Music News Digest: Snotty Nose Rez Kids Headline International Indigenous Music Summit

Awards news

Canadian singer/songwriter and producer Jenna Andrews has earned a SOCAN No. 1 Song Award for co-writing the BTS song “Permission to Dance,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2021. The hit song was co-written by Andrews, Johnny McDaid, Steve Mac and Ed Sheeran (all BMI), and is co-published by Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music and BIGHIT Music. SOCAN Creative Executive, Nashville and Los Angeles, Liam Russell presented the prestigious honour to Andrews on April 18, at The Thompson Hotel in Nashville.

Andrews released two EPs on Island Def Jam prior to turning to songwriting full time. Her extensive list of credits over the past decade includes work with Drake, Little Mix, Benee, Noah Cyrus, Lily Allen, Majid Jordan and Tyler Shaw.

– Country Music Week and the CCMA Awards have named Kelowna as their host city for 2025. This will be the first time Kelowna has taken that role, following successful events in Vancouver in 1987 and 2009.

– Toronto-based music publication Musicworks has announced the winners of its 2023 Musicworks Electronic Music Composition Contest. San Francisco-based composer Ningxin Zhang has won first prize ($500) for her composition Kagemusha: for Pipa and Electronics. Runners-up were Timothy Roy and Luca Kasper. The Marcelle Deschênes Prize in Electronic Music went to Manuella Blackburn (U.K.) for Home Truths. The thirteenth edition of the annual contest received 150 entries from 19 countries.

Festivals news

– The Vancouver Folk Music Festival has just announced the lineup of performing artists for this year's edition, the 47th. The international names include South Africa’s Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness, New Zealand’s Māmā Mihirangi & The Māreikura, Iris DeMent, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Chris Smither, Mel Parsons, Mick Flannery and James Vincent McMorrow, with Barney Bentall, Jeremy Dutcher, Ndidi O, Dawn Pemberton, Suzie Ungerleider, Leif Vollebekk and Kevin Breit amongst the strong Canadian contingent. The fest runs July 19-21 at Jericho Beach Park. See the full lineup here.

– Rifflandia Festival in Victoria (Matullia Lands at Rock Bay) will run September 13 to 15, and it just revealed the day one lineup. Performers include Rezz, Tokyo Police Club, C&C Music Factory and Ja Rule (of Fyre Festival infamy). Tickets here.

– Crammed with CanRock talent, The Burt Block Party in Winnipeg takes place at an outdoor stage set up outside the Burton Cummings Theatre Aug. 22-25. Tom Cochrane, Blue Rodeo, Headstones, Arkells, July Talk, Sloan, Skydiggers, I Mother Earth, Sass Jordan and more are featured and tickets are on sale now here.

Industry news

The International Indigenous Music Summit, billed as "the world's foremost Indigenous music gathering," returns to TD Music Hall at Allied Music Centre in Toronto, June 10-14. Just announced as headliners at the Opening Night Gala are acclaimed hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids, who will play along with performances by Manitou Mkwa Singers, Josh Q, Silla and The Red River Ramblers.. Registration for 2024 IIMS is open now to the general public. Info here. Individual tickets for the Opening Night Gala are available here.

– CIMA is organizing its first ever Showcase and Business mission to SXSW Sydney in Australia from Oct. 14-20, 2024. The conference and festival offers delegates the chance to create new connections through networking sessions, parties, meet-ups, panels, showcases, exclusive events, product launches and more. Learn more about the conference and festival here. This opportunity is open to 10 Canadian companies and at least 5 Canadian showcasing artists (must be approved by SXSW Sydney). Apply here.

–April 30 has been designated International Jazz Day, and top Montreal record label Effendi and Odd Sound are celebrating with an event at Lion D'Or. It will feature mini concerts from such top local artists as Félix Stüssi - SuperNova 4, François Bourassa, Jacques Kuba, Gentiane MG, l'Auguste and many others, plus a jam session. Tickets here.

Artists news

– Widely acclaimed as one of the best Americana singer/songwriters of the past four decades, Austin-based Alejandro Escovedo has long been a regular and popular visitor to Toronto, and his gig at The Horseshoe Tavern last week drew a full house. Another veteran, New Jersey-ite James Mastro (The Bongos, Patti Smith, Ian Hunter) opened with a short and well-received solo set featuring material from his current solo album, Dawn of a New Error ("My God" was a highlight).

Mastro is also part of Escovedo's band, and their fluent guitar interplay was a treat. Escovedo has just released a new album, Echo Dancing, one that features old gems from his formidable discography reworked in quite dramatic fashion, via treated vocals and prominent keyboards. Not all longtime fans were enamoured of the new sound, but he deserves credit for continuing to experiment. Spotted in the crowd were such industry notables as label types Steve Kane (Warner Music), Brian Hetherman (Curve Music), Ron Kitchener (Open Road) and Kenneth Paul White (Universal), promoters Serge Sloimovitz and Yvonne Matsell (long Escovedo's biggest champion in the city), Jerry Leibowitz (Radio Starmaker), a few music writers, and singer-songwriters Jerry Leger, Gord Cumming and John Borra.

– After achieving Toronto indie rock hero status as co-founder of The Lowest of the Low, Stephen Stanley has paid his dues as a solo artist, maturing into a very eloquent songsmith. In support of current album, Before the Collapse of The Hive, The Stephen Stanley Band headlines the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto for the first time on April 26. Highly recommended. Of note: Along with Golden Voice's promoter Elliott Lefko, Stanley is helping organize a multi-artist Replacements Tribute show at The Garrison on June 6, in honour of the late scene legend Dave Bookman. Proceeds will go to/admittance granted for donations to The Daily Bread Food Bank. Lineup details TBA. Here's the new Stephen Stnaley Band single.

– Ottawa roots singer-songwriter and keyboardist Jeff Rogers has enjoyed a positive response to his recent album, Dream Job, one that hit the Top 5 on the Roots Music Report Canada Album Chart. He has announced that his 10-piece band will open for hot U.S. act Lake Street Dive at the Ottawa Jazz Festival on June 27.

– Toronto roots rockers Parkdale Rebels release their second album, Spellbound, on April 26. Led by vocalist/songwriter Steve Ketchen, the band also features A-list veterans Bazil Donovan (Blue Rodeo), Chris Staig and Peter Lambert. Of note: The album was co-produced and mixed by David Baxter, shortly before his death last year. Parkdale Rebels launch the album with a hometown Parkdale show at The Mezz on April 26, and they play The Cat & Fiddle in Hamilton on July 13.

– Acclaimed Canadian big band leader and composer Darcy James Argue had reason to celebrate on the weekend. April 20 saw the world premiere of his orchestral arrangements of U.S. vocal star Cecile McLorin Salvant’s desert island ballads, at a sold-out concert at Cité de la Musique in Paris, under the musical direction of maestro Bastien Stil. The work is being performed at 10 more French concerts this month. Argue brings his stellar Secret Society big band to the Ottawa Jazz Festival on June 21.