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The best of Canadian music | Happy Canada Day!

Stingray — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 19:58:17 +0000

The best of Canadian music | Happy Canada Day! Stingray Mon, 06/29/2020

O Canadians, what are your plans for July 1st? Ours definitely include listening to the best of Canadian music! Here’s our program.

The Top 100 Canadian Songs of All-Time

Stingray is proud to partner with iconic Canadian stars Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman to present The Top 100 Canadian Songs of All-Time on Canada Day, July 1st.

Burton and Randy will join host Stu Jeffries for a full day programming of the most-requested Canadian songs spanning more than five decades. After all, it was 50 years ago that The Guess Who marked a historic milestone as “American Woman” became the first Canadian song to hit #1 in the United States! Since then, these two Winnipeg men have created some of the greatest songs in Canadian history, from The Guess Who, to Burton’s solo hits, and Randy’s work with Bachman-Turner Overdrive. They have played nearly every arena, stadium, and theatre in Canada, and they’ve proudly flown the Canadian flag to fans all around the world.

On Wednesday, July 1st, they’ll share stories from their years touring across Canada and around the world, as well as never-before-heard stories from behind the making of the greatest music Canada has ever known.

Also raised in Winnipeg, Stu Jeffries is one of Canada’s most respected broadcasters. In 1986, Stu became famous as the host of Good Rockin’ Tonite on CBC. The Friday night program was must-see TV for anyone who grew up in the ‘80s. After working at CMT, Stu joined boom 97.3 in Toronto, where he currently hosts a daily highly rated morning radio show.

The Top 100 Canadian Songs of All-Time will broadcast on these 30 great radio stations from East to West:

97.5 K-Rock St. John’s, NL

95.9 K-Rock Stephenville, NL

98.7 K-Rock Gander, NL

102.3 K-Rock Grand Falls-Windsor, NL

103.9 K-Rock Corner Brook, NL

Q104 Halifax, NS

Z97.9 New Glasgow, NS

89.3 K-Rock New Minas, NS

C103 Moncton, NB

Q88.9 Saint John, NB

Up 93.1 Fredericton, NB

Ocean 100 Charlottetown, PE

boom 97.3 Toronto, ON

Rewind 103.9 Sudbury, ON

99.9 The Bay Thunder Bay, ON

91.7 Giant-FM St. Catharines/Welland/Niagara, ON

XL103 Calgary, AB

K97 Edmonton, AB

96.3 Cruz-FM Saskatoon, SK

Zed 98.9 Red Deer, AB

boom 94.1 Athabasca, AB

boom 101.1 Brooks, AB

boom 95.3 Cold Lake, AB

boom 99.5 Drumheller, AB

boom 104.9 Hinton, AB

boom 103.5 Lac La Biche, AB

boom 92.7 Slave Lake, AB

boom 101.9 Wainwright, AB

boom 96.7 Whitecourt, AB

K96.3 Kelowna, BC

K97.5 Kamloops, BC

100.5 Cruz-FM Fort McMurray, AB

Music channels featuring the best of Canadian music

Stingray Music will support the broadcast of this very special programming on its mobile app. Download the free app and listen to your favorite local radio stations whenever you want!

The maple syrup on the pancake is that you’ll also be able to enjoy thousands of Canadian songs.

Stingray Music’s curators have created four dedicated music channels, featuring the very best of Canadian artists.

Happy Canada Day, eh!

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Interview with Half Moon Run | Stingray PausePlay

Stingray — Tue, 12 May 2020 20:17:16 +0000

Interview with Half Moon Run | Stingray PausePlay Stingray Tue, 05/12/2020

In this episode, PausePlay’s host Zac Monson chats with Half Moon Run’s Devon Portielje and Isaac Symonds.

Welcome to a very special edition of Stingray PausePlay, here with Montreal's own, Half Moon Run. Hi, guys. Great to have you guys back.

Although I think last time we had a different combination of you guys on the show, so... Welcome back for the first time!

Devon: On behalf of Half Moon Run, thank you for having us again!

The first time you guys played together I think was October in 2009. So you're really right up on your decade. You've been together for 10 years now. Happy aluminum anniversary, by the way!

Devon: Is that 10 year, aluminum?

It's tin and aluminum, yeah.

Devon: Oh, those metals suck.

Half Moon Run's terrifying experience

Do you guys have a, like, what's been the highlight of your last decade for you guys as a band?

Devon: Oh, that's big.

Isaac: For me, I'd say the playing with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. That was crazy.

Devon: Terrifying show.

Why so terrifying?

Devon: Well, the conductor keeps time in a way that, he moves his hands ahead of the beat, which I've never seen before. So I had to get Dylan to interpret his timing, and then give me private time.

Because it's like the tip, right? It's the tip that's the tick?

Devon: Yeah. I never figured it out, so I was just like, "Do not watch that guy, bcause if I follow him, it's gonna be a disaster, so... He's a great conductor for other people, so I'm told.

Badminton club & Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2

What can you guys tell me about a badminton club?

Isaac: Oh, a badminton club. Uh... Well, actually, Devon started... invited me to play badminton, like, two or three years ago. And ever since then, just, like, took off. I do it as much as I possibly can. And Dev's technically the best. It's like, I've actually taken lessons in badminton. 'Cause I really want to be the best. But, like, Dev just comes in after so long of not playing and just, like, kicks my ass.

Devon: It's all in your mind, it's all psychology!

We had kind of a league in the music industry, and we had all these people. At one point we had 12 people a week coming out. And everyone's out of shape. No offense, guys. [laughter] And I was keeping stats. And rates, plus and minus.

So who took the whole thing home?

Devon: Oh, it was my buddy Jared. 99.7% win rate.

Isaac: Yeah. Although, he only came a couple, like, 5 times. But still, he's the best. He doesn't need the stats to tell that.

And I hear you're a serious skateboarder.

Isaac: Yeah, yeah. Well, I started skateboarding when I was 7, maybe? When my dad lived in California, and then it's just like a dream come true, just when we tour anywhere, usually the States is the best, then just try to go to a skate park in every town. Just get exercise and peep the scene.

Devon: We were living the teenage dream for awhile. There was one tour where we were able to bring our bikes, and every day in the States, we would just bike to the skate park, whether it was across town or next door. It's like my teenage dream. We visited every skate park in big city America.

Isaac: Having played Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2, a lot of those skate parks are there, you know?

That's about... that's as far as I got in my skateboarding career, was that game. I've never even stepped foot on an actual board, but that game killed it. I think I learned so many new songs from that soundtrack too.

Isaac: That was a huge soundtrack.

Yeah, for sure.

The Chainsmokers' question

So we asked the last artist that we had in to ask you guys a question. The artist is The Chainsmokers, and the question for you is...

The Chainsmokers: Hey everybody, we're the Chainsmokers, and our question for you is... Would you rather lose the ability to lie, or believe everything you're told?

Devon: Both are actually kind of good ways to live. If I lost the ability to lie, I think that would be ideal. If I believed everything everyone told me, I would be very susceptible to being taken advantage of, which would be a bad trait in this industry, so I would take the former. Difficult moments ahead, but ultimately, the truth would reveal itself, and you would live really ideally. Maybe I should just do that.

Isaac: "You're gonna be star!"

Devon: "I am a star? Thank you!"

A Blemish in the Great Light

The album is A Blemish in the Great Light, and I've always been such a fan of you guys, but really after this record, I'm a real fan. There was something magical, magical, magical about this record. There's, you know, CSNY, Kings of Convenience, some Beatles kinda stuff. I know there's some definite "Eleanor Rigby" little melody lines in a couple of those songs. [singing melody] You know? What's your favourite moment from kind of creating this whole project?

Isaac: I'd say mine is probably "Black Diamond," and it's the moment in the jam space while it's happening and it was like Devon just started playing this guitar riff and then we all sort of just chimed in and the instruments we chose first were the ones that were final ones. You know, that's always refreshing. And we all just started playing and then the song just came together in a couple days.

Devon: Yeah, which is very fast for us.

The last couple records, it's like when you listen to them, when I used to sit down with my headphones and listen to those albums, everything felt very close to my ear. Like, very close to my head. This album is not that way. There's like a spatial quality and a distance, almost, with this record. Was that something you guys kinda thought about in terms of production value? 'Cause it's really, it's like an open, more airy spatial record and it was one of the things that really stuck out to me.

Devon: We tried to bring it forward. Like, the presence of it, bring it forward. I felt like the other ones are a little [muffled sound]. And so I wanted to bring it up, bring it present and be more, a little more punchy. And so...

Isaac: Yeah, that's almost the opposite what you just described.

[laughter]

Devon: I think it's in the same... I think it's in the same thing, yeah.

Isaac: There is, like, a 3D element to the sonic field, for sure.

That, to me, is even better-said. There was a 2-dimensional kind of quality, not in terms of the creativity, but sound-wise, this one is definitely 3D, almost 4D, I'll even give you that 4th D in there. Beautiful, the sound quality is really amazing. [laughter]

So, what is the biggest difference for you guys? In terms of this record compared to your last records.

Devon: Well, there's that, there's the production value. Boy, we went through a lot of songs to get to, to land of these. I don't even know how many there are, ten or eleven on this. And I think we have, like, 40 starter ideas that didn't make it. And so there was a lot of writing before we decided on these. And then we went in the studio with 20. Then cut it down to 11.

"Favourite Boy" is such a great track. Such a great single. Tell me about the story. Where did the story come from? Because it seems like such a simple story, but it feels so powerful. You can feel exactly kind of what's happening. So tell me where this idea came from.

Devon: It started with me and Conner in the living room at his house and we just kind of... It started as an addendum to another idea, which then we chopped off the original idea and then we had these, basically, 8 chords, which almost is the whole song. And then the band, the other guys put a nice beat on it. And then I kinda wanted to have, like, an attitude in the lyrics, more than just kinda like... [whining vocals] I wanted it to be more... more of a story, more story-telling vibes. I think that you have to bend, to make a good story, you have to bend some rules. But it's still emotionally truthful, while perhaps being intellectually not entirely true. So there's, yeah, the emotion is true.

I think a lot of songs are probably like that.

Devon: All these perfect events that rhyme all the time! [laughter] That's just too dead-on.

We need to find that guy. There's gotta be one guy out there whose life is a perfect song...

Devon: Elton John. But he doesn't even write his lyrics. It's Bernie Taupin.

Half Moon Run's tattoos!

As you guys kind of get more well-known and travel the world, your fan-base obviously grows. What is the weirdest or most fun fan experience that you guys have had?

Devon: There's a lot of tattoos coming around.

Isaac: Yeah, I was just gonna say that one.

And are we talking lyrics or y'all faces?

Devon: Not faces. I haven't seen a face yet. But there's been the moons...

Isaac: There's been one in Burlington a couple years ago, and I had ages ago, like I signed my autograph on this girl's arm and she got it tattooed.

She kept it!?

Isaac: Yeah.

That's love, man.

Isaac: Yeah, that's true love.

Devon: There was a young woman in Germany that I had to write out these words again and again. She was like, "No no no, more like this, more like this." And I was writing it out for a long time. And then she got that tattooed as well.

Sorry, so she didn't like your handwriting?

Devon: Yeah, so I had to write it like 20 or 30 times until I got the one that was the tattoo.

Isaac: We were hanging out with fans, I forget where this was, in Europe somewhere, but, like, you ended up getting a tattoo on your neck?

Devon: Well, it was in Norway. They do things really high-quality in Norway, so their temporary tattoos aren't so temporary. And I was trying to impress this girl and got this... this big, like, two sailor girls with this big ship's wheel, like, right there. And, you know, she laughed and whatever. I don't think she was impressed. Anyways, next day, I stayed up all night, and then I had to walk, like, straight into the cab to the airport to the next show. And then, you know, backstage at the festival, trying to just get it off and it's just not even... It's just getting redder. It's not going away at all. So I had to go onstage with this giant neck tattoo.

And from a distance, it looks legit.

And it looks really red.

Isaac: Like, no tattoos on the arms, but the neck?

Straight to the throat! If you guys had to live inside somebody else's music video for the rest of your life, what music video would you live inside?

Devon: Bonnie Tyler, "Total Eclipse From The Heart." 'Cause it's just an endless array of surprises, and actually, you got football, you got karate, you got dancing. It's like an activity center.

Um, I hope they have food. I think they have, like, a Last Supper. They must have a Last Supper spread.

There's gotta be a snack there. A cheese plate of some kind.

[laughter]

Isaac: I think mine would probably be, ah, back when I used to watch music videos all the time, probably Alexisonfire, "Pulmonary Archery." It was just like a nice house. I could live in that house. It looked pretty cozy. There's like a jam space, obviously. The camera just goes into the house and then they're just freaking out, jamming there.

That's one of the more realistic life plan answers we've had to that question. [laughter] I actually like it. I kinda wanna go hang out with you in your life, yeah.

Guys, I'm so happy I got to sit with you guys and get to know you a bit better and really and truly, I'll tell you a thousand more times, the new album is really magical.

I'm so excited for people to hear it. And you guys are great. I can't wait to see you guys do it in the next five years, another decade together. I don't know what 20 years is, but it's gotta be better than aluminum. So, whatever it is, I'll get you that.

Listen to Half Moon Run on Stingray Music

You can hear Half Moon Run on Stingray Music's Rock Alternative channel, Canadian Indie channel, Le Top Détente and many more channels!

Stay on the pulse of the most recent news in music. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Stingray x East Coast Music Association | Celebrating Atlantic Canadian talent

Stingray — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 18:58:01 +0000

Stingray x East Coast Music Association | Celebrating Atlantic Canadian talent Stingray Fri, 04/03/2020

Stingray partners with the East Coast Music Association to celebrate Atlantic Canadian talent via new channel.

As part of its partnership with the East Coast Music Association (ECMA), Stingray is proud to present the Stingray Music channel 100% East Coast. Canadian Style celebrating talents from Canada’s Atlantic region. The channel features 150 tracks from a wide range of East Coast artists such as Neon Dreams, Eastern Owl, Sirène et Matelot, Jimmy Rankin, Sam Wilson, Motherhood, Jenn Grant, Thomas Stajcer, Les Hay Babies, Jody Upshaw, Zaum, and Natalie MacMaster.

Part of the channel was curated by compiling the top 100 tracks in over 20 genres, based on scores from the ECMA’s 2020 awards submissions process. The remaining 50 tracks were provided by ECMA’s regional music industry partners. Some of the selections on the channel also include legacy acts as an acknowledgment to their important contribution to the East Coast music community.

“Partnering with Stingray to create the 100% East Coast. Canadian Style channel is a first for the ECMAs and a massive boost for artists in the Atlantic region. Our musicians will directly benefit in the form of royalty payments as well as promotion of their music on the global Stingray network. Moving forwards, it's a win-win for everyone involved,” says Andy McLean, CEO of the East Coast Music Association.

Since 1989, ECMA has celebrated, promoted, and developed the work of musicians from the Atlantic provinces. It is ECMA’s mission to develop, advance and celebrate East Coast Canadian Music throughout the region, nationally, and around the world. They advocate for their members to ensure they can sustain music careers and music businesses while based in Atlantic Canada. Today, ECMA represents over 1,600 musicians and industry members who showcase their work annually at the East Coast Music Awards: Festival & Conference presented by TD. The 33rd edition of the event will be held May 5-9, 2021 in Sydney, Cape Breton. The festival is a party for music fans, bringing them up close and personal with Canadian stars from the eastern provinces.

Listen to the 100% East Coast. Canadian Style channel now!

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[Cancelled] JUNOS 2020 | Stingray at the JUNOS!

Ariane — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 16:25:32 +0000

[Cancelled] JUNOS 2020 | Stingray at the JUNOS! Ariane Mon, 02/10/2020

Due to concerns surrounding COVID-19, we are sad to report that The Juno Awards ceremony, scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 14 in Saskatoon, has been cancelled.

As part of its longstanding partnership with the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), Stingray is proud to be at the JUNOS again this year. We’ll be attending and covering various events, presenting one of our prestigious Stingray Rising Stars awards, and promoting our Canadian talent on our JUNOS-themed music channel.

During the JUNO Gala Dinner and Awards on Saturday, March 14, Stingray will present the Video of the Year category. Stingray is thrilled to contribute to Canadian artists’ continued success by presenting a $3000 bursary to the winner as part of the Stingray Rising Stars program. This initiative sets out to discover, encourage, promote, and champion new up-and-coming Canadian artists.

STINGRAY PAUSEPLAY

Our PausePlay team will be all over the 2020 JUNO Awards this year! Catch us at all the events and especially on the red carpet, where we will meet up with some old friends and some incredible new artists!

SPECIAL PROGRAMMING

This year, our programming team has put together a great roster of channels for multiple services! Make sure to tune in!

Listen to the “JUNOS 2020” channel on Stingray Music, available on mobile and web.

Stay on the pulse of the most recent news in music. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Partnership

JUNOS

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Canada’s Music Incubator 2019 | Stingray Rising Stars

Ariane — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 14:15:07 +0000

Canada’s Music Incubator 2019 | Stingray Rising Stars Ariane Wed, 11/20/2019

Stingray is honoured to support again this year Canada’s Music Incubator (CMI). CMI is a not-for-profit enterprise dedicated to providing hands-on, creative entrepreneurship development for emerging artists, tour managers, stage technicians and artist managers who are looking to learn more about and get a foothold in the Canadian music industry. CMI’s programs hinge on mentoring, collaboration and networking. Their programs draw participants from across Canada to their Toronto facility with Coalition Management’s offices.

This past Friday, November 15, Stingray’s Greg Torrington (Content Manager & Music Programmer (Roots and Country Music Channels) and Amanda Ste-Marie (Programming Manager: Music App)) traveled to Toronto to participate as mentors in CMI’s Artist Manager program. They discussed the nature of Stingray’s spectrum of music channels and how they could be utilized best for exposure to the emerging artist clients of the managers in attendance. Greg and Amanda also reviewed audio examples of each artists’ music to further aid in their understanding of Stingray’s programming selection processes.

Amanda and Greg also had the opportunity to meet with Rob Lanni and Eric Lawrence, the principals of Coalition Management (Our Lady Peace, Simple Plan, Scott Hellman, Nice Horse amongst others), and were treated to hearing some advance tracks from Coalition’s newest artist client, Amanda Marshall, who after a hiatus of many years will be returning to the music scene in 2020. We can’t wait to hear the artist’s upcoming material!

For more information on CMI and CMI’s programs, visit www.canadasmusicincubator.com.

Stay on the pulse of the most recent news in music. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Découvrez les artistes nommés pour « Vidéo de l’année »!

English

From left to right: Greg Torrington (Stingray), Amanda Ste-Marie (Stingray), Vel Omazic (CMI) and Kate Buote (CMI)

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Gala de l’ADISQ 2019 | Stingray en mode gala!

Ariane — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 14:49:09 +0000

Gala de l’ADISQ 2019 | Stingray en mode gala! Ariane Tue, 10/01/2019

Stingray est fier de s’associer encore cette année à l’ADISQ, notre partenaire de longue date, pour son 41e Gala. Au programme :

Couverture en direct de l’événement avec notre équipe des médias sociaux
Présentation de notre prestigieux Prix Étoiles Stingray
Programmation de chaînes musicales à la télé

PROGRAMMATION SPÉCIALE ADISQ

Cette année, notre équipe de programmation a créé une excellente programmation offerte sur plusieurs services Stingray. À ne pas manquer!

Gala de l’ADISQ 2019

Écoutez cette chaîne sur Stingray Musique disponible à la télé, sur mobile et sur le web du 1er au 31 octobre. Le public pourra ainsi découvrir toutes les oeuvres en nomination et écouter plus de 230 chansons.

Spécial Gala de l’ADISQ 2019

Découvrez et redécouvrez tous les clips nommés diffusés à la télé sur PalmarèsADISQ par Stingray le samedi 26 octobre à 20 h (HNE) et le dimanche 27 octobre à 16 h (HNE) avant le Gala. Des découvertes et des incontournables pour tous!

Louis-José Houde, les pochettes

Riez tout en découvrant de la musique! Découvrez la programmation spéciale à la télé sur PalmarèsADISQ par Stingray le mercredi 23 octobre à 21 h 30 (HNE), le samedi 26 octobre à 8h30 (HNE) et le dimanche 27 octobre à 15h30 (HNE). Les remerciements de pochettes vus par l’humoriste Louis-Josée Houde vous feront rire, c’est garanti !

PRIX ÉTOILES STINGRAY

En plus de présenter pour la première fois la catégorie « Album de l’année country », Stingray remettra son Prix Étoiles Stingray de 5000 $ au gagnant ou à la gagnante de la catégorie « Vidéo de l’année ».

STINGRAY en coulisses

Notre équipe des médias sociaux sera présente sur les lieux afin de vous alimenter en moments inédits et cocasses. Restez à l'affût en suivant nos comptes Instagram et Twitter!

Charles Boyer, notre animateur Stingray PausePlay, sera encore présent cette année sur le tapis rouge du Gala de l’ADISQ et ira à la rencontre de vieux amis et de nouveaux visages!
En attendant, écoutez nos entrevues avec les gagnants et gagnantes des galas 2018!

Pour ceux et celles présents dans la salle, vous remarquerez aussi les belles lanières bleues portées par les artistes et l’équipe de production au Premier Gala ainsi qu’au Gala.

Pour ceux et celles qui n’auront la chance d’y assister, syntonisez la chaîne Gala de l’ADISQ 2019!

SUIVEZ-NOUS ET ACCOMPAGNEZ-NOUS PENDANT L’ADISQ POUR UN ACCÈS EXCLUSIF EN COULISSES! Restez à l'affût des dernières nouvelles musicales. Suivez-nous sur Facebook, Instagram et Twitter.

ADISQ

French

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Festival Western de Saint-Tite 2019 | Stingray western!

Ariane — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 19:18:58 +0000

Festival Western de Saint-Tite 2019 | Stingray western! Ariane Thu, 09/05/2019

Dans le cadre de notre partenariat de longue date avec le Festival Western Saint-Tite, Stingray est fier d'être de nouveau au festival cette année, qui se déroule du 6 au 15 septembre 2019. Nous couvrirons divers spectacles, présenterons nos prestigieux Prix Étoiles Stingray et offrirons une programmation musicale dédiée au festival!

PARTENAIRE MUSICAL OFFICIEL

Pour la première fois, vous aurez la chance d’écouter Stingray Musique partout sur le site du festival! Vous pourrez profiter de notre programmation spéciale dans les quatre chapiteaux ainsi qu’à l’intérieur du quadrilatère des rues suivantes : Rue Notre-Dame, rue du Couvent, Boulevard Saint-Joseph, rue du Moulin en attendant vos artistes préférés.

PROGRAMMATION SPÉCIALE

Dans le cas que vous ne puissiez pas assister au festival, nous vous offrons la programmation complète en musique, disponible sur notre application gratuite Stingray Musique.

PRIX ÉTOILES STINGRAY

Comme à chaque année, nous offrirons des prix en argent totalisant 3000$ (deux prix de 1000$ et deux prix de 500$). Un jury déterminera les gagnants lors de la remise de prix qui aura lieu le 12 septembre à la Countrythèque Cogeco dès 19h avec la souriante Véronique Labbé, ancienne récipiendaire de nos Prix Étoiles Stingray.

Voici la liste des artistes en lice:

Dans la catégorie Western/Traditionnel:

Benny Johns
Mario Prévost
Stéphane Charbonneau
Claude Frenette
Yvan Rolando

Dans la catégorie Country/Rock/Pop:

Richard Grenier
Martin Valois
Jake Melançon
Nick Beaudin
Twin Brothers
Barnabé

Nous tenons à féliciter tous les artistes et leur souhaitons la meilleure des chances!

La soirée sera également bonifiée par une prestation de l’artiste invité, David Jalbert.

ÉQUIPE SOCIALE STINGRAY

L’année dernière nous avons demandé à la talentueuse et chaleureuse Guylaine Tanguay de couvrir le festival, cette année ce sera au tour de Paul Daraîche, le roi du country francophone. Nous couvrirons donc quelques-uns des moments inédits que vous aurez manqué. Suivez-nous et joignez-vous à nous pour vous assurer de ne rien manquer!

Suivez-nous sur Facebook, Instagram et Twitter.

Au plaisir de vous y retrouver en grand nombre!

Western

Country

French

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Toronto Jazz Festival 2019 | Stingray Rising Stars winners

Ariane — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 19:19:01 +0000

Toronto Jazz Festival 2019 | Stingray Rising Stars winners Ariane Mon, 07/01/2019

The TD Toronto Jazz Festival wrapped up its 33rd edition on Sunday, June 30th, after presenting more than 175 free performances throughout the ten-day run. As part of the festivities, the Stingray Rising Stars prizes were awarded to emerging talent in the Festival lineup.

The four finalists included vocalist Caity Gyorgy, Moneka Arabic Jazz, clarinetist Virginia MacDonald, and Sydanie & Kelson Fredericks from The Dirty B Sides. Each finalist received a $500 prize with Sydanie & Kelson Fredericks from The Dirty B Sides receiving an additional $500 as the winners of the Rising Stars Award.

Stingray was pleased to partner with the TD Toronto Jazz Festival for this inaugural award. Over the years, Stingray has partnered with numerous industry organizations and festivals to offer cash awards and provide showcase opportunities to great new Canadian talent of all genres. Congratulations!

From left to right: Ahmed Moneka (of Moneka Arabic Jazz), Danny Milwalkee (from The Dirty B Sides), Viriginia MacDonald, Josh Grossman (Toronto Jazz Festival) and Stacey Thompson (Stingray Radio: Boom 97.3 | The Breeze).
Photo credit: Randall Cook

About the finalists

Sydanie & Kelson Fredericks from The Dirty B Sides (winners)
This ensemble brings together three outstanding acts. Kelson Fredericks is part of an emerging generation of Toronto rappers who are proving that there is more to the Toronto sound than what we hear on the radio. Sydanie (Si-day-nee) is a star on the rise - she earned recent acclaim for her Canadian Music Week set and was named by the Globe and Mail as an artist breaking through Toronto's hip hop scene. The Dirty B Sides are Toronto's leading backing band for hip-hop and soul acts. They work with established local and touring artists while helping independent artists break out on Toronto's hip-hop scene.

Caity Gyorgy

A talented vocalist from Calgary, Caity Gyorgy has been making a name for herself on Canada’s festival and talent-show circuits. She has an incredibly refined voice for her age, counting Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Esperanza Spalding and Cécile McLorin Salvant among her idols. But what sets her apart is her unparalleled vocal improvisations.

Moneka Arabic Jazz

Rooted in jazz and blues, Moneka Arabic Jazz draws from leader Ahmed Moneka's Afro-Arabic heritage and influences along with Toronto’s multicultural mix to create a distinct, funky, and unique sound. Their repertoire introduces maqam, and weaves African identity, heritage, and influences into the mix. The contributions of the five talented musicians create a unique sound that embodies the diversity of Toronto in 2019.

Virginia MacDonald

Virginia MacDonald is a clarinetist who is on the verge of completing her Bachelor of Music at Humber College. She has already toured nationally and overseas and earned a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music's summer intensive program in 2018. Earning acclaim especially for her compositions, she will be releasing her first album later in 2019.

About the TD Toronto Jazz Festival

Now in its 33rd year as one of the premiere jazz festivals in North America, the

TD Toronto Jazz Festival took place this summer from June 21st to June 30th. From concert halls to the streets of Yorkville, the Festival offered ten jazz-packed days, showcasing the very best in jazz from Toronto, across the country, and around the world!

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