JUNO

Canada, Composer, Flute, Jazz, JUNO, Saxophone, Toronto, World Music November 2, 2019

Maqueque new queens of Afro-Cuban jazz, with Jane Bunnett’s boost

Nick Krewen Special to the Star Nov 02, 2019 Like Hilario Duran, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and countless other Cuban musicians, pianist and composer Dánae Olano owes Toronto’s Jane Bunnett and Larry Cramer a debt of gratitude. With the continuing Cold War between Cuba and the U.S. unlikely to thaw under their present regimes, musicians occupying the island  have found it nearly impossible to find career traction when restricted to staying within…

Business, Canada, JUNO, Music Industry (Trade), Therapeutic October 23, 2019

Music’s Guardian Angel: The Unison Benevolent Fund

Unison Benevolent Fund has helped more than 800 music professionals in Canada. The charity itself now needs help. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star October 23, 2019 Two-and-a-half years ago, Bill Bell, long-time guitarist for Tom Cochrane, was lying on the floor of his Toronto home in the midst of a nervous breakdown when he received the call that changed his life. Bell’s friend, music executive Allan Reid, had…

Award Winners, Canada, JUNO, Miami, Perspective, Producer, R&B, Songwriter, Soul, Toronto, United States, Video, Voice October 14, 2019

U.S. immigration crackdown inspires Jessie Reyez’s charged new music video

Nick Krewen Special to the Star Oct 07, 2019 In the visually compelling video for her latest song “Far Away,” Toronto’s Jessie Reyez pulls no punches when depicting immigrant persecution in Trump’s America. During the two-minute-and-50-second scenario directed by Peter Huang, Reyez’s character and her male love interest are dancing at a party that is suddenly stormed and tear-gassed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who end up…

Murda Beatz is in the House

Arranger, Aubrey "Drake" Graham, Canada, Composer, Ed Sheeran, Engineer, Grammy, Hip-Hop, JUNO, Justin Bieber, Marshall "Eminem" Mathers, Producer, Songwriter, United States July 31, 2019

How did hip hop producer Murda Beatz connect with Migos, Cardi B and Drake? Lots and lots of networking

Fort Erie record producer Shane Lee Lindstrom has made a name for himself in hip-hop circles as Murda Beatz. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star July 31, 2019 Raw talent is one thing, but how does a budding producer from the Canadian border town of Fort Erie become a top dog in hip-hop and work with the likes of Migos, Cardi B., Drake,  Nicki Minaj, Chance The Rapper and…

Frank Dukes at Regent Park School Of Music

Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, Arranger, Aubrey "Drake" Graham, Business, Canada, Composer, Engineer, Experimental, Grammy, Hip-Hop, JUNO, Lorde, Los Angeles, Marshall "Eminem" Mathers, Mixer, Music Industry (Trade), Music Publishing, Nicki Minaj, Piano, Pop, Producer, R&B, Rock, Songwriter, Soul, Taylor Swift, Technology, Toronto, United States July 22, 2019

Meet Frank Dukes – the go-to producer for superstars like Rihanna and Drake

Nick Krewen The Toronto Star July 12, 2019 He’s the go-to guy when you’re a pop music superstar looking for a hit – and he’s from Toronto. Frank Dukes may not be a household name to the general populace, but the 35-year-old songwriter and producer is on the speed dial of everyone who is anyone in pop music these days. Lorde, J. Balvin, Post Malone, Rihanna, Eminem, Travis Scott, Camila…