Blues bruisers The Micronite Filters with the DGB at Manantler Feb 12

Manantler Brewery have the sweet pairing of the Micronite Filters and the Do Good Badlies Feb 12. Prepare for some extend jams from these bands who never met a song they couldn't keep going all night long. The Filters will be spilling the Wizard Blood, (their most recent release on their own label Get Bent) and the DGB also have some tasty vinyl available also, Electric Nights. 

TO hiphop, iLLvibe bringing the good vibrations to the Atria Feb 13

TO rapper iLLvibe will be at The Atria Feb 13 as part of a quick jaunt around S.Ont. celebrating the release of his album Firebreather on Fontana North. He has previously toured Europe, Canada and the States in 2015 and will be heading south again in the Spring. The dude's been getting airplay on Flow and Strombo and ILLvibe finished second only to Drake in Now magazine's TO rapper of the year. AND… he won the season premiere episode in October past of CBC's Smartest Person. Now why such an obviously erudite chap would be rapping in Oshawa is anyone's guess but its mos def cause to get up and out to check out his clever rhymes and smooth hip hop ways. 

Emory Lester at Greenbank Folk Music Club Feb 20

World renowned mandolin player, Emory Lester, will perform with Jill Jones and their band at the Greenbank Folk Music Society on Saturday, February 20th, 2016. Chris Saunders and Abby Zotz from Uxbridge will open. Emory has performed across the U.S. Canada, Europe and the U.K. and has been featured on several performances with Steve Martin, most notably on the ‘Late Night with David Letterman’ show in the fall of 2012. Jones and Emory will be backed up by Larry Miller of the Southern Ramblers, Marion Linton and bassist Steve Marshall. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and available at Blue Heron Books in Uxbridge and POE Design in Port Perry. Greenbank Centennial Hall is located on Hwy 12, 30 minutes north of Whitby.

David G Smith latest album is love at first listen - by Jason Gartshore

By Jason Gartshore- Americana Review
The story of singer-songwriter David G. Smith is an interestingly winding road.  His musical education was acquired by osmosis. Having been raised by a musical family, Smith spent many years on the road honing and developing his craft to become one of the top songwriters on the Americana scene.  A career detour took place along the way, taking him back to his home state of Iowa to become a medical investigator. But when something is meant to be, it will always work itself out.  David G. Smith was meant to be a singer and a songwriter and we are all the beneficiaries of his ability to share his unique life experience through his work. His sixth studio album First Love will be released independently on February 5, 2016. It features a stellar list of mentors, friends and believers providing support on this excellent project.

First Love opens up with “Fear”, a song that will bring an almost instant familiarity on what should be a wonderful moment in life.  Featuring the incomparable Mary Gauthier on backing vocals, this is an excellent song about overcoming, well, “Fear” to take a serious step forward in life.  “Ocean Soul” is a nice little summertime groove that screams for an open road and a convertible heading to the beach.  “Nightlife in the Stix” will take you from the beach to the swamp, as this song is a great snapshot of life on a weekend night in the South.

The title track is a very touching song, one for the many people who have suffered the sudden and/or unwanted termination of a relationship.  Sometimes the toughest part of moving on from that horrible situation is moving toward the blessing of another wonderful relationship. “First Love” is the story of such a heartbreaking situation, and it captures the circumstance with incredible accuracy.  It is quite possibly the finest song on the album.

As an album, First Love is very well written and balanced as it moves from the despondence of the title track to one of hope and celebration of love with “Lost in You.” David paints a descriptive picture of a young boy’s conversation with his grandfather in “Questions”, a picture that could rival any Tom T. Hall composition.  The blues make a prominent appearance on “I Can’t Tell”, featuring instrumentation from the great Keb’ Mo. 

David G. Smith is the quintessential example of what can happen when you begin to pursue what’s in your heart to make your living, as opposed to becoming a part of the machine for the purpose of making other people money.  It wasn’t until Smith chose the path of greatest resistance that he found his creative peak and discovered what he has become.  First Love shows that David G. Smith is a top level singer-songwriter who continues to get better with each project and will be an artist to watch on the Americana scene in the coming years.

New TSO season includes collaboration with Owen Pallett and Tanya Tagaq

The 2016/2017 Toronto Symphony Orchestra season will include a wide range of popular tie-ins including a live performance and presentation of Sir Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, scored by Toronto's Howard Shore. Other movie/music performances include Danny Elfman's scores for Tim Burton and the Disney-Pixar film Ratatouille scored by Michael Giacchino and John Williams Indianan Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Tanya Tagaq

Polaris Prize winners Owen Pallett and Tanya Tagaq will be featured as part of the New Creations Festival curated by Pallett and music director Michael Oundjian.  The festival includes seven World Premières: a work by Tagaq, written with Christine Duncan (TSO Commission), and new works by festival curator Owen Pallett, Mica Levi, TSO’s RBC Affiliate Composer Jordan Pal, Cassandra Miller, and Nicole Lizée—performed by the Kronos Quartet. The festival also features Yefim Bronfman performing Trauermarsch for Piano and Orchestra by Jörg Widmann (Canadian Première/TSO Co-commission), and a violin concerto by Pulitzer Prize–winner Aaron Jay Kernis (TSO Co-commission) performed by James Ehnes.
Oundijian and the TSO will also take on some of powerhouses in Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, featuring mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton; Mahler’s Symphony No. 10, conducted by Thomas Dausgaard; Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral”, conducted by Hannu Lintu; and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, conducted by TSO Conductor Laureate Sir Andrew Davis.

Photo Credit: Decca/Timothy White

The season opens Sept. 21 2016 with world renown soprano Renee Fleming. Canada will celebrate its 150 birthday in 2017 and the TSO will be bringing some special performances to the festivities. Canada Mosaic on Jan 21, will play tribute to Canadian composers. Alain Trudel conducts works by Ridout, Mercure, Coulthard, and Weinzweig, as well as Rhapsodie romantique by André Mathieu, with Canadian pianist Alain Lefèvre.
Other presentations include Alligator Pie by Dennis Lee, Roch Carrier's Hockey Sweather, a tribute to ABBA, a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, Jann Arden, Colin Mochrie, Science @ The Symphony and Itzhak Perlman.
All concerts take place at Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St.,in Toronto unless otherwise noted. For more information on season subscriptions and individual concert tickets check the website.

Whitby's latest songbird, Annie Sumi, to perform at RMG Friday Feb. 5

Annie Sumi, a singer/songwriter originally from Whitby but based in North Bay, will be performing at the RMG Friday fifth anniversary celebrations Feb. 5 2016. Sumi heeded the call of the north while researching universities.
"North Bay caught my eye because of the landscape. On the front cover of Nipissing's promotional brochure there was a photograph of Duschesnay Falls, and, when I went up to visit, I fell in love with the lake and the trees and the riverways. There is a certain point along highway 11 where the air gets sweeter, and it fills your whole body with energy," says the 21 year old who already has a fan in Canada's boyfriend, George Stroumboulopoulos. A friend and Strombo co-worker was playing Sumi's cover of Coldplay's "Green Eyes" and it caught the ear of the Toronto tastemaker. He then featured her on his national radio show.

Sumi's debut album, all originals, titled Reflections, was released in April 2015. It was recorded amongst the northern pines with producer Bob Leggett. Sumi has toured extensively and played several festivals including Shelter Valley where she met fellow Whitby songbird Jadea Kelly. Sumi also learnt from Whitby's most famous country family, The Stellas.
"I used to take guitar lessons at the Music Scene, in Whitby, and they were the co-owners of the Scene. They listened to me strum away on my strings in those early days, and the Music Scene put an endless amount of support into my aspirations to become a musician. At that time, I needed to find my own way so I did. I was recently introduced to Jadea Kelly, and had the chance to play at Shelter Valley Folk Festival with her. Her music and her personality really captures the audience, and there is so much a girl can learn from a fireball woman like that!" she says.
She considers herself blessed to have such mentors and teachers; teachers plus the availability of open mics and the supportive atmosphere that gathers around them.
"I probably wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for a spontaneous burst of courage, a song, and someone to listen," she says.

Meghan Patrick joins Zac Brown Band and Eric Church for CMT Music Fest

Meghan Patrick and Lindi Ortega will join Eric Church and Zac Brown Band at the two day CMT Music Fest in Kitchener, Ont. The event presented by Corus Live will take place at the Bingemans Grounds Friday July 8 and Saturday July 9. Also on the bill are Andrew Hyatt, Cold Creek Country, Kira Isabella, Leah Daniels, the Roda Hammers and the Washboard Union. CMT Music Fest will feature a local farm-to-table approach with a mini-food market, on-site general store and much more. The event is family oriented all ages with a +19 property license. Camping is available. Tickets go on sale Friday Feb. 5 2016.

Patrick, from Bowmanville, Ont., recently signed to Warner and has been working and recording her debut album. Before going solo she was a member of the Stone Sparrows. Nashville-based Lindi Ortega, has been swiftly solidifying her place as the queen of gothic country with her murder balladry and signature red boots. Her lonesome drawl draws comparisons to classic country greats Patsy Cline and Tammy Wynette. Her album Faded Glory is available on Last Gang.

The sunny ways of West Hammock my friends sunny ways

With just the right balance of swagger and earnestness West Hammock are swinging into view. The three-piece from Port Perry Ont., have been building up their gig list including a couple of dates with The Strumbellas and opening for USS and touring the S.Ont. circuit.
On stage lead singer Hunter Sheridan on acoustic guitar provides a calming presence to keyboardist and vocalist, (the anything but quiet man) Sean Thornton, who brings the rock 'n roll swagger of a dude who doesn't have a Plan B. He also rocks the accordion!! So dig that all you pretty things. Drummer Ryan Mead binds the two. The three work.
The brightness of their tracks on their River EP wander into the beachy reaches of Jason Miraz or Arrested Development but mostly one can see these three as those renegades riding the waves of the world in a stripped down Jeep. West Hammock revel in their youthfulness and share the relaxed sunny side up attitude of their peers; this band don't just hang ten they hang 30. West Hammock may be the soundtrack to Justin Trudeau's predicted sunny ways ahead for Canada.

Bros and Beaus

Spirits on the march in new Strumbellas' video

Billboard premiered the official video for The Strumbellas' hit single "Spirits". The video directed by Daniel AM Rosenberg and inspired by the Bon movie Live and Let Die, in particular the marching N'Awlins parade scene. The song is on their latest album, the optimistically titled Hope due Apr. 22 on Six Shooter in Canada. The band recently signed with Glassnote internationally. Blue Rodeo have asked them to be support on their tour including a couple of dates at Massey Hall Feb. 18 and 19. In March the Strumbellas head to Austin TX for SXSW.

Poet Jeramy Dodds offers one-on-one opportunity to study under him

Award winning Canadian poet and former Orono, Ont., resident, Jeramy Dodds, is offering a two month mentorship with a focus on manuscript editing. Dodds is the winner of the 2006 Bronwen Wallace Memorial Award and the 2007 CBC Literary Award for poetry. His first collection of poems, Crabwise to the Hounds (Coach House Books, 2008), was shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize, the Gerald Lampert Award, and won the Trillium Book Award for poetry. His most recent publication is a translation of the Poetic Edda (Coach House Books, 2014) from Old Icelandic into English. He is a poetry editor at Coach House Books. The private mentorship includes a one to two hour weekly meeting by Skype (or in-person if in Montreal where Dodds resides), a personalized reading list, discussions, edits and help sourcing a publisher. There are four mentoring places available in April/May and eight for July/August. For application and prices contact info@jeramydodds.com

Tchaikovsky News from Ontario Philharmonic, performance Sat. Jan. 30

Violinist Alexandre De Costa is the special guest soloist for the Ontario Philharmonic's "Tchaikovsky Spectacular" Saturday Jan. 30 2016. The event takes place at The Historic Regent Theatre located in downtown Oshawa.  The evening's presentation includes "The Sleeping Beauty" Suite op.66a 20', Violin Concerto op. 35 in D major and Francesca da Rimini op.32 25'
All that evening abstract artist, Paul Sloggett, will debut his multi-media work prior to the performance and will be on hand to speak about the piece at a VIP reception after the show.
Performances begin at 7:30 p.m.
Ticket information here.

Matt Anderson sings the Honest Man blues

Juno nominee Matt Anderson will release his album, Honest Man, Feb. 26 2016 on True North Records. Its the eight release from the New Brunswick bluesman who is embarking on a massive three month tour across Canada and the States. Anderson will tour some dates with Donovan Woods and those around Toronto are listed below. He has released the title track which premiered on Relix.

Greater Toronto Area
Mar 5 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall
Mar 6 - Orillia, ON - Orillia Opera House
Mar 8 - Port Hope, ON - Cameco Capitol Arts Centre
Mar 9 - Markham, ON - Flato Markham Theatre *