It is impossible to attend the East Coast Music Awards and Conference, which clewed up Sunday night in Cape Breton, without coming home with a few new artists of interest from outside of your own province.
In the spirit of encouraging all Atlantic Canadian artists, here are a few non-Newfoundland and Labrador recommendations from this year's ECMA participants:
Singer-songwriter: Coco Love Alcorn
A standout at the SOCAN Songwriters" Circle, Nova Scotia's Coco Love Alcorn has an original name to match her original and playful "happy blues" lyrics.
Alcorn captured the audience at the ECMA songwriters' event Sunday with a performance of "Intellectual Boys," from her bluesy pop album "Joyful." The song praises boys "with glasses and A's in science classes."
Yet it is the first track on Alcorn's album that best speaks to her fun and funky sound, with credits of "high fives with Coco" and "high fives with Chris (Gestrin)" named alongside trumpet and vocals.
Alcorn is not scheduled for tour dates in Newfoundland and Labrador, but her album is available.
A new-generation fiddler: Chrissy Crowley
From the Margaree area of Nova Scotia, Chrissy Crowley performed during this year's East Coast Music Awards gala show, providing just a taste of her fiddling talents.
However, prior to the gala show, Crowley played a Saturday afternoon program with a collection of other up and coming Celtic artists at Daniel's pub in Sydney. It was an unofficial event - not associated with the East Coast Music Awards per se. Even so, it drew one of the largest crowds of the weekend.
Crowley can play both the Newfoundland and Labrador style of fiddle music as well as the Cape Breton style. Her musical roots include a grandfather on her father's side, who was fiddler from Grand Bank, Newfoundland, as well as a grandfather on her mother's side, who was a fiddler from Cape Breton.
While currently not heading to Newfoundland and Labrador, Crowley's album is now available.
Look for her at next year's ECMAs: Meaghan Blanchard
While not a nominee for an East Coast Music Award in 2010, Prince Edward Island's Meaghan Blanchard was nominated as a Rising Star in 2009, following the release of her first album "Changing Things" in September of the previous year.
At just 20 years old, Blanchard had four separate performances at this year's East Coast Music Awards and Conference, including a gala performance. The gala tune was a preview of the music audiences might hear in 2011 - when the ECMAs head to her home province.
Creating an original blend: Kevin Fox
Finding a way to make a full-bodied pop album using mainly, sometimes only, cello and voice, Kevin Fox of Nova Scotia has kicked his solo profile into gear with "Songs for Cello and Voice."
It is not Fox's first album, but it is the one that is finally getting him noticed. That is actually a tall order when you consider Fox has long been focused on being in the background - playing accompaniments for from Tom Cochrane to Celine Dion and touring with everyone from Raine Maida to Chantal Kreviazuk.
Fox was a favourite of the artists on stage at the Saturday night songwriters" showcase, jumping in to help out on their numbers. Yet he also drove home his own talents with the audience, particularly with a solo cover of a Joni Mitchell tune that had the audience clapping for a long time afterward.
Newfoundland and Labrador country artist Karla Pilgrim dropped by the event. "I came to see him," she said, pointing to Fox.
Rocking hard: The Motorleague
A musical quartet from Moncton, the young men of Motorleague (Nathan Jones, Don Levandier, Ryan McDonald and Jonah Hacheare) are about as far from barbershop as you can get.
Having previously played St. John's on several occasions, including a gig at Club One this past June, The Motorleague have been working to develop their sound and brand.
Created in 2006, the New Brunswick-based band has now been named the winner of the 2010 East Coast Music Award for Loud Recording of the Year.
The award, as well as their other nominations, was for their latest release, "Black Noise."
Grabbing international attention: Madison Violet
Also known as MadViolet, Madison Violet's latest release is "No Fool for Trying."
The acoustic/folk pairing has been named Vocal Group of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards this year. And, aside from their East Coast Music Awards acknowledgments, they also have a Juno Award nomination.
Following this year's East Coast Music Awards, they can also count several international delegates, as well as the BBC's Bob Harris, among their fans.
If you want to get some idea of the sense of humour of the duo of Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac, check out the posed photos of their Canadian Folk Music Awards prizes at www.madisonviolet.com or their YouTube videos, which you can access from their site.
afitzpatrick@thetelegram.com
Weblinks
www.cocolovealcorn.com
www.chrissycrowley.com
www.myspace.com/meaghanelizabethblanchard
www.kevinfox.ca
www.themotorleague.ca
