Saskatchewan Examiner

Music

Performers are delighted to return to the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival.

Artists eager to return to Saskatchewan Jazz Festival

Key Takeaways:

  • After a two-year break, performers are thrilled to perform live once more at the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, which is currently underway.
  • His band was absent at the last two Jazz Festivals because of the COVID-19 epidemic. However, he asserted that he had performed in each succeeding one since 1988.

The Saskatchewan Jazz Festival is already underway, and performers are excited to perform live once more after a two-year hiatus.

Dave Nelson, a member of the Dave Nelson Quartet, told CTV News, “I’m quite excited.

“It’s been two years since we were allowed to demonstrate our abilities and interact with a crowd.”

On Saturday, Nelson will perform with his band at Victoria Park before continuing to perform with the Oral Fuentes Reggae Band. The last two Jazz Festivals, which were afflicted by the COVID-19 outbreak, did not feature his band. He claimed to have performed at each subsequent one since 1988, nevertheless.

Also read: The theme for the Canada Day events in Saskatoon is “Respect and Honour”

Being back means a lot to me, he remarked. “I believe it most definitely unites the city,”

Shannon Josdal, the executive director of the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, shared Nelson’s enthusiasm.

Everything that was once outdated is now fashionable, and we are quite enthusiastic about our new lineup, according to Josdal.

A total of more than 60 concerts with more than 100 musicians will take place at various venues throughout the city. According to Josdal, the event will draw about 75,000 attendees across all sites.

The Arkells with Mighty & Shawnee Kish, Patti Labelle, the Bahamas with Ruby Waters, and the Strumbellas are just a few of the Festival’s headliners.

Performers are delighted to return to the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival.
Performers are delighted to return to the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival. Image from Directwest,

“Day three has just begun, and we’re already having a great time. The crowds have been fantastic, said Josdal.

Many locations throughout the city host performances by artists, including Bessborough Gardens, Victoria Park, Second Avenue Stage, the Broadway Theatre, KW Nasser Plaza, The Bassment, and Amigos Cantina.

Jim Clarke, manager of Amigos Cantina, stated, “We’re always thrilled to be a part of the Jazz Festival; it’s a terrific festival and to be included is truly an honor.

Throughout the 8-day event, the tavern will stage five performances. According to Clarke, it gives his company visibility and generates excitement in the community.

It’s extremely exciting as things are lighting up and people are escaping.

The Festival celebrates its 35th birthday this year.

From June 20 through July 7, it takes place.

Source: CTV news

A Saskatchewan music producer thinks that a new studio would help Indigenous artists thrive.

Saskatchewan music producer is hoping that a new studio will help Indigenous artists thrive

Key Takeaways:

  • George Parker created a studio next to his home in Cando, Saskatchewan, to help Indigenous artists.
  • Parker intends to utilize the app to broadcast local events, including rodeos, horse races, music festivals, powwows, and Indigenous arts and crafts.
  • Parker intends to construct a 3200 square foot sound stage on his property in the future to handle larger performances and provide lodging for visiting musicians.

To help Indigenous artists, George Parker built a studio next to his home in Cando, Saskatchewan.

Artists and podcast producers, including documentarians, can use the studio, which is fully equipped.

“It delivers us with a space where we can operate on our schedule.” Parker, who has engaged in the Indigenous music industry for 30 years, stated, “The clock is not ticking for us.”

“We’re bringing in artists who want to do live events from here and promote Indigenous culture in general,” he said.

Parker claims to have spent 30 years in the Indigenous music industry.

Black Rain, a rock and roll band from the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, is one of the acts scheduled to perform.

The band claims that owning a studio is a huge financial help.

“The last time we recorded, we paid for it ourselves,” Jaime Peekeekoot explained.

“Our first record was around $6,000, which we funded for ourselves.”

Also read: Corgi dog races raised $3,000 for the Saskatoon SPCA

The band is excited to be a part of Parker’s important events, but they know how difficult it was to simply book into the record.

“It’s fantastic having the convenience,” Ryan Peekeekoot said. “Years ago, it was difficult for us to get into a studio.”

Parker’s Indigenous Cloud, an online Indigenous cultural streaming service, is part of the studio’s bigger project.

It was first launched in 2019 and was redesigned in November to help promote different types of content creators, including podcasters and documentarians.

Parker stated, “We can go out and advertise Indigenous concerts and sell tickets for live streaming.”

The platform’s technology capabilities have been expanded to include Indigenous education lessons, Indigenous language teaching, and music lessons.

Parker hopes to use the app to broadcast local events such as rodeos, horse races, music festivals, powwows, and Indigenous arts & crafts.

“With what’s going on now with the residential school system, I believe it’s critical to keep Indigenous music alive as well as in the public eye.” “I suppose it’s an opportunity for people throughout Canada and also the world to see what happened to the Indigenous people,” Parker said.

Parker plans to build a 3200 square foot sound stage on his land in the future to accommodate larger productions and provide lodging for artists visiting the studio.

Source: CTV News

Drake pulls out of consideration for the Grammys Awards

Drake has received two Grammy Awards Nominations for this year but has decided to pull out of the race.

  • Grammy Awards’ voting begins on Monday, with Drake pulling out of consideration.
  • Last year, Drake said that the Grammy Awards didn’t matter after The Weeknd got the snub.
  • The Weeknd doesn’t put his superhit track into Grammy consideration after the snub last year.
Drake delivered a victory speech, at 2019’s 61st Grammy Awards.

The organization behind the awards showed on Monday that Drake is losing out of the Grammys race, marking some other twist withinside the Toronto-raised artist’s contentious courting with the music prize.

The Recording Academy withdrew Drake’s 2 nominations on the request of the rapper and his management, revealed a consultant.

Drake became up for an excellent rap album with Certified Lover Boy, and his music with Future and Young Thug, Way 2 Sexy, became withinside the walking for excellent rap performance.
The academy consultant stated Drake might be eliminated from the ballot because the very last spherical of balloting opened on Monday.

His motives for pulling out have been unclear and representatives for the rapper, born Aubrey Graham, declined to touch upon the record.

Drake has a tricky history with the Grammys, notwithstanding having gained 4 trophies and racking up dozens of extra nominations.

He rose to the Weeknd’s protection after the guy Toronto local became snubbed through the Grammys remaining yr, writing on Instagram that the awards “not matter” and suggesting it became time to “begin something new.”

In 2018, Drake determined now no longer to put up his album More Life for attention.
He upended expectancies a yr later through displaying up on the rite to simply accept the excellent rap track title. While maintaining his trophy, he instructed the audience that triumphing awards wasn’t vital so long as musicians have fanatics displaying as much as their live shows.

The Weeknd stated he might not permit his label to put up his tune for attention after his chart-topping album “After Hours” and spoil single “Blinding Lights” didn’t get a single nomination remaining yr.

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Legendary US stage icon Stephen Sondheim passes away

The theatre icon passes away at 91 years, with many awards, rewards, and a legacy to be proud of.

  • Tributes pour in after the demise of songwriter Stephen Sondheim.
  • Stephen Sondheim’s illustrious career saw him win Grammy awards, an Oscar award, Tony Awards, and even a Pulitzer Award.
  • Stephen Sondheim penned lyrics for Broadway’s West Side Story, which ran for over 700 performances.
Elizabeth Taylor and Stephen Sondheim. File photo
Stephen Sondheim’s body of work made him win numerous Lifetime Achievement Awards for his contribution to the stage in America.

At 91 years of age, legendary US composer and songwriter Stephen Sondheim has left for the heavenly abode.

His legal professional advised the New York Times that Sondheim died on Friday at his domestic in Roxbury, Connecticut.

He become a titan of musical theatre who grew to become the unlikeliest of topics into entertainment landmarks.

He was behind the best of Broadway’s plays, consisting of Company, Follies, and A Little Night Music. Sondheim additionally wrote the lyrics for West Side Story.

The New-York born composer received 8 Grammy awards, 9 Tony awards – consisting of the unique Lifetime Achievement withinside the Theatre – and one Academy Award. He additionally obtained a Pulitzer Prize.

His ballad Send withinside the Clowns – from the 1973 musical A Little Night Music – has been recorded loads of times, consisting of Frank Sinatra and Judy Collins.

In 2015, US President Barack Obama bestowed Sondheim the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the best civilian award – for his work.

Sondheim’s legal professional stated the composer had celebrated Thanksgiving with buddies an afternoon earlier than his loss of life.

Tributes have commenced pouring to one of the musical theatre’s maximum respected composers.
US actress and singer Anna Kendrick stated that appearing in Sondheim’s work has been most of the best privileges of her career adding that the composer’s loss of life become “a devastating loss”.

Journalist Fae O’Toole published on Twitter a letter she obtained from Sondheim in 2011 while she become a theatre-mad 16-year-old.

Sondheim’s large break rather got here via an invite to pen lyrics for West Side Story, Leonard Bernstein’s modern-day retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

West Side Story opened on Broadway in 1957 and ran for greater than seven hundred performances. A 1961 movie model received 10 Oscars.

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Adele’s 30 breaks records, becomes 2021’s fastest-selling album

Despite a drastic drop in sales, as compared to her last album, Adele scored well, becoming the no.1 album of 2021.

  • Voyage’s 204,000 first-week sales, conquered by Adele’s 30 at 261,000.
  • Adele’s 25 album had over 800,000 sales, due to it being not released on any major streaming portals.
  • Adele sets record for women’s albums – becomes the first woman to have all the 4 albums.

Abba
Swedish group’s album – Voyage gets overtaken by Adele’s 30 in the first-week numbers.

Adele’s 30 has shot to primary, overtaking Abba to end up the quickest-selling album of the 12 months so far.

Its 261,000 first-week chart sales suggest it sped beyond the opening with 204,000 sales of the Swedish pop group’s comeback album Voyage.

However, Adele’s income figures are considerably decreasing than the ones of her preceding album 25, launched in 2015.

That album, her third, opened with 800,000 first-week income, because of this that 30 has bought 32% of its predecessor.

The drop may be in part defined with the aid of using the massive increase of streaming withinside the closing six years. Added to this, there has been an extra incentive for enthusiasts to shop for 25 because it turned into stored off streaming systems for its first six months of release.

Adele gained out over Ed Sheeran’s = (Equals) album to assert the pinnacle spot this week.

With this approach, she has now secured a chart double, with the album’s lead single Easy On Me final primary for a 6th consecutive week.

Adele’s starting week achievement with 30 guarantees all 4 of her albums have now reached primary – a record for a girl act.

Adele’s 30 has become the most-streamed album of the week, with 55.7 million performs throughout all tracks.
The album made up 67% of all bodily sales.

The numbers mark the most important first week for an album given that Sheeran’s ÷ (Divide) in 2017.

It is likewise the most powerful starting week for a girl solo album given that Adele’s closing studio album 25, which turned into launched in November 2015.

The London-born famous person has stated that 30 is an attempt to explain her divorce from her husband to her nine-12 months-old son Angelo.
Adele stated that she is emotionally bewildered after the success of her album.

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Rapper Young Dolph shot; succumbs to death at Tennessee cookie store

Rapper Young Dolph had previously been shot multiple times in September 2017 outside a LA hotel.

  • Police stated that rapper Young Dolph succumbed to death after being shot at a Memphis cookie shop.
  • Memphis Police have levied curfew in the area, and have asked people to stay home, after the murder of Rapper Young Dolph.
  • Young Dolph’s 3 albums have been in the Billboard 200 top 10; was known for his independent views.
Young Dolph moved to Memphis when he was 2; was visiting his aunt who had been diagnosed with cancer before being shot near a local cookie store.

Rapper Young Dolph, extensively well-liked withinside the hip-hop community for his authenticity and fierce independence, became shot and killed Wednesday inner a cherished nearby cookie store in his native land of Memphis, Tennessee, the government stated.

Police tweeted that they’d no records to launch approximately a likely suspect withinside the shooting, which befell at Makeda’s Cookies close to Memphis International Airport.


The Daily Memphian newspaper said that Young Dolph’s cousin, Mareno Myers, stated the 36-year-old rapper has been on the town because Monday journeying an aunt who has cancer and became additionally giving out Thanksgiving turkeys.

Just remaining week, the cookie store published a video on Instagram of the rapper selling the shop’s cookies, pronouncing he returns to the shop on every occasion he’s in Memphis.

A big crowd amassed close to the store after the shooting. At an information convention Wednesday evening, Memphis Police Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis requested the general public to stay calm and encouraged that citizens live home tonight. She did now no longer say if the police suppose different shootings beneath neath research Wednesday had been associated with the rapper’s killing.

Curfew has been imposed in the area after the demise of Rapper Young Dolph.

Born in Chicago as Adolph Thornton Jr., he moved to Memphis whilst he became 2, in line with The Commercial Appeal. He stated withinside the documentary that he’d been raised through his grandmother and attempted to assist his parents in “clean their lifestyles up” as soon as he discovered success.
Young Dolph had 3 albums attain the pinnacle 10 at the Billboard 200, with 2020’s “Rich Slave” peaking at No. 4.

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Cryptocurrency firm buys naming rights of LA’s Staples Center

The stadium, home to LA Lakers, LA Clippers, LA Sparks, and LA Kings, will be renamed Crypto.com Arena after a multi-million deal was struck between the owners and the cryptocurrency firm.

  • Multi-million deal between AEG and a cryptocurrency firm leads to a name change of The Staples Center in Los Angeles.
  • The Staples Center will be rebranded from Christmas 2021.
  • Cryptocurrency firms have targeted sports and sporting venues to gain mainstream attention for the industry. ​
L.A.’s Iconic Staples Center to Be Renamed as Crypto.com Arena
LA’s Staples Center will be renamed crypto.com Arena after the cryptocurrency firm bought naming rights of the iconic stadium

One of the largest sports activities and leisure venues withinside the US, the Staples Center in Los Angeles, has been renamed after a cryptocurrency organization in a multi-million dollar deal.

A Singapore-based corporation can pay extra than $700m for the rights to the 20,000-seat stadium, on the way to be referred to as the Crypto.com Arena.

It has agreed on a 20-12 month deal with proprietor Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).

The rebranding will become in effect from Christmas Day in 2021.

The Staples Center is home to 4 professional sports activities teams – basketball’s LA Lakers, LA Clippers, and the LA Sparks, in addition to ice hockey’s LA Kings.

It has additionally hosted primary boxing activities in addition to several music stars, which include Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift.

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The stadium became opened in October 1999 and this will mark its first call change. The workplace supply organization Staples Inc first of all paid $100 million for the naming rights for 10 years. In 2009, it signed a deal to increase those rights indefinitely.

But in 2019, stadium proprietor AEG offered the rights back for an undisclosed sum.

Crypto.com was released in 2016. According to its website, the organization has a few 10 million customers and 3,000 employees.

Its important enterprise is jogging an internet change that lets customers exchange and save cryptocurrencies, however, it has currently released its token.
In latest years, cryptocurrency agencies have turned out to be more and more concerned about sports activities sponsorship because the enterprise seeks to gain mainstream recognition.

Crypto.com already has extra than $four hundred million worth of sports activities sponsorship deals, which include a high-profile shirt sponsorship[ of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team

Eddie Howe’s reign at Newcastle United begins.

Saudi-backed ownership appoints their first manager to help the club fight the intense relegation battle.

  • Newcastle United hoping to survive the relegation battle this season after Eddie Howe’s appointment.
  • Eddie Howe says it’s his honor to be at the helm of such a legendary club.
  • Saudi owners are happy to appoint a young and dynamic manager, to back him fully.
Eddie Howe is back in the Premier League and his target is simple – keep Newcastle up.

Newcastle ended their long wait to appoint a brand new manager on Monday, unveiling former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe as the person to steer the Magpies into a brand new generation beneath neath rich Saudi ownership. Howe takes the price of an aspect languishing 2nd from the backside of the Premier League, 5 factors adrift of safety, and without a win all season.

The 43-year-old replaces Steve Bruce, who left the club by “mutual consent” on October 20, weeks after the Saudi-led takeover propelled the membership into the ranks of the super-rich. Newcastle stated Howe was appointed as the “new head educate on an agreement till summertime season 2024”. Howe stated it become an “awesome honor” to take the helm at the club with the stature and records of Newcastle, who’ve now no longer gained a prime trophy when you consider that 1969 notwithstanding a large and passionate fanbase.

Newcastle, now one of the biggest football teams around the world is predicted to make investments closely around the January switch market. But they’ve any other 9 football league games to navigate earlier than then, along with daunting clashes with Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United. Just staying withinside the rewarding top-flight this season might constitute achievement for Howe after an unsettling month for Newcastle fanatics because the Saudi sovereign wealth fund offered an eighty percentage stake withinside the membership. Governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) Yassir Al-Rumayyan become in attendance for a 3-2 domestic defeat to Tottenham final month withinside the first in shape because of the takeover. Bruce becomes sacked days later, however, Newcastle has persisted to warfare beneath caretaker boss Graeme Jones, taking simply factors from their beyond 3 fixtures. Howe, who had 2 spells at Bournemouth, has been out of labor when you consider that leaving the membership in August 2020, days after their relegation from the Premier League.

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US rapper Travis Scott and Drake sued for the deaths of 8 at a US concert.

Drake and Travis Scott have been accused of inciting the huge crowds; tributes pour in for the people who lost their lives at the concert.

  • Texas festival Astroworld turns grim as 8 succumb to death.
  • Drake and Travis Scott sued for 1 Million dollars.
  • Many concertgoers had to be revived with anti-drug injections, states a report.

8 succumbed to death due to overcrowding at a US concert.

US rapper Travis Scott is going through prison motion after at least 8 human beings have been killed and loads injured in a weigh down at his Texas pageant Astroworld.

One injured concertgoer has accused Scott and marvel performer Drake of inciting the crowd and is seeking $1m (£741,000) in damages.

Neither has commented on the lawsuit.

In an announcement following the weigh down, Scott stated he turned into operating to assist the households of the victims – the youngest of whom turned into simply 14.

Meanwhile, tributes were paid on social media to the ones killed.

“Dancing turned into her ardor and now she is dancing her manner to heaven’s pearly gates,” the own circle of relatives of 16-year-vintage Brianna Rodriguez stated in an announcement.

The surge started at approximately 21:15 local time on Friday (02:15 GMT Saturday), whilst panic broke out because the crowd pressed closer to the front of the level in the course of Scott’s headline set. Lucas Naccarati advised BBC Radio five Live that inside 3 mins of the rapper approaching the level, he “turned into quite positive human beings [were] going to be dying”.
According to a file withinside the New York Times, Houston police leader Troy Finner in my view visited Mr. Scott’s trailer to express “worries approximately the strength of the crowd” in advance of the performance.

The town’s hearthplace leader, Samuel Peña, turned into quoted through the Times as announcing that Mr. Scott and the event’s organizers ought to have intervened.
Police withinside the Texas town have released research, together with searching into separate reviews that someone withinside the audience turned into injecting human beings with drugs.

Several concertgoers needed to be revived with anti-drug overdose medicine, together with a protection officer who police stated seemed to have an injection mark in his neck.

Local police declined to verify or deny the Times file or provide info on the drug research to the media.

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Country music star LaBrash to have drive-in concert in Estevan

Saskatchewan country music star and all round cowboy Justin LaBrash and True North are bringing their high energy Jingle Bell Rock and #driveinsask Tour to Estevan for a pre-Christmas show. The concert, sponsored by Shop Estevan, will happen on Dec. 19 at 6:45 p.m. at Affinity Place.

This young Saskatchewan country music artist has done so much this year to entertain many people, lift their spirits and fundraise for communities across Saskatchewan during these crazy times, from the early days of COVID when he did live online performances from home to the outdoor drive-in shows with True North.

At each show in this concert series, LaBrash and his band shone the spotlight on a local organization and proceeds in part will be going to help that organization in this challenging time. By the end of this year’s tour, more than a dozen charities will have benefitted.

LaBrash’s big heart and endless enthusiasm really show through when he steps onto the outdoor stage with his bandmates, True North, and puts on a high-energy show in support of the local community and spotlight organization.

Even 80 kilometre per hour winds, tornado warnings, torrential rain and 35 C temperatures didn’t stop the shows on North America’s first drive-in concert tour.

More than 3,000 people have already enjoyed this tour of 15 shows from the comfort of their vehicles, tuning in on their radios.

LaBrash brings the community together while still staying apart.

With diverse crowds ranging in ages from newborns to LaBrash’s 100-year-old great grandfather, LaBrash and the band will be playing songs from old to new country and rock hits and many treasured holiday classics, including his hit Drunk on Christmas Cookies, which has charted in the Canadian Top 100 the last two years.

“Music heals,” LaBrash said. “The people of Saskatchewan are ready to begin to heal. This is one way we are able to give back and support the people and communities in Saskatchewan who support me. And this tour has sparked a challenge among the show communities to outdo the previous show with bringing their old trucks, boats on trailers, fancy cars and tractors.

“We never know what we are going to see when we step onto the stage. We can’t wait to see what creativity the Christmas shows will bring out in each community.”

LaBrash has family in the southeast and has spent lots of time in this region. He performed at Saskatchewan’s first drive-in concert in Lampman in the spring.

Earlier this week, he was announced as one of five finalists for the Country Artist of the Year Award for Saskatchewan Music.