WRITE IT. READ IT. RISK IT.
LISTEN TO THE TCR PAST MUSIC ARTIST OF THE WEEK - David Newberry - "Coyote"
WRITE IT. READ IT. RISK IT.
OUR MUSICAL GUESTS
DAVID NEWBERRY
David Newberry's songs provide insight into the remarkably complex world we live in. Never sacrificing hopefulness for truth (or beauty for despair) he coaxes the listener into a conversation about life, art, and the magic of survival in challenging times. Armed with a sharp eye for detail and an ear for pushing the boundaries of what roots music "sounds like," he has made a tangible impact across a number of musical communities.
SABRINA SOARES
Girl-next-door with swag. Nerd-cool. Guitar prodigy with heart. Blending whip-fast verbal gymnastics with stuck-in-your-head pop riffs, Sabrina’s debut 2016 EP Plan A is a hooky, hip-swivelling nod to country, pop and the funky Brazilian rhythms that color her unique heritage. Mixing sincere and relatable diary-entry style lyrics with exceptional guitar-playing, Sabrina’s debut has cemented her as one of the most exciting new singer-songwriter rising fast through the ranks.
MIKE MAZZEI
Toronto-based folky-rocky roller. Leads an organic band sometimes; is a solo man oft-times. Come go with me. Canadian acoustic slowcore and hummably melodic singer-songwriter.
https://mykemazzei.bandcamp.com
CHELSEA REED
Chelsea Reed has been building a unique and important identity in the alternative-pop scene since her musically formative years growing up in Newcastle, NSW. Her debut single ‘Snow Covered Hill’, produced in collaboration with Josh Schuberth (Josh Pyke, Dustin Tebbutt), was released in 2013 to great acclaim and enthusiasm. The strength of that success behind her, Chelsea spent the following years developing an exciting new voice as a songwriter- using the warmth and folk sensibilities of ‘Snow Covered Hill’ as the foundation on which to build something even more sensational.
SHAWN WILLIAM CLARKE
Shawn William Clarke is an indie folk songwriter, twice nominated as Songwriter of the Year in NOW magazine's Best of Toronto poll. His recent release, TOPAZ, was inspired by 80's Gordon Lightfoot, Kenny Buttrey's drumming on Neil Young's "Harvest"; and the existential dilemma's we faced in 2016.
ANNA GUTMANIS
Anna Gutmanis, an award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter, entwines her brave, edgy lyrics with deep, blues-style vocals. Her songs have charted on iTunes, The Independent Music Network Top 30, Roots Music Report Top 100 of 2014, OutVoice, and 3 different Australian Indie charts (World Independent, Easy Listening and Urban). Her award-winning single I Am Who I Am will be featured at Euro Pride.
C.R. AVERY
Musicians often say flippantly they don’t fit into a single category, but that’s definitely true with C.R. Avery. The Vancouver-based artist has carved out a singular career as a singer/songwriter, poet and playwright, with his music bridging the divide between traditional blues and folk, and cutting-edge hip-hop.
MARK MARTYRE
Mark Martyre is a Canadian writer and musician. His prolific songwriting has produced 5 full-length studio albums since 2012: Down, Record (2012), London (2013), Red Letters (2014), Bluebird (2016), and Rivers (2017), as well as several live records, and bootlegs. His music has garnered critical acclaim and attention both nationally and internationally, and has earned him “Best Songwriter” and “Album of the Year” nominations. In 2016, Mark also published a collection of his lyrics, spanning his music between 2012-2016., and has had several poems published in online journals and literary magazines.
DANA SIPOS
Dana Sipos inhabited the far north before going nomad and her captivatingly nuanced songs are filled with a wild wind and a haunting surrealism. She tours extensively, occasionally by bicycle, tall ship, canoe and train. Her last album Roll Up the Night Sky, released on underground Nashville label Muddy Roots Records, was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award in the Pushing the Boundaries category. Trick of the Light, her new album recorded with experimental Toronto producer Sandro Perri will be released in early 2018.
http://www.danasipos.com
JEFFREY STRAKER
Singer-songwriter-pianist Jeffery Straker performs over 100 shows per year across Canada. He has recorded for CBC radio’s ‘Canada Live’, had a music video chart in the top 10 on Much More Music Canada and has toured internationally as far as Peru, Mexico and Chile. His tour stops range from intimate house concerts to club and theatre shows and include recent sold-out concerts with several Canadian symphony orchestras, performing his own songs. Canadian Musician Magazine has said, “Very much an artist to watch” while the Chicago Free Press has written, “Rufus Wainwright, as well as k.d. lang are among the Canadians making essential and beautiful music. Add the name Jeffery Straker to that list”.
THE YOUNG NOVELISTS
Through their rich but rustic sound, Toronto roots-rock outfit The Young Novelists deliver a dose of honesty in audible form. Made us strangers, their upcoming sophomore effort, showcases a significant sonic progression for the band. Ripe with raw but elegant instrumentation and stacked multi-layered harmonies, their pure take on folk-tinged rock translates equally well from the stereo or stage.
ABIGAIL LAPELL
Toronto’s Abigail Lapell draws freely from folk-roots, indie and punk rock traditions. She received the 2016 Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award from the Ontario Arts Council, and NOW Magazine called her a “folk/country musician to watch” in 2017. Lapell has toured across North America, Europe and the U.K., performing on vocals, piano, harmonica and finger style guitar. HIDE NOR HAIR, her 2017 sophomore CD/LP, is out now onCoax Records.
LARA MARTIN
Lara Martin is a singer songwriter and lover of art and artists. She has toured across parts of Europe, and has opened for The Young Novelists on an East Coast tour of Canada. Her first full-length album, “When We Were Light”, co-produced with Graydon James (of The Young Novelists) will be released in the coming months.
SKYE WALLCE
Skye Wallace is what happens when a classically trained singer with east coast roots discovers punk rock in their youth. Hailed coast to coast as a “national treasure” (Sad Mag), Skye Wallace bases out of Toronto, Ontario.
Her voice and sound, accompanied by her full band, is a force to be reckoned with. Her newest album Something Wicked, produced by Jim Bryson, was listed as one of Vancouver Weekly's Best Albums of 2016 and CBC's Top 8 Albums You Need To Hear This Month.
JORDAN PAUL
Jordan Paul is an unstoppable force of fluid emotion. Equipped with a voice that leaves audiences breathless, his live show is a must-see. A clever songwriter and multi-instrumentalist at only 24, Paul has a ghostly style all his own. Citing Nina Simone, Dylan Thomas, Greek Mythology, and Indian Raga among his creative influences–his music is as eclectic as it is spiritually intelligent. Born in Kingston, Ontario, Paul now lives in Toronto–where he is recording his debut studio release—out on Leesta Vall Records (Brooklyn, NY) this fall.
CODY McMILLIAN
Cody McMillan is a Sault Ste Marie Native. Recording, performing and writing in the folk/rock and blues experimental fields he has released three albums to do date: "Blackwater", "Mealtime in Atlanta" and "Where's the Reality". All three albums contain all original works, some of which have gained airplay on CBC radio One and CKCU Ottawa. His latest recording "Where's the reality" was completed in Dave Pihlaja's Smoke and Oak Studio in Sault Ste marie Ontario. Cody continues to perform around Sault Ste. marie and the occasional out of town show.
JAMES BURROWS
Over the last seven years Burrows has toured Canada and the US with his own project and as a guitar player with numerous other artists, including Rachael Cardiello, David Newberry, and Skye Wallace. In 2015 he released his debut album Paradise Cinema, an album grounded in the struggle to make the best out of what are all too often bad options. Heavily influenced by the sounds and spirit of early rock 'n' roll, Paradise Cinema encourages us all to dance despite the odds.
WINONA WILDE
Wilde, whose real name is Noosa Al-Sarraj, fell in love with country music thanks to a nanny she had as a kid. Her kickass songwriting abilities led to win an award at the Kerrville Folk Festival’s New Folk competition this year—one of few Canadians to do so, and certainly the first of Iraqi descent.
