TRANSCANADARADIO is proud to celebrate Canada’s Current Cultural artists and their locations! Traveling across Canada’s vast surface and finding the best of the under and above-ground artists, and where to check them out in your favorite Canadian city! Pack your bags! We’re going on a road trip!
Title: The VooDooMonx Location: Brutopia, Montreal Link out: Click here Date: 2008-12-20
How about the dude on keyboard in this video? I guarantee his fingers were bleeding and reduced to bloody stumps by the end of the set. The VooDooMonx blend funk and rock into something that’s soul oriented but funk driven. The band has been playing together for 12 years now and the three have worked really hard on making a name for themselves. They’ve opened for a variety of shows and have played for crowds ranging from 100 to 15,000. Featured on the French Much Music, Musique Plus, as well as CKMF 94.3 in Montreal, their hard work has really paid off. Enjoy the soulful singing of Martin Joly, the passionate drumming of Leo Paul-Hus and the bass of Maxime Tremblay at Brutopia. The’ll be playing there on the 20th of December so check them out and try one of Brutopia’s many cheap and great tasting house brews.
Title: Manny Ward Location: Cherry Lounge, montreal Link out: Click here Date: 2008-12-20
Manny Ward has worked on some fairly popular projects such as ‘Cash Tribe’ which appeared on the Barton hit ‘To Call My Own’ (US Billboard Dance Charts #15 & Sirius Cable Charts #1). Manny has been described as a total gentleman by people who have met him and if there was such a thing as a gentleman-like vibe, he’s got it. His house sets are intense without making you feel like your ears are being invaded. His tracks are smooth yet dirty, tribal yet progressive and dark yet spiritually uplifting. Check out his set at Cherry Lounge in Montreal on the 20th of December.
Title: Moses Mayes Location: Pyramid Cabaret, Winnipeg Link out: Click here Date: 2008-12-27
Moses Mayes has a funk sound that reminds me a little of 70s mixed with a martini lounge vibe. Since 1999, Mayes has been touring with one of the best jazz/funk live performances out there. Mayes has shared the stage with legends Herbie Hancock and James Brown and his CDs have sold thousands. His most recent stuff combines jazz, house and pop into something you can dance to regardless of the nightclub you’re in. With an album that has won the 2007 WCMA for Best Instrumental, Moses is sure to continue pumping out great music. Check him out in Winnipeg on December 27th at the Pyramid Cabaret.
Title: Rachelle Jeanty Location: Kola Note, Montreal Link out: Click here Date: 2008-12-04
Rachelle Jeanty is a soulful francophone jazz musician whose been playing the St Lawrence region for a long time now. She was the winner of Rhytme FM’s – The most beautiful rhythm in Quebec. She’s also played a number of jazz festivals such as The Montreal International Jazz Festival where she did a duo with Bob Walsh. Born in New York, her family quickly moved to Montreal where she grew up and fell in love with the local culture and scene. Since her career has taken off, she has played New York, Paris, Tokyo and other international cultural hot spots. On the 4th of December she’ll be playing at Kola Note in Montreal. Maybe check her out?
Title: vitaminsforyou Location: The Drake, Toronto Link out: Click here Date: 2008-12-06
Bryce Kushnier’s vitaminsforyou have been hailed as the early originators of the lo-fi bedroom electronics scene. After having received critical acclaim for their albums I Am Sorry For Ever and For Always, as well as The Legend of Bird’s Hill, vitaminsforyou went on to tour with big labels around the world. Their tours have brought them through North and South America, as well as throughout Europe. They’ve played with The Stills, The Notwist, Ghislain Poirier, Venetian Snares and more. As I’m sure you’re super impressed right now, you should take a listen for yourself. A free track was posted to the vitaminsforyou MySpace page and we’re hosting it here. Or, you could check them out at The Drake on December 6th in Toronto.
Ben Bootsma, Matthew Maaskant, Keith Stirling and Jonathan Weverink are the boys that form qr5. They’ve got a pop indie sound that’s really upbeat yet totally mellow. The band have solidified themselves as Toronto locals. They’ve played weekly shows at College Street Bar downtown. They also sold out the first week in dowtown Toronto’s Rotate This after being featured in their listening booth. qr5 also have a proclivity for charity, having played benefit shows for non-profit organisations such as the Cambodian Land Mine Relief Fund and Artists Against War. We’ll be keeping you updated about their upcoming shows and albums. Until then, you can buy their latest album Pharmakon here. The album costs $12 plus $2 for shipping.
elsiane was formed when singer/songwriter Elsieanne Caplette and drummer Stephane Sotto partnered to merge their styles into something that blends classical, jazz, rock and electronic. Stephane has a rhythmic, soft beat that nicely compliments Elsieanne’s idiosyncratic voice. Together, they make music that sounds like the soundtrack for having sex in space on your way to heaven. If you’re down, I think they’re playing either the 13th or the 20th at the Merucry Lounge in Ottawa. I’ll be sure to update.
Title: Amir Javasoul Location: Mercury Lounge, Ottawa Link out: Click here Date: 2008-12-18
Amir Javasoul is originally from Iran and moved to Montreal to start DJ’ing. It was then that he started Dj’ing around the St. Lawrence region of Canada. During this phase, Amir had one of those magical rave-like epiphanies. During Derrick Carter’s now legendary “Atomic” nights in Ottawa, where he says it became obvious that he would be a DJ for life.
“It’s funny; I still remember the exact moment when I had a ‘moment’. 5:30 in the morning, Derrick stopped everything, turned the lights off, silence, and then, Lil louis’ I called you. Two hours of mid tempo, obscure old Chicago acid, disco-not-disco followed. Inspired, is an understatement. I always knew music would be an integral part of my life. But I found out on that dance floor that it will now BECOME my life.”
In 2001, Amir moved to Paris where he currently resides. In 2008, he’s coming back to Canada and the town that convinced him to follow his dream, Ottawa. He’ll be playing the Mercury Lounge on Thursday, December 18th.
Title: DJ Vivie-Ann Location: Business, Montreal Link out: Click here Date: 2008-12-31
I don’t think the music in the above video is her work but it does give you a good impression of what it’s like to be at DJ Vivie-Ann’s sets. The 24 yr old DJ has residencies around the world including Palladium in Acapulco, Hulala in Rome Mokai in Miami, and last year in Ibiza at Penelope. A six-year student of conservatory piano and a graduate of McGill University’s computer science program, she’s obviously not made for a cubicle world and has taken her talents to the nightclub scene. With her first release in 2006, she’s still going strong playing shows back-and-forth between Canada, Brazil and Morocco among many others. Check her out in Montreal on New Years Eve at Business.
The Break Down started back in September of 2007 when they first jammed at the Thornhill Village Festival near Toronto. In the beginning, the band consisted of drummer Jay Sussman, bassist Richard Itzkovtich and signers Jay Jones and Lilly Mason. A year and change later they were joined by Demitri Petsalakis and several shows after that Alan Zemaitis came along on keyboard. The Break Down usually perform around Toronto and we’ll be sure to update you about their upcoming shows.
