Manitoba artists will have plenty of chances to pick up hardware when the 2012 JUNO Awards are handed out in Ottawa next month. The nominees for the 41st annual awards were announced by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) in Toronto early on February 7, streamed live on CTV’s website.
This year’s Manitoba nominees include JUNO alums, first time nominees, and some familiar expats, and span the genres from roots to metal to Aboriginal music.
Roots trio The Wailin' Jennys picked up their third JUNO nomination for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year for Bright Morning Stars (True North/Universal); they won the category in 2005 for their debut, 40 Days. They won a Western Canadian Music Award for Roots Duo/Group Recording of the Year and their producers, David Travers-Smith and Mark Howard, picked up the Canadian Folk Music Award for Producer of the Year for their work on Bright Morning Stars. The Toronto-based Travers-Smith also landed a Juno nod for Recording Engineer of the Year for his work on Bright Morning Stars song, “All the Stars”.
Portage la Prairie’s country rock favourites Doc Walker got a nod for Country Album of the Year for 16 & 1, their latest release on Open Road/Universal. The hard-touring trio picked up four Canadian Country Music Award nominations in September. This is Doc Walker’s sixth JUNO nomination; they won in 2009 for their album, Beautiful Life.
Noisecore outfit KEN Mode landed a nod in the new Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year category for Venerable (Profound Lore/Sonic Unyon/F>A>B). The band, which is currently on tour in Europe, was at the top of critics’ best-of lists and got attention from the likes of American tastemaker music site, Stereogum.
Rock act Bruthers of Different Muthers, or BODM, picked up a nod for Aboriginal Album of the Year for Speakers of Tomorrow. The nomination follows a win at the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards in November for Best Rock CD. Also up for an award in the Aboriginal category is One Nation, by Ottawa’s Rise Ashen and Flying Down Thunder, which was released Winnipeg label Balanced Records.
A great new crop of members to introduce this month, including artists in many genres, an artist management company, and a promoter booking local and touring artists.
Bluebird North is flying back into Winnipeg this month. Presented by the Songwriters Association of Canada, with the Manitoba Country Music Association and Manitoba Music, the latest edition hits The Park Theatre on February 2 and features performances by country singer/songwriters Murray Pulver (of Doc Walker), Ridley Bent, Mackenzie Porter, and Marc-Alan Barnette. Hosted by Jenna Khan of Citytv Breakfast Television, the event also features the addition of a Young Artists Showcase. Five young musicians: Brenton Thorvaldson, Brennan Wall, Karl Shewchuk, Kim Erickson and Shannon Patterson will get the chance to play a short set before the main stage acts come on.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 4pm CST Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Manitoba Music’s Aboriginal Music Program is producing a showcase for Aboriginal music presenters and promoters in Winnipeg on March 24, 2012. The showcase will be held at the Pyramid Cabaret and the presenters include Patti Shaughnessy (Ode'min Giizis Festival), Adele Boychuk (Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Association), Sky Bridges (APTN’s Aboriginal Day Live), Dalton Higgins (Harbourfront Centre), and Shawn Termin (National Museum of the American Indian - NYC).
Aboriginal artists and bands that live in Manitoba and perform original country, rock, blues, hip hop, and folk are encouraged to apply for this opportunity.
The Polaris Music Prize is setting up shop at the Winnipeg Free Press News Café for two special events on February 15.
The popular Polaris Record Salon makes its way from Toronto to Winnipeg for a “Half Year In Review” at 8pm on February 15. A regular feature at The Drake Hotel in Toronto, this will be the first Salon held in the Prairies. Like a book club, but for records, each event features members of the Polaris jury presenting a record they are considering voting for the prize.
The panel discussion, moderated by Polaris founder Steve Jordan and presented by ClarityOne Earbuds, features a lineup of Winnipeg-based Polaris jurors who will each showcase an album released the first half of the year that will likely make their ballot - with musical samples to help make the point. The panel includes Uptown editor John Kendle, Jill Wilson of the Winnipeg Free Press, CKUW 95.9 FM’s Jenny Henkelman, Uptown music writer Jared Story, and Painting Over Silence music blogger Mykael Sopher.
Polaris is also teaming up with Manitoba Music for a special debate at 6pm preceeding the Salon, Albums vs. Singles: A Music Marketing Debate. Steve Jordan will be joined by reporter and radio host Sabrina Carnevale of FAB 94.3 and 99.9 BOB FM to turn up the volume on this perennial issue and debate the value propositions of "singles vs. albums" in our ever changing music environment.
The ACI Youth Mentorship Program in Music Management is putting together a promotional music sampler featuring young Manitoba musicians. This multi-genre CD will feature the best new music by young Manitoba artists and will help promote young artists to the music industry and media.
The compilation will not be for sale, but will be distributed to music industry professionals and journalists as well as music fans.
Applicants must be under 25 years of age, or for bands, must include a majority of members under the age of 25.