From the press release:

CANADIAN MUSICIANS RAINE MAIDA AND CHANTAL KREVIAZUK JOIN ACCLAIMED PIANIST, PRODUCER AND SONGWRITER STEPHAN MOCCIO TO HELP CREATE A SONG FOR CANADA

- WINNER RECEIVES $25,000 and a unique chance to help make history –

- Song To Debut Nationally During the Canada’s Walk of Fame Televised AWARDS ON Global and Slice™ -

(Toronto, ON) June 14, 2011 – Canada’s Walk of Fame announced today that two-time JUNO Award winner, Chantal Kreviazuk, and acclaimed singer/songwriter and front man for Our Lady Peace, Raine Maida, will join previously announced renowned pianist, producer, and songwriter Stephan Moccio in the exciting new competition offering Canadians a chance to make history and help create a song for Canada.

“It’s an honor to be a part of any creative venture that has the potential to add to Canada’s cultural legacy,” said Raine Maida on behalf of himself and his wife, Chantal Kreviazuk. “We are both very proud Canadians and look forward to working alongside those who share our passion to create something truly representative of how we feel about our country.”

Since June 1st, Canadians from coast-to-coast have been submitting their poem or essay describing what they believe is the true essence of the Canadian identity and what makes them proud to be Canadian. Hopefuls are also encouraged to submit a vocal or musical interpretation with their written content that may later be featured during the performance of the song (yet to be titled) when it is debuted nationally this October during the Canada’s Walk of Fame Televised Awards on Global and Slice. A Song For Canada competition, presented by RE/MAX, closes on July 15th.

“We are honoured to work with Raine Maida and Chantal Kreviazuk on this exciting project,” said Peter Soumalias, Founding Director, Canada’s Walk of Fame. “I am incredibly proud of the creative team we have assembled, and believe the song will reflect the spirit and values of the Canada we live in today.”

The original score will be co-written, composed and arranged by Stephan Moccio (“I Believe”, 2010 Vancouver Olympics theme song). Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida will co-write the lyrics and work with Moccio on the melody.

The winner of this competition will have a minimum of one line from their submission included in the song. The idea behind the competition is to create a theme in keeping with the inspirational Canadians who are a part of Canada’s Walk of Fame. The song will reflect the spirit and values of today’s Canada and ultimately become a musical symbol of our country worldwide.

A panel of esteemed judges will review all submissions and select the Top 10 eligible participants to advance to the final round. The judges include: Canadian jazz-pop singer and 2010 Allan Slaight Award recipient, Nikki Yanofsky; Stephan Moccio; Raine Maida; Chantal Kreviazuk; Entertainment Tonight Canada co-host, Rick Campanelli and Peter Soumalias. The public will also have the opportunity to view the Top 10 submissions online and comment on their favourites.
The grand prize winner of A Song For Canada will receive a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with Moccio, Maida and Kreviazuk, in addition to a cash prize of $25,000, studio recording time at Metalworks Studios valued at $10,000, plus a trip for two to Toronto to attend the 2011 Canada’s Walk of Fame Televised Awards and exclusive Inductee Ball. The winning submission will be announced in August 2011. Visit www.canadaswalkoffame.com <http://www.canadaswalkoffame.com> for contest details.

From the press release:

AMERICAN IDIOT TO HOLD OPEN CALL AUDITIONS IN TORONTO

Saturday, March 26 @ Roy Thomson Hall

The producers of the critically acclaimed Broadway hit AMERICAN IDIOT will hold Open Call Auditions, for all roles, in Toronto on Saturday, March 26 at Roy Thomson Hall. AMERICAN IDIOT will play the Toronto Centre for the Arts, December 28, 2011 – January 15, 2012.

The Open Call Auditions will begin at 11am, on a first come basis.  Please enter Roy Thomson Hall (60 Simcoe Street) via the stage door/artists entrance at the south end of the Hall off Wellington Street.

Producers are seeking male and female rock singers in their early to late 20′s.  All hopefuls should bring a recent picture, resume and prepare a short rock song.  A piano accompanist will be provided.  Men who play the guitar should bring one and accompany themselves.

For more information visit: http://www.facebook.com/americanidiotbroadway, or call 212.719.9393 x360.

Called “wonderfully raucous and emotionally charged” by The New York Times, AMERICAN IDIOT tells the story of three lifelong friends, forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. Their quest for meaning in a post 9-11 world leads them on an exhilarating journey.

Based on Green Day’s GRAMMY® Award-winning American Idiot, Billie Joe Armstrong and the band collaborate with one of the theatre’s most acclaimed creative teams, led by the Tony Award®-winning director Michael Mayer, Pulitzer Prize and two-time Tony Award-winning composer and orchestrator Tom Kitt, and Olivier Award-winning choreographer Steven Hoggett, to bring this explosive, iconic album to the stage.

The show features Tony Award-winning scenic design by Christine Jones (Spring Awakening), costume design by Baryshnikov fellow Andrea Lauer (The Butcher of Baraboo), Tony Award-winning lighting design by Kevin Adams (Hair), sound design by Olivier and Obie Award-winner Brian Ronan (Cabaret), as well as video design by Darrel Maloney.

TORONTO, 28 February, 2011 – Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading Music Company, announces that the Sam Roberts Band will release their new album, Collider on Tuesday, 10 May.  The first single from Collider, ‘I Feel You’, will be at radio today and available for digital download Tuesday, 08 March.

Collider reinforces the spirit of the band’s classic pop song craft and infectious melodies that countless critics fell in love with the past 10-years and over three full-length albums.

Produced by Chicago-based producer Brian Deck (Modest Mouse / Iron and Wine,) Collider is the follow-up to Roberts’ critically acclaimed album, ‘Love at the End of the World’.  Joined by Califone percussionist Ben Massarella and Antibalas woodwind wizard Stuart Bogie, the band explores a world of rhythms, sounds and ideas that challenged their understanding of themselves and the music that they were making. 

The new energy is immediately apparent on the album’s opening track “The Last Crusade”, which begins as a simmering soul shuffle before gradually intensifying into a brass-blasted Afro-funk blowout.  Bogie and Massarella’s role on this album amounts to more than just firing up the band’s funkiness on tracks like “Let It In” and adding a Sticky Fingers swing to “Sang Froid”.  The process of opening up the songs to accommodate their guest contributions forced the band to refine and refocus their own playing.

Collider is noticeably bereft of the scorching guitar solos that define the band’s powerhouse live performances.  Here the guitars are a textural tool to emphasize the rhythm – a tactic that ultimately shines a greater light on Roberts’ instantly familiar melodies and lyrical wisdom, yielding some of his most affecting performances to date – especially on the sad-eyed track “Twist the Knife” and the end-of-relationship requiem “Longitude”, a dreamy duet with Land of Talk’s Elizabeth Powell.

“There’s got to be some desperation to your writing,” Roberts says. “You’ve got to maintain that feeling of survival – that you can lose your grip at any time.  That’s where songs like these come from – from the realisation that you can never figure it out completely, that your grip can never hold on forever.  It’s always there; every time I sit down to write.  That’s why the record is called what it is: ideas collide, especially when you’re making music. When you take things that are seemingly different, you can smash them together and create something new.”

And that’s ultimately what Collider is about for Sam Roberts – musical exploration as a vehicle for emotional introspection.  Despite what the album’s opening track might tell you, this is not the last crusade he’s on … but the point is that it should feel like it is.

www.samrobertsband.com

From the press release:

Halifax Pop Explosion opens submissions for 2011 festival, taking place October 18-22

Taking place from Tuesday, October 18th to Saturday, October 22nd, submissions are now open for the 2011 Halifax Pop Explosion Festival & Conference. Artists can apply by visiting: http://halifaxpopexplosion.com/about-us/play/

Halifax Pop Explosion (HPX) was founded in 1993. Since then, it has become one the country’s premiere showcases for emerging music, art and culture from Halifax, Canada and around the world. Featuring artists such as The Hold Steady, The New Pornographers, Ty Segall, and Sloan, last year’s line-up drew record setting attendance all while being covered by media from all over the world. It also introduced the HPX all access wristband, allowing concert goers access to all shows for one low price. 

While still in the initial planning stages, several new developments are underway to make the 2011 HPX the most exciting to date. 

“Halifax Pop Explosion 2011 will be the biggest year in our 19 year history,” states Executive Director Jonny Stevens. “There will be more media, industry, fans and venues. We can’t wait to host over 150 bands from around the world from Oct. 18-22, 2011 in Halifax, NS.”

For more information on The 2010 Halifax Pop Explosion, visit: www.halifaxpopexplosion.com

We at ExploreMusic have been big supporters of S.C.E.N.E. as along as we’ve been alive (i.e. a couple of years), so we’re happy to help get the word out on the 2011 event.  From the press release:

S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival is back for a 16th year that will be bigger and better than ever!  Taking place in downtown St. Catharines, Ontario on Sunday, June 26, 2011, Southern Ontario’s coolest independent music festival will feature over 160 performers across multiple stages and venues.

S.C.E.N.E. is one of the largest annual, one-day, all-ages music festivals in Canada, and a premiere destination for showcasing quality independent music.  The festival attracts over 6000 fans to downtown St. Catharines each year, and is a hotbed for up-and-coming musical talent across all genres, featuring both Canadian and international talent.

Past performers include Bedouin Soundclash, City and Colour, Down With Webster, The Creepshow, Saint Alvia, Alexisonfire, Jason Collett (Broken Social Scene), The Midway State, Billy Talent, Arkells, Constantines, Lights, Teenage Head, illScarlett, Cancer Bats, Attack in Black, Shad, Silverstein, and many of the best and brightest talents in independent music today.

Artist submission forms are now available online at the official S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival website at: www.scenemusicfestival.com.

The deadline date for submitting applications is Sunday, April 10, 2011 (no exceptions).
For more information, please visit the S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival website, or contact: info@scenemusicfestival.com.

From the press release:

CITY AND COLOUR GIVES FANS A SPECIAL GLIMPSE INSIDE THE STUDIO

Who: JUNO and Platinum award winning artist City and Colour

What: Dallas Green is heading to Catherine North Studios in Hamilton to record his 3^rd City and Colour studio album with producer/engineer/mixer Alex Newport.  Newport is know for his cutting-edge work with At The Drive-In, Mars Volta, and Death Cab For Cutie to name a few.  The album title and official release date will be confirmed in the coming weeks.  In the meantime, fans can get a special glimpse behind the scenes and keep tabs on the recording process via the website: http://cityandcolourinstudio.com/.  There will be daily updates including photos, videos, and news from the studio.

When: Site goes live on Friday, January 21, 2011

From the press release:

NORTH BY NORTHEAST (NXNE), Canada’s #1 festival destination for the best new bands, dynamic music films, and compelling sessions with the most forward-thinking interactive media innovators, today announced further details for the 2011 edition of NXNE, taking place in Toronto from June 13-19.

NXNE INTERACTIVE

Building on the sold-out success of last year’s inaugural conference, NXNE Interactive returns with a new structure featuring leading-edge workshops, panel sessions, and inspiring keynote presentations. For musicians and filmmakers, tech entrepreneurs, marketing professionals, social media users and anyone looking to get the most from new technology, tools, and trends, NXNE Interactive is now a unique conference of ideas bringing music and film into the digital world. 

PASSES NOW ON SALE

NXNE passes, including the NXNE INTERACTIVE PASS, the perfect option for anyone primarily interested in NXNE Interactive, and the NXNE PRIORITY PASS, which includes three parts of the festival (Music, Film, Interactive) are now on sale and can only be purchased online at www.nxne.com/tickets. A limited number of discounted Super Early Bird Passes are available until February 27.

SHOWCASING ARTISTS

Applications for artists to be part of NXNE 2011 are still being accepted – but only until January 31. Musicians and filmmakers are invited to submit applications exclusively online at www.nxne.com.

Playing NXNE is more important than ever for artists looking to reach thousands of new fans, meet key industry people, and take their careers to the next level.  NXNE 2010 showcasing artists Warpaint, Big Freedia, Zola Jesus, Indian Jewelry, PS I Love You, and Best Coast made many international music blogs’ year-end “best-of” lists and are now breaking big worldwide.

NXNE alumni include Iggy and The Stooges, Feist, Kid Cudi, X, Les Savy Fav, GZA, Sufjan Stevens, Matt and Kim, No Age, Black Lips, Cold Cave, Best Coast, Wavves, Thee Oh Sees, Dinosaur Jr., Warpaint, Japandroids, Big Freedia, Diamond Rings, The Soft Pack, Zola Jesus, HEALTH, Kid Sister, The Raveonettes, Broken Social Scene, Mudhoney and thousands more.

The complete NXNE Music line-up, Film schedule, and Interactive program will be announced spring 2011.

17 Years, 650 Bands, 50 Stages, 40 Films, 75 Interactive Sessions, 7 Days.  www.nxne.com.

NXNE Myspace    NXNE Facebook     NXNE Twitter

Universal Music Group Donates Over 200,000 Master Recordings to The Library of Congress

Library’s Largest Musical Gift Features Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby & Others

The American people, through the nation’s library, will receive a post-holiday gift of vintage sound recordings from one of the world’s largest recording companies.   The Library of Congress and the Universal Music Group (UMG) announced today the donation of more than 200,000 historic master recordings—many long out-of-print or never released—to the Library’s Recorded Sound Section, which has more than 3 million sound recordings in its collections.

Totaling in excess of 5,000 linear feet, UMG’s gift is the largest single donation ever received by the Library’s audio-visual division and the first major collection of studio master materials ever obtained by the nation’s oldest cultural institution. Among the collection’s thousands of metal and lacquer discs and master mono tapes are released and unreleased versions of recordings by such seminal artists as Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Tommy Dorsey, Billie Holiday, the Andrews Sisters, Connee Boswell, Jimmy Dorsey, the Mills Brothers, Guy Lombardo, Ella Fitzgerald, Fred Waring, Judy Garland, and Dinah Washington, among others.
They include:

• Bing Crosby’s 1947 version of “White Christmas”
• Louis Armstrong singing “Ain’t Misbehavin’”
• The Mills Brothers’ “Paper Doll”
• Ella Fitzgerald’s and Louis Armstrong’s duet “Frim Fram Sauce”
• Les Paul’s “Guitar Boogie”
• Josh White singing “Jim Crow”
• Machito and his Afro-Cuban All Stars Mercury recordings

“It is certainly within the national interest to acquire this recorded collection, and all its accompanying materials, for custodial care,” said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington.  “A surprisingly high percentage of America’s recording heritage since the early part of the 20th century has been lost due to neglect and deterioration.  The donation of the UMG archive to the Library of Congress is a major gift to the nation that will help maintain the inter-generational connection that is essential to keeping alive, in our collective national memory, the music and sound recordings meaningful to past generations.”

UMG has one of the most extensive catalogs of music in the world and its gift to the Library includes historic masters from such subsidiary labels as Decca, Mercury, Vocalion and Brunswick, dating from the late 1920s through the late 1940s. “Music is a distinctive feature of any historical period, and this particular collection of masters provides true insight into popular music’s humble beginnings and who we are as a culture today,” said Zach Horowitz, UMG’s president and chief operating officer. “We are delighted to be collaborating with the Library of Congress to preserve and call attention to the groundbreaking musical achievements of these amazing musical pioneers.”

The Universal Music Collection, which consists of the company’s best existing copies, will be cataloged and digitized at the Library’s Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation in Culpeper, Va., which will permanently secure their exceptional sonic quality.  “The Packard Campus and its employees will work hard to protect the Library’s comprehensive collection and make these recordings accessible to the American people and this generous contribution by Universal Music will help preserve our nation’s rich cultural heritage,” said Congressman Eric Cantor, Majority Leader for the 112th Congress and U.S. Representative from the 7th District of Virginia, which includes Culpeper.

This gift is particularly important in the context of the findings of the first comprehensive, congressionally mandated study ever conducted in the U.S. on a national level.  It found that only an estimated 14 percent of pre-1965 commercially released recordings were currently available from right holders. The study also found that of the music released in the U.S. in the 1930s, only about 10 percent of it could be readily accessed by the public.
The Library will stream recordings from the collection on a website to be launched in the spring.  The additions of these recordings will significantly broaden the scope of the site and enhance the Library’s already unprecedented authority to stream commercially owned sound recordings online.

Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution. It seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions. Many of the Library’s rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov and via interactive exhibitions on a personalized website at myLOC.gov.

The Packard Campus is a state-of-the-art facility where the nation’s library acquires, preserves and provides access to the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of films, television programs, radio broadcasts and sound recordings (www.loc.gov/avconservation/).  The Packard Campus is funded as a gift to the nation by the Packard Humanities Institute and is home to more than six million collection items.

We like the work the people at War Child Canada do, so whenever we can, we like to help out.  They have an event coming up in Toronto next month.  From the press release:

“War Child is pleased to announce Second Hand Songs, a unique concert event featuring performances by some of Toronto’s finest punk and alternative acts – The Rhythm Section, Bleed Canadian and THESET – covering their favorite songs for a great cause.  The concert will take place on Saturday, January 22, 2011 at The Garrison, located at 1197 Dundas Street West in Toronto.  Doors will open at 8:00 pm, and the first 50 people to arrive at the venue on the night of the show will receive a gift bag courtesy of Epitaph Records.  All proceeds will go to support War Child Canada, a registered charity that provides humanitarian assistance to war-affected children in some of the most devastated regions of the world.

“The Rhythm Section, featuring members from various projects including Titan, Rosesdead, Tallman, Reason Disappears and Drunk Hussy, will perform Refused’s renowned album The Shape of Punk to Come in its entirety.   Additional bands set to play are Bleed Canadian (members of Moneen, The Fullblast and Oh No Forest Fires performing favorites from Jimmy Eat World) and THESET (covering classics from Thrice).

“The evening will be hosted by Barry Taylor (Comedian, Aux Weekly).  Stepping into the role of DJ for the evening will be Ian D’Sa of Billy Talent.  Tickets for Second Hand Songs are $10.00 and can be purchased online at www.maplemusic.com or in person at Rotate This! and Soundscapes.

“War Child works with children all over the world to reduce the effects of poverty, provide an education and to defend and promote child rights.  War Child works to help children whose lives have been torn apart by conflict, and provide them with the means to build a brighter future.  War Child works with local people and organizations in Afghanistan, Darfur (Sudan), Uganda, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and Haiti.”