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2024 Juno Nominees Revealed From The Roots Up

The 2024 Juno Nominees From The Roots Up

The honour roll of Canadian talent gets definitively, and sometimes brutally, sorted out at this cold, cold time of year when the Juno noms are announced. Roots artists had a majority of the songwriting nominations this year, with Aysanabee, William Prince and recent Grammy winner and member of Queen Joni's court, Allison Russell, shining out in the pack. Aysanabee also showed up in the Alternative Album category and his producer, Hill Kourkoutis also merited a nomination. Allison Russell drew an extra nod for her video for Demons.

 

In terms of roots music by genre, Traditional Indigenous nominations went as follows:

Sing. Pray. Love. - Joel Wood Independent

LFS5 - Nimkii & the Niniis Independent

Mitòòdebi (For My Relatives) - The Bearhead Sisters Independent

Reverie - The Red River Ramblers Independent

Drum Nation - Young Scouts Indepr newer talntendent

 

The Contemporary Indigenous list included another score for Aysanabee:

Here and Now - Aysanabee Ishkōdé*Universal

Scream, Holler & Howl Blue - Moon Marquee Independent*IDLA

Inuktitut - Elisapie Bonsound*Sony/The Orchard

Revolution - Shawnee Kish Amelia*Symphonic

Bekka Ma’iingan - Zoon Paper Bag*Fontana North

 

In the Reggae department there were a few surprises.

Orbital favourite and Haviah Mighty's sister, Omega Mighty made a jump from the hip hop family. For the first time since the category was introduced in 1985, females dominate the JUNO Award for Reggae Recording of the Year.

This is the seventh nomination for Ammoye, who is originally from Clarendon, and the 11th for Exco Levi (who is originally from Manchester). Exco Levi has won the award five times. This is the first nod for both Jah Mila and Omega Mighty, while this is the third nomination for Finn and the sixth for Kirk Diamond. Diamond and Finn won last year for Reggae Party featuring Kairo McLean.

Stir This Thing - Ammoye Donsome*Ingrooves/Virgin

Feel Like Home - Exco Levi Penthouse*High Priest/ONErpm

Roots Girl - Jah’Mila Independent

Dread - Kirk Diamond & Finn Independent

Rush Dem (feat. 4Korners, Haviah Mighty) - Omega Mighty Independent*Foundation Media

 

The Blues nominations included some well-known names, with Brandon Isaak and Blue Moon Marquee coming in to claim space for the newer talent.

SoulFunkn’BLUES - Blackburn Brothers Electro-Fi*Isotope Music/The Orchard

Scream, Holler & Howl - Blue Moon Marquee Independent/IDLA

One Step Closer - Brandon Isaak Independent

The Big Bottle of Joy - Matt Andersen Sonic*Warner

Gettin’ Together - Michael Jerome Browne Borealis*Universal/IDLA

 

The Global Music section fulfilled its mandate of presenting wildly diverse entries:

Donte sann yo - Bel and Quinn Independent

Kizavibe Kizaba Disques - Nuits d’Afrique*Believe

SMS for Location Vol. 5 Moonshine Moonshine/FORESEEN*MNRK

Okantomi - OKAN Lulaworld*Symphonic

Soap Box - Waahli Wyzah Musk*Lemont

 

And in the actual Roots divisions there were many familiar friends and favourites:

In the Traditional Roots arena we find

Paint Horse Benjamin / Dakota Rogers - Good People*The Orchard

The Breath Between - David Francey Independent

Roses - Jackson Hollow Mountain Fever*Syntax Creative

Second Hand - James Keelaghan Borealis*Universal/IDLA

Resilience - Morgan Toney Ishkōdé*Universal

 

In the Contemporary Roots category, we also can see many of our most worthy perennial contestants, with Allison Russell's accomplishments being recognized yet again:

The Returner - Allison Russell Fantasy*Universal

We Will Never Be The Same - Good Lovelies Outside

Beyond The Reservoir - Julian Taylor Howling Turtle*Warner

A Light in the Attic - Logan Staats Red Music Rising*Believe

Stand in the Joy - William Prince Six Shooter*The Orchard

 

It all stops being hypothetical on Sunday March 24th, in

 Halifax this year, when trophies and teardrops will be

showering down in a music-filled night full of ceremony,

 community,

 and congratulation.

 

Getting Vocal with Rebecca Campbell / Music From Ben Sures This Friday

 

Kinetic Canadian Music Energizing The Orbit This Friday

Click to enlarge illustration - Original Artwork by Isabel Fryszberg

January Orbital Outings

 

Playlist for Corby's Orbit Show for 2 February 2024

 

Commissioner of Selection - Paul Corby

( Brought to you by Elephantasias, Rhinostalgia and Zebrouhaha )

Podcast available RIGHT HERE

Canadian Artists in Asterisk'd RED

Click on images to enlarge

5:00 Sad Happiness

* The Fog Blues And Brass Band ~ Poor Man's Throne ~ NEW RELEASE

* The Whythouse feat. Mista Murray ~ Fire Burn ~ (Northern Rebel) ~ NEW RELEASE

* Celeigh Cardinal ~ Light Of The Moon ~ Boundless Possibilities ~ Pre RELEASE 21 June

* Donovan Woods ~ How Good ~ NEW RELEASE 

Macy Gray ~ Sexual Revolution ~ NEW RELEASE

* Dijah SB ~ How R U ~ The Flower That Knew ~ NEW RELEASE

* Tyra Jutai ~ Old Me ~  NEW RELEASE

Reyna Tropical ~ Cartagena ~ Malegria ~ NEW RELEASE

Sierra Ferrell ~ Dollar Bill Bar ~ Trail Of Flowers ~ PRE RELEASE 22 March 2024

Pete & Bas ~ Stepped Into The Building ~ NEW RELEASE

* Kelly Fraser ~ SEDNA  

5:40 Hero Planes

* Shari Ulrich ~ Seventy Years ~ NEW RELEASE 

Katie Pruitt ~ White Lies, White Jesus ~ Mantras ~

NEW RELEASE @ The Great Hall 14 May

* Ariana Fig ~ Cherry Coke ~ Cherry Coke NEW RELEASE

* Hot Garbage ~ Erase My Mind ~ Precious Dream ~ NEW RELEASE @ The Junction 17 February

* Composers Collective Big Band ~ West Toronto Ode ~ The Toronto project ~ @ The Rex Hotel Saturday 3 February 2pm

* Ancient Teeth ~ Sacrifice ~ Humanizer ~ PRE RELEASE 8 March 

* Jr. Gone Wild ~ She's Gone To California To Find Herself Blues ~ Still Got The Jacket

Ray Charles ~ In The Heat Of The Night ~ Dedicated to Norman Jewison ~ Born: July 21, 1926, Toronto Beaches Died: January 20, 2024

Ray Charles ~ Melanie's Look What They've Done To My Song Ma ~ Ray Sings, Basie Swings

Melanie ~ Born: February 3, 1947, Queens, New York, United States

Died: January 23, 2024 ~ Ring The Living Bell ~ Ring The Living Bell (1975)

6:10 Capacious Spaces

* Victoria Gwendoline ~ Stranger ~ Who Stole The Queen? 

Willow Avalon ~ Stranger ~ NEW RELEASE

* The Sattalites ~ Never Giving Up On Love ~ NEW RELEASE

* Remi-Jean Leblanc feat. Elizabeth Shepherd ~ Saturnale ~ Heyday ~ @ The Rex Jazz & Blues Bar Saturday 3 February 8:30 p.m.

* Alex Richard ~ A Cowboy's Hard Times 

* Vikki Gilmore ~ If I Wrote You ~ Mental Backroads 

* Mother Mother ~ Nobody Escapes ~ Grief Chapter ~ PRE RELEASE 16 February

* Loony ~ Too Attached ~ NEW RELEASE @ Opera House Toronto 31 May

* Will Régnier ~ Farewell ~ Traces ~ NEW RELEASE

New Canadian Star Tracks - Friday at Five