Gotsoul is a two-fold company founded by a hip and talented team of musicians, DJ’s and producers, along with specialists in PR and Marketing. As a record label Gotsoul specializes in soulful music and eclectic music. According to them, anything that embodies true soul music can be seen and heard from Gotsoul. As a production company, Gotsoul houses an experienced and serious team in image-making, branding, and event planning.The label has included such awesome artists as Jojoflores, Mike Fresco, Osunlade, Trevor Walker, Rise Ashen, Santos, Jaffa, Miguel Graca, Soulcreation, Kenny Bobien, Fred Everything, Bodhi Satva, Nick Holder, Esperanza, and many more.
Gotsoul will, of course, be attending WMC 2008 and we’ll be right there with them!
Check in next week when TCR reports straight from the Winter Music Conference in Miami!
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Musician, DJ, Remixer, Martial Artist and BBoy Eric Vani (a.k.a. Rise Ashen) has devoted his life to the study of sound and movement. From his early years as a bboy in Montreal in the late 80’s to his studies at Fanshawe College (North America’s Oldest Recording School) and the Banff Centre for the Arts, Eric’s focus has been on applying hi-fi knowhow to underground music. His record collection spans Rai, Ancient Music, Traditional and Popular African, South American and Asian music, with NuJazz as is his primary focus. As a DJ, he blends it all in a worldy mash and is always the sweaty and dynamic life of the party. He has remixed Bebel Gilberto and Duke Ellington, has collaborated with Juno award winner Miguel Graca, Fred Everything, Trevor Walker, Blissom and Teknostep among others and his music has appeared on the compilations of renowned DJs like Rainer Truby and Roger Sanchez, and has been played by the likes of Masters at Work, Gilles Peterson, Maurice Fulton, Bonobo, ODB, Jimpster and Ted Patterson. You can check out his releases on Afroart, Gotsoul, Dub Fu and Defected among many others (he has about 35 12-inches out now and 7 artist CDs, not to mention countless mixed CDs and a few CBC radio shows called A Nu Jazz Order).
He believes music and dance are essential to human culture and that united, artists can lead humanity towards a more enlightened way of living.
Bambi Blue
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Toronto. Ontario. Canada. The streets are alive with the sound of music. Ditto the clubs, lounges, restaurants, community radio stations, wa
rehouses, and studio spaces. This city is bursting at the seams, mad with talented producers, musicians and DJ’s creating fresh sounds. There’s a reason for the increasing international buzz surrounding this bustling city: a music scene is truly coming into its own. Toronto based beats guru John Kong has been pushing at these bursting seams with his bare hands for years. He’s grown with the scene, DJing since the early 90’s and turning his love of jazz, soul, house and all things deep into a career that now earns him global gigs and respect. John Kong cares about music, not categories.
Witness Required Listening. Born from Kong’s desire to showcase some of the quality tunes he was hearing friends make, the collection is a snapshot of T.O.’s club-centric music scene as it stands now. John has ears to be trusted. Required Listening features all Toronto artists (with the notable exception of Ottawa’s B.A.W. Collective), and covers some seriously diverse musical terrain.
“Listen to the beats of Moonstarr or the hip-hop of Brassmunk“, exclaims John Kong, Do Right Music label boss. “They’re totally doing their own thing!
It’s the same with house and someone like Nick Holder … he has a totally unique sound. We here in Toronto may take all of that for granted, but when people from overseas hear this music, they’re like ‘This is different; it’s not what I’m used to.’ It’s totally Toronto.”
Bambi Blue
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THE ROOT
For those who have never had the fortune to drive it, the Trans-Canada highway is a long, slow and detailed journey. This route is rarely the fastest, but can be the most memorable way to traverse Canada.
I recently had the fortune to take the wrong turn driving from Toronto to Ottawa and landed myself on this highway. Listening to a CD of an Ottawa afro-funk band, I quickly drew the parallel between Canada’s music industry and one of the worlds longest highways. Relaxed and natural, yet constant and strong! Canada’s artists are bred to know that there is a long road that lie ahead.
TRANS CANADA RADIO 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!
Sara Ainslie (editor)
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