uncertainty juxtaposed with an instrumental melody that evokes warmth and contentment.
Drive me crazy or make me sad I just want to forget what we had
“‘What Is There To Say’ is about a relationship ending and not knowing what the future holds,” Jackson notes. “The lyrics illustrate a feeling of sadness and regret while the harmonic progression conveys a feeling of hope and a new beginning.”
On June 5th, 2021, Sammy Jackson took home the JUNO Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year for her sophomore EP, With You. She won the honour over a field of superbly talented, established peers including Diana Krall, Laila Biali, Matt Dusk, and Sophie Day. “I am truly humbled and honoured to receive this award,” Jackson says of her reaction. “Thank you to everyone involved in this project, and everyone who has believed in me throughout this journey. I would not be here without you.”
Following up her debut release, 2016’s Take Me Back, the JUNO winning With You features all-original compositions in collaboration with vocalist and songwriter Jacqueline Teh, as well as Tom Fleming (guitar), Chris Pruden (piano), Mark Godfrey (bass), and Ian Wright (drums). The project was funded by FACTOR and the Ontario Arts Council.
As heard and seen on JAZZ.FM91’s One-Stop Jazz Safari, Glenn Gould Studio, The Rex Hotel Jazz and Blues Bar, Luminato, TIFF Bell Lightbox, and more, Sammy Jackson has also shared the stage with the likes of Barbra Lica, Robi Botos, Rich Brown, and Larnell Lewis, to name a few.
In addition to gathering performing experience, Jackson pursued a formal education in music, earning a Bachelor of Music in Performance degree from the University of Toronto, studying with accomplished vocalists including Alex Samaras, Christine Duncan and Sienna Dahlen.
With her first JUNO Award on her mantle and certainly many more accolades to be won, there will be plenty to say about Sammy Jackson’s artistry in the years to come.
“What Is There To Say?” and With You are both available now.
Using the momentum from the debut of their emotionally authentic releases “I Want a Song,” “Dark Road,” and “Sometimes in September,” Saskatoon, SK sister-singer-songwriters Cameron & Crawford celebrate connection and gratitude with their new single, “This Time, This Place” — available now.
This poetic duo, Trish Cameron and Wendy Crawford, continue to diversify their catalog of music, stepping across the constraints of genre to focus on melodic and lyrical prowess; “This Time, This Place” does everything right when tugging at the nostalgic heartstrings behind the folksy guitar and soothing vocals.
The song started in a Saskatoon living room, grew in a camp cabana in Sorrento, British Columbia, and was recorded mid-pandemic back where it all began — at Saskatchewan’s Beez Neez Recording with Simon Jasieniuk as engineer and contributing percussionist. Ghostboy’s Denis Dufresne, who Trish studied with, adds the mandolin track; “Denis brings just the perfect, graceful finishing touches and sparkle to the song,” they say of his contribution.
At the track’s inception, exploring the question on ‘what the song wants to be about,’ the sisters share that Wendy had recalled a walk with a friend in an old Saskatoon neighborhood on a particularly hot summer day. “The streets were lined with big trees, and what a difference being under those trees made!” she remembers. “The memory of cool shade, dancing leaves, and joy in the moment fit well with the feelings evoked by chords and melody.”
The song wasn’t finished, but Wendy had to leave on a trip to Europe, returning weeks later just in time to drive to the music camp the sisters attend every year. Jetlagged and unable to sleep in the little cabana they shared, Wendy had the song running through her head — complete with fresh ideas for the lyrics. “Trish woke up, too,” Wendy says, “and, although it was 4:00 a.m., she made coffee and we set to work where we had left off weeks before.”
“From the point of ‘I love the tree I’m under,’ we explored what else could you love about a summer day,” Trish adds. “How about the dress you’re wearing? The song you’re singing? Who you’re sharing the experience with? The opportunity to love a special moment in life?”
“Love and appreciation beget more love and appreciation, and ‘This Time, This Place’ reminds us to recognize and treasure magical moments,” the pair agree. “Nothing’s better than this time, this place.”
“I love the song I’m singing, Wonder how it came to me,” comes right from the two Prairie sisters, and further confirms the organic process the duo use when making music. In a discussion around their previous release, “Sometime in September,” Trish elaborates on that process: “Our process in songwriting usually starts with a chord progression that we respond to emotionally.”
This process has grown familiar to Cameron & Crawford over the 10 years the duo have been making music together. “We took our musical mantra from the amazing Brian Wilson, who said, ‘I want to make music I want to hear and that gives me great joy,’” Trish says of what goes into the duo’s songs. “In 2019 and 2020, we felt it was particularly important to share joy and remind people to notice the beauty and connection they have in their lives.
“We have all been through a lot!”
While “This Time, This Place” is a joy and love-filled song, the duo tackle any emotion or topic that speaks to them; Cameron & Crawford have no reservations when it comes to their creative process, as the two try to push each other as singer/songwriters. “Neither of us will let the other ‘chicken out,’” Trish remarks. “We keep encouraging each other’s growth and creative courage.”
“This Time, This Place” is the latest in a line of single releases Cameron & Crawford have planned this year leading up to the debut of their up-coming album. While we wait for that release, “This Time, This Place” should help ease listeners into a state of relaxed appreciation.
