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!
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: 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: 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.
Title: Femi Kuti Location: Montreal, Toronto Link out: Click here Start Date: 2009-01-14 End Date: 2009-01-15
Femi Kuti accompanied his father’s musicians until 1986 when he went solo and began his own band. For the next 20 years, Femi developed an afrobeat with soul-jazz nuances that is entirely his own. He sang with Motown back in the early 90’s and then took a radical shift of musical stylings in 2001 when he joined forces with rappers Mos Def and Common for the album “Fight to Win.” Femi also has his own nightclub, the Shrine, located in Lagos, Nigeria. The Shrine is a political hot potato as well as a great place to hear cutting-edge African beats. You can check it all out in Femi’s DVD “Live at the Shrine” or hear him when he comes to Canada in January of 2009.
Title: Joubin Location: Stereobar, Montreal Link out: Click here Date: 2008-11-30
Joubin is Persian and from Montreal. He’s had a successful career that has included producing remixes for Chus & Ceballos, Victor Calderone, D-Formation, Lula, DJ Paulo, That Kid Chris, Carlos Fauvrelle, Midnight Society and others. He puts on a great house set and he’ll be playing Le Stereo in Montreal on November 30th.
Title: Kellylee Evans Location: Montreal Link out: Click here Date: 2008-11-20
Kellylee Evans is a 2007 Juno and Gemini Award nominated singer-songwriter. Her smooth style urban-jazz has gotten acclaim from various magazines and artists. Rich, soothing, robust and energizing is how her music is described. Taking inspiration from Elvis Costello, Aimee Mann and Ron Sexsmith, Kellylee is sure to put on a good show at the Grey Cup celebration in Montreal on November 20th.
NuJazz festival starts tonight! The festival features such heavyweights as The Herbaliser Band and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. On top of that, you’ll be able to check out some great Canadian bands such as Souljazz Orchestra, King Sunshine, Grand Analog, Planet Earth and The National Parcs. We haven’t forgotten about the DJs either. Canadian and local DJs such as The Footprints DJ crew, John Kong, More or Les, Rollin’ Cash, DJ Numeric and more. Click through for exact dates, listings, prices and online ticket purchasing
Title: Alfa Rococo Location: Club Soda, Montreal Link out: Click here Date: 2008-11-29
Alfa Rococo are Justine Laberge and David Bussieres, a Quebecois duo that put out their first album in Spring of 2007. Their music and lyrics reflect their personality: colorful and poetic. They sound like Manu Chao if he had his girlfriend play in his band. They’re sure to put on a good show and if you’re feeling like dancing, I suggest checking them out at Club Soda on Saturday November 29th in Montreal.
Title: Mark Berube and The Patriotic Few Location: Montreal Link out: Click here Date: 2008-11-16
Mark Berube is half Quebecois and half Manitoban. In this regard, he truly exemplifies the Canadian culture that affects his music. On top of that, his cultural influences are diversified by a stint living in Swaziland while he was young. He currently lives in Montreal where he takes inspiration from Bob Dylan, Keith Jarrett, Abdullah Ibrahim, Hugh Masekela and Nina Simone. His music is described as rare and raw folk and he consistently delivers engaging and lively performances. Check out Mark Berube at La Divian Orange in Montreal on Saturday, November 16th.