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 who are rooted in, Soul, Funk, Reggae, Beats, House, Breaks and all that afro-Jazz… and where to check them out in your favorite Canadian city! Pack your bags! We’re going on a road trip!
Ketch Harbour Wolves hail from across Ontario while fostering a deep connection to Nova Scotia where in 2003 the band’s predecessor, The Flying Buttresses, was forged in the small coastal town of Ketch Harbour. After almost two years of intense musical experimentation, near destitution, and enough stories for a lifetime of songs, singer Jonathan Tyrrell and drummer Brian Urbanik packed their van and drove the seventeen-hundred kilometres home to Ontario. It was back on familiar ground that they would begin to lay the foundations for what would become Ketch Harbour Wolves.
Taking inspiration from the music of the legendary French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, Halifax’s Gypsophilia combines hot jazz and European gypsy music, adding their own modern edge and fusing elements of tango, klezmer, funk, and classical in their original music. Admired by listening and dancing audiences young and old, the group’s passionate, exciting and sophisticated sound has quickly catapulted them to unprecedented jazz popularity in Nova Scotia. Not simply a Gypsy-jazz cover band, Gypsophilia’s unique voice comes from the fusion of the members’ diverse musical and artistic backgrounds, as well as from their innovative and eclectic original repertoire. Initially formed for an appearance at the 2004 TD Canada Trust Atlantic Jazz Festival, the band was impressed with the immediate and passionate audience response.
Meaghan Smith’s first official full-length album, Take Me Dancing, is on its way out the door and straight into your CD player. Complete with string quartets, mellotron samples, a full piece horn section, a guest appearance made by the fabulously musical DJ Kid Koala, and topped with Meaghan’s smooth, soaring vocals, this new album is sure to make you want to cut some serious rug or grab your sweet heart for a good old cheek to cheek.
To make this album, I had to let myself relax. After speaking to my friend Scott Trivers about this horrible writer’s block I had for about a year, he gave me the best advice I’ve received. He told me to go home and write the worst songs I possibly could. So I did! I got over my fears of writing bad songs and instantly the dam was broken so to speak. These new songs are what flowed out of me in the following weeks.
From somewhere beneath the swelling strings and synths, the angular guitars and pulsating beats, cleaves the voice of Jamie Fooks of Jane Vain & the Dark Matter. In early 2003, Fooks started writing songs by her self in her basement apartment, to deal with the remaining demons of a reckless adolescence. Somewhat deterred by an open mic night that ended in tears, Fooks was encouraged to continue performing by the support of friends, and the interest of current guitar player Dillon Whitfield (of Raccoon). With the addition of Whitfield’s haphazard guitar playing, the foundation of Jane Vain & the Dark Matter was laid.
The duo played a string of shows, accompanied by only drums beats and bass, programmed by Fooks. These shows attracted attention from fans, promoters and other musicians.
Now, accompanied live by a rhythm section, (Shawn Dicey of Ox on drums, Markus Lake of The Incandescence on bass) Jane Vain & the Dark Matter have released their first full length, Love Is Where The Smoke Is, on Edmonton’s Rectangle Records, and are embarking on another national tour in support of their record. The record features contributions by local musicians Mark Hamilton, Foon Yap, and Annalea Sordi of Woodpigeon, Jesse Locke of SIDS, and Matt Flegel of The Cape May. Inherent in the music is a kinetic energy, as if Jane Vain & the Dark Matter are aiming for anxious chaos, but achieving a careful clarity.
If Then Do is an attitude toward sound; a sensibility borne of noise, dance, abstract electronix, om, plainsong, power, improv and composition but most of all any and all music borne of ideas and love.
This is music that propells you in Limbo where only sounds can meet you. You can find yourself in a confused hospital wing or floating up into space station construction sites. I had the chance to play along side If Then Do at Le Petit Chicago a year ago and the duo blew me away. Stay on the lookout for If Then Do shows and be prepared to travel within the depth of their sounds. Download their tunes here.
In April of this year , HILOTRONS released their album “Happymatic” under Ottawa’s biggest label “Kelp Records”. The album is influenced by many different eras within the Pop Rock genders. From surf to 80’s Punk, along the lines of Elvis Costello. The diverse song styles make for a great summer album. Listen to HILOTRONS here!
Or pick up the previous album Bella Simone at CDBaby now!
The Carps are from Scarborough, a pretend hood in Toronto. They are a duo that plays music for human ears. With the EP the “Young & Passionate Days of Carpedia,” and the most Recent offering “Waves & Shambles” the two ragamuffin punks deliver on the promise to set themselves far apart from elephants, swirly red and white candy, beards, brothers and sisters, and Phil Collins. The Carps stand alone. They sound like nothing you could imagine, and everything you’d like to.
(Want to hear? Pick up The Young and Passionate Days Of Carpedia from CDBaby right now)
With Neil White captaining the Argo like ship, instructing the infused bass and synths with a focus akin to that of a Scientist, Jahmal Tonge plays the drums with the passion of a black baptist preacher, and sings & screams with the soul of the sweating young singer in the neighboring Juke Joint.
The Left is consistently making heads turn in the Canadian music scene. It’s rare to find a group with a live show that is a good representation of its studio albums, but The Left doesn’t disappoint. The group’s live performances leave listeners with a lasting impression and the best of what rock can be – elegant storytelling, passionate vocals, melodic guitars and a rock-solid rhythm section. The young group has been touted as “Vancouver’s next Nickelback” by the press, and much like the Juno-award winning rockers, their hard work stands out just as much as their immense talent.
Buy Jesus Loves the Left and Roses Aren’t Good Enough from CDBaby:
Coming off a victory at Vancouver’s 99.3 The Fox Seeds Competition in 2005, The Left ventured out on a 53-date Canadian Tour, garnering opening slots for major-label heavyweights Hedley, The Trews, and Tal Bachman. This exposure has solidified airplay in major radio markets, including Vancouver, Toronto and Winnipeg and even Japan on iRadio and NHK. With nearly 300 shows under their belt and 3 albums to date, the boys say they have just started to scratch the surface of the bans potential.
Hey Ocean is a young band with a remarkable talent for blending various musical styles into a brand of infectious pop that is uniquely their own.
The beautiful melodies and clever lyrics of singers Ashleigh Ball and David Beckingham have been described as both poetic and thought provoking, however it is apparent that these two play off each other effortlessly. The duo - who have had a long-standing musical relationship - are joined by the wildly energetic David Vertesi on bass and the groove-obsessed Daniel Klenner on drums. Together, they have created a musical repertoire that cannot be ignored – be it on radio, television or your neighbor’s iPod, Hey Ocean will soon be everywhere. More on Hey Ocean including upcoming concert dates throughout Canada!
Sat in on a conference entitled Hip Hop Confidential - Maestro Fresh Wes interviews Fab 5 Freddy and as always, Bambi the blogger delivers with - for your listening pleasure - an audio version of this exclusive interview straight from Toronto’s North By North East conference series!
Click the links (in order) to listen to the interview!
