Music Biz Headlines, Jan. 21, 2019

By Kerry Doole

A tour of hidden Montreal, set to music

Despite being a four-time Juno Award nominee among the vanguard of jazz-based singer-songwriters, Elizabeth Shepherd had nevertheless decided to quit a couple of years ago. Thankfully she persevered. – Guy Dixon, Globe and Mail

Like Lazarus rising from the dead, cassettes staged an unlikely return from oblivion in 2018

Making one wonder what the hell is wrong with the post-hipsters of today, there's news that vinyl has competition in the favourite formats of yester-year sweepstakes. – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

Paving a new road for rap

Hip-hop is the soundtrack of the city. Now, fresh talent is grabbing the mic and giving voice to Toronto’s stories. – Michelle Siu, Globe and Mail

Drake's new $2.2M hyper-car is coming to Toronto auto show

The world's most mysterious luxury car is set to make its North American debut next month at the  Canadian International Auto Show, right here in Toronto, where at least one notable resident is said to have pre-ordered the whip for a cool $2.2 million. –  BlogTO

Listening deep with Joe McPhee 

After decades in the New York jazz underground, the musician is still discovering new things. – Brennan McCracken The Coast

The sound of Toronto right now           

 From punk-infused hip-hop to dance music creating its own space – who’s setting the tone for the city’s music scenes? – Staff, NOW

21C Festival finds fresh use for half an orchestra

The TSO presented two concerts on the same night last week, and 21C was a winner.  – John Terauds, Toronto Star

London musicians to tour secondary markets in support of Juno Awards

Several London musicians will be touring Southern Ontario carrying the Juno flag in February. The 2019 Juno host committee, in partnership with the London Music Office, Music Ontario and Ontario Creates, has announced the Host City Music Exchange. – Joe Belanger, London Free Press

Review: Sharon Van Etten's Remind Me Tomorrow has incredible emotional depth

On her fifth album, the singer/songwriter has grown – simultaneously more open, experimental, optimistic and sharp. – Sarah MacDonald, NOW

Robert Connely Farr brings the southern blues north

The Vancouver-based singer-songwriter draws on his American roots for Dirty South Blues. – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

The Jerry Cans bring some Northern light to Calgary with genre-hopping, Inuktitut music

It’s a testament to the endearing catchiness of The Jerry Cans’ music that the band can inspire raucous sing-a-longs even when playing to audiences that don’t speak a word of the language being sung.  – Eric Volmers, Calgary Herald

Welsman, Way North offer up jazz on their own terms

“I'm always trying to keep my ears to the ground for material and that accelerates when I have a deadline for a recording." – Carol Welsman. – Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal  

AGO to end monthly First Thursdays party

Launched six years ago, the art event that's hosted performances by Patti Smith and Tanya Tagaq is bowing out of city's social calendar on February 7. – Kevin Ritchie, NOW

International

Spotify is making voice-controlled hardware for the car – and could launch in India on January 31

A double-headed Spotify story to start off the working week. First: the streaming company is beavering away on a voice-controlled hardware unit designed to be used in the car. Second, news of a launch in India. – Tim Ingham, MBW

Music Copyrights: What different music licenses mean

Music licenses can be a complex matter and there are a lot of different types available that are worth understanding to ensure your music is protected correctly and that all artists earn their royalties fairly. We break it down here to help you understand what each type of music license means. – Jacca, Route Note

Is Liberty Media about to become the most powerful company in music?

The media giant could end up owning a stake in no less than seven billion-dollar or multi-billion dollar music companies by the time 2019 is through. – Tim Ingham, Rolling Stone

Montreal's Rumble hits PBS with a story of Indigenous links to rock, blues, jazz

'This is a missing chapter to this history of music,' the acclaimed documentary's co-director Catherine Bainbridge said. 'Native Americans were at the centre of our popular music.' –  AP

The Who: their UK singles ranked!

As the band prepare to release their first new studio album in 13 years, we rate all their UK singles – from 1960s mod chaos to majestic rock opera. –  Alexis Petridis, The Guardian

Too hot to Handel: Classical music sales rise by 10%

Classical music was the fastest-growing genre in 2018, figures released by the recording industry show. Buoyed by the likes of Andrea Bocelli, Katherine Jenkins and cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, sales and streams increased by 10.2% compared to 2017. That compares favourably to the 5.7% rise in music consumption across all genres.  –BBC Music

Stephen King’s tweet saves local book reviews at the Maine Sunday Telegram

After a paper made it known that it would drop freelance-written reviews of local books as a cost-saving measure, Maine’s favourite author, Stephen King, lodged a protest on Twitter and urged his followers to do the same. –  Dan Kennedy

Alex Lifeson gives thumbs up to Greta Van Fleet

In response to a fan question wondering if there were was any current music or artists he was digging, the Rush guitarist said that lately he's been listening to the young rockers. Ultimate Classic Rock

Access Film Music Festival celebrates 16 years of helping independent musicians get to the next level

Musicians from around the world will have the opportunity to share their talents during the Access Film Music Showcase during the Sundance and Slamdance film festivals starting soon. – Scott Iwasaki, Park City Record

Van Morrison sings at friend's funeral in Northern Ireland

He sang “Into the Mystic” — one of his most mysterious, evocative songs — at an Adamson’s funeral last Monday at Conlig Presbyterian Church in Northern Ireland. – AP

Allegations against R. Kelly have been reported on in Chicago for 20 years. Why did it take TV to turn the tide?

For almost two decades, allegations of sexual abuse of women and girls by singer R. Kelly have been part of the public record. So why did it take a TV show, this month’s Lifetime documentary series “Surviving R. Kelly,” to finally draw widespread public attention to the behaviour of the fading R&B superstar? – Steve Johnson, Chicago Tribune

Farewell to the funk? Bootsy Collins retires his bass on doctor's orders

Bootsy Collins is officially saying goodbye to the stage. The funk icon announced on Facebook that due to health reasons, he will no longer be able to perform live. – Brianna Williams, TVone