ReFolkUs Folk Music Ontario

Today, we are releasing the sixth episode in our series titled ‘The Art of Booking’ where we speak with Artistic Directors of music festivals from across Canada. In this week's episode, we speak with Samir Baijal, the Artistic Director of Hillside Festival on Guelph Lake Island in Guelph, Ontario.

Samir chats about his process of booking both the lineup and the workshops and the importance of fostering community through the festival. He also delves into how Hillside serves as a model for a 'green festival' — designed to minimize its environmental impact after the event ends.

Find Hillside Festival online:
Facebook
Instagram
Website
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Samir (Sam) Baijal has been the artistic director at the Hillside Festival since 1998. He also programs entertainment at the University of Guelph where he has worked for 30 years. His favourite activity is going to concerts. 

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Presented by Folk Music Ontario
Hosted by Rosalyn Dennett
Produced by Kayla Nezon and Rosalyn Dennett
Mixed by Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin
Theme music “Amsterdam” by King Cardiac
Artwork by Jaymie Karn

Today on ReFolkUs, we chat to Shakura S’Aida. Shakura goes into depth on how she navigates having hard conversations within both a personal and business context and offers advice on helpful ways of resolving differences in order to move forward.

Shakura explains the importance of honesty and having realistic expectations during challenging discussions - while also highlighting the importance of embracing disagreements and engaging in discourse to explore differing opinions.

Find Shakura S’Aida online:
Instagram
Facebook
Website
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Shakura S’Aida is an award winning performer who has traveled the globe for more than two decades connecting and inspiring audiences with her powerful vocals. An undeniable talent and an outspoken advocate for human rights and racial equality, her artistic work reflects that which impacts and connects us all. Love, conflict, community, life and death. A central figure in Toronto's music scene, the Brooklyn born, Swiss raised entertainer has garnered not only an international recording and touring career, but has shined on the theater stage as star and creator of the four woman tribute to Nina Simone, The Nina Project, and in roles on screen, including as Lena, member of the beloved Jazza Gals in the acclaimed series Schitt's Creek. Her latest album, Hold On To Love, was nominated for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year at the 2023 Juno Awards and won Album of the Year at the 2023 Ontario Folk Music Awards.

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Presented by Folk Music Ontario
Hosted by Rosalyn Dennett
Produced by Kayla Nezon and Rosalyn Dennett
Mixed by Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin
Theme music “Amsterdam” by King Cardiac
Artwork by Jaymie Karn

Today, we are releasing the fifth episode in our series titled ‘The Art of Booking’ where we speak with Artistic Directors of music festivals from across Canada. In this week's episode, we chat to Doug Cox, the Artistic Director of Vancouver Island MusicFest in the Comox Valley in Courtenay, BC.

Doug discusses the format of this campground festival, which includes six distinct stages. He also explains his process of booking artists for the festival each year and dives into why he looks for artists that want to engage with the festival in more ways than just playing their set on stage.

Find Vancouver Island MusicFest online:
Facebook
Website
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Doug Cox is a Vancouver Island-based Musician, Producer, Instructor and event organizer with 42 years in the Music Industry. He is the long-standing producer (28 years) of Vancouver Island MusicFest. In 2017, Doug was inducted into the BC Music Hall of Fame as an industry Pioneer. In 2018, he guested on a Grammy Nominated album by San Antonio's Los Texmaniacs and in 2019, produced a Juno nominated album (Trad. Roots Album of the Year)  for April Verch in Nashville. He is also busy producing projects from his studio on Vancouver island. Recently, Doug has agreed to take on acting as Theatre manager/Artistic Director for Courtenay's Iconic Old Church Theatre. Doug is a catalyst among musicians and organizers for many fascinating collaborations. He believes in the power of music and community. 

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Presented by Folk Music Ontario
Hosted by Rosalyn Dennett
Produced by Kayla Nezon and Rosalyn Dennett
Mixed by Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin
Theme music “Amsterdam” by King Cardiac
Artwork by Jaymie Karn

Today on ReFolkUs, we chat to Luke Wallace. Luke touches on the ways in which he incorporates climate justice into his music by inspiring others through messages of hope, unity, and power.

Luke also discusses his belief in initiating change collectively rather than individual thinking and addresses his perspective on how the music industry and artists can respond to the climate emergencies that we face.


Find Luke Wallace online:
Instagram
Facebook
Patreon
Website
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Luke Wallace is a songwriter, speaker, choral arranger and environmental champion from the Coast Salish Territory known as Vancouver, Canada. For 10 years Luke has been touring, recording, fundraising and organizing for people and the planet. In 2023, Luke was a feature performer at the United Nations Water Conference, the first of its kind in a generation. Luke has performed hundreds of concerts all over North America and spends much of his time speaking in schools about hope in the face of climate change. Luke’s performance history include the Vancouver Folk Festival, Salmon Arm Roots and Blues, Vancouver Island Music Festival and multiple independent US tours. 
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Presented by Folk Music Ontario
Hosted by Rosalyn Dennett
Produced by Kayla Nezon and Rosalyn Dennett
Mixed by Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin
Theme music “Amsterdam” by King Cardiac
Artwork by Jaymie Karn

Today, we are releasing the fourth episode in our series titled ‘The Art of Booking’ where we speak with Artistic Directors of music festivals from across Canada. In this week's episode, we chat to Louis Robitaille, the Artistic Director of Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival in the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

Louis discusses the format of the festival, which includes performance sets on the main stage, fiddle and dance workshops, and song circles. He also touches on his process of building the lineups each year and how he seeks to book artists based on the theme of the festival for that year. Louis also shares insights and tips on developing a market in Nova Scotia and building a tour there.

Find Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival online:
Youtube
Facebook
Website

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Louis Robitaille is the President and Program Chair of the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Society, a volunteer-run, charitable organization with the mandate to present folk music and folklore on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. Louis has volunteered for the organization for over 20 years. Louis is an educator with over 25 years teaching college and currently works as a staff officer for the Nova Scotia Teachers Union.

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Presented by Folk Music Ontario
Hosted by Rosalyn Dennett
Produced by Kayla Nezon and Rosalyn Dennett
Mixed by Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin
Theme music “Amsterdam” by King Cardiac
Artwork by Jaymie Karn

Today on ReFolkUs, we chat to Aysanabee. We discuss the incredible trajectory of his career — from his roots as a journalist to a fulltime music artist. He also delves into how he became the first artist signed to Ishkōdé Records, reflects on his experience performing at the 2023 Juno Awards and discusses why he feels every musician should be attending music conferences.

Buy/Listen to Aysanabee’s latest EP Here and Now, released October 2023

Catch Aysanabee’s upcoming tour with Allison Russell 

Follow Aysanabee:
Instagram
Facebook
Website

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Juno-nominated artist Aysanabee is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer songwriter currently based in Toronto. He is Oji-Cree, Sucker Clan of the Sandy Lake First Nation, a remote fly-in community in the far reaches of Northwestern Ontario. In 2023, Aysanabee was Short-listed for the 2023 Polaris Music Prize and won multiple awards including the 2023 Canadian Live Music Awards: New Touring Artist of the Year, 2023 INDIES Awards: Indigenous Artist of the Year, 2023 Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards: Artistic Video of the Year, Pop/Alternative/Rock, Rising Star and the 2023 Ontario Folk Music Award for Recording Artist of the Year.
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Presented by Folk Music Ontario
Hosted by Rosalyn Dennett
Produced by Kayla Nezon and Rosalyn Dennett
Mixed by Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin
Theme music “Amsterdam” by King Cardiac
Artwork by Jaymie Karn