Category: Music Reviews
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Big Wreck @ Danforth Music Hall (Dec. 20, 2019)
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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It’s Merriment the Soul Funk Way with Canadian Soul Funk Legends Crack of Dawn’s NEW Single “It’s Christmas Time”
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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Canada’s Youngest Reggae JUNO Award Nominee Chelsea Stewart Releases NEW Self-Titled LP
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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Glorious Sons, Sirius Radio Special Appearance
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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Canadian Hip Hop Producer Myer Clarity Shares Melancholic Vibe for Deeply Personal New Single & Video “LOVE ME WHEN I’M HIGH”
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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Canadian Blues Master Manitoba Hal Reimagines & Rearranges His Classic Songs For 15th Album “Vintage Blend”
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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The Toronto Consort Celebrates the Yuletide with Musical Jewel of Early Baroque Germany – Schütz’s Christmas Story –
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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Canadian Singer/Songwriter Francine Honey says Take Me To The North Pole in NEW Holiday Release
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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JUNO Award-Winning Reggae Master Jay Douglas Drops “Jah Children”
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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The 15th Annual Andy Kim’s-Toronto Christmas Show@The Queen Elizabeth Theatre-Wed.,Dec.4th,2019
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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Canadian Guitarist ERIC SCHENKMAN (Spin Doctors) releases new video for “Agent Orange Blues”
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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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
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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Peacebuilders Canada – An Evening with David Clayton-Thomas Concert /Fundraiser@Koerner Hall-Wed.,Nov.20th,2019
By Sally Warburton and Photography By Wayne Baggs November 20th was an evening to support Youth Justice. Restorative Justice. Social Justice. These are the values of Peacebuilders Canada. Peacebuilders’ Founder Eva Marszewski proudly oversaw the evening. VIP guests enjoyed wine and hors d’oeuvre in the elegant reception area before the concert. Guests had the chance…
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Indie Week 2019
by Wayne Baggs Day 1 of setting out to find out what’s original and interesting at the five day showcase for new hungry bands called Indie Week, one of Canada’s top emerging artist festivals hosting independent artists from around the world for five amazing nights of music in venues throughout downtown Toronto November 13-17. Indie Week…
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Canadian Country Singer/Songwriter JOEY CLARKSON Reflects on “These Days” in NEW Single
For country/Americana artist Joey Clarkson, the title of her forthcoming album, The Year That Never Happened — and its premiere single “These Days” available now — represents so much more than a blip in time. “‘These Days’ was the first song I wrote after my visa was declined,” says the Canadian singer/songwriter about her extensive journey to securing…
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Parachute Club’s “Rise Up” Inducted into Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame
Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame to induct six songs that helped to define the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, borne from the streets of Toronto with global impact Toronto, ON (October 22, 2019) — The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) today announced the induction of six influential songs from the Toronto music scenes of the…
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Award-Winning Canadian Country Singer/Songwriter Lauren Mayell is “Tongue Tied”
Canadian country artist Lauren Mayell finds herself “Tongue Tied” in this, the newest single off her forthcoming album — available now! With six singles under her belt — her grandfather’s beloved “Pure Country” belt, to be sentimental and precise — the Calgary-based singer/songwriter has shared the stage with everyone from Dean Brody, Meghan Patrick, Kane…
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Canadian Hip Hop Artist Rawmny Wildcat Lays Foundation for His “Legacy”
Canadian hip hop artist Rawmny Wildcat is laying the groundwork for his “Legacy” — releasing the first single off his forthcoming LP of the same name, available now. The bright chord riffs on “Legacy” bring the track back to an 80s, near-vintage sound while carrying elements from the current state of trap. Produced alongside Nabil…
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Myles Goodwyn@Hugh’s Room Live-Mon.,Nov.4th,2019
By Wayne Baggs Oh, what a night. When a band warms up the tubes doing SRV’s Scuttle Buttin they have my attention, because you’ve got to have chops to pull that off. The guitar work of Warren Robert’s was just amazing as was the keyboard artistry of Ross Ballard. Combine that with the tight rhythm…
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Canadian Jazz Artist Blaine Sharp Takes New Release “Wanderlust” to Heart; Toronto Promo Tour Oct 14-25
The dictionary defines ‘wanderlust’ as the ‘strong desire to travel,’ and nothing could be truer — both figuratively and literally — for Canadian jazz artist Blaine Sharp and his debut album and single of the same name. “I’ve always loved the word,” the Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and actor says. “There’s something about it that…
