Category Archives: Music Reviews

January 18

Toronto Jazz Songstress Denise Leslie Flips the Script, Channels 70s Rockers in One Fine Morning

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Canadian artist Denise Leslie is on a mission “to bring the fun back to jazz” through fresh arrangements, unique musical interpretations, and magnetic charisma. Nowhere is this demonstrated more than on the Toronto-area vocalist’s debut solo album, One Fine Morning — and its premiere single, her take on Brit rockers Badfinger’s circa-1971 hit, “Day After Day” — both […]

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January 17

Canadian Soprano & Author Tonia Evans Cianciulli Wins Canadian Book Award for "The Heart’s Obsession" on Opera Singer Georgina Ann Stirling

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Canadian soprano, singer/songwriter, and author Tonia Evans Cianciulli has won a Canadian Book Award for her recent release, The Heart’s Obsession — available now! Forging a thrilling musical journey from across the surging sea of Twillingate, Newfoundland, and beyond, The Heart’s Obsession serves as a standing ovation for one of Canada’s most notable starlets, opera singer, Georgina Ann Stirling, […]

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January 06

Big Wreck @ Danforth Music Hall (Dec. 20, 2019)

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by Wayne Baggs. Ian Thornley promised a “no bullshit return to loud rock’n’roll.” Big Wreck delivered just that Dec 20th at The Danforth Music Hall, where Standing in the firing line of Thornley’s amps is beautifully loud. Kicking off the night with Voices, the first song from the latest album was superb. Nice little spacey […]

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December 20

It’s Merriment the Soul Funk Way with Canadian Soul Funk Legends Crack of Dawn’s NEW Single “It’s Christmas Time”

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Canadian funk legends Crack of Dawn are serving up some serious soul this Holiday season with their newest single, “It’s Christmas Time” — available now! Featuring the same signature velvety tones that have made them Canada’s most celebrated soul act for 40 years and running, the seasonal tribute to Motown is a track packed with […]

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December 20

Canada’s Youngest Reggae JUNO Award Nominee Chelsea Stewart Releases NEW Self-Titled LP

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Canadian reggae-jazz dynamo Chelsea Stewart is back, once again bringing her name to the forefront with a newly released self-titled album, Chelsea Stewart — and premiere single “Forever Your Girl” — available now! A reflection of Stewart’s rich Jamaican Canadian roots, Chelsea Stewart was mostly recorded in Jamaica, and features production influence from the likes of long-iconic and GRAMMY […]

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December 18

Glorious Sons, Sirius Radio Special Appearance

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by Wayne Baggs. I went back to sleep 8:30 on this Monday morning after the phone rang. I figured BK wouldn’t contact me for an emergency so why bother responding? Good thing he knows me, I absolutely would respond “yes.” He required confirmation that I could make it to The Concert Hall by 6:30 for a Sirius Radio special appearance of Kingston’s, Glorious […]

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December 15

Canadian Hip Hop Producer Myer Clarity Shares Melancholic Vibe for Deeply Personal New Single & Video "LOVE ME WHEN I'M HIGH"

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Toronto producer, hip hop artist, and singer/songwriter Myer Clarity has wasted no time re-introducing the world to his newly-minted melancholic persona, releasing his latest video for “Love Me When I’m High” — available now. The single is accompanied by a delicately somber and intimately inviting cinematic showpiece that invites listeners to watch Myer’s decidedly lonely […]

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December 12

Canadian Blues Master Manitoba Hal Reimagines & Rearranges His Classic Songs For 15th Album "Vintage Blend"

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Canadian blues music renaissance man Manitoba Hal has thumbed through his 15+ year career archive to release this, his newest album, Vintage Blend — available now! The 11-track release pulls from the Shelburne, Nova Scotia-based artist’s earliest years in Winnipeg, reinventing, reimagining and rearranging them for cigar box guitar, ukulele, slide guitar and Hal’s ’57 license plate […]

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December 10

The Toronto Consort Celebrates the Yuletide with Musical Jewel of Early Baroque Germany – Schütz’s Christmas Story –

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Renowned English Tenor Charles Daniels joins The Toronto Consortto present musical Baroque telling of The Nativity Story Toronto, ON — The Toronto Consort celebrates the magic of the holiday season with Schütz’s Christmas Story, December 13 & 14 at 8pm and December 15 at 3:30pm at Trinity-St. Paul Centre. This gloriously colourful concert features the […]

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December 10

Canadian Singer/Songwriter Francine Honey says Take Me To The North Pole in NEW Holiday Release

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Internationally award-winning Canadian singer/songwriter Francine Honey has her sights set on the holiday season with this, her newest album release, Take Me To The North Pole — available now! “Life can be so busy around the holidays!” Honey says of the season and the release. “We are all running around trying to get it all done to […]

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December 08

JUNO Award-Winning Reggae Master Jay Douglas Drops “Jah Children”

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JUNO Award-nominated and award winning reggae and music master and 70-something (!!!) Jay Douglas drops “Jah Children” — available now from Slammin Media and worldwide by Believe Distribution.  The track features iconic Jamaican dancehall DJ General Trees and a remix by JUNO Award-winning Canadian reggae artist Dubmatix As Douglas sings, “we live in a land, […]

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December 07

The 15th Annual Andy Kim’s-Toronto Christmas Show@The Queen Elizabeth Theatre-Wed.,Dec.4th,2019

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By Wayne Baggs Andy Kim’s 15th Annual Toronto Christmas show at The Queen Elizabeth Theatre charity concert featured: Sloan, Ron Sexsmith, Bif Naked, Tracey Ullman, Lorraine Segato of The Parachute Club, Jake Clemons, Jessica Mitchell with Tim Hicks, Ivan Doroschuk (Men Without Hats) Kevin Drew from Broken Social Scene and more. 15 years of Andy Kim giving back to […]

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December 02

Canadian Guitarist ERIC SCHENKMAN (Spin Doctors) releases new video for “Agent Orange Blues”

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You may have seen Toronto-based Eric Schenkman on stages before thousands of fans worldwide with the Spin Doctors. He is one of the band’s not-so-secret weapons — a vital songwriter and a virtuoso guitarist who crafted the ‘90s band and co-wrote all five of their Top 100 hits. He also worked with Chico Hamilton, Carly […]

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November 30

Downchild Blues Band’s “I’ve Got Everything I Need (Almost)” to be Inducted into Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

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Song induction and 50th Anniversary Party will feature special guests Dan Aykroyd, Tony D (MonkeyJunk), Suzie Vinnick and Andy J Forest -November 29, National Arts Centre- Ottawa, ON (November 21, 2019) — The first Canadian blues recording ever to sell gold, “I’ve Got Everything I Need (Almost),” written by The Legendary Downchild Blues Band’s leader and co-founder, Don Walsh, will be […]

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November 25

Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame 2019 concert showcase Decades: The Toronto Sound of the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s@Phoenix Concert Theatre-Thurs,Nov.21st,2019

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By Sally Warburton & Photography by Wayne Baggs Held at the epic Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto, November 21st was a night to celebrate Canadian songwriters, to hear the music and reminisce about the history of Canadian music. Awards were presented and then the songs were sung! Executive Director of Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame […]

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