Music Biz Headlines, March 7, 2018

By Kerry Doole

Is Leonard Cohen the new secular saint of Montreal?

Montreal has a real case of Leonard Cohen mania. More than a year after this poet, novelist and singer-songwriter died at 82,  he has become something of an urban prophet here. A new generation is memorizing his lyrics  – Dan Bilefsky, New York Times

Female jazz musicians raise their voices against sexism

At this year’s Winter Jazzfest in New York, one of the world’s biggest jazz festivals, women took centre stage in more ways than one. In a year when more than a third of the festival’s acts had female bandleaders -- the highest in its history –  Ivette Feliciano, pbs.org

How the Music Modernization Act takes royalties from DIY songwriters and gives them to the major publishers

Unclaimed mechanical royalties should be maintained on deposit for as long as it takes to be distributed to their rightful copyright owners – Henry Gradstein, Billboard

30 Days of Céline Dion: Eurovision winner, made in Quebec

Credit where it’s due: Switzerland picked an excellent ringer in 1988 –   David Rudin, Montreal Gazette

The party never ends with Rich Aucoin, musician, bicycling enthusiast and fund-raiser

Aucoin doesn't know from tour buses, even if one were to run right over him. Which, in his case, is a distinct possibility. Because the Halifax dance-rock auteur and decided free spirit, has been known to tour by bicycle, sharing the road with automobiles and bigger things –  Brad Wheeler, Globe and Mail

Spring Arts Preview: Dual festivals deliver classical music for the season

For music fans, the highlight of spring  has to be two festivals offered by our home teams, Vancouver Opera and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra  –  DG Duke, Vancouver Sun

Kings of loser comedy: how Flight of the Conchords took off

New Zealand’s ‘fourth most popular folk-parody act’ is on a sold-out UK arena tour. Is there a shrewdness behind the duo’s laidback shtick? –  The Guardian

Toronto Symphony’s New Creations bristle with colour

Local premieres see great new and recent work outweighing the mediocre by a wide margin  –  John Terauds, Toronto Star

Faith Healer leaves lyrics open to interpretation

Calgary singer-songwriter Jessica Jalbert is living proof that life can be complicated, lightness often competing with the dark –  Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

Andrew Lloyd Webber, turning 70, looks back and forward

The man behind such blockbuster shows as "Cats," ''The Phantom of the Opera" and "School of Rock" has shows in London's West End, Broadway and on tour, but he'd like to be composing another one  –  CP

Gwenno's Le Kov puts a psych-pop spin on the Cornish revival

The Welsh musician mixes mythology and modernity on her second solo album  –  Kevin Ritchie, NOW

David Byrne: ‘I’m able to talk in a social group now – not retreat into a corner’

At 65, the phenomenally creative David Byrne is still rock’s renaissance man. As he launches his first solo album in 14 years, he reveals why he’s started collecting reasons to be cheerful – Dorian Lynskey,  The Guardian

Review: High-quality performances by symphony, guest artists a fitting tribute to Joni Mitchell

Saskatoon doesn’t always understand its most famous daughter, but she still deserves to be celebrated – Heather Persson, Saskatoon Star-Phoenix