By Will McGuirk
Vinyl revelling this weekend will include The Unraveling of PUP, the TO punksters punking the world; Folly Group with its Franz Ferdinand fronting Television-isms, the tenacious debut from Koffee, the courageous debut from Daniel Casimir, and the silver anniversary of Placebo, plus so much much much more.
By Will McGuirk
Its an East vs West at the 2022 CMAOntario awards, East Durham Region vs West Durham Region. Meghan Patrick from Bowmanville, (now residing in Nashville) and Robyn Ottolini from Uxbridge are facing off across multiple categories at this the 10th anniversary for the Province’s Country music awards. Both stars are nominated in the Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Songwriter(s) of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Music Video of the Year, and Fan’s Choice. The 2022 awards will take place June 5 in London Ontario. Robyn is co-hosting as well, with Jason McCoy.
The full list is here
The Nominees for the 10th Annual CMAOntario Awards are:
SINGLE OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Pure Country 93
“Cool About It” – Meghan Patrick
“Playing Favourites” – Genevieve Fisher
“Relationship Goals” – Steven Lee Olsen
“Shotgun Rider” – Tebey
“Trust Issues” – Robyn Ottolini
ALBUM OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Country 106.7
Campfire Troubadour – Tim Hicks
Free – Elyse Saunders
Heart on My Glass – Meghan Patrick
Honkytonk Revival – Jade Eagleson
The But I’m Not Always Sad Either EP – Robyn Ottolini
SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR – sponsored by SOCAN
Cory Marks, Kevin Churko, Kane Churko – Blame It On The Double recorded by Cory Marks ft. Tyler Connolly & Jason Hook
Meghan Patrick, Cary Barlowe, Corey Crowder – Cool About It recorded by Meghan Patrick
Robyn Ottolini, Jesse Slack – Tell You Everything recorded by Robyn Ottolini
Steven Lee Olsen, Brandon Day, Ava Suppelsa – Relationship Goals recorded by Steven Lee Olsen
Stuart Walker, Jenna Walker, Gavin Slate, Travis Wood – More Drinkin’ than Fishin’ recorded by Jade Eagleson
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Forrest Jones Entertainment
Genevieve Fisher
Kelsi Mayne
Meghan Patrick
Robyn Ottolini
Sacha
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Cory Marks
David Boyd Janes
Jade Eagleson
Jason Blaine
Tim Hicks
GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Country 103
Blue Rodeo
Buck Twenty
River Town Saints
The Abrams
The Reklaws
ROOTS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Emily Clair
Mackenzie Leigh Meyer
The Abrams
The Redhill Valleys
The Western Swing Authority
FRANCOPHONE ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Desjardins
Gabrielle Goulet
Kristine St-Pierre
Les Rats d’Swompe
Reney Ray
Vincent Bishop
RISING STAR AWARD – sponsored by Slaight Music
Alli Walker
Graham Scott Fleming
Nate Haller
Sacha
Shae Dupuy
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR – sponsored by MNP
“Cool About It” – Meghan Patrick
“F-150” – Robyn Ottolini
“More Drinkin’ than Fishin’” – Jade Eagleson
“Song of the Summer” – Tebey ft. Una Healy
“Sunshine State of Mind” – Elyse Saunders
FANS’ CHOICE – sponsored by Tourism London
Andrew Hyatt
Jade Eagleson
James Barker Band
Meghan Patrick
Robyn Ottolini
Tebey
The Reklaws
Tim Hicks
RECORD PRODUCER(S) OF THE YEAR
Erik Fintelman and Mark Schroor – Robyn Ottolini
J. Richard Hutt – Colin Amey, Dayna Shereck, Jamie Warren, Rebekah Stevens, Sean Hogan, Tianna Woods
Jeff Dalziel – Aaron Allen, David Boyd Janes, Mackenzie Leigh Meyer, New Moon Junction
Tebey Ottoh and Danick Dupelle – Tebey
The Agenda – Graham Scott Fleming
MUSIC INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Manrkē
AJ Astle, Roadhouse Productions
Dave Woods, In the Country
Hendrik Pape, Soundcheck Entertainment
Samantha Pickard, Strut Entertainment
Steve Coady, Warner Music Canada
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (LARGE MARKET) – sponsored by Fielding Estate Winery
Country 104, London
Country 106.7, Kitchener
KX 94.7, Hamilton
KX96, Oshawa
Pure Country 94, Ottawa
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (MEDIUM MARKET) – sponsored by Lucknow’s Music in the Fields
COOL 100.1, Belleville
Country 92.9, Chatham
Country 93.5, Kingston
Hot Country 93.9, Brantford
Pure Country 99, Kingston
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (SMALL MARKET)
100.1FM The Ranch, Listowel
Country 103, Manitoulin
Country 105, Shelburne
Country 89, Welland
PURE COUNTRY 106, Orillia
By Will McGuirk
“Well, I'm on my way . . . “ , C’mon who doesn’t love that tune? Its just so good, just so feel good good. And after some pandemic delays the Stampeders will be heading to Oshawa city lights for a feel good night at the Regent Theatre Friday Apr 8 2022. They are celebrating 50 years!
By Will McGuirk
Metz, Daniel Romano & the Outfit at Lee’s Palace Tuesday March 29 2022 Tickets Here
Skye Wallace at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern Thursday Mar 31 2022 Tickets Here
Lowest of the Low at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern Friday and Saturday, Apr 1 and 2 2022 Tickets Here
Serena Ryder and William Prince
By Will McGuirk
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis Thursday March 31 2022 Tickets Here
Serena Ryder and William Prince Friday Apr 1 2022 Tickets Here
Hill Kourkoutis, photo by Laura Joy
By Will McGuirk
Durham Region music powerhouse Hill Kourkoutis has been nominated for the 2022 ‘Recording Engineer of the Year’ Juno. Hill first came to our attention via her work with Uxbridge musician, Tania Joy and her album ‘I Will Stand.’ Hill’s Juno nod is for Tania’s single ‘The Drought’ which she engineered, as well as her work with Toronto rocker, Sate. The ‘Recording Engineer of the Year’ nomination has attracted much attention as 2022 marks the first time a female has been included in the list (and we thought we were slow!). Slowcity.ca is of course always interested in the Region’s makers, and how being here helps, hinders, or otherwise has a hand in one’s creative journey. So we reached out and Hill very kindly agreed to answer. our questions below.
Slowcity.ca: Can you tell me about your education in terms of music, you had told me you lived in Greenwood but were schooled in Whitby - why was that?
Hill Kourkoutis: “I started guitar lessons at Durham Music when I was 8 years old. A year or so later, I started piano lessons with a piano teacher in Greenwood, where I grew up. In 6th grade, I began attending Trafalgar Castle School in Whitby. It was a private school that my older sister was also attending. In addition to having incredible teachers, I was able to take music lessons while I attended school with my wonderful instructors Tania Huk (piano) and Mary-Ruth Roadhouse (voice). It was at Trafalgar that I deepened my studies in piano, vocal performance and theory through The Royal Conservatory of Music syllabus. It was also at Trafalgar that I started my first band in Grade 7 with a bunch of the girls from my school. Most of the other instruments I picked up thereafter and my production knowledge was self-taught.“
SC: There is a great community of artists in North Durham; did you find a music community easily in your vicinity?
HK: “I lived in a small hamlet. I was the only musician in my family, so I spent a lot of time alone in my parent’s basement and in my bedroom writing songs and learning instruments. Finding a local music community outside of school was a little difficult because I was so young when I started and I wasn’t really gigging at local spots outside of school coffee houses and concerts. Most of my early music community were my peers from school. Trafalgar had some incredible musicians attending the school. When I was 13, I started getting gigs at the clubs in Toronto and that is when my music community grew exponentially. “
SC: It's interesting to me the split in our area where the East of the Region has great melodic-based older tradition musical artists but the innovative, experimental, tech-based artists are mostly in the West end, - and of course there is the north/south divide where kids in the rural areas had to make up their own fun. How much, if at all, did growing up where you did contribute to what you make and who you became?
HK: “I think my early days were pretty siloed since Greenwood was surrounded by farms and conservation areas. I spent a lot of time playing in the yard or forest with my siblings and cousins. The rest of the time was spent dreaming about becoming a musician, writing songs and learning how to record my own music. I knew exactly what I wanted to do for a living and I was determined to make that happen. I guess this would fall under the category of making my own fun in the north side of town and it definitely contributed to shaping who I have become. It gave me the gift of space to develop, dream and grow into who I am as a creative.”
SC: Where do you do your work, do you travel or do people come to you? I gather you are still working and living here in the GTA, why did you not take off to the bright lights of L.A for example - or if you have left why did you leave?
HK: “I used to travel a lot as a touring musician. I do still travel for work but I primarily work out of my studio, The Lair. The Lair used to be located in Toronto but during the pandemic I decided to move north of the city. I also work out of a lot of other recording studios depending on the project. Finding the right room with the right sound to record in is an important part of the process. I pretty much go where I need to go to do the project justice. I decided to base myself here because I strongly believe that Toronto is a world-class music city with incredible talent and innovative music. We have a very strong community here and I want to be a part of building and fostering that community. That doesn’t mean I close myself off from other incredible cities with amazing music scenes and will often find myself traveling for both work and inspiration.”
‘Nobody’ by Sate, produced and mixed by Hill Kourkoutis, written by Sate and Hill Kourkoutis.
“I remember my first in person session when some of the restrictions lifted. It was a live off the floor session at a Toronto studio and although everyone was masked and socially distanced, the minute the session musicians started playing together, I began to weep.”
- Hill Kourkoutis
SC: What draws you to work with certain artists?
HK: “I love working with artists who are genuine storytellers and musicians. I love working with artists who are kind, loving, honest and incredible people. I love working with artists who are good humans. I love working with artists who wish to contribute something to this world and connect with people. Music is a powerful medium and when all of those things align, that’s when the magic happens. All those things are what collectively draw me to working on a project.”
SC: What do you think are your greatest strengths as a producer?
HK: “I believe a lot of my skills as a producer are a result of having worn so many different hats in this industry from being an artist to backing musician to songwriter, etc. I remember being on the artist side when my ideas were not considered. This had a great impact on me and I realized how quickly an artist can shut down when there is no respect or trust present in the producer/songwriter relationship. Being a producer is so much more than technical execution. Being a producer is also about communication, creating space and guidance. It is not my job as a producer, for example, to intervene with the artist’s path or morph them into someone they are not. My job is to observe the artist, listen to their intentions and facilitate the process of taking their ideas and turning them into a finished song or record that is 100% representative of them and their storytelling. My approach to production is holistic in nature. I like to listen and build that trust and respect. Once that is established, I can ensure an artist is going to be able to go to those vulnerable places and take the creative risks necessary to make a genuine recording.”
SC: Over the past two years what changes, did you see or experience behind the board - was there less in-person experiences, how did you manage that? How did, do you think, the pandemic affected you the music producer over the past two years and what changes were required of the technology involved ?
HK: “The biggest thing that changed during the pandemic was that we could not create in the same space together. Luckily, I had experiences working remotely for certain phases of making records leading up to the pandemic. So I already had somewhat of a framework for making it work. What I didn’t have experience with was making entire albums remotely and in some cases, having never met the artist face to face! It was a true testament to the resilience and adaptability of the artistic spirit, though.
“Musicians are used to adapting to shifting circumstances very quickly and I think that worked in our favour during this difficult time. Technology played a huge role in how we adapted. Zoom became standard for songwriting and recording sessions. There was a lot of file sharing. A lot of coaching artists to build their own recording set-ups at home and teaching them how to record themselves and send files back to me. Then eventually software companies started to find ways to streamline this process. Two years later, there is software that allows us to take control over someone else’s computer and engineer a session remotely in near real time! It’s quite incredible. We don’t necessarily have to be somewhere in order to make music now. It has opened up the possibility of hybrid ways of working (in person and/or remote). It has made us realize that nothing can stop us from creating music. That is an amazing thing, but nothing quite beats being in a room with a bunch of artists creating together.
“I remember my first in person session when some of the restrictions lifted. It was a live off the floor session at a Toronto studio and although everyone was masked and socially distanced, the minute the session musicians started playing together, I began to weep. It was a cathartic release for me. I went from essentially being a one-woman band in my studio and emailing tracks around to hearing people create vibrations and sounds in the same space, harmoniously. I don’t think I’ll ever take that magic for granted ever again.”
SC: There is the historic aspect to your JUNO nomination but if you are like the other artists I know in the North you would appreciate the sentiment and then get back to the work. However there is also that other aspect of a young Hill somewhere who doesn't see a path out of their circumstances but now sees someone who has made it out - where do you see your own personal journey in terms of being an inspiration - what advice would you give, do you see yourself as being open to mentoring options, and if yes how would that manifest ?
HK: “Of course, we never get into this profession for the awards and accolades but the acknowledgement means a whole lot when it comes. It is a complete honour to have received this nomination. It takes years to build a career and a community and a lot of hard work is put into that.”
“This nomination also represents an integral shift towards visibility and representation. To see oneself represented inspires potential and hope. It sparks possibility for the dreamer. It empowers the creative spirit. If it wasn’t for Dalbello, Sheryl Crow and Trina Shoemaker, I don’t know if I would’ve had that spark that told me that I could write songs, play a bunch of instruments and produce and engineer records.
“There was no example to me before that moment. That opened up a world of possibility. I just kind of made that decision and hit the ground running from there. That would be my advice. If this is something you resonate with, even if it seems impossible, just dive in. Don’t think about it too much, just experience it. It’s through the experiences that we refine our paths and our craft. I do a lot of mentoring and am involved with several organizations that foster and support up and coming producer/engineers. I wouldn’t be where I am today without being mentorships, encouragement, people believing in me and presenting me with opportunities. I believe in paying that forward within your community and towards the next generation that is emerging.”
The Juno Awards of 2022 are stated to be presented on May 15, 2022 in Toronto. The awards will be presented at the Budweiser Stage. More information here ->
Geneviève Racette
By Will McGuirk
“The purpose of these songs is to connect. They are meant to be offered and received, and the best way to do that, hands down, is in the magical shared experience of live performance.” - Raine Hamilton amilton.com/
"Viral is about the accelerated world we live in. A world in which technology grapples with nature and ingenuity spawns unintended consequences," - Matthew Barber.
“I think love is a beautiful thing. It’s just intriguing how no one actually knows how it works and what it’s made of. I’m pretty sure that’s the main reason why I write songs: I’m just trying to figure out what the heck love is,” - Geneviève Racette
"I was so tired of seeing so many of my friends feeling like “s**t” cuz a guy or girl they were seeing stopped responding out of the blue. "No Emotion = No Tomorrow" is my pop-punk take on my friends and my own dating experiences," - Emi Jeen
By Will McGuirk
The vinyls coming it is said on Friday include some of Canada’s finest, coast to coast to coast, from the genius of Destroyer delivering his 13th, and the unique expressions of Tagaq, to the creative explorations of Lisa LeBlanc and the melodic tune-smithery of Jerry Leger. Dig in but go get the wax.
By Will McGuirk
Born Ruffians, Sham Family at the Biltmore Theatre Mar 24 2022 - Tickets here
Physical tickets at Kops Records Oshawa
By Will McGuirk
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern Mar 23 2022 - Tickets here
Matt Mays at Lee’s Palace Mar 25/ 26 2022 - Tickets here
Broken Social Scene, photo by Richmond Lam
By Will McGuirk
When one looks at the legacy of BSS its hard to imagine that April 20 will be the band’s Massey Hall debut. I have always thought of the BSS more as a federation than a band as alumni of the TO collective include as you know members of Stars, Metric, Do Make Say Think, as well as massive solo acts Feist, Jason Collett and most recently Sam Jr. Not to mention Kevin Drew’s work with the late Gord Downie’s ‘Secret Path’ and the ever-present Brendan Canning. Plus all the others who have done their time with the band I consider, along with Arcade Fire, to have changed Canadian music industry in the way Nirvana and Pearl Jam did in the States, and the Clash and Sex Pistols did in Britain. There was the time before the BSS and the time after, done deal.
But so the world works, it may be timing as so many projects all have to be on hold to coordinate such a gathering. Either way the win is ours as the BSS will be on the newly renovated stage of the Massey Hall. And you know the band which is at its core a spiritual entity will fully realize the potential of the cathedral sonics of the new Hall.
OMBIIGIZI open Apr 20 and Georgia Harmer on the 21.
Jerry Leger, photo by Laura Proctor
By Will McGuirk
“Every morning we’d sit on the roof of the neighbouring house as the sun rose and drink our coffee, eat our breakfast, and bask in the rising light. We were very connected at the time and had a telepathic quality to our communication. This song is essentially about the telepathy and mind-reading that goes on between close friends.” - Georgia Harmer
“It’s a pretty straightforward love song that tries to answer the question — what would I do without you in my life?" - Dave, Landreth, Bros Landreth
By Will McGuirk
Some great stuff coming down the wax pipe with new releases from the dark revellers King Hannah, the jangle goth of Yumi Zouma, and for anyone looking for the roots of modern pop voxes such as Wet Leg, Dry Cleaning or Yard Act then Sophisticated Boom Boom are the ones for you. The Swiss group’s 1982 debut is available on vinyl via Tapete Records.
