GWNTERTAINMENT #7 by Jaimie Vernon

The Canadian music community has exploded this week with activity. If people have the February Blues it’s most probably in a song. It’s so great to see that the pandemic has not slowed down our creativity. Without further ado, here’s where the Canadian music action is…

* Holly Cole’s brand new live performance record Montreal will be out April 2nd. 25 years after The Holly Cole Trio performed together last, multiple JUNO Award winning jazz singer Holly Cole revealed on February 17th that the band returns for this special live performance album. Check out a sneak peek of the single “Whatever Lola Wants” from her Facebook post. https://www.facebook.com/hollyjcole/posts/10158300180699633

* Royal Wood, set to release his new album Live At Massey Hall, will be live streaming from the Oakville Centre For the Performing Arts Friday, March 12, 2021 8pm. $20.
https://www.oakvillecentre.ca/royal-wood.html

* Andrea Superstein has a new single/video called “Every Little Step” coming March 3 but you have to sign-up here to hear/see it. https://show.co/NPkb3BM

 

* Jesss Moskaluke has released her latest album, The Demos, and celebrated with a live streamed album release party this past week. See the entire performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOhjuHaBNZo

* Catalyst is presenting Toronto’s Musical Stage Company’s signature concert event UnCovered – Notes From The Heart.  They’ve adapted their signature concert to a digital event utilizing music videos featuring 65 minutes of iconic songs of hope by Bob Dylan, Carole King, Bob Marley, Elton John, Jann Arden, and more, re-imagined and performed by today’s leading Canadian artists. March 6, 2021 at 8pm https://musicalstagecompany.ticketspice.com/catalyst-theatre-presents-uncovered-notes-from-the-heart

* For the first time in 20 years, The Records & Rockstars Radio Show, (formerly Legends of Classic Rock) heard on select stations in Canada and the USA, debuts as a podcast. Records & Rockstars is the music and storytelling content hosted by Jeff Woods.  It includes the weekly radio show episodes, plus Jeff’s interviews with musicians, many of which feature exclusive live performances from Wild Woods Blue Studio. Episode 66 (in the overall podcast offerings) will mark the debut episode of the Radio Series Podcast, featuring ‘Devil’s Music.’  https://www.jeffwoodsradio.com/podcast

* A new entry in the ongoing Heritage Minutes TV series profiles jazz piano legend Oscar Peterson. Portions filmed at the late lamented Hugh’s Room in Toronto. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cdXEhR9dd4

* 1980s synth-pop mainstay Blue Peter has gotten the re-master upgrade to both audio and video for their hit 1983 song “Don’t Walk Past.” The video is now in 4k and the audio is digitally re-mastered. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7dN3cUlPRg

* The late singer songwriter Willie Dunn – of mixed Mi’Kmaq and Scottish descent – became an unsung hero from Turtle Island with his folk songs about the Canadian condition in the late 1960s and through the 1970s. Light In the Attic Records is releasing a Willie Dunn career overview on March 19 entitled ‘Creation Never Sleeps, Creation Never Dies: The Willie Dunn Anthology.’ The package will contain 22 songs in a 2LP vinyl format in different vinyl colours.

* Empty Cup Media have landed a deal with Bell Fibe TV Channel 1 for their Live From The Upstairs Basement Sessions recorded at Kops Records which showcases the past, present and future of music in Oshawa, Ontario. In each episode host Will McGuirk chats with artists about being fans of vinyl and key cool corners in the city. See the teaser trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTv5AlLQeSU

* In GWN Issue #2 we introduced you to the newest release by Bernard Frazer’s Church of Trees which is the lead-off single “Word’s A Bitch” from an upcoming EP featuring Rob Preuss (Spoons) and legendary Canadian songstress Carole Pope (Rough Trade). Well, the Ottawa band has completed a new video for the track. I think those of us cooped up from the lockdowns can relate to all the people featured here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnXQ5Io8iAM

* Singer-songwriter Jean-Paul De Roover recently released his two-part thematic albums LOVE (2019) and LOSS (2020). His new two-song EP is THIS LETTER and is an extension of the LOVE album, featuring an acoustic based original (“This Letter”) and a cover song (“What A Wonderful World”). Jean-Paul will follow up later in the year with the PRISONERS EP also featuring an original and a cover song, and will be more alternative/rock as per the LOSS album. “This Letter” will be available on all major platforms where music is streamed or downloaded. Jean-Paul was kind enough to allow us to present the clever teaser video for the song here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnM1frsilsc

* Toronto rock duo Electicus have emerged only four months after their previous album ‘Take Me Away’ with album number five called, cleverly Five Point 0. Co-founders Gar Reid and Tiina LeMay say the five-track release captures their distinct point of view as songwriters and performers, “We let loose with this record,” LeMay shares. “It’s catchy and colourful!” The lead-off single/video is “Took Me For Granted” filmed in isolation at their home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntqgDDgqpg8RD

* The powerful and timely new Rock single/video from Toronto’s RD Fex is “Rip It Up.” The song, about the desire to rip up the calendar and forget about the hardships endured over the last year of pandemic distress, was written by Roger Fex and Denise Fex, a brother and sister team. The tune is performed by Denise Fex (vocals), Joshua Aguas (back-up vocal and bass) and Zane Hawley (back-up vocal, drums and guitar). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tytxRWS8YS8

* Toronto Soul Rockers, Bad Breed, have released the third single/video “Not In My Life” from their 2020 sophomore album “Ferocious Love.”  Front-man Mike Gribben says, “This was one of the first songs we wrote for the record and it became evident that it should close the whole album because of how powerful it felt to us. Everybody stepped up vocally and it felt like our anthem by the time we finished it.” The Jimi Hendrix-inspired song gets its major power from the energy and soulful voice of lead vocalist Katherine Wilson who calls back to R & B singers like Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin. The video features regular men and women lip-syncing to her vocals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnOoIKYuMQo

* Canadian singer/songwriter Andrew Michelin, and his indie folk alt-rock project The All Canadian Soundclash, have released the new single, “I Want It.” The song was produced in isolation by award-winning producer and musician Dale Murray (Hayden, Cuff The Duke, Joel Plaskett, Buck 65, Christina Martin, Matt Mays). Murray and drummer Jordi Comstock recorded at Murray’s Farmhouse Studio in Nova Scotia, while Michelin contributed his segments from his home studio in Ontario. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49RKZ9HLygA

* At 35,000+ Spotify streams and rising, award-winning Ottawa duo DRAE (Andre Thibault and Matt Robillard) channel their explosive blues-rock riffs into alt-hip hop rhythms and immersive electronic arrangements with their new single “Sleep.” Says the duo, “The track speaks to the concept of looking around, seeing a society rife with hypocrisy, and in a dearth of empathy, and saying ‘I’ve had enough. I’m tired. I’m going back to bed.”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak67IQkSzCI

* “In the Falling Dark 1” by Derek Charke is the first single released from the O Mistress Moon: Canadian Edition compilation album. The project features 10 Canadian composers with their works ranging from 1936 – 2021, and are all linked to the Mi’kmaw or folkloric names for the moon.
Listen here:  https://leaf-music.lnk.to/LM2008

* Award-winning Canadian funk-pop reggae-rockers Black Creek Reign have collaborated with multi-Platinum, multi-award winning and Sirius XM ‘Artist of the Year’ Danny Fernandes for a new single entitled “You & I.” This time the group gives a nod to Santana, Earth Wind & Fire, and Jimi Hendrix with a blend of ’70s reggae, pop, and jazz infused styles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5avCMYLf8KQ

* Corey Hart featuring Dante Harte “Shoreline” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1rQMtmGhLk

* Frank Terzo “The Flame” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Rk-essWKQU

* Donna Makeda & Shakky Allyene “We Shall Not Be Moved” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAwOfe_-YD4

* Evrlove Blake “Jamrock” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4UOO7zbTJw

* Chris Melanson “Daddy Don’t Hurt Mama” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ue1TSBzB2c

* Stephen Hamm: Theremin Man “Inner Voice” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL3vGXS92sg

* Gino Gerussi “Construction Guy Can Actually Sing!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvKVjPmVkTE

* The Motorleague “Dischordia” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Bbk6rU5I-E

* The Strumbellas “Greatest Enemy” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhWgB0vx-iE

* Zara Marie featuring Stephen Nikleva “Une Histoire de Plage” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DREYDaGa1vI

* Kaitlyn “When I’m Dancing” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EJMDK7ZkWY

* Rick Taylor “Moonlight” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onLnMWWhme

* Anthony Carrier “Perfect Timing” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hv_I-hkGpM

* Sarah Neufeld “Stories” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPX_4hYSJZo

* Mista Jones “Perky Season” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSnx4QEY37U

* Steve Keenan “Country Buzz” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcLF1eA69p0

* The KLM Sisters “I Heart U” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzFOL3NJfuM

* Honey Raynn “I’m My Own” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4TIdJIbkm0

* Allanah Jeffreys “Alone” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaXgW6ek7g0

* Wiklund vs Wiklund “Learn About Livin’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx9iytcvtNk

* Emm Gryner featuring Rob Wells “All Love All The Time” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHuCE_uiFCk

* Diana Krall & Willie Nelson “I Won’t Dance” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RMYCzzCztA

* Jamroad “She Hooked Me” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqdM69c9KOc

* Sean Bain “Our Code” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAG7nxZVVXI

* Craig Cardiff “All This Time Running” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pob3bu7563s

* Brigitte Pace “Sad Eyes” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b4ob65fO3o

* Dominique Fils-Aimé “Mind Made Up” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BjSoanAm9M

* Death From Above 1979 “One + One” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7scGleNqEnk

* Dizzy & Fay “Walk Me Home” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI7YVvQxjiQ

* Reid Jamieson does a take on John Lennon’s “Real Love” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23j8ZXQeOQk

* Ron Baumber doing Jackson Brown’s “These Days” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdcdNrnLcdc

* Serafin LaRiviere takes on “Take On Me” by A-Ha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJHLhyVVWU0

* Dave Rave & Carl Jennings doing The Beatles’ “Michelle” https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=408083727159983

* Jesse Thomas Brown tackles Elton John’s “No Valentines” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuXP3zswxyk

* Kevin Bradford & Friends doing Eight Second’s “Kiss You When It’s Dangerous”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg_NJhHcPG0

* Alison Solo doing Stone Temple Pilot’s “Still Remains” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpeSfC7tiOg

* Dan McLean Jr. & Friends take on Squeeze’s “Tempted”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGg5uF_uTrw

SEND US YOUR STUFF!
This issue was brought to you by Del Monte’s Polyunsaturated Bean Sprouts. Send us your news, views, and all manner of CANADIAN musical releases to promote and wave a flag for. Join the GWN Facebook page and drop us a message: https://www.facebook.com/gwntertainment

Keep up the fight!
Jaimie Vernon, 2021

=JV=

Jaimie “Captain CanCon” Vernon has been president of the on again/off-again Bullseye Records of Canada since 1985. He wrote and published Great White Noise magazine in the ‘90s, has been a musician for 41 years, and recently discovered he’s been happily married for 24 years. He is also the author of The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia and editor of “Sunny Days: The Skip Prokop Story.” Available through Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Jaimie+Vernon