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!
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.
Dragon Fli Empire is on the rise. The Calgary based duo, comprised of Cosm (DJ, producer) and Teekay (emcee, producer) have quickly become one of the city’s more popular groups, gaining respect from a wide variety of music lovers for their upbeat, melodic and positive sound.
It all started in May 2002. What was originally supposed to be a side-project for both of the Dragon Fli Empire members grew into something bigger than ever dreamed, largely due to the popularity of the track “Mount Pleasant” (which has become a Calgary anthem). The crew enjoys heavy rotation on campus radio across Canada and have also appeared on CBC (Radio, ZeD and The National), plus MuchMusic’s Going Coastal. The group has performed across Canada and parts of the United States, and have shared the stage with many top acts, including De La Soul, Mos Def, Pete Rock, Del the Funky Homosapien, and The Beatnuts.
Neferiu is a record label driven on supporting fresh, unique music within the hip hop & electronic spectrum.
Based in Calgary, Canada, Neferiu consistently release cutting edge music & throw quality live shows. Neferiu also offers free monthly album downloads via their website.
Neferiu’s active talent roster includes Mantrakid, Ricca Razor Sharp, Cinister Cee & Tetrix. In addition, Audible Intelligence, Dirty Sample, Pete Meadows, Impirical, Shep, Sense & others have released material through Neferiu.
For a full release history complete with audio samples - and in some cases, complete album downloads - check out www.neferiu.com
Aaron Booth is a Canadian singer/songwriter based in Calgary. He has released four albums. His debut, Transparent, quietly climbed its way up radio charts and onto critic’s top ten lists in 2002, leading to a move to Toronto, national tours and a deal with Endearing Records, who released Our Last Escape in 2004 and IPX4 in 2005.
Since then Aaron’s music has taken him to Europe, Japan, USA and back to Canada to work with musicians from Arcade Fire, The Weakerthans and Wooden Stars. Extracurricular activities include playing bass for Toronto band Lake Holiday; Pigeonbooth, a collaboration with Calgary’s Woodpigeon; and recently covering ‘Hello Mary Lou’ for a Ricky Nelson tribute released by US label, Planting Seeds Records.
Haven’t heard of Jon McKiel yet? Perhaps its because he’s spent the last year hauled up in his hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia, in a dim lit house, armed with a guitar and a cigarette, writing beautifully affecting indie-pop songs. Joined by his bandmates Josh Kogon (bass), Cory LeBlanc (drums), Mike D’Eon (guitar) and Colin Crowell (synth and trumpet), Jon improves on the tradition of fellow Canadian bands like The Stills and Great Lake Swimmers by combining deep pop sensibilities with rich descriptive lyrics and haunting melodies. On songs like “Poor Heart” and “Get Caught,” Jon McKiel delivers the genuineness that has attracted many to fellow singer/songwriters like Andrew Bird, Stephen Malkmus, and Ryan Adams.
Mark Berube is an artist that has proven to be very popular among our readers time after time so I’ve listed upcoming concert dates so that you can be sure to check him out in your area soon!
Swelling in primordial pulses and wholloping whoops, the tacit tones of Vancouver Island’s Shane Philip’s didgeridoo hold the power to still listeners into silence or encourage audiences to rise up in a tribal swell of intoxicating spirit — with sometimes but a heartbeat in between. Meanwhile his hands will be skilfully juggling between shaking up rhythms with his aslatua, driving the dance floor with his djembe and sliding out grooves on his Weissenborn-style guitar while his foot taps in earthshaking electronic kicks wherever they might fit. He is a one-man show weaving sounds that inspire audiences anywhere he goes.
In case you don’t remember this beautiful, talented lady as well as you should, here’s a refresher.
Elizabeth Shepherd pushes the boundaries of what is considered conventional jazz, all the while creating a sound completely her own. From London to Tokyo, Elizabeth has captivated audiences and critics on both sides of the pond. Her Juno nominated debut album Start To Move continues to receive critical acclaim, and was voted the Top 3 Jazz Albums of the Year by the listeners of the Gilles Peterson show on BBC Radio 1 UK in 2006. Continue reading ‘Update: Elizabeth Shepherd’s releases ‘Parkdale’’
Terra Hazelton has been singing her whole life, but never imagined herself as a singer. Originally from Calgary, she moved to Toronto to find fame and fortune on the stages there. Someone once gave her a guitar for a variety show and suggested that she write three songs for the sketch. Three chords later, that was the seed that led her on a career path she had never anticipated. Terra moved from performing silly songs in a cabaret setting to forming her own band, leaning towards being a rock chick extraordinaire. She began sitting in with the long-running Melody Ranch afternoon matinée at the Brunswick House in Toronto, where famed singer/guitarist Jeff Healey happened to hear her sing one Saturday. Healey was himself moving into new musical territory after opening a night club and following his love of traditional jazz with his own Saturday matinée band, the Jazz Wizards, with whom he played trumpet instead of guitar. When he decided he didn’t want to be the singer for the Jazz Wizards, he remembered the belt and wail of Terra Hazelton from some months prior. Continue reading ‘Terra Hazelton in profile: She’s everyone’s baby’
DJ Huggs is a champion of not only good DJ’ing but also of playing good music period - from funk 45’s in sweaty dance halls to party classics at swish hotel bars to golden era hip hop for b-boys and upfront club music on main stages all over this great continent of ours. Whether it be the infamous Hollywood Banana Split Party @ LAX with DJ AM, a genre bending two room party in Baltimore with TV On The Radio & Dave Nada, or headlining the long-running Hai Karate night in Calgary; all this while steadily introducing Canada and homebase Montreal to acts like J*Davey and Platinum Army, Eli Escobar and Sharon Jones and rocking alongside everyone from Antibalas to Zero 7 - even The Roots and The Police - when they come to town; not to mention setting the Wunderbar inside the W Hotel in Old Montreal on fire every Saturday night. With 200+ shows on the road a year - Continue reading ‘DJ Huggs’
