ONTARIO COUNCIL OF FOLK FESTIVALS
Your Guide to the 20th Anniversary OCFF Conference in Ottawa Songs FromThe Heart Winners Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award
1
Fall 2006
2
FROM THE EDITOR ... I’m not a joiner. Never have been. Well, there was the Cub Scouts when I was a kid but that died when I graduated to Scouts and had to start at the bottom! For the past 30 years, I’ve been merrily building my own private folk city and kept pretty well to myself. But a few years ago, my life took a giant turn and everything changed. One of the results was my joining OCFF, being a director for three years and continuing as editor of Folk Prints. And that all brought me to the conferences. Conferences were always things that other people went to. Doctors’ conferences. Star Trek conferences. Nanotechnology Conferences. Paleontology conferences. But folk music was pretty safe. Then came the OCFF Conference. As a director, I was expected to attend. So I did. Toronto was my first. I had a ball. Listening, playing, listening more, playing more, coffee and beer with new friends…it was all great. But not everyone going to the OCFF conference was a director. Not everyone knew a lot of people. At times, some folks wandered with blank looks in their eyes and I know they weren’t drummers! And now, with attendance at OCFF conferences breaking the 500 mark, there are a lot of folks who are dipping their feet in the folk conference world for the first time. Here we are at the twentieth conference of the OCFF. Look around you. Do you see folks who look lost? Do you see people you recognize from last year’s Owen Sound Festival or the performer who knocked your socks off at the Blue Skies “Let Me Knock Your Socks Off” workshop? (Who wears socks at Blue Skies?) Well, waltz right up to them and say ‘howdy’ because, you know what? This is a folk music conference and all of us are here because of each other. If you’re an artistic director or a folk music deejay, don’t hide the fact. If you’re an OCFF director, look for the folks who look lost and help them be found. Every note of music played, every song shared, every word spoken, every stranger approached: all of this is done within the arms of our community. So, don’t feel that you don’t fit. If that’s the case, none of us fit. And, hey, that’s probably why we’re here! Enjoy the conference.
ONTARIO COUNCIL OF FOLK FESTIVALS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2005/06 Sam Baijal .................................... sbaijal@uoguelph.ca Arlene Bishop ....................... arlene@arlenebishop.com Laura Bird ................................. wings1@sympatico.ca Jennifer Claveau ................ jennifer@speak-music.com Aengus Finnan .......................... info@sheltervalley.com Lloyd Greenspoon .......... lloyd.greenspoon@gmail.com ElizaBeth Hill ....................... musicmaker@on.aibn.com Paul Loewenberg ........ paulfromsudbury@sympatico.ca Robin MacIntyre ............................ bellevue@soonet.ca Karen Flanagan McCarthy ... kfm@mccarthymedia.com Peter MacDonald .................. peter@nutshellmusic.com Jory Nash ....................................... jory@jorynash.com Jowi Taylor .................................. e-jowi@sympatico.ca
STAFF
Executive Director - Erin Benjamin Conference Manager and Interim Executive Director - Jennifer Fornelli Office Administrator - Julie Trewartha Youth and Art Beat Coordinator - Erin Barnhardt Volunteer Coordinator - Leslie Corkill Admin Assistant - Elena Mikloukhina
Phone 1.866.292.6233 or 613.560.5997 Fax 613.560.2001 info@ocff.ca www.ocff.ca Mailing address: 410 Bank Street, Suite 225 Ottawa, ON K2P 1Y8
EDITOR
Arthur McGregor amcgregor@ottawafolklore.com
BOARD OF DIRECTORS LIAISON Karen Flanagan McCarthy kfm@mccarthymedia.com Printing and Layout by Orion Printing Cover photo by Jan Vanderhorst of the 2006 Home County Folk Festival in London, Ontario. Congratulations Jan, and thanks for entering this picture into our contest!
Deadline for Editions December 15 - winter March 15 - spring June 15 - summer September 15 - fall (conference)
AD RATES
Business Card .................................. $75/$100 Quarter Page .................................. $100/$125 Third of a Page ............................... $150/$175 Half Page ........................................ $175/$200 Full Page ......................................... $200/$225 Inside Cover ................................... $300/$350 Back Cover ..................................... $500/$600 Listed above: member/non-member rates; not applicable for Fall/Conference issue. Please visit our website for conference issue ad rates, as well as formats and sizes. Submissions (max 500 words) and pictures welcome! Submissions may be edited for length and clarity. We cannot guarantee inclusion of your submission in Folk Prints (but we’ll try!) Please send submissions in text format only. If you have pictures, call us before you send them. The views expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the OCFF. Questions or comments regarding Folk Prints should be brought to the attention of the editor, Arthur McGregor, at amcgregor@ottawafolklore.com. Articles and photos may not be reprinted without the expressed written permission from the author and/or photographer.
3
In the Interim… I am feeling a real sense of joy as the last days of summer move into fall and bring us ever closer to the conference. We’re closer to enjoying a weekend of music, fun and friendship, and this conference will also mark the return of our beloved Erin Benjamin. To say that I have learned a lot during my time as interim executive director is an understatement. The path has been interesting and taken me on a journey I never would have predicted when I agreed to take on this role for the OCFF. In the time Erin has been away, enjoying her first year of motherhood, I have learned so much working for you, our members. I hope you trust that my efforts have always been guided with the best of intentions, as I appreciate what has been created and I have tried to work in the spirit that is known as the OCFF. The office has been a hub of activity as we prepare to bring you this year’s conference. I hope you enjoy the end result of many months of time and effort. There are a few new things at this year’s conference, some obvious and some not so apparent. I could name them all, but that would take away the joy of discovery. I will mention the most exciting for me this year is our first ever official Family Showcase! Congratulations to Sho Mo and the Monkey Bunch and Mike Ford for securing a place in the OCFF history books. And special thanks to our three young judges – Sarah, Kenzie and Beth - for giving up a beautiful evening in June to help select
this year’s Family Showcase artists. Our conference wouldn’t be complete without what has become one of its mainstays, our outreach program, Art Beat. For those of you who have participated in Art Beat this year - all 27 of you - thank you for taking the time to make a difference in the Ottawa community. There are at least three beacon schools that are benefiting from this year’s program as well as the Glebe Centre for Seniors, Ronald McDonald house and Clifford Bowey School, which is a facility that specializes in special needs education. Erin Barnhardt, with the support of Aengus Finnan, has worked tirelessly on this year’s program. 29 facilities will have the benefit of this year’s Art Beat, and it is heart-warming to know that artists embrace this program and take it to various venues in the National Capital Region, some of which have never had the opportunity to participate in such programs. Again, a huge thank you to you all! For those of you who are interested in what’s involved or who have participated in the past, I encourage you to sit in on the “Art Beat in the Community” session on Saturday afternoon. As with every thing in life, there are always people around to help you through the peaks and valleys. For me, there have been a core of folks who have always accepted my calls, responded to an e-mail and made time to listen when it was most needed. To them I extend my profound thanks. There are so
Jennifer Fornelli
many to thank it would take too many pages in this issue to name them all. But I would be remiss if I didn’t publicly thank these five great women: Elena and Leslie, who came in just five short weeks ago and have made a tremendous contribution not only to the conference, but to the organization as a whole; Erin, for taking on so much to make the OCFF shine in the community, you are truly amazing! Julie, who has been with us only since the beginning of April, you have been a godsend and I can’t thank you enough for all that you do! Last but not least, Erin Benjamin, for taking my calls and answering e-mails when I thought everything was going sideways. Your reassurance and patience with me is immeasurable and words cannot be written or said to express the depth of my gratitude. November 6 th can’t come soon enough - welcome back! So, to all of you who are with us this weekend, enjoy your time at the conference. Let us know how we’re doing and what we can do to make it better. And as always, stop by and say hi, for this is one of the rare times I get to put a face to a name. Until next time, Jennifer 4
The president’s voice
Samir Baijal
Welcome to the 2006 OCFF Conference and thank you for being in Ottawa for our 20th Anniversary. I hope you all enjoy what the conference has to offer this year. There is something for everyone! The OCFF showcases the diversity of the dynamic festivals we represent and this will be most evident as you take in the 2006 Conference. 20 years and my, how we have grown, thanks to all of you. I would like to take the opportunity to welcome our new
incoming board members who are graciously giving their time and expertise to this wonderful organization, and to bid a fond farewell, with thanks, to those board members that are leaving us this year. I will also be stepping away from the OCFF board and presidency after the conference. I leave with a feeling of confidence and harmony on all fronts. A lot has been accomplished during the last few years as this organization has matured and found itself a most unique and respected place in the global arts community. I will certainly still be involved in some capacities with the OCFF, so you will not get rid of me that easily. The staff faces the challenges relating to the many facets of what the OCFF demands with confidence, sincerity and experience. It makes me proud
of them both as individuals and employees, and I would like to thank them for all their hard work in bringing the conference to life. In a time when the human spirit faces fundamental survival in many parts of the world, we have the gift of participating in the performing arts within the communities we live and serve as musicians, presenters, volunteers, staff and patrons. I remind myself when the immediate stress of this work becomes heavy, at times, that it is an honour to be able to work in a field that I am so passionate about - a field that promotes basic interaction between people through music. I encourage and demand mass celebrations throughout the conference all weekend. Please remember to say hello if we cross paths. Have a wonderful conference. Samir Baijal
Join the OCFF Annual membership fees: Individual $32.10 (includes gst) Organizational $80.25 (includes gst) (Interested festival members should contact the office.)
Name: ____________________________ Address: __________________________ City: ______________________________
Benefits of membership include the annual festival calendar, quarterly delivery of Folk Prints, conference discounts and more. Membership in the OCFF supports education, development, communication and advocacy initiatives, programs and services on behalf of the Ontario folk community.
Prov: ___ Postal Code: _______________
Your support makes a difference Send to Ontario Council of Folk Festivals 410 Bank Street, Suite 225, Ottawa, ON K2P 1Y8 Phone: 1-866-292-6233 Fax: 613-560-2001
Name on Card
Telephone: _________________________ Email: ____________________________ Web: _____________________________ Cheque or Money Order Visa
Card # Exp. Date Total Purchase
MasterCard
THANK YOU TO OUR PAST PRESIDENTS Ken Brown Jim McMillan Magoo Bill Marshall Carolyn Bigley Warren Robinson Doug McArthur
5
6
7
Ministry of Culture
Ministère de la Culture
Minister
Ministre
th
5 Floor, Mowat Block 900 Bay Street Toronto ON M7A 1L2 Tel: (416) 325-1660 Fax: (416) 325-1726
e
5 étage, édifice Mowat 900, rue Bay Toronto (Ontario) M7A 1L2 Tél: (416) 325-1660 Téléc: (416) 325-1726
Greetings from the Honourable Caroline Di Cocco, Minister of Culture On behalf of Ontario’s Ministry of Culture, I am pleased to welcome all of the delegates to the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals’ 20th annual conference. As the largest music industry association in the country, the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals’ annual conference is a wonderful opportunity for the folk music community from around Ontario and indeed, the world, to network and share their love of this traditional music. The council has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to creating professional development opportunities and showcasing a diverse collection of talented folk artists, to which the Ontario government has been pleased to support. I would like to commend the many loyal volunteers, industry insiders and performers involved with the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals for their dedication to highlighting the artistic and cultural importance of folk music. I wish you all the best for a fun and productive conference. Sincerely,
Caroline Di Cocco Minister
8
message from the conference co-chairs On behalf of my co-chair, Robin MacIntyre, and my fellow board of directors, I am honoured to welcome you to the 2006 OCFF Annual Conference. If this is your first OCFF conference, you should prepare yourself for three days of music, camaraderie, education, networking, festival know-how and so much more. If you are a conference veteran, then you have no doubt been anticipating the OCFF weekend for a long time. This conference marks our 20th anniversary. Personally, it will be my 8th conference. Over
the years, our conference has evolved and incorporated new ideas and trends, while maintaining elements of our traditions and history. As our organization has grown, so has our conference, in size, scope and stature. Yet we remain grass-roots, and to continue to do so, we need your input on how to keep this conference meaningful to our wide-ranging membership. Come to the AGM, give us your feedback. Tell us about your conference highs and tell us where we need to improve. Meet your board of directors
and congratulate the Estelle Klein and Songs from the Heart winners. Have lunch with an old friend and invite someone new to join you. Take in some music and sing some of your own. Talk about something new and remind us of something we should not have forgotten. Take it all in, but don’t forget to add something to the mix. Oh, and don’t forget to breathe. Jory Nash Robin MacIntyre
Andy Sheppard wins the 2006 Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award by Laura Bird Ah, the unmistakable sounds of autumn: crisp leaves beneath your feet, gaggle of geese overhead, and the collective sigh of contentment expressed by all songwriting competition jury members representing the Songs from the Heart and Colleen Peterson Songwriting Awards (CPSA). The ever-expanding, incredible wealth of talent in Ontario is certainly awe-inspiring and definitely something to celebrate. The annual $1,000 Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award, established in 2003 and administered by the Ontario Arts Council (OAC), was created as a legacy in recognition of Colleen’s contribution to Canadian folk and country music. The award supports and promotes the work of Ontario-resi-
dent emerging singer/songwriters in the genres of roots, traditional, folk and country music. This year’s OAC selection panel included last year’s cowinner, songwriter Lori Cullen, musician and producer Danny Greenspoon, music administrator Jeanine Hollingshead, and award co-founders Shirley Richardson and myself. The nominations for jury consideration are put forward by the OCFF Songs from the Heart competition. We are very pleased to announce Toronto-based, singer/ songwriter and guitarist Andy Sheppard as the 2006 CPSA recipient for his song, “Until Next Time”. While studying music at Montreal’s McGill University, Andy made his first album, the critically acclaimed Eclectic Guitar. He has since
traveled extensively, searching out musical experiences in the South Pacific, Europe, South East Asia, and North Africa. Several of those adventures led to new recordings, including 1999’s Swimming In Realtime, as well as work as a correspondent, music producer, and host on CBC Radio. We are also delighted Andy was able to rearrange his Chicago gig to join us in Ottawa for this year’s conference. He will perform “Until Next Time” during the Songs from the Heart showcase presentation and I think I can speak for all jury members waiting in anticipation of his performance who really want to know … “Who is in his frying pan?” Come to the show… maybe we’ll all find out.
9
The OCFF International Program
Each year at the conference, the OCFF produces an International Buyers Program as part of the conference. We invite delegates from the US, Europe and the UK to come to the conference to view showcases, network and connect with our artists and delegates. This program is supported by Foreign Affairs Canada (Arts Promotion) and the Department of Canadian Heritage (Trade Routes). The program’s main objectives are to target, stimulate and facilitate business relationships between professionals working in the roots and traditional music industry in Ontario, and national and international markets. Other over arching goals include: Providing professional market-development and export preparedness training opportunities; Supporting the export of Ontario and Canadian made music on a global scale; Increasing international trade activity of OCFF members while increasing overall market ●
●
●
demand for live and recorded folk and roots music; Increasing the number of OCFF members exporting highquality, market-ready product. This year, our International Buyers Program will feature approximately 8 presenters, agents, and others. These people are key industry stakeholders working in the cultural industries who have a keen interest (or profound curiosity) in Ontarian/Canadian folk and roots music. These stakeholders – a valuable group to get to know for those artists focussed on developing careers outside of their home markets – are committed to exploring, developing and growing sustainable business relationships with performing and attending artists. OCFF delegates are encouraged to meet and speak with these guests, who will also be participating on panels and in mentoring sessions throughout the conference weekend. At the time of print, our International Guests for 2006 include:
●
Ben Anderson Great Waters Music Festival New Hampshire, USA Spike Barkin Lincoln Center New York, USA Jyrki Heiskanen Kaustinen Folk Music Festival Kaustinen, Finland Helene & Alan Korolenko New Bedford Summerfest Massachusetts, USA Barbara Manners New Haven Folk Festival Connecticut, USA Alf Olofsson AO Production Klippan, Sweden Val Denn Val Denn Agency Texas, USA Chuck Wentworth Lagniappe Productions Rhode Island, USA Volker Steppat Radio Bremen Bremen, Germany
10
Songs From the Heart This is the second year I have had the privilege of administering the Songs from the Heart contest and it has been as interesting and challenging as the first year was for me. The quality of submissions continues to reach new heights and the prestige of the contest continues to grow. Overall submission numbers were down slightly, but the number of submitting artists was actually about the same. This shows that many people took my advice and submitted fewer songs. (I am not a proponent of artists submitting 15-20 songs...I think submitting no more than 8 songs is wiser.) We also had numerous writers join the OCFF for the first time, to take advantage of lower submission fees for OCFF members. Some thanks are, of course, in order. First, to CBC Galaxie Folk/Roots for continuing to be our proud sponsor of the two grand prizes. Next, to the organizers of the Colleen Peterson Award for incorporating SFTH
by Jory Nash
submissions into their final judging process. I would also like to thank the OCFF office, particularly Jennifer and Julie, for processing all entries and sending them on to me. Next, I would like to thank the OCFF board for their feedback and support. A big shout out goes out to all the judges who performed the difficult task of judging thoughtfully, with open ears, and (most important to me) on time! This year’s judges in the overall contest were Roch Parisien, Alex Sinclair, Ron Nigrini, Liz Scott and Michel Dozois. Sub-category judges this year were Steve Fruitman, Mike Barker, Philly Markowitz, Richard Knechtal, Mike Ford, Eric Stein and Chris White. All deserve tremendous thanks for their time and effort. Once the conference is over, I will be sending an e-mail to all submitting artists, inviting them to e-mail me if they are interested in knowing how their song(s) placed. As well, I will answer any additional questions
they might have about submissions for the 2007 contest. In conclusion, I would like to publish a list of artists whose songs the judges made note of as songs that were very close to being selected as winners. There is no prize attached to being an Honourable Mention, but it does give an indication of the strength and quality of the writers who submit to the SFTH. I have deliberately not listed the song titles because those artists may wish to submit these songs again in 2007. If your name appears on this list, please contact me if you would like to know which songs the judges specifically mentioned. OVERALL: Jacob Moon Gregory Hoskins Greg Hobbs Jason Redman Anne Lindsay Michael Kelly David Gillis Kristin McCaig Noah Zacharin Charlie Sohmer BLUES: Ian North Gayle Ackroyd CHILDREN’S: Lafoy & Sperling Chris McKhool INSTRUMENTAL: Paul Mills HISTORICAL: Ali Matthews POLITICAL: Brooks Sisters HUMOUROUS: Evalyn Parry WORLD: Segun Akinlolu McKhool & Laliberte 11
12
13
Galaxie Rising Stars Program of the CBC Galaxie, CBC’s Continuous Music Network, in association with The Ontario Council of Folk Festivals is proud to partner with the 2006 Songs from the Heart Competition. Together, we come to provide artists with this opportunity to shine: Rising Stars Awards will be granted to the best Anglophone and Francophone artist. Best of luck to all the participants and much success in your musical endeavours! Eight years ago, Galaxie created the Rising Stars program for the development and promotion of Canadian musical talent. To this day, more than 500 musicians have benefited from the program with the fellowship and support of nearly 50 music industry partners across the country. The winners will receive a cash award and air play on Galaxie’s nation wide network. With over 5 million subscribers, Galaxie is the most listened to continuous music network in the country! Thanks to its 45 music channels, including 11 specialty channels, one of which is dedicated to FolkRoots music, all programmed by music experts, the network has a sound for everyone. Galaxie offers a dynamite mix of classic hits, contemporary chart toppers and new treasures to discover. Overall, the network plays 150,000 music titles, while providing the best digital-quality sound. Galaxie is a digital service available by subscription via satellite, cable and telecom. For more information, consult our web site at www.galaxie.ca And now, let the music begin!
Les Prix Étoiles Galaxie de Radio-Canada Galaxie, le réseau de musique continue de Radio-Canada en collaboration avec le Conseil des festivals Folk de l’Ontario (CFFO) est heureux de s’associer au Concours Chansons du Fond du Cœur 2006. Il nous fait plaisir de contribuer à ce tremplin de la relève musicale. Nous sommes fiers de remettre deux bourses dans la catégorie composition anglophone et composition francophone. Nous souhaitons bonne chance et bon succès à tous les participants! Il y a 8 ans, Galaxie a créé un programme original de développement et de promotion destiné aux musiciens d’ici. À ce jour, plus de 500 artistes et groupes en ont bénéficié grâce à la participation d’une cinquantaine de Partenaires Étoiles de l’industrie de la musique à travers le pays. Nous accordons aux gagnants une bourse en argent et l’occasion d’une diffusion à l’échelle nationale sur le Réseau Galaxie. Avec plus de 5 millions d’abonnés, Galaxie est le réseau de musique continue le plus écouté au pays! Grâce à ses 45 chaînes de musique, dont 11 chaînes spécialisées incluant la chaîne FolkRoots, offertes sans publicité ni interruption et programmées par des experts, il est facile de trouver une chaîne qui plaira à tous et chacun. Galaxie vous propose des airs connus et reconnus et d’autres coups de cœur que ses programmateurs vous invitent à découvrir. En tout, le Réseau compte plus de 150 000 pièces de musique! Galaxie est disponible à travers les services numériques par satellite et par câble, ainsi que par télécom. Pour plus d’informations, consultez notre site Internet au www.galaxie.ca Et maintenant, place à la musique!
Jean-Richard Lefebvre Directeur, Développements, partenariats et Director, Development, Partnerships programmation française & French Programming
Rising Star OCFF Songs From the Heart Winners 2006 Ana Miura, English-language grand prize 2006 “Galaxie Rising Star” winner for her song He Swallows Whiskey, is “someone whose stubborn presence among the rising group of Canadian altcountry-folk musicians shouldn’t be under-estimated,” according to Matthew Harrison of Ottawa Xpress. She was described on The New Hot 89-9 as “easily one of the best, most haunting, confident voices… the type of songwriter whose lyrics and melodies result in special moments unequalled by most.” Ana Miura is a singer, a songwriter and a guitarist to watch. Phil Lafreniere is the winner of the French-language 2006 “Galaxie Rising Star” grand prize for his song Je pleure et je perds and, for the first time since the contest’s inception, he has won in two categories. He also wins the award in the Political category for his song, “American Dollars.” A 24year-old Ontario French-Canadian, Phil Lafreniere is a solo performer, singer-songwriter and percussionist for folk-funk-roots group People Project based in Mexico City and Ottawa, and drummer for Ottawa’s Afro-beat group The Souljazz Orchestra (SJO). Lafreniere combines elements of traditional blues with Cuban and Brazilian rhythms, and fuses them with English, French, Spanish and Portuguese lyrics, to create a multi-cultural and multi-lingual mosaic of sound and content.
14
Floating through the hallways of many Ottawa schools and care centers are the sounds of excited students and patients, anxiously awaiting their chance to spend time with one of this year’s thirty Art Beat artists. Delivering presentations and performances ranging from bluegrass to East Indian music, from jugbands to Celtic fiddling, Art Beat is growing in its 4th year to meet the enthusiasm for arts outreach projects, connecting artists and the community in the spirit of sharing and exchange. We are thrilled to have artists from six different provinces, some of whom will be collaborating on workshops for the first time, on the Art Beat roster this year! New to this year’s program is an extended Art Beat initiative, which will bring the Ottawa-based Mushfiq Arts Company artists, Said Mushfiq Hashimi and Said Moheb Hashimi into a grade four classroom at Manor Park Public School for six hours of training, working towards a final performance in their school gym for their peers and parents, and at the OCFF
Photo by Jennifer Fornelli
art beat in ottawa by Erin Barnhardt
Mushfiq Hashimi at Manor Park School
Gala Dinner. The Mushfiq Arts Company are dedicated to teaching Indian classical music, Indian and Afghani folk music, including qawwalis and ghazals, along with instruments such as the tabla, harmonium and sitar. For many students at Manor Park, this will be their first opportunity to hear and learn about this music, which may inspire them to seek out new sounds and ideas in the future. Art Beat is a truly unique program, in that its personalized workshop style, interactive, flexible and organic approach to matching artists with
facilities makes for meaningful and engaging connections, opening the imagination of students, teachers, patients and families in our community in a personal and intimate environment. Thank you to all artists who participated this year, making a difference in the host community for the annual OCFF conference with their music, the volunteers who graciously helped transport artists to the venues, and the community members who took part in making this such a successful year!
15
showcase artists were bullied and/or who are/were bullies AND those who didn’t go traveling after high school AND the sad — Also enjoyed by the popular AND the athletic.
AA Sound System Bebop Cowboys “Electro-Roots Pop Rockers, AA Sound System, are an Edmonton three-piece masquerading as so much more, playing crisp and intricate guitar lines supplemented by phased-out electronics and subtle samples that bring a contemporary edge to a vintage sound.” Calgary’s FFWD.
Alex Cuba Band
Alexis Puentes, leader of the Alex Cuba Band, is an extremely talented vocalist and multi-instrumentalist with both an intimate knowledge of Cuban genres and a clear influence of rock and contemporary pop, combining these elements when he writes and arranges. His mastery of an assortment of instruments, while wielding them with restraint and sincerity, reflects his sultry singing style.
Andrea Revel
Often described as a Rogue-folkie for crossing over into the electronic realm, Revel’s sound has been a natural evolution for a musician transplanted from Calgary’s hotbed of folk to the urban soundscapes of Montreal. Revel “…will convince even the staunchest traditionalist that modern technology and oldfashioned balladry can co-exist. Brian Eno would be proud.” Exclaim! Magazine
Canadian cowboy jazz heroes, the Bebop Cowboys have developed a reputation for outstanding song arrangements and stellar musicianship. With their 2006 CD release, Canadian Dance Hall, the Bebops serve up a white-hot brand of western swing, delivering the goods with the obvious excitement of top-shelf musicians playing for the sheer joy of it. www.bebopcowboys.com
Crescent and Frost
Crescent and Frost has elements of folk, pop, country, and bluegrass, but the final product is much more, and distinctly its own. Based in New York City, the core of C&F is songwriter Maryann Fennimore and songwriter Daniel Marcus, who are joined by guitarist Rich Hinman. They’ve just finished recording their third album, produced by Lee Alexander (Norah Jones, Amos Lee, The Little Willies).
David Myles
Costumed in the gladrags of blues, roots and folk, David Myles’ songs are infectiously hummable. His sound combines a soulful, rich voice with easy-going guitar and thoughtful, honest lyrics. Myles is a gifted storyteller whose passionate performances are not easily forgotten.
Hayes Carll
After only two albums, Hayes Carll already sounds like a veteran singer-songwriter. His tales of drifters and searchers, full of sharp observations and biting wit, invite comparisons to Townes Van Zandt and Steve Earle, while his talent has brought collaborations with Darrel Scott, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Guy Clark.
Grouyan Gombo
Grouyam Gombo plays music rooted in the rich Cajun and Creole legacy of southwest Louisiana. Diatonic accordion, fiddle, lap-steel and upright bass form the core of the band, which is frequently augmented by solid triangle and rub board percussion. Expect soulful French vocals and infectious dance rhythms from this Montreal-area formation.
Hungry Hill
Hungry Hill is a contemporary bluegrass unit with a focus on original material. Based in northwestern Canada, the band features five seasoned musicians with a desire to create a fresh sound, while staying true to the roots of bluegrass and old-time music.
Harmony Trowbridge David Celia
David Celia’s extensive touring has given him a following at home and in the U.K./Europe. Joined by his band, which includes Prairie Oyster’s Joan Besen, he will perform material from the new release, This Isn’t Here (Experience Universal). The band recently performed/recorded live at CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio.
Harmony writes singular indie-folkpop songs and performs them with her husband, Adam. She has an EP called Amoraphobe, on which she sings sad love songs by herself. She has a new CD coming up — it will have a bunch of new songs and she won’t be by herself this time. Harmony’s music is a witch doctor’s poultice applied directly to the heart in need of repair. You should go see her show. It’s good, and you might cry. You need a good cry. Good music for: people who are/
Jaime RT
An innovative performer and composer, Jaime RT, with guitarist/vocalist Andy Hillhouse, is putting the sound of West Coast fiddle on the map. The unique five-string fiddola is the star in a compelling and emotionally-charged per formance. Jaime’s debut album Reach won her a 2005 Canadian Folk Music Award nomination. 16
showcase artists
Jill Porter
Jill Porter, a St. John’s, Newfoundland-based singer-songwriter, is taking charge with her blend of pop/ rock style, true-to-the bone performance and smoky vocals. Her self-titled debut album released in 2005 gained her four MUSICNL nominations and extensive radio airplay. With ECMA and Juno showcases, and two cross-Canada tours under her belt, we are seeing the emergence of a new major artist.
Kate Rogers
Following her celebrated performances with Grand Central Records label mates, Aim and Rae & Christian, Kate has embraced the instrumentation and ambience of her earliest influences to write and record an emotive collection of songs. Roots, blues and North American folk flavours feature in a sophisticated sound based entirely on studio performances by Kate and her band.
Maracatu Nunca Antes
Maracatu Nunca Antes is an AfroBrazilian percussion group led by native Brazilian Aline Morales. Founded in 2003, the group plays raw, traditional maracatu rhythms. Tracing their style to Recife’s Maracatu Estrela Brilhante, Toronto’s Nunca Antes is part of a global movement, creating a living tradition in beat, movement, and excitement.
Mike Evin
Mike is a Toronto-based piano man whose poppy and playful songs reflect his love for harmony, melody and storytelling. On recordings, his talented collaborators include The Brothers Creeggan (Barenaked Ladies) and Don Kerr (Ron Sexsmith). In concer t, Mike performs his songs on a 64-key upright piano named Beatrice.
Les Tireux DRoches More or Les This Quebec folklore group has been playing traditional music inspired by the Quebec repertoire, with a unique, creative touch. They have developed a repertoire of traditional stories and songs called ‘modern future’, where they take you on a fantastic musical, storyfilled, multi-coloured voyage into an imaginary New-World-of-Old.
With the 2006 release of The Truth About Rap, Toronto emcee More Or Les dishes out another healthy serving of his trademark sociallyconscious irreverent lyrics and bombastic music. Never apologizing for his point of view or stick-inyour-head rhymes, More Or Les commands audiences to think and shake it.
Mr. Something Something
Mr. Something Something’s original uplifting sound features storming horns, driving percussion and a wildly unpredictable stage show led by the volcanic voice of front man Johan Hultqvist. People of all descriptions come together to be as one and to dance as the band updates the politics and defiant danceability of Fela’s Afrobeat.
Mushfiq Ensemble
Stop Die Resuscitate
A metropolis tends to eat its own at night. SDR, then, make the sound of paranoid dusk falling on a city street (with your name on it). Since 2002, this Toronto threesome of eclectic rap-electro whiz kids has been honing its intense musical vision, with no time for tired sounds. Next or nothing. Sophomore album, 2007 on Summer Lovers Unlimited.
TheDoug andJessBand
Based in Ottawa, the Mushfiq Ensemble performs Afghani folk music, Nor th Indian classical, Qawwalis, ghazals and film music. Songs range from devotional, popular compositions based on traditional ragas to original works. The Ensemble comprises four core musicians playing tabla, violin, tanpura and harmonium. Visit www.mushfiq.ca
The Doug and Jess Band, from Winnipeg, have made an extraordinary splash in the bluegrass scene. The band consists of songwriters Doug and Jess Reimer, a father and daughter team; Jeremy Hamm, playing mandolin, soulful fiddle and harmony vocals; and creative fivestring banjo player, Tim Osmond, adding sparkle and delight. Their newly released CD, Slave to This World, features entirely original music.
Old Man Luedecke
Treasa Levasseur
A banjo songster like Old Man Luedecke is a rare type of musician. Writing songs of hope and doubt, he blends old-time and folkrevival sensibilities with a vivid and insightful contemporary lyricism. Old Man Luedecke has been quietly winning over hear ts to his catchy, thoughtful music and warm-hearted stage ramblings.
Treasa Levasseur’s debut album, Not a Straight Line, has received critical acclaim since its March 2006 release. Skillfully crossing genres like borders, with her unique and powerful voice as passport, Treasa’s high-energy, heartfelt performances take listeners on a journey through old soul, new funk and country blues. 17
showcase artists
Alternates
Annie Gallup
A lifetime’s dedication to her art has made Annie Gallup something of a high priestess among people who take songwriting seriously. Her Canadian appearances include the Winnipeg, Ottawa, Summerfolk and Stan Rogers festivals. “Even her most straightforward lyrics possess a sort of fantastic, almost subliminal quality that brings to mind the magic-realist fiction of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.” - Acoustic Guitar
Dyad
Dyad delves into the song and instrumental traditions found in the Appalachian mountain region. Having performed at the 2006 Vancouver Folk Festival, the trio continues their stark and haunting sound with the release of their second album. Whether playing an original song, a Nirvana cover, or a crooked fiddle tune, Dyad passes on the traditions of passion and respect for the music they love.
Grainne Ryan
Courtney Wing
Ambient chromaharp and lilting guitar melodies, accompanied by a strong and tender vocal style, characterizes Courtney Wing’s sound. His compositions move charismatically between an eclectic range of styles, yet Wing always remains true to his soulful enterprise with a comforting, yet edgy approach.
Memorable. Refreshing. Insightful. Grainne (pronounced grawn-ya) Ryan’s music is a diverse blend of folk, pop, rock and country held together with the threads of universal appeal. In this rapidly changing world, her songs and her sound are like flowing water...fluid and powerful.
Janine Stoll
Janine Stoll is truly one of Canada’s finest singer-songwriters. With an innate ability to deliver “perfect songs”, she is a highly prolific talent to be reckoned with. Stoll has two solo releases: Everything You Gave Me (2001) and This Is Where We Bury It (2005) and is a member of Ladybird Sideshow, alongside critically acclaimed singer-songwriters Melissa McClelland, Erin Smith, and Lisa Winn.
Lori Cullen
Poised to present herself both as an acoustic guitar-playing singersongwriter and the leader of a jazzstructured quintet, Lori enjoys unique opportunities for performance. Lori and her band perform a collection of original compositions and interpret timeless pop and jazz songs. Mature songs that highlight the craft of songwriting and the emotional power of a direct and intimate lyric.
Manouche
Manouche is colourful klezmergypsy-tainted band whose members come from different regions of Quebec and formed at the Conservatory of Music of Montreal. Wherever they go, the six little devils love to spread their music around, making people dance to their festive sound, their vitamined technique and their refreshing rhythms.
Mike Stevens
Mike Stevens is an Ontario-based harmonica player who has been described as a true innovator and one of the best players on the PLANET!! His performances are truly unique musical experiences that take audiences to places they have never been before.
Official Showcases FRIDAY Richelieu Room 7:45 PM - Mushfiq Ensemble 8:20 PM - Harmony Trowbridge 8:55 PM - Jill Porter 9:30 PM - Andrea Revel 10:05 PM - Old Man Luedecke 10:40 PM - Stop Die Resuscitate
International Ballroom C 8:00 PM - Les Tireux D’Roches 8:35 PM - David Myles 9:10 PM - The Doug and Jess Band 9:45 PM - Mike Evin 10:20 PM - Crescent and Frost 10:55 PM - Mr. Something Something
SATURDAY Richelieu Room 7:45 - PM Kate Rogers 8:20 - PM Jaime RT 8:55 - PM Alex Cuba Band 9:30 - PM Hayes Carll 10:05 - PM Hungry Hill 10:40 - PM More or Les
International Ballroom C 8:00 PM - Maracatu Nunca Antes 8:35 PM - AA Sound System 9:10 PM - Bebop Cowboys 9:45 PM - David Celia 10:20 PM - Grouyan Gombo 10:55 PM - Treasa Levasseur
18
showcase artists
Family - Friday October 13
We are thrilled to announce that the OCFF Family Showcase, in its inaugural year, will be presented to a young audience of 175 grade 1-6 students from Cambridge Street Community School in Ottawa.
Mike Ford - 1:25pm
Moxy Früvous alumnus, Mike Ford, has entertained countless festival audiences. He’s also spent a summer as an Arrogant Worm, is currently creating a repertoire of ‘Laker’ songs with David Francey, and received a Juno nomination for his rollicking 2005 solo album, CANADA NEEDS YOU volume one (Maple MusicRecordings).
Sho, Mo and the Monkey Bunch - 1:00 pm Ken Whiteley - Host A new kind of kids’ band. Music that won’t drive parents insane. Songs that speak to kids with musicality and humour. If you like The Who, The Beatles, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Steve Martin, but you’re still in pull-ups then “Sho, Mo and the Monkey Bunch” has a song for you.
Master musician and award-winning songwriter, Ken Whiteley, has been making music for children for 35 years. “Join the Band” is his brand new recording for families. Featuring Ken on 20 different instruments, it is a sing-along, dancealong, play-along musical tour de force. He has been called the “godfather of children’s music” for his seminal role as an artist and producer.
19
showcase artists
Youth
Youth Sho wcase Showcase Schedule
Tanner Reinhardt
This 21-year-old songwriter is currently a Laurentian University Student in Sudbury. Thoroughly modern, he is as comfortable with sonic explorations à la Mars Volta with his band, Life Blown Open, as he is with exploring melodies and expanding the range of his voice through solo work influenced by Jeff Buckley, Modest Mouse and more.
Celia Stephens
Celia Stephens is an aspiring folk artist from Ottawa. She writes her own material, and has been performing since 2003. She is a regular at the Ottawa Folklore Centre Open Stage and has performed at the Ottawa Folk Festival. Her sensitive and poignant writing style is drawn from the poetry of everyday life.
Baobab Youth Performers
Baobab Youth Performers brings together youth in the Ottawa area to drum and dance the music of Ghana, West Africa. Founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Kathy Armstrong, the group is named for an unusual and resilient African tree. They have given many vibrant performances in settings such as the Ottawa Folk Festival, The National Arts Centre, The Black Sheep Inn and at numerous University, school and community events. They have toured through Ontario, parts of the USA and to Ghana, West Africa. As part of the larger Baobab Tree Drum Dance Community, the youth engage in activities that strengthen individuals and communities both here in Ottawa and in Ghana, where they have an ongoing relationship with the small village of Dagbamete. This current group toured to Ghana in July 2006 for an ar tistic and educational journey.
Ariana Gillis
Ariana has been surrounded by music her entire life…She began studying piano and singing at the age of 6, acquiring high honour certificates from the Royal Ontario Conservatory of Music. Tired of the classical structure, she began searching for music with deeper personal meaning. To express herself, she took up guitar and songwriting at the tender age of 12, writing with a mature outlook well beyond her years. In grade 8, she was awarded with the ‘Highest Achievement in Music’ at her school. Now at the age of 15, Ariana has grown and matured in her music skills. She has performed at many venues and charity functions including the Chet Atkins Festival in Nashville, Tennessee and the Hamilton Music Scene Festival in Ontario. Ariana has written over 50 songs and is currently working in the studio on a demo project to showcase some of that material.
Saturday, Oct. 14,2006 Ballroom C Penguin Eggs Breakfast ●
9:00 Baobab Youth Performers Saturday, Oct. 14, 2006 Panorama Penthouse ●
3:30 Celia Stephens ●
4:00 Ariana Gillis ●
4:00 Tanner Reinhardt
THANK YOU We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Music Fund for this project
20
ocff conference 2006 panelists
Ben Anderson
Ben Anderson is the president and founder of the Great Waters Folk Festival, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, in addition to the off-season concert series, Wolfeboro Folk. He has served as a judge for the JUNO Awards and continues to be sponsored by the Government of Canada for his work promoting Canadian artists south of the border.
Ian Boddy
Ian is a lawyer living in Owen Sound. He sat on the board of the Georgian Bay Folk Society for several years and was president during the organization’s two most successful festivals. He approached the festival as a business, with a goal to increase attendance in order to maximize exposure for folk artists.
Derek Andrews
Jason Bouchard
Sam Baijal
Sandra Butel
Derek Andrews is a Toronto-based music promoter and consultant with a history in folk, blues and world music. He is the North American liaison for the European Forum of World Music Festivals and serves as a volunteer with a variety of music organizations. Check his links at www.globalcafe.ca
Samir (Sam) has been the artistic director of the Hillside Community Festival since 1998 and also works for the University of Guelph, where he programs entertainment for the campus & local community. He is the current chair of the OCFF Board of Directors and has been an active member of the provincial/national/international festival community for several years.
Spike Barkin
Spike Barkin is a festival and special events producer/ programmer. Among the events he has coordinated are the Carnegie Hall Folk Festival, Jazz Charlotte (North Carolina), LA Street Scene (Los Angeles, CA), Memphis Music Heritage Festival People’s Poetry Gathering (NY, NY), the Roots of American Music Festival as part of the annual Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors Festival (NY, NY), and the Watts Towers Blues, Jazz, R&B, & Gospel Festival (Los Angeles, CA)
Erin Barnhardt
Coupled with her dedication to bringing music to young people and her avid enthusiasm for roots music, Erin Barnhardt is the coordinator of the Music Ambassador Programme at the National Arts Centre, as well as OCFF’s Art Beat and youth programs.
Arlene Bishop
Experimental folker, temperamental popper, smartypants songwriter, not a fighter, heartbreaker, groove maker, innovator, risk taker, singer, writer, story teller, liar, dreamer, mother, lover, music lifer, three times indie (four times pretty soon), Pinky, Snarky Girlpop, Cut a Man’s Heart Out titles (the last a tune), clever, funny, kind and yummy.
Involved with folk music with presenters, festivals and community radio (CHUO) for longer than he cares to remember, past OCFF board member, past Blue Skies hat, hangs with the Blue Skies sound crew, past Board member Old Sod Folk Music Society, past advisor OAC Project Grants committee - et Franco-Ontarien!
Sandra has been the Artistic Director of the Regina Folk Festival for the last 8 years. Since 1969, The Regina Folk Festival has been presenting a diverse array of “music for the people” in many genres and from many cultural traditions with both a year round concert series and an annual summer festival (Regina’s downtown gem). Sandra is the current chair of Western Roots Artistic Directors (WRAD), an informal group of artistic directors from across Western Canada.
Roddy Campbell
Roddy Campbell is the editor and publisher of Penguin Eggs magazine. He is the author of Playing The Field: The History of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. For the past 20 years, he has written about folk, roots and world music for international magazines such as Roots and Dirty Linen, as well as for most major daily newspapers in Canada.
Alfredo Caxaj
Originally from Guatemala, Alfredo Caxaj has been at the forefront of introducing Canadian audiences to outstanding world music and dance artists from around the globe, through his role as artistic director of two premier summer festivals produced in London, Ontario, Canada: Sunfest & Fiesta del Sol.
Paul Chaput
A Métis Singer-Songwriter, both of Paul’s CDs were nominated for Best Folk Album at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and one for Best Male Artist. Cofounder and Artistic Director of the Métis Arts Festival in Toronto, he is now working with Montréal’s Normand Guilbeault to present Plaidoyer Musicale Riel: A Musical Plea in 2007.
21
Kerry Clarke
Kerry is the artistic director of the Calgary Folk Music Festival, which the Globe and Mail decreed to be one of the ‘Seven Musical Wonders of the World.” She hosts a weekly program ‘Alternative to What’, on CJSW Radio and is a member of WRAD, a wonderful group of Western Folk and Roots Festivals. www.calgaryfolkfest.com
Jennifer Claveau
A self-described “multi-task master”, she is driven to learn and works to refine her own DIY music industry systems, while creating resources that other indie musicians may tap into. She is the lead singer-songwriter of her band Likewater, host and organizer of Groovy Mondays Open Stage, co-founder of the Toronto City Roots Festival and Creative Director of her own music.
Dave Cool
Without any background in film and funded entirely with credit cards, Montreal director Dave Cool (yes, that’s his real name!) released “What is INDIE?” earlier this year, a film that has been inspiring audiences across North America, even catching the attention of CNN.com, Newsweek Magazine and Canada’s National Film Board.
Leslie Corkill
After two years as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Ottawa Folk Festival, Leslie Corkill has moved over to the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals and has taken on that role for the 20th Anniversary Conference. Leslie was also a panelist for the Volunteers Workshop at the Guelph, Ontario OCFF Conference in 2004.
Richard Davis
A Program Officer in the Music Section since 2001, Richard Davis came to the Canada Council from the presenting community with experience in programming, administration and marketing at The Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Harbourfront Centre and The Corporation of Roy Thompson Hall & Massey Hall. Richard currently oversees Non-Classical music applications to Music Touring Grants, Music Festival Programming Project Grants, Music Festival Travel Grants and the Career Development Program.
Val Denn
Val Denn has been a booking agent since 1994 when she opened her agency outside of Austin, Texas. She works primarily with singer-songwriters and divides her time between her homes near Austin, Texas and in Blandford, Nova Scotia. She is a musician and songwriter with 4 CD credits to her name. She attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, studied jazz guitar in the early 80’s, then moved to Texas to be part of the Austin music scene.
Eric Dubeau
Eric Dubeau is the Franco-Ontarian Arts Officer at the OAC. He manages nine granting programs that fund the work of Francophone artists and arts organizations, including musicians and presenters. In his previous life, he was frequently found at Timmy’s, from Windsor to Wawa, having toured extensively as an award winning singer-songwriter and arts educator.
Karyn Ellis
You might say Toronto artist, Karyn Ellis, exemplifies the DIY approach to creating a vibrant music career in Canada. Karyn is captivating audiences across the country with her bittersweet indie-folk ballads, all while managing most aspects of her career herself. She has released two CDs since 2003. Her most recent, Hearts Fall, has been heard on CBC Radio’s ‘Bandwidth’, ‘The Vinyl Café’, ‘Here and Now’, Radio International, as well as on national top-50 and regional top-30 campus charts across Canada.
Rick Fines
Multiple award-winner, Rick Fines, toured from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic, from BC to NYC this year alone. Rick brings his love of blues, finger-style and bottleneck guitar and his fine songwriting to festivals, concerts, classes and workshops.
Aengus Finnan
A songwriter, educator, arts advocate and entrepreneur, Aengus is the founder of the Shelter Valley Folk Festival, owner of the Lawless Gallery of Fine Art, Board member of the OCFF, and coordinator of the Art Beat community outreach initiative.
Karen Flanagan McCarthy
Karen Flanagan McCarthy has been co-host of the Ottawa Folk Festival since its inception in 1994. She’s also a member of the festival’s steering committee, an OCFF board member and a passionate fan of Frenchlanguage music from across the country. In her spare time, she runs her own company, McCarthy Media Group (www.mccarthymedia.com).
Richard Flohil
Richard Flohil has been a music industry publicist, editor, writer, and concert promoter for far too long, but does not need, yet, to work as a bartender, cab driver or garbage collector, since numerous artists still keep asking him to work on their behalf.
Mike Ford
No stranger to festival mainstages and workshops, former Moxy Früvous member Mike Ford’s high-energy solo act is packed with original Canadian history romps, accoustic rap freestyles, tongue-twisting travelogues and the occassional Früvous nugget. His Junonominated CD Canada Needs You, vol.1, has become a mainstay with CBC Radio, CKUA and others.
Alf Olofsson
Alf began his career in the music business as the bassist in one of Sweden’s groundbreaking punk rock bands. Over the last three decades he has worked as a manager, a promoter, a tour manager, a programmer, as well as being a consultant on export strategies for various labels and government organizations. He currently has his own production company and works for Export Music Sweden, Rikskonserter, and The Swedish Institute, building showcases worldwide
22
Bill Garrett
Bill Garrett is a producer, musician and one of the founders of Borealis Records. Well-known both as an artist and for his production work, he also worked at CBC Radio for 18 years, as a host, producer and manager. Since leaving the CBC in the mid-1990s, he has produced more than 65 folk, blues and jazz recordings, performs regularly with partner Sue Lothrop and along with co-owner Grit Laskin, oversees the growth of Borealis as Managing Partner.
ElizaBeth Hill
Although the roots of her music have grown in traditional country, they have been steeped for a lifetime in her Iroquoian culture. The CD Love that Strong was nominated for Best Aboriginal Recording in the 2000 Juno Awards, and for which she was also nominated Best Producer and Best Female Artist in the 2001 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. Her latest CD, Peacemaker’s Lullaby is written completely in the Mohawk language—also received multiple nominations in the 2005 CAMAs.
James Hill
Canadian ‘ukulele? Get used to it. Considered a “rare peer” of Hawaii’s premier ‘ukulelists with a “world-class command of the instrument” (John Berger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin), Hill’s latest CD, A Flying Leap, is a “tour de force” mix of jazz, classical and folk influences (Yvonne Zacharias, The Vancouver Sun).
Melissa Kaestner
Melissa Kaestner is the National Coordinator of the National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA/ANREC). She began working in commercial radio in the U.S., but found her passion for campus and community radio at CHSR-FM in Fredericton and CHRYFM in Toronto. Visit www.ncra.ca.
Paul Loewenberg
Paul Loewenberg is the Artistic Director of the Northern Lights Festival Boreal and the year round promoter for The Townehouse Tavern in Sudbury. Also a musician and music collector, he is an avid fan of not just roots music, but also underground music of the world... Punk, Ska, Reggae, Rocksteady, Afrobeat, Funk, Soul, Garage, Surf, Ye-Ye, and more.
Carole Logan
Carole Logan started with the federal Department of Canadian Heritage in November 2005. She is part of the team of Arts Consultants for the Arts Presentation Canada program (APC). Prior to that, Carole worked in performing arts management for decades, and continues to do consultation projects with performing arts organizations in the areas of governance and strategic planning.
Peter MacDonald
Motivated by a desire to see artists better supported in their careers, Peter MacDonald has been working in the music and event industry for the past ten years. Both Peter and his company, Nutshell Music & Event Management, are involved in the Ontario festival community and support many volunteer-driven initiatives. Peter is currently on the OCFF Board of Directors in the role of Treasurer.
Robin MacIntyre
Robin works relentlessly to support and encourage touring musicians and live music opportunities. Robin & her husband Enn Poldmaa program Black Fly Jam in Sault Ste. Marie, a folk club that has operated for twenty-five years and they enjoy active roles in many festivals and events. Robin also owns a sound production, bookings & publicity agency, Mac’s Music, representing many notable artists. She is currently a member of the executive of the OCFF’s Board of Directors.
Heather Kelly
Barbara Manners
Dan Kershaw
Chopper McKinnon
Helene Korolenko
Paul Mills
Heather Kelly is an award-winning communications professional. She and her team at HKC Marketing have developed successful marketing and media relations campaigns for festivals, concerts, dance and theatre performances, visual ar t exhibitions, CD launches, seminars and conferences, as well as cultural organizations, and artists.
Dan brings the experience of a life all wormy with guitars and records to his role as SOCAN Member Relations Relationship Manager, plus six years of more or less gainful employment in the concert business. Member outreach and public speaking on behalf of SOCAN are special aspects of his job, aspects that keep him out and about at shows, seminars, and industry events.
Helene shares with her husband, Alan, the Artistic Direction and Programming of the Greater New Bedford Summerfest Folk Festival that is held annually the weekend of the fourth of July. They also present concerts throughout the year in New Bedford, MA - a monthly concert series that is held in the theater of the New Bedford Whaling Museum and a concert series at the Café Arpeggio in New Bedford.
Barbara Manners is the producer of CHIRP (Concert Happenings in Ridgefield’s Parks), a summer series of free concerts in Ridgefield, Connecticut. She is also the producer of the Acoustic Celebration, a singersongwriter series in Ridgefield. She was recently appointed Director of the New Haven Folk Festival, which takes place every September.
Chopper cut his folk teeth as a volunteer in the Ottawa folk scene in the 1960’s, as a founding member of Bytown Live Entertainment Association. His interest in Canadian singer-songwriters began at the Toronto Folklore Centre, where he worked with the brightest names of the time. In 1980, after returning to Ottawa, he began Canadian Spaces, which runs to this day on CKCU-FM.
Paul Mills has been part of the Canadian folk music scene for over thirty years. He has produced over 100 albums working with artists like Stan Rogers, Sharon, Lois and Bram, and Ron Hynes. He is a founding partner of Borealis Records and operates his own recording studio, “The Millstream”.
23
Louis Meyers
Katharine Partridge
Marc Nadjiwan
Mitch Podolak
Louis Meyers is the Executive Director of the North American Folk Music and Dance. He helped create and direct the South by Southwest Music & Media Conference from 1986 – 1995. He has also worked with LMNOP Conference (New Orleans), A2A Music Conference (Amsterdam) and the Rockrgrl Music Conference (Seattle), and the Austin Music Network television station.
Born in northern Manitoba and brought up in the untamed beauty of northwestern Ontario, Marc was raised on a steady diet of both traditional Native music as well as Canadiana music. Over the years, Marc has released three full-length albums, all of which have been nominated for Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and Native American Music Awards. Marc is currently nominated at the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards for Best Songwriter, Best Single and Best Rock Album.
Jory Nash
Jory Nash blends elements of folk, jazz, blues, and R&B into an original acoustic stew of sound. He’s a past winner of the OCFF Songs from the Heart Award, and has recorded four critically lauded CDs. He is currently recording his 5th CD, which is set for release in late January, 2006. He also helps run a summer camp near Haliburton and has a hat collection that numbers in the hundreds.
Peter North
Peter North has been a print journalist for over 20 years, writing some 200 columns a year for the Edmonton Journal. He is also music director of Canada’s oldest public broadcaster, the CKUA Radio Network. North co-produced CBC TV’s nationally broadcast Country Beat series and is currently co-producing an Ian Tyson tribute album with Stony Plain Records.
First career: stage manager in theatres across Canada; second, in journalism/communications; Most recently: business consultant to corporations and government in sustainable development. Katharine is volunteer business and production manager and, now, Chair of the inaugural board of the Shelter Valley Folk Festival. Between that and raising two great kids, she often wonders how she pays the bills.
Banjoist Mitch Podolak is the founder of the Winnipeg and Vancouver Folk Festivals and of the West End Cultural Centre in Winnipeg. He was instrumental in setting up the Edmonton Folk Festival and was accidentally responsible for the formation of the Calgary Folk Festival. He has served as AD of Summerfolk in Owen Sound and was the directing hand in the formation of the Stan Rogers Folk Festival in Canso. He also did a bunch of other stuff. He can’t sing well, but he sure can cook good BBQ!
Beverlie Robertson
Beverlie Robertson is a professional singer, musician and author with a BA in French and a minor in music. She studied Library Science at McGill. She sings traditional and contemporary folk music, accompanying herself on guitars, dulcimer and autoharp. A veteran performer at folk festivals, she is a former member of Mariposa-in-the-Schools, a founding member of Kaleidoscope in the Schools, Muskoka and a director of the Muskoka Lakes Music Festival
Warren Robinson
Warren is a former OCFF President and former Vice President of the North American Folk Alliance. He is Artistic Director of the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival and the Goderich Celtic College. Warren is also Artistic Director of The Gairbraid Professional Theatre Company and an active playwright.
Sonny Ochs
Sheila Ross
Blair Packham
John Rutherford
Sonny Ochs has a radio show on WRPI in Troy, New York, produces a monthly concert series, and organizes the Phil Ochs Songs Nights, which have taken place for the past 23 years. She is a perennial festival volunteer, doing various jobs including stage-managing, emceeing and performer check-in. She wants to be an honorary Canadian!!
Blair Packham began writing songs as a teenager in the 70s, influenced by John Prine, The Beatles, and Elvis Costello. As leader of The Jitters, Blair wrote five Canadian hits between 1987 and 1991. Blair has appeared at the Edmonton and Calgary Folk Music Festivals, at Summerfolk, Mariposa (on Toronto Island), the Frostbite Festival and at Folk On the Rocks.
Roch Parisien
Roch produces and programs the Folk/Roots Channel for the Galaxie Network of the CBC – 45 digital music channels distributed to over five million Canadian subscribers, via satellite and digital cable – and serves as a representative of Galaxie’s Rising Stars Program, which contributes funds to help develop new Canadian talent. Through his consulting company, Rocon Communications, Roch is also an award-winning music critic, consultant, and archivist.
Poet and spoken word artist, and a communicator specializing in plain language editing and proofreading, Sheila is also a long-time volunteer who has helped create and present more than 75 festivals and events. She would like to increase the awareness of unsafe sound and promote safe sound for all who work and play at our festivals and events.
John Rutherford is Director of Music Programming at Calgary’s EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts and heads the programming and production of several annual concert series and artist showcases. During a career that has spanned more than twenty years, John has staged hundreds of concerts and events in a wide variety of venues, presenting a diverse range of artistic work.
Lynn Saxberg
Lynn Saxberg is an Ottawa Citizen arts reporter who writes news, reviews and features on popular music of all genres. She has been dealing with surly rock stars, tight deadlines and discerning music fans for more than a decade. Married with two children, she divides her summers between the Ottawa festival scene and Eastern Ontario cottage country. 24
Jim Schultz
Mr. Schultz heads up Festival Development at Sonicbids and has more than 15 years of music industry experience, ranging from venue marketing and facilities management to retail and record label marketing. His background includes working with major and independent record labels on advertising, festival sponsorship, and artist handling. In the past he has had the opportunity to work directly with Herbie Hancock, Meatloaf, Jewel, Ahmad Jamal, Blues Traveler, Dar Williams, Lyle Lovett, Roy Hargrove, Los Lobos, Karl Denson, and Arturo Sandoval. Mr. Schultz holds degrees in both Accounting and Political Science.
Eric Schwartz
Eric Schwartz is one of the few artists around who garners comparisons to Lenny Bruce, Pete Seeger, Frank Zappa and Barry Manilow. A first-rate entertainer, he performs at Folk Festivals, clubs and colleges, gets airplay on Howard Stern 100, NPR’s ‘All Things Considered’, Doctor Demento and Air America. Eric’s greatest success has come via the internet, where his in-your-face political songs and videos have gotten literally millions of hits. Live, he jumps back and forth between piano and guitar, keeping himself AND his audience from getting too comfortable.
Liz Scott
Liz Scott has hosted more than 30 house concerts at her Meaford home since 2001, organized community fundraising concerts, volunteered at Summerfolk, and booked two summer music series at the Village at Blue Mountain - whatever it takes to promote live Canadian music.
Dugg Simpson
Dugg Simpson has been involved in folk and change for about 30 years, washing cups in a coffeehouse called Catharsis, mixing live sound at Ukrainian Hall and lately, programming the Vancouver Folk Music Festival and CelticFest Vancouver. His views on Folk and life as a grant slave have been called “unrealistic”, “annoying”, “naive” and “deeply troubling”.
Mark Smith
Smith was born in the Yukon and has spent most of his life there apart from career moves as both a performing artist and as a production manager in theatre, opera and film. In the early 1980’s he shifted focus to specialize in arts and tourism marketing: Executive Director of MusicYukon, he also consults independently as a marketer.
Charlie Sohmer
Charlie Sohmer lives in Ottawa, Ontario and has been happily married for over 30 years. He has 3 daughters, 2 granddaughters and a golden retriever who thinks the world of him. Charlie started writing songs when he was 20, and hasn’t stopped. He has recorded 6 albums, and released 5 of them. Charlie provides accounting services to hundreds of clients, likely including several OCFF members you know.
Phyllis Stenson
Phyllis has been the Artistic Director of the Harrison Festival for the last 24 years. The summer festival has presented culturally diverse programming since its inception in that small BC resort town. Phyllis is currently the chair of the BC Touring Council and a cofounder of the Western Artistic Directors of Roots Festivals.
Volker Steppat
Volker Steppat is with Public Radio Bremen/ Nordwestradio in Germany. He is a producer and presenter of 180 radio shows per year, dedicated to rootsmusic, folk, jazz, and blues. In addition, he produces around 70 live radio concerts every year and has been working since 1970 as a concert producer. In the late 70’s he was employed as a product manager for Phonogram and Columbia Records.
Jryki Heiskanen
Jryki Heiskanen is the Programme Director for the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, which was established in 1968. Kaustinen Folk Music Festival is the oldest and largest folk music and folk dance festival in the Nordic countries with an annual attendance of 100,000+ visitors. The festival stages traditional, ethnic, folk and world music as well as folk dance from all around the globe.
Paul Symes
Paul Symes, father of two beautiful daughters, Nena and Kelly. A lover of Pugs. Owner-operator-caretaker of Blacksheep, a jukejoint divebar tavern in Wakefield, Quebec, since 1994. Presenter and programmer, Blacksheep Stage, Ottawa Bluesfest. Presenter, artistic advisor, Atlantic Scene, 2003 and Alberta Scene 2005, Québec Scene 2007. Past music venues include Crazy Horse, Roxy, Zinc and Banana Obskouri. Committed to socialist underground polyrhytmic music from around the world. Fan of hockey teams: Gatineau Olympiques, Montreal Canadiens, Wakefield Oldtimers, Ottawa Senators, Ottawa 67’s.
Jowi Taylor
Jowi Taylor is host of Global Village on CBC Radio and creator/producer of Six String Nation. Starting in January, he’ll host a CBC Radio series called The Wire, tracing the relationship between music and electricity. He is a founder of the Toronto Media Festivals Network and works on community initiatives in film, media and music as a volunteer and through his company Bright Eyed Inevitable.
Steve Tennant
Steve has been involved with the Stewart Park Festival as the Onsite Coordinator since its beginning. An advocate for adults with developmental disabilities by day, Steve’s love of live music has caused him to spend his spare time attending music events. Because of this love of live music, he and his wife have also begun hosting house concerts under the banner “Music on McLean”. Steve also pens a music column in the Perth Courier entitled “Musical Musings”.
25
Susan Tennant
Based in Perth ON, she’s host of Music on McLean House Concerts (www.perthhouseconcerts.com). Her duties include booking agent, talent scout, publicity and organizer of their monthly events, just to name a few. She has been a long time supporter of live Canadian music, having been a perennial attendee of Festival of Friends and a multi-talented volunteer at Stewart Park Festival, all the while supporting three music-loving kids and a partner, each with their own musical tastes.
Gerri Trimble
Gerri Trimble is a Program Officer with the Music Section of the Canada Council for the Arts. Her current responsibilities include sound recording, distribution, community arts and Aboriginal music initiatives. An experienced grants administrator and proposal writer, Gerri has been giving away other people’s money for approximately fifteen years for projects in the arts, community economic development and anti-racism.
Suzie Vinnick
Suzie Vinnick is an award-winning singer, songwriter and musician. In 2006, she won third place in the Blues Category of the Unisong International songwriting contest and first place in the International Songwriting Contest in 2005 with her co-write “The Honey I Want”. She was awarded the 2003 Canadian Maple Blues Female Vocalist of the Year, and was nominated again in 2004 and 2005. A Saskatoon native living in Toronto, Suzie is the owner of a gorgeous, powerful voice and performs with a sweet mixture of engaging candidness and unparalleled musicianship.
Chuck Wentworth
Chuck Wentworth is the founder, owner and president of Lagniappe Productions. Created in 1985, Lagniappe has produced, promoted and served as exclusive talent buyer for a wide variety of concerts and festivals nationwide in locales such as California, Michigan, Kentucky, Maryland and the New England states. Current events include the Crawfish Fest in New Jersey, the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in New York and the Rhythm & Roots Festival and the Mardi Gras Ball in Rhode Island.
Chris White
Chris White is the co-founder of the Ottawa Folk Festival and has been its Artistic Director since 1993. Over the years, he has designed concerts and events for a wide range of local, regional and national organizations. Chris writes songs and has released two CDs.
Ken Whiteley
Ken Whiteley is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and record producer. A premier figure in the Canadian folk and roots music scene, he has received a Genie Award for Best Original Song in a Canadian Motion Picture, 6 Juno nominations, Blues Album of the Year award, a Children’s Music Web Award, the OCFF’s Estelle Klein Award and this year, the Jackie Washington Award from Northern Lights Festival Boreal. He performs blues, gospel, swing, folk and children’s music and loves to get people singing along. He is the Canadian Vice President of Local 1000 of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada.
Alan Willaert
Alan Willaert toured as a multi-instrumentalist/vocalist in ‘classic rock’ bands for 20 years. Now, as an International Representative for the AFM, he is involved in many aspects behind the scenes. These may include at any time, DOL issues, contract language and negotiations, immigration, training and support, as well as electronic media specifics such as royalties, new use and special payments. He travels extensively, primarily throughout the US and Canada, and is based in the Toronto office of AFM Canada.
Michael Wrycraft
”A Man Called Wrycraft” is an Album Designer/Executive Producer/Emcee/Music Presenter. Michael proudly holds one Juno award and five nominations along with an American Independent Music Award, all for album design. His 350 or so CD and poster designs, to date, include Gordon Lightfoot, Johnny Cash, Bruce Cockburn, Stompin’ Tom, Jane Siberry, Greg Brown, Tom Paxton, John Gorka and many more.
26
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Thursday, October 12 2:00pm – 7:00pm Registration Hotel Lower Lobby Panel Key: F = Festivals, P = Presenters, A = Artists, S/S = Singer/Songwriter, GI = General Interest, Y = Youth, SIG = Special Interest Group, M = Moderator 7:00pm A 20-Year Celebration of Folk Music at the Canadian Museum of Civilization Ticketed event 11:30pm – 2:00am Nutshell Music Reception/ Showcase Chaudiere Room – Convention Level 11:30pm – 2:00am Music Yukon Reception/ Showcase Richelieu Room – Convention Level
Friday, October 13 9:00am – 9:00pm Registration Hotel Lower Lobby Panel Key: F = Festivals, P = Presenters, A = Artists, S/S = Singer/Songwriter, GI = General Interest, Y = Youth, SIG = Special Interest Group, M = Moderator 9:00am – noon Exhibit Hall Set-Up International Ballroom A North
10:00am – 12:00pm Parliament Hill Tour Meet in the upper lobby of the hotel 11:00am – 3:00pm Folk Alliance Canada Board Meeting – Closed meeting Frontenac Room – Convention Level 12:00pm – 2:00pm ArtsCan Circle AGM – Open meeting Joliet Room – Convention Level 1:00pm – 3:00pm Family Showcase (F/P) International Ballroom B & C 1:00pm – 4:30pm Exhibit Hall International Ballroom A North 1:00pm – 11:00pm Instrument Lock-up and Drop Boxes International Ballroom A South 2:30pm – 4:15pm What is Indie? (Film Documentary) (GI) Chaudiere Room – Convention Level Dave Cool (M), Dave Wimble At a time when independent artists in the music biz have more power and control than ever before, What Is Indie? tries to determine just what it really means to be a independent artist. The film features interviews with indie music experts, as well as some 20 indie artists including Ember
Swift, Andrea Revel, Penny Lang and Karyn Ellis. Director Dave Cool, David Wimble (Indie Bible) and Andrea Revel will be on hand for a Q & A following the screening! 3:00pm – 4:15pm Understanding Your Organization’s Finances (SIG) Seignory Room – Convention Level Peter MacDonald (M), Charlie Sohmer, Ian Boddy The Bottom Line. Balance sheets. Profit & loss statements. Budget vs actual cash flow. Source deductions. GST. PST. Audit. Do these terms give you hives? Not-for-profit organizations have volunteer boards and treasurers who are legally responsible for the financial well-being of the organization. Join us for a review or, for some, an introduction to the numbers that guide most of our decisions. Leave knowing what questions to ask and where to find the answers. Folk Alliance Canada (GI) York Room – Convention Level The Folk Alliance Canada Panel will consist of three directors moderated by Chair Mark Smith. This will be an open-ended discussion on the development of folk music associations in Canada and our unique relationship with the North American Folk Alliance. “Other Structures” will be part of the agenda.
27
Sonicbids (GI) Laurentian Room – Convention Level Jim Schultz Sonicbids is the trusted online submission platform for a quickly growing, energetic community of well over 75,000 artists and some 5000 festivals, music conferences, song contests, clubs, corporate marketers and radio stations from all over the world. Find out how it can work for you. Cross Border Touring (S/S) Joliet Room – Convention Level Ken Whiteley, Alan Willaert From border security to work permits, this panel will demystify the constantly changing processes required to tour in the U.S. and overseas. Learn from the pros how to make this a much less painful process. First Timers Welcome (GI) Frontenac Room – Convention Level Jory Nash (M), James Hill For those who have not experienced the OCFF conference pace before, Jory will help you to take full advantage of the plethora of wonderful opportunities available to you. Share ‘first timer’ stories with James Hill, and hear about how his appearance at last year’s conference affected his career. This is a ‘MUST ATTEND’ workshop for newbies. Government Grants: What Do You Need? (F,S/S) Richelieu Room – Convention Level Dan Kershaw (M), Richard Davis, Carole Logan, Eric Dubeau This workshop offers a unique opportunity for you to discuss your granting needs with this panel of experts, who will help you to understand what is
available and how you can be more successful when applying for these grants. International Delegate Meet and Greet by Invitation Only Pinnacle Room – Penthouse Level Heather Kelly (M), Helene Korolenko, Ben Anderson, Jyrki Heiskanen, Val Denn, Barbara Manners, Spike Barkin, Alf Olafsson, Volker Steppat, Chuck Wentworth Each year the OCFF produces an International Buyers Program as part of the over all conference. We have invited delegates from Finland, Germany and the United States to join us to view our showcases, late night receptions, network and connect with our artists and their agents or managers. This panel is an information session for agents and mangers to meet and understand the nature of how our international guests book their respective events. Media Relations 101 for Musicians (GI) Panorama Room – Penthouse Level Karen Flanagan McCarthy (M), Lynn Saxberg, Peter North, Roddy Campbell Learn how to approach the media; what the media need from you; how to prepare for an interview; and how to get coverage for your product, be it a CD or a Festival. Panelists will share success stories, tips and reveal the one word you should never use when talking with the media. 4:30pm – 5:45pm The World at Your Doorstep (F/P) Chaudiere Room – Convention Level Jowi Taylor (M), John Rutherford, Alfredo Caxaj, Derek Andrews
Sourcing those elite ‘world acts’ will be much simpler with tips from those who have been successful at it. Festivals can take advantage of these ideas and continue to broaden their roots music programming. Board Momentum: The Health and Maintenance of your Board (F/P) Seigniory Room Convention Level Peter MacDonald (M), Aengus Finnan, Ian Boddy, Kathy Partridge. This is a comprehensive, engaging, and professional presentation about the health and maintenance of your board. How do you maintain effective communication and a productive decision-making process within a board? Join us for some helpful advice about how you can ensure that the lifeblood of your organization continues long after you have left. Beating a Path to Your Door (P) York Room – Convention Level Steve Tennant (M), Susan Tennant, Liz Scott, Robin MacIntyre House concerts are becoming increasingly popular with performers touring year-round. Learn the ins and outs from some seasoned folks who have been successfully inviting their friends and neighbors into their homes for special music events. Topics will include block booking, routing and venue requirements. Storytelling (F/P) Laurentian Room – Convention Level Arlene Bishop (M), Beverlie Robertson, Sheila Ross, Paul Chaput Gather around to hear about the importance of storytelling – as medium for the preserva28
tion and expression of culture and ideas. This panel of experts will help you understand how you can bring this ancient art to your festival in a meaningful way, and how as a storyteller, you can integrate into the festival circuit. Once upon a time… US Festivals (S/S) Joliet Room – Convention Level Eric Schwartz (M), Jim Schultz, Helene Korolenko, Ben Anderson, Barbara Manners Getting a gig at home is hard enough, but if you are hoping to play festivals in the United States then this panel is for you. Hear about American festivals from folks in the know. Ample time will be devoted to a question and answer period. This should be one of the more enjoyable – and informative — seminars of the weekend. Youth Round Robin (Y) Richelieu Room – Convention Level Jory Nash, Karyn Ellis Join us in a fun and informal round robin led by two experienced and exciting performers. Learn about the craft of jamming, share songs and stories with fellow performers, and experience the festival workshop setting first hand. All youth performers are welcome to come and play together! Campfire Sessions (GI) We have taken this highly-anticipated ‘jam session’ and given some thematic flavors to enable you to share your favourite songs with other performers. From shape note singing,” to bluegrass, from folk to the blues, we invite you to bring your instrument and jump in. All levels are welcome.
Campfire - Blues International Ballroom B Suzie Vinnick and Rick Fines Workshop Magic (GI) Panorama Room – Penthouse Level Mitch Podolak (M), Phyllis Stenson, Kerry Clarke, Richard Flohil, Dugg Simpson What’s the secret to bringing together diverse performers who create those ‘never-to-beseen-again/highlight-of-the-festival’ moments of magic? Tap decades of programming expertise and get ideas about how you create these workshops at your festival. 6:00pm – 7:30pm SOCAN Reception Pinnacle Room – Penthouse Level 7:45pm – 11:30pm Official Showcases Richelieu Room – Convention Level 8:00pm – 11:30pm Official Showcases International Ballroom C 11:30pm – 2:00am Late Night Receptions/ Showcases Toronto Blues Society Chaudiere Room – Convention Level Paquin Entertainment Richelieu Room – Convention Level Folk Alliance Canada Pinnacle Room – Penthouse Level Borealis Records Panorama Room – Penthouse Level
Saturday, October 14 9:00am – 9:00pm Registration Hotel Lower Lobby Panel Key: F = Festivals, P = Presenters, A = Artists, S/S = Singer/Songwriter GI = General Interest, Y = Youth, SIG = Special Interest Group, M = Moderator 8:30am – 9:30am Penguin Eggs Breakfast International Ballroom C 9:30am – 11:30am OCFF Annual General Meeting International Ballroom C 10:30am – 11:00pm Instrument Lock-up and Drop Boxes International Ballroom A South 11:30am – 12:15pm AF of M Local 1000 Meeting Ken Whiteley (M) International Ballroom C 1:00pm – 4:00pm Exhibit Hall International Ballroom A North 11:30am – 12:15pm Campfire Sessions (GI) International Ballroom B We have taken this highly-anticipated ‘jam session’ and given some thematic flavors to enable you to share your favourite songs with other performers. From shape note singing,” to bluegrass, from folk to the blues, we invite you to bring your instrument and jump in. All levels are welcome.
29
Campfire – Bluegrass TBD 12:15pm – 1:45pm Perception vs Reality: Women in the Music Business (GI) Chaudiere Room – Convention Level Karen Flanagan McCarthy (M), Lynn Saxberg, Suzie Vinnick, Beverlie Robertson, Val Denn Is making a living in the music business even more difficult for women? Can you have a career – and a family — and a life? Will a major label sign you if you’re a ‘mature’ artist? What are the emotional, financial, physical, and family stresses associated with trying to ‘make it’ in a business that focuses on the young and the beautiful? We have the questions – and maybe, some of the answers, too! Art Beat in the Community (GI) Seigniory Room – Convention Level Aengus Finnan, Erin Barnhardt Arts, outreach and education go hand-in-hand, yet it is often an under-serviced area in our schools and community. This session explores the origin, purpose, and process of Art Beat, an annual OCFF outreach program. Discussion and input around the future of this initiative welcomed. Making That CD (S/S) York Room – Convention Level Bill Garrett (M), Paul Mills Uber producers Bill Garrett and Paul Mills walk you through all the phases of the recording process: what to look for, what to look out for; whether to hire a commercial
studio or record at home; hiring producers and studio musicians, and tips on commonlyused tools of the trade. The ‘producers’ will demonstrate their mic techniques and signal path choices while recording instruments and musicians in real time. Getting Out There (Y) Laurentian Room – Convention Level Mike Ford (M), Karyn Ellis, Gerri Trimble Valuable information for youth showcasers and young conference delegates. Are you serious about your music? Ready to launch your career? Discover what’s available in terms of booking possibilities, grants, material, and future showcases with these three dynamic and talented professional musicians. 10 Ways Western AD’s are Changing Their Worlds (F) Joliet Room – Convention Level Sam Baijal (M), Dugg Simpson, Kerry Clarke, Sandra Butel Every year, festivals on the far side of the Sault are creating new ways of working together - with artists, audiences and each other. Artist residencies, commissions and concerts are just a few of the ways they are creating special programming, more work for artists, more fun for music lovers and doing their best to cure the “Nobody Loves Me Monday to Thursday” Festival touring blues. Come hear what they’ve been up to, and where they’re going next... Franco-Ontarien Music Scene (F/P) Frontenac Room – Convention Level Paul Loewenberg (M), Paul Chaput, Eric Dubeau
In this discussion, panelists from the Franco-Ontario music scene will chat about what is happening in their regions. This is a great opportunity to discover how to access these rich and bountiful musical resources, and how to incorporate them into your festival programming. Roots Radio (S/S) Richelieu Room – Convention Level Roch Parisien (M), Peter North, Sonny Ochs, Melissa Kaestener, Chopper McKinnon, Volker Steppat How do you make sure your release isn’t destined to sit unopened for months on end before making its way to the replacement jewel case pile in a music director’s office? What’s the proper etiquette when it comes to rattling the cages of programmers and how do you know when it is time to start requesting on air appearances and what do you say once the microphone has been turned your way? Catch these exceptional panelists as they talk about what they are looking for in ways of releases and how an artist can make inroads and friends at community and public radio that keeps folk music alive in this country. Campfire – Shape Note Singing (GI) International Ballroom B Join Adrienne Stevenson for this fascinating, no experience necessary session on shape note singing, also known as ‘Sacred Harp Singing’, which dates back to the mid- 1700s. The unique four note scale (fa, sol, la, mi) was featured in the soundtrack of the feature film Cold Mountain. Are you interested in touring and/or distributing your music outside of Canada? Join our 30
“Hey Big Ears” A Demo Evaluation Pinnacle Room – Penthouse Level Blair Packham (M), John Rutherford, Michael Wrycraft, Phyllis Stenson What an opportunity! Bring your song on CD to be critiqued by an expert panel put together by the Songwriters Association of Canada. SOCAN Songs & Stories Panorama Room – Penthouse Level Dan Kershaw (M), Jim Bryson, Wendy McNeil, Catherine MacLelland, Andrew Whiteman This popular acoustic songwriters session is back! SOCAN, the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada, is proud to work on behalf of music creators and publishers around the world. In continued support of songwriters and their craft, we are also pleased to present “SOCAN Songs & Stories”. Don’t miss this intimate and inspiring glimpse into the creative process and raw performance style of these skilled songwriters/performers. 2:00pm – 3:15pm A Day in the Life of an AD (S/S) Chaudiere Room – Convention Level Sam Baijal (M), Aengus Finnan, Phyllis Stenson, Dugg Simpson. As this workshop will prove, there is so much more to designing a festival than “just booking 50 acts.” Four of Canada’s most interesting and innovative ADs will help elucidate the challenges and triumphs of their position, and explore ways that performers
and audience members can play a part in creating a successful event. Accessing and Booking Aboriginal Artists (F/P) Siegniory Room – Convention Level ElizaBeth Hill (M), Paul Chaput, Jennifer Claveau, Marc Nadjiwan Join us in an exploration of the rich and diverse world of artistic expression of Canada’s First Nation artists. Come and listen to the dialogue between presenter and performer about the possibilities, sensitivities and benefits of discovering the Aboriginal arts community in Ontario and the rest of Canada. The Future of the OCFF (GI) York Room – Convention Level Warren Robinson (M), Paul Loewenberg, Gerri Trimble This is your opportunity to stand up and say what you like about the OCFF and what you would like this organization do for you. Publicity for the NewlyLaunched (Y) Laurentian Room – Convention Level Arlene Bishop (M), Lou Paniccia, Michael Wrycraft, Roddy Campbell. New to the business? A bit overwhelmed about the prospect of promoting yourself? Listen in as this diverse panel of experts offers practical tips about this often overwhelming aspect of the music business – and how it can be harnessed to your advantage. The Ottawa Music Scene (GI) Joliet Room – Convention Level Chris White (M), Lynn Saxberg,
Paul Symes Ottawa is home to a longstanding and vibrant music scene. A performer, a presenter, a festival AD and a music journalist tell you what sustains Ottawa’s musical energy and traditions. The Shape of the Blues in Canada (GI) Frontenac Room – Convention Level Derek Andrews (M), John Rutherford, Ken Whiteley, Peter North Blues music comes in so many different shapes and flavours. We have invited some of the industry’s top professionals to educate us where this historic genre has been and where it is going in Canada. Accessing International Markets (S/S) Richelieu Room – Convention Level Louis Meyers (M), Spike Barkin,, Chuck Wentworth, Jryki Heiskanen, Alf Olaffson Are you interested in touring and/or distributing your music outside of Canada? Join our panel of international gusts to talk about the how to access new markets and secure work abroad. Learn what it really means to be “export ready” when it comes to global competitiveness. Campfire Sessions (GI) International Ballroom B We have taken this highly-anticipated ‘jam session’ and given some thematic flavors to enable you to share your favourite songs with other performers. From shape note singing,” to bluegrass, from folk to the blues, we invite you to bring your instrument and jump in. All levels are welcome.
31
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE ROOM FLOOR
SPECIAL EVENTS CHAUDIERE TSB CONVENTION LEVEL
SEIGNIORY CONVENTION LEVEL
YORK CONVENTION LEVEL
LAURENTIAN CONVENTION LEVEL
JOLIET CONVENTION LEVEL
THURSDAY 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Registration in Lower Lobby of Hotel
KEY: SIG = Special Interest Group, F = Festivals , A = Artist, P = Presenters, GI = General Interest, Y = Youth, S/S = Singer/SongWriter, M = Moderator 7:00 pm
A 20-Year Celebration of Folk Music Concert at the Museum of Civilization
11:30 pm - 2:00 am
Nutshell Music Showcase/ Reception Registration in Lower Lobby of the Hotel
FRIDAY 9:00 am- 9:00 pm
10:00 am - 12:00 pm Parliament Hill Tour 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm
ArtsCan Circle AGM Open Meeting noon to 2:00 pm
3:00 pm - 4:15 pm
Movie What is Indie? (GI) Starts at 2:30 pm
SIG: Understanding Your Organizations Finances (GI)
Folk Alliance Canada (GI)
Sonicbids (GI)
Cross Border Touring (S/S)
4:30 pm - 5:45 pm
The World At Your Doorstep (F/P)
Board Momentum The Health and Maintenance of Your Board (F/P)
Beating a Path to Your Door (P)
Story Telling (F/P)
US Festivals (S/S)
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm 7:45 pm - 11:30 pm 11:30 pm - 2:00 am
Toronto Blues Society Showcase/Reception
SATURDAY 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Registration in Lower Lobby of the Hotel
9:30 am - 11:30 am 11:30 am - 12:15 pm Lunch on your own 12:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Perception vs Reality Women in the Music Business (GI)
Art Beat in the Community (GI)
Making that CD (S/S)
Getting Out There (Y)
10 Ways Western AD’s are Changing Their Worlds (F)
2:00 pm - 3:15 pm
A Day in the Life of an AD (S/S)
Accessing and Booking Aboriginal Artists (F/P)
The Annual Future of the OCFF (GI)
Publicity for the Newly Launched (Y)
The Ottawa Music Scene (GI)
SIG: Volunteers
SIG: Safe Sound
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm 7:45 pm - 11:15 pm 11:30 pm - 2:00 am
Folquébec Showcase/ Reception
SUNDAY 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Registration in Lower Lobby of the Hotel
9:00 am - 10:00 am
Fun Run - Led by Erin Benjamin meet in the Upper Lobby of the Hotel
10:30 am - Noon
*Exhibit Hall Hours:
SIG: Artistic Directors (by invitation only)
Exhibit hall set up - Friday October 13 - 9:00 am until noon Friday 1:00 pm until 4:30 pm; Saturday 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm; Sunday 10:00 am until noon
*Instrument Lock Up Hours: Friday 1:00 pm until 11:00 pm; Saturday 10:30 pm until 11:00 pm; Sunday 9:00 am until noon *Drop Box Hours: Friday 1:00 pm until 11:00 pm; Saturday 10:30 pm until 11:00 pm; Sunday 9:00 am until noon
32
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE FRONTENAC CONVENTION LEVEL
RICHELIEU CONVENTION LEVEL
INTERNATIONAL BALLROOM A LOWER LOBBY
INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL BALLROOM B BALLROOM C LOWER LOBBY LOWER LOBBY
PINNACLE PENTHOUSE
PANORAMA PENTHOUSE
Music Yukon Showcase/Reception
Folk Allance Canada Closed Meeting 11:00 am - 3:00 pm First Timers Welcome (GI)
*Exhibit Hall *Instrument Lock-Up * Drop Boxes Government Grants What Do You Need? (F/S/S)
*Exhibit Hall *Instrument Lock-Up * Drop Boxes
Youth Round Robin (Y)
*Instrument Lock-Up * Drop Boxes
Official Showcase Starts at 7:45 pm Paquin Entertainment Showcase/Reception
Family Showcase (F/P) 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm International Delegates Meet & Greet By Invitation Only
Campfire Blue (GI)
*Instrument Lock-Up *Drop Boxes *Instrument Lock-up *Drop Boxes
Official Showcase Starts at 8:00 p.m.
Media Relations 101 for Musicians (GI) Workshop Magic (GI)
Opening SOCAN Reception Folk Alliance Canada Borealis Records Showcase/Reception Showcase/ Reception
Penguin Eggs Breakfast Starts at 8:30 am *Instrument Lock-up *Drop Box *Instrument Lock-up *Drop Box
OCFF Annual General Meeting Campfire Bluegrass (GI)
Franco Ontarien Music Scene (F/P)
Roots Radio (GI)
*Exhibit Hall *Instrument Lock Up *Drop Box
Campfire Shape Note Singing (GI)
The Shape of Blues in Canada (GI)
Accessing International Markets (S/S)
*Exhibit Hall *Instrument Lock Up *Drop Box
Campfire Folk (GI)
*Exhibit Hall *Instrument Lock Up *Drop Box
Official Showcase Starts at 7:45 pm
*Instrument Lock Up *Drop Box
OCFF Gala Dinner
*Instrument Lock Up *Drop Box
Official Showcase Starts at 8:00 pm
Garrison Hill Entertainment Showcase/Reception
Local 1000 Meeting Hey Big Ears (S/S) SOCAN “Songs and Stories” (S/S)
Songs From the Heart Showcase
Youth Showcase
MARIA Showcase/ Reception
SAC Pajama Party Showcase/ Reception
*Exhibit Hall *Instrument Lock Up *Drop Box *Exhibit Hall *Instrument Lock Up *Drop Box Mentoring Sessions (GI)
*Exhibit Hall *Instrument Lock Up *Drop Box
Estelle Klein Award winner interview with Richard Flohil sponsored by the SAC
33
Campfire Sessions – Folk Eric Schwartz and Karyn Ellis 3:30pm – 5:00pm Youth Showcases Panorama Room – Penthouse Level Come and check out the latest in emerging talent from around Ontario. Songs from the Heart Showcase Pinnacle Room – Penthouse Level Please join the Galaxie Rising Star Award winners Ana Muira and Phillipe Lafreniere, as well as the category winners as they share their songs that were written from the heart. 5:30pm – 7:30pm OCFF Gala Dinner International Ballroom B and C 7:45pm – 11:30pm Official Showcases Richelieu Room – Convention Level 8:00pm – 11:30pm Official Showcases International Ballroom C 11:30pm – 2:00am Late Night Receptions/ Showcases Folquébec Chaudiere Room – Convention Level Garrison Hill Entertainment Richelieu Room – Convention Level Manitoba Audio Recording Industry Association (MARIA) Pinnacle Room – Penthouse Level
Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC) Pajama Party Panorama Room – Penthouse Level
S unda y, October 15 Sunda unday 9:00am – 10:00am 5km Folk Feet Fun Run lead by Erin Benjamin Everyone Welcome! 9:00am – 12:00pm Registration Hotel Lower Lobby 10:00am – 12:00pm Mentoring Sessions Richelieu Room – Convention Level Sign up in advance for 10minute one-on-one discussions with music industry professionals. Sign-up sheets will be posed outside the Richelieu room on Saturday afternoon at 3:30pm. Please note: only sign up for sessions if you are serious about attending the meeting. 10:30am – 12:00pm Estelle Klein Award Interview sponsored by the Songwriters Association of Canada Panorama Room – Penthouse Level Join Christopher Ward as he interviews Richard Flohil this year’s recipient of the muchhonoured Estelle Klein Award.
SIG: Artistic Directors Meeting by Invitation Only Chaudiere Room – Convention Level Warren Robinson (M) This year’s AD meeting will focus on the planning and scheduling of this years Artistic Director’s retreat. SIG: Volunteers Laurentian Room – Convention Level Leslie Corkill (M) Explore the intricacies of recruiting, scheduling and retaining the critical team that make festivals run. SIG: Safe Sound Joliet Room – Convention Level Sheila Ross (M), Jason Bouchard Towers of sound bombard us. We crank the sound on our radios, tvs, headphones. Should we ignore or improve the situation? Who minds the ears of performers? volunteers? our audience families with vulnerable babies, children and seniors? How serious is unsafe sound - really? We can protect hearing, promote safe sound and enjoy the music!
peace 1 : a state of tranquillity or quiet: as a : freedom from civil disturbance b : a state of security or order within a community provided for by law or custom 2 : freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions 3 : harmony in personal relations 4 : a : a state or period of mutual concord between governments b : a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity 5 : used interjectionally to ask for silence or calm or as a greeting or farewell
34
20 YEARS OF JUST FOLKING AROUND by Arthur McGregor Over the past twenty years, OCFF has come of age. A ‘generation’ is usually defined as twenty years and turning twenty is often considered a coming of age: out of the teens into the responsibility of young adulthood. Both of these descriptions are apt, as they describe the OCFF as it convenes its 20th conference. As Canada’s largest membership-based music organization and an organization representing Ontario’s great festival scene, we have made the OCFF an important voice in Canadian folk music. We’ve seen an evolution in the OCFF organizationally. From the heady days of young festivals’ artistic directors, volunteers, organizers and musicians gathering to share dreams, ideas, stories and songs in small, cozy spaces around campfires and in
friends’ kitchens we now have more than 500 folks gathering in convention centres to share dreams, ideas, stories and songs in small, cozy hotel rooms and banquet halls. The Ontario Council of Folk Festivals emerged as The Ontario Alliance of Folk Festivals in the early ‘80’s, but the acronym, OOAF, didn’t work! The organization started from a gathering of folks around the Mariposa festivals: like Mitch Podolak, Bill Sargeant, Ken Brown and Rob Sinclair. Walter Sinhara from the Ontario Arts Council, was instrumental in ensuring that the organization had support from the government from the start. These were people who were good at accomplishing things. OCFF was started as a hands-on organization, not one built from a vision statement. The founders wanted to ad-
dress the entire folk ecosystem, a direction that some feel has been abandoned. In these early days, meetings were held at folk festival sites. There were winter meetings in Magoo’s kitchen. The organization was run by its members and everyone was invited to all the meetings. OCFF’s first conference was in Utopia, Ontario, in 1987, with 65 people attending and a single guest speaker. Some of the original attendees were Ken Brown, Jim McMillan (OCFF’s first president), Carolyn Bigley, and contingents from Northern Lights, Mariposa, Home County, Hillside, Blue Skies, Festival of Friends, Summerfolk, Wye Marsh, Bealtina Festival Toronto. Most of the time was spent sharing ideas and techniques of running festivals.
Magoo, Rick Fielding and Jim McMillan at Magoo’s house during an OCFF 1992 non-meeting 35
Music was participatory, food was communal and the only cell phone was Lynn Hurry’s wireless brick. By the third year, the conference moved to Geneva Park on Lake Couchiching. With 90odd participants, it was still primarily an informal gathering to share experiences, food and music. 1993 found OCFF meeting in Gooderham on Bark Lake. Most of Ontario’s folk festivals were represented in facilities that ranged from upscale to windswept, but that didn’t stop the organization from becoming more resolute in its attempts to help members communicate. In 1994, back at Lake Couchiching, Don Bird introduced the first showcases, at that time a controversial move. According to some members, this created more setup, more organization and less focus on the festivals’ issues. To others, it meant opportunities to share some of the best music heard and, for individual members who were musicians, it meant a move towards the organization helping them get work. The 1995 move to the Sundial Hotel in Orillia was the real precursor to our current model of conferences. This was the beginning of conferences having attendance consistently over 100 and the move towards increasing OCFF’s infrastructure. The 1996 conference was the first that Erin Benjamin attended and, 6 years later, Erin accepted an invitation to become the organization’s Executive Director, a move that has resulted in OCFF’s current state of success and energy. Barrie’s Holiday Inn was the site of the conference in 1997 and over 200 attended.
With this level of involvement from the provinces’ folk festivals, it was decided to increase the programming, introduce more workshops and, in 2000, add the Estelle Klein Award for contributions to the Ontario Folk Music scene. Of course, the first recipient was Estelle herself, a pioneer in festival programming. The Barrie conference was the last of the ‘small’ conferences as OCFF had outgrown most midsized facilities. 2001 found us in the bowels of Toronto, right on the waterfront with a great weekend of music and a richly-deserved Estelle Klein award for Jackie Washington. Since then, we’ve come together in Sudbury in 2002, Ottawa in 2003, Guelph in 2004, Kingston in 2005 and back to Ottawa for our 20th conference. Each year has seen an increase in attendance. This evolution has not been without its growing pains, false starts and disparate opinions. Several of the folks involved in the early days of the organization were tepid in their comments about the current direction of the OCFF. The OCFF serves a community – folkies. Consider the three main elements of the membership: festivals (i.e., those with sufficient power and money to actually make a career happen); organizations (i.e., folk clubs and community radio with less money but still considerable power to spread the news and keep a career growing); and individuals (hopeful performers and writers praying that they will find favour in the eyes of a small handful of artistic directors). “An organization that tries to serve all of these masters is
bound to disappoint at least one, and probably it will disappoint all of them at some point or other.” says Alex Sinclair, former administrator of the Songs From the Heart Contest. Erin Benjamin has leveraged the organization into one of the most successful folk associations in North America, rivaled only by the North American Folk Alliance. The budget of the organization has blossomed through grants and increased membership. Over the past few years, the elected board of directors has given a huge amount of leeway to the Executive Director and, subsequently, some members have felt their organization is not headed in the direction initially conceived. For some, business and folk music make uncomfortable bedfellows. But, it’s darned hard to argue with success. Erin’s bold moves have made this a sustainable organization that helps keep the focus on Ontario folk music beyond the annual festivals and, indeed, around the world. Twenty years is a generation, but it is also a split second. We sing songs hundreds of years old and songs created yesterday and, as Alex so aptly said, “Maybe in the end, it just comes back to friends and strangers playing music together and delighting in the magic intertwining of words and melodies.” That seems to be timeless. This article was mined from the memories of Magoo, Don Bird, Alex Sinclair, Carolyn Stewart and Warren Robinson. Thanks, folks.
36
37
WINTER FESTIVALS
January 01, 2006 to December 31, 2006
SMALL WORLD MUSIC - TORONTO Small World Music Society, a Toronto-based non-profit presenter of culturally-diverse music, was established in 1997. The Small World Music Festival runs year ‘round, presenting music in various venues in the city, from small clubs to two thousand-seat concert halls. Upcoming concerts include Kayhan Kalhor and musician Erdal Erzin on October 29th, bringing together the Persian classical tradition and the Turkish Sufi (Alevi) tradition. These powerful duets are performed on Persian kamancheh (spike fiddle) and on the Turkish baglama, (a lute sometimes known as the saz) to astonishing effect. The International Guitar Night, on November 11, is North America’s premier mobile guitar festival and features the best performing guitar composers from around the world. Address: 29 Gwynne Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M6K 2C2 Phone: 416.536.5439 Fax: 416.536.2742 Email: alan@smallworldmusic.com Website: www.smallworldmusic.com
February 9, 2007 to February 11, 2007
WINTERFOLK - TORONTO 100 Artists. 6 Venues. 3 Days of Roots & Blues Music. Add industry seminars, workshops and showcases in downtown Toronto and you have Winterfolk 2007! With strong emphasis on Southern Ontario and Canadian artists, Winterfolk also takes submissions from anywhere in the world. This will be the Festival’s fifth year – its biggest and best yet. Now accepting submissions. Don’t miss it! Email: brian@winterfolk.com Website: www.winterfolk.com 38
socan songs and storIES
Jim Bryson
Jim Bryson is a song-singer-writer from right here in the oft-kicked around bureaucratic hotbed of Ottawa, Ontario. Currently finishing up his third solo recording, Jim has somehow managed to play music without a day job for more than three years. When not at home making coffee for Lisa and losing .WAV files, Jim plays with Kathleen Edwards and is a member of Howe Gelb’s “Sno’ Angel” group along with fellow “Occasional” and recording partner Dave Draves.
Catherine MacLellan
Catherine MacLellan exudes music. With her classic tone, beautiful melodies and humble stage presence, she makes you believe every word she sings. She strikes a chord deep in the hearts of her fans and keeps them involved and interested, whether it is the performance of a new song, channelling her spirit into her music or communicating her emotions through her talent.
Wendy McNeill
Described as an artist that creates “deep, dark, twisted tales” and “wise, moving music”, Wendy has been steadily gaining acclaim for her dynamic and engaging live performance. McNeill has recorded five albums, contributed her music to indie films, dance and theatre productions, been showcased on numerous compilation CDs, and toured extensively through North America and Europe.
Andrew Whiteman
Whiteman is currently pouring his creative mojo into his project, Apostle of Hustle. He and his colleagues Julian Brown (bass) and Dean Stone (drums) recorded a genre-defying collection of upbeat and unpredictable Cuban-influenced songs on 2004’s “Folkloric Feel”, and are in the process of finishing a new recording. He has also been one of the four members to consistently appear in every tour done by the band Broken Social Scene.
39
Ian Bell
Máire Breatnach
Alistair Brown
Caim
IDEA Artists
Ensemble Vivant
ElizaBeth Hill
Ron Hynes
IDEA@iandavies.com www.iandavies.com
Celtic Classical Folk Jazz World
Magna Carta
Norland Wind
John Renbourn & Jacqui McShee
Seán Keane
Alan Rhody
IDEA - Ian Davies Entertainment Agency 20 - 9 Cadeau Terrace, London, ON N6K 4T5 Phone (519) 473-2099 Fax (519) 473-8575 Toll Free (877) 801-9458
Don Bird’s
BACK!
40
Life After an OCFF Showcase…Fame? Glory? Untold Riches? Read on…! by Karen Flanagan McCarthy Last year, six immensely talented young women took the stage at the OCFF Conference and wowed their audiences with energetic, excellent performances. Guitarists, singer-songwriters, a fiddler…all of them passionate about their music. So. Where are they now? And did playing the Youth Showcase help them get there? We asked them to fill us in on what it meant to play at the 2005 OCFF conference. Their answers varied, from: “my career…has taken flight” to “It really helped prepare me for…living in tiny hotels with smelly guys” to a thoughtful look back on the year that was, with some musing on the years ahead. Sarah Burnell, Carmen Elle, Jessica Leger and Meredith Luce took the time to answer an e-mail request for an update on their careers. Here’s what they had to say: Sarah Burnell Sarah Burnell is a native of Ottawa who excels at both classical violin and Celtic fiddle. She has been influenced by the Cape Breton, Scottish and Irish styles of fiddling. “Since the OCFF Conference in Kingston, my career as a Celtic fiddler and singer has really taken flight. Many of my fellow folkies reading this article will recognize the name of the great guitarist, engineer, and producer. I was lucky enough to record my debut CD, “Sarah’ndipity” with him in January and April. I met Paul Mills at the conference, and he has been an inspiration, guiding force, and friend throughout the long and often difficult process of the recording. “Sarah’ndipity” was launched on June 13th, 2006 at
the National Arts Centre Fourth Stage in Ottawa. I was apprehensive about booking such an auspicious concert space for my first launch, but was amazed at how everything came together. The response from local media was astounding, and I was inundated with radio interviews, newspaper articles, and television spots. I was so impressed by their commitment to young musicians! My family and friends worked hard to sell tickets, and that, combined with the media coverage, led to a sell-out performance! Even after the launch, the “buzz” has remained constant, and I have had several radio interviews and newspaper articles since. The review in the Ottawa Citizen was positively glowing, with phrases such as “capering with youthful exuberance and memorable for its finesse”, and I was proud to receive 3 ½ stars for my first recording! Since the conference I have also completed a successful mini-tour of Scotland, where I performed and taught a weeklong fiddle workshop. I met many new friends and re-connected with some old ones, and I was invited to perform in Florida, Cape Breton, and South Africa. For twelve days, that’s not too bad! The Ottawa Folk Festival was my sponsor for last year’s OCFF conference, and I was honoured to be asked to perform three shows on their Saturday festival billing, this August 19th. The shows were a success, and it gave us a chance to bring almost every member from the recording together again. I am now starting school at McGill University in Montreal, in their Music Education program. My concentration is classical violin, but I am also look-
ing forward to learning some Québécois tunes during my time in Montreal. I have several gigs lined up for the fall, one in Owen Sound with the Georgian Bay Folk Society, and several weddings. It’s been an exciting summer, and it looks to be an even more exciting fall!” www.sarahfiddle.ca Carmen Elle Carmen Elle is from Toronto. She has been playing guitar for eight year and started writing her own songs four years ago. “After the OCFF, I recorded an independent demo and played very frequently. Towards the start of the summer I’d played most of the small to medium venues in Toronto— the Drake Hotel, the Gladstone, Sneaky Dees, as well as outdoor venues and even an impromptu song at a Mariposa workshop. This month (September), I’m opening for Hawksley Workman at the Phoenix in Toronto and the Underground in Hamilton. A gig offered to me care of the OCFF was for a radio station launch at the Lodge in the Thousand Islands near Kingston. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make the show but was very grateful both to the OCFF and the promoters for the offer and the opportunity. By the years’ end, I’d like to have finished my first EP with producer Howie Beck and Hayden. The OCFF was the first time I’d performed outside of Toronto. It really helped prepare me for future shows; how it feels to perform on the road, living in tiny hotels with smelly guys, etc.” w w w. c a r m e n e l l e . c o m 41
Jessica Leger Jessica Leger is a singer/ songwriter from Guelph whose strong vocals and original lyrics are reminiscent of a young Joni Mitchell. Jessica’s response was a bulleted e-mail. She asked to avoid ‘direct quotes’ but here, direct from Jessica, is a sampling of what this past year has been like for her: “I have decided to take some time off school (I was attending McGill) to focus more on my music. I am living in Montreal now, playing around town and enjoying the brilliant music scene that Montreal offers, as both a musician and a spectator. Last summer I recorded a live show at the Ebar in Guelph Ont. I’m currently working on a new demo in Toronto. I have recently teamed up with some jazz musicians studying at McGill, which has added a very new and exciting twist to my music. We’ve just begun playing some gigs around the city as a band.”
Meredith Luce
Ottawa native Meredith Luce won the Ottawa Folk Festival’s Beth Ferguson Award in 2005. She’s just begun her first year at the University of Ottawa. My first e-mail to Meredith bounced back from her mom with the news that Meredith had just moved to her new digs at the University of Ottawa. She gave me Meredith’s coordinates and was kind enough to fill in the blanks of what’s filled Meredith’s agenda this past year: “Meredith was featured as artist of the week on CBC Radio’s Bandwidth in January. Over the year, she played a half dozen gigs at the Blacksheep Inn in Wakefield, Quebec in-
cluding the Vinyl Cafe show taped at the Blacksheep and played on CBC Radio in March. She also enjoyed opening at the Blacksheep for Danny Michel and Ember Swift and leading several song circles of young performers there. This summer, she played at the Cisco Systems Bluesfest in Ottawa and opened for Lynn Miles at a City of Ottawa outdoor concert. In addition, she played a couple of shows at Rasputin’s, as well as other Ottawa area venues. On July 1, Meredith was the featured artist on CTV’s Good Morning Canada. There are more details on her website: www.meredithluce.com.’’ A pretty impressive year…yes. But what’s behind all the dates on the calendar? I did get a response from Meredith herself. Read on…! Here are some reflections on music-life: “Since the Kingston conference, several important concepts have found the time and context to fully sink into my musical consciousness. First, I have come to appreciate my age and the endless possibilities that lie ahead. At the Ottawa Folk Festival in 2004, I talked to Ember Swift after her performance on the alternative evening programming stage indoors. She told me how old she was and asked me if I thought it was old. I didn’t think so. She said that I shouldn’t rush into anything. I should live my life and let my music take shape. The following two years presented so many great opportunities for my music, which I found impossible to turn down, starting with the Guelph OCFF conference. A year after my first OCFF conference, I felt more confident and bold. So I went to the Kingston conference. This time, I knew people. Everyone seemed familiar. I knew many names. Some people even knew
mine. The months following last year’s conference introduced me to the ambiance of Wakefield’s Black Sheep Inn. The stage there became as comfortable as my basement rehearsal space. As the end of my last year of high school approached, I began to realise something. I had lived a different life than my peers. School seemed like something distant that occupied seven hours of my day. I realised that my musical peers were ten years older than me, some even twice my age. I was going to parties with CBC personalities, not grade twelves. I had never thought about it so plainly until recently. Now, I find spending time with some of my high school friends to be awkward. I had another opportunity to chat with Ember Swift, this time over the phone one afternoon. She told me about a musician she knew who had toured the world with her music. She was only in her early twenties. This woman told Ember that she felt like she had forgotten to be a teenager along the way. I’m starting university, and I know that no matter how much I try to put music on the back burner, it will always be a priority. But as long as I’m going to keep at it, I now understand how important it is to take my time: to live life. Otherwise, I’m going to run out of things to write about pretty soon... Karen, I hope that wasn’t drudgingly long; after I got typing it just turned into some kind of journal entry. See you in October!” Note to Meredith from KFM: I hope you never run out of things to write about! Thanks – and good luck!
42
43
You’re invited to find out more about the following festivals at the OCFF booth in this year’s exhibit hall! Folks from the Goderich Celtic Festival (Fri. Oct. 13 – 2:00pm – 3:00pm), Brampton Folk Festival (Sat. Oct. 14 – 2:00pm – 3:00pm), and Kingfest (Sat. Oct. 14 – 3:00pm – 4:00pm) will be on hand to talk to you about their festivals and fill you in on what is new and exciting. Also on hand will be OCFF board members, this is great opportunity to stop by and meet the people who are responsible for the direction of the organization!
44
All About The Buttons Ask Me!
It is very important to all of us at the OCFF that YOU, as a participant of the 20th annual conference, get all that you need out of this weekend. So, if you are a first-timer and don’t know any of the faces here; a young person with a question; or a member with an idea, go and seek out a button wearer… Tell me! buttons will be worn by our board of directors who would love the opportunity to talk to you about the OCFF as an organization and to listen to your thoughts. Ask me! buttons will be worn by staff and volunteers who will be acting as hosts to help you seek out all that you might need. They are ready and able to Tell introduce you to the right person to talk to, or to help you locate the workshop you want to attend. Me! Please make use of these folks, as they are always willing to have a good chat!
mu·sic: the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity
The Brightest Stars In The Printing Business 66 ELM STREET, UNIT 110 SUDBURY, ON P3C 1R8
705-671-1111 FAX: 705-671-9108 Email: orionpri@vianet.ca
We offer the best in A Full Range of Creative Quality Products “Folk Friendly” Experienced Professionals Cost Effective, Short Run Digital Colour Orders & Proofing Online / We Ship Anywhere ● ● ● ●
●
10% OCFF Member Discount
Proud to be the Printer of the OCFF Folk Prints 45
NEW MEMBERS Robert Moyse, Montreal QC Pam Southwell, Maple Ridge BC Asetha Power, Toronto ON John Jackson, Toronto ON Frank Prather, Toronto ON Ian MacCallum, Dundalk ON Randy Finney, Toronto Finger Style Guitar Association, Toronto ON Paul Grady, Toronto ON Cheryl Grady, Toronto ON Steve Paul Simms, Toronto ON Anne Wakelin, Fenelon Falls ON Tony Copple, Kanata ON Leah Morise, London ON Louise Nabe Larsen, The Danish Folk Council, Denmark Marty Smets, Sudbury ON Jeremie Carreau, Sudbury ON Mary-Jane Russell, Dundas ON Lori Yates, Hamilton ON Sonia Tavares, Toronto ON Nancy Greig, Kingston ON Paul Helou, Garden City NY Paul Cressman, Wolfville NS Celina Carroll, Toronto ON Donné Roberts, Toronto ON Bob Nesbitt, Richmond ON Karen Potje, Montreal QC Richard Vella, The Moonshine Café, Oakville ON Amanda Brewer, Waterloo ON Warren Muzak, Waterloo ON John MacDonald, Edmonton AB Jeff Stamp, Toronto ON Walnut Street Music Company, Winnipeg MB Elizabeth Dow, Barrie ON Val Denn, Blandford NS Jennifer Benton, Toronto ON Andi D., Toronto ON Trymie de Vries, Toronto ON Ellen Hamilton, Leopard Frog Studio, Kingston ON Natalie Waddell, Toronto ON Tina Desroches, Utopia ON Gordon De Vries, Foxtail, London ON Tom Coxworth, Edmonton ON Trevor Burt, Mississauga ON Larry Graves, Toronto ON Heather Shaw, Edmonton ON Thomas O’Connor, Tulip Festival, Ottawa ON Joey Balducchi, London ON Ruth Heijne, Yellowknife NT J. Harris, Rich Entertainment, Nepean, ON Adam Solomon, Toronto, ON Nancy Barrett, Toronto, ON Ted Crouch, Salmon Arm, BC Lis Soderberg, Toronto, ON Sherry Ryan, St. John’s, NL Ron Belanger, Orillia, ON Lucas Costello, Toronto, ON Richard Burnett, Arthur, ON Andrea Simms-Karp, Ottawa, ON James Meanwell, Sudbury, ON Susan Foley, Perth, ON
Instrument Lock-up Once again, the OCFF conference has an instrument lock up facility. This year, it will be in the International Ballroom A South in the Lower Lobby. The lock up will be managed by conference volunteers and will be secured when it is not open. However, please be advised that the OCFF is not liable in any way for instruments and equipment stored in this room. You are welcome to use the instrument lock up at your own risk. The OCFF is pleased to offer this service to registered delegates of the 20th annual conference.
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
Have some one on one time with industry professionals!
Check out the mentoring lists out side the Richelieu room on Saturday afternoon and sign up to spend some time with this year’s mentors that include Mitch Podolak, Sonny Ochs, Alf Olofsson, Val Denn and Dave Cool, just to name a few! Please only sign up if you are serious about spending time with this year’s mentors.
58
59
EXHIBIT HALL ArtsCan Circle Laura Bird Orangeville, ON, Canada www.artscancircle.ca
Magnum Opus Management Debbie Peters Whitehorse, YT, Canada www.magnumom.ca
Penguin Eggs Roddy Campbell Edmonton, AB, Canada www.penguineggs.ab.ca
The Jewel 98.5 Laura Townson Ottawa, ON, Canada www.985thejewel.com
Les Tireux De Roches Jean Francois Guidon Montreal, QC, Canada www.coopfauxmonnayeurs.com
MARIA Sara Stasiuk Winnipeg, MB, Canada www.manitobamusic.com
Ron Belanger Ron Belanger Guitars Orillia, ON, Canada www.ronbelangerguitars.com
FOLQuebec Mary Harris Saint-Beatrix, QC, Canada www.folquebec.com
Music Management International Inc. Bruce Morel Dartmouth, NS, Canada www.musicmanagement.ca
Seeley & Baldori Richard Winters Okemos, MI, USA www.boogiebob.com
The Millstream Bev Mills Toronto, ON, Canada www.themillstream.com
Gary Cristall Artist Management Gary Cristall Vancouver, BC, Canada www.garycristall.com Hinterland Design Nancy Nevala Orillia, ON, Canada www.hinterland.ca Leopard Frog Studio Ellen Hamilton Battersea, ON, Canada www.leopardfrogstudio.com
Nutshell Music & Event Management Peter MacDonald Ottawa, ON, Canada www.nutshellmusic.com OCFF Jennifer Fornelli Ottawa, ON, Canada www.ocff.ca
Songwriters Association of Canada Don Quarels Toronto, ON, Canada www.songwriters.ca Sonicbids Jim Schultz Boston, MA, USA www.sonicbids.com The Danish Folk Council Louise Nabe Larsen Aarhus, Denmark www.folkmusic.dk
The Walnut Street Music Company Mitch Podolak Winnipeg, MB, Canada www.steveschellenberg.com Duplium Corporation Richard Aunario Thornhill, ON, Canada www.duplium.com White Trash Ink. David Wiewel Sudbury, ON, Canada www.whitetrashink.com
60
61
62
63
64