Furtado is back on top with Loose, her third album after 2003’s Folklore and 2000’s Whoa, Nelly!  Songs like “Promiscuous” and “Maneater” show her sexy side, while the ballad “In God’s Hands” is a beautiful lament, pure and classic, that showcases her voice. Furtado, who was born in Victoria, BC, to Portuguese-Azorean parents, also includes on her album the Spanish-language percussive hop “No Hay Igual” and ballad “Te Busque.

Furtado is back on top with Loose, her third album after 2003’s Folklore and 2000’s Whoa, Nelly!  Songs like “Promiscuous” and “Maneater” show her sexy side, while the ballad “In God’s Hands” is a beautiful lament, pure and classic, that showcases her voice. Furtado, who was born in Victoria, BC, to Portuguese-Azorean parents, also includes on her album the Spanish-language percussive hop “No Hay Igual” and ballad “Te Busque.

For the first time, every one of the album’s 14 songs are co-written by the Dixie Chicks themselves (Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire, Emily Robison), exploring themes both deeply private and resoundingly political. Collaborating with legendary producer Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Run DMC, Red Hot Chili Peppers), the biggest-selling female band in history has pushed themselves as writers and players on Taking The Long Way.

Furtado is back on top with Loose, her third album after 2003’s Folklore and 2000’s Whoa, Nelly!  Songs like “Promiscuous” and “Maneater” show her sexy side, while the ballad “In God’s Hands” is a beautiful lament, pure and classic, that showcases her voice. Furtado, who was born in Victoria, BC, to Portuguese-Azorean parents, also includes on her album the Spanish-language percussive hop “No Hay Igual” and ballad “Te Busque.

Furtado is back on top with Loose, her third album after 2003’s Folklore and 2000’s Whoa, Nelly!  Songs like “Promiscuous” and “Maneater” show her sexy side, while the ballad “In God’s Hands” is a beautiful lament, pure and classic, that showcases her voice. Furtado, who was born in Victoria, BC, to Portuguese-Azorean parents, also includes on her album the Spanish-language percussive hop “No Hay Igual” and ballad “Te Busque.

While Billy Talent II is the Toronto-based quartet’s sophomore album, the band has been playing together for 13 years. Comprised of frontman Ben Kowalewicz, guitarist Ian D’Sa, bassist Jon Gallant and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk, this year the band reached an incredible level of success including headlining hockey arenas across the country. Their first self-titled album, Billy Talent has won JUNO Awards for New Group of the Year (2004), Group of the Year (2005) and Album of the Year (2005).

The 13 songs on the Hamilton, ON singer-songwriter and guitarist’s debut album, Stalled Out In The Doorway, tell honest tales of some of the harsh realities of relationships. His beautiful voice and lilting melodies sometimes belie the dark subject matter in many of the songs.  He’s a rock ‘n’ roll troubadour, who draws inspiration from Radiohead and Jeff Buckley to James Taylor and The Beatles.

The Montreal five-member rock band recorded their major label debut, Tomorrow Starts Today, with Canadian producer Matt DeMatteo (Big Wreck, Danko Jones, Ashley MacIsaac), and the first single, “Montreal Calling,” became an instant hit. The five writers and players have a passion for bands like Primal Scream, Stone Roses, The Police and Pink Floyd.

A recording artist as well as a producer, Sampson is also now recognized as an award-winning songwriter since young country singer Carrie Underwood recorded his song “Jesus, Take the Wheel.”  Trace Adkins covered Sampson’s “Words Get in the Way” and Carolyn Dawn Johnson recorded “Crybaby.” Sampson continues to write for other artists, while working on his next solo album.

The country singer who placed second in 2004’s Nashville Star talent search, signed a record deal with Universal South and released One Good Friend that same year. He went on to win a 2005 JUNO for Country Recording of the Year, among other awards at the Canadian Country Music Awards and East Coast Music Awards (which he hosted). His follow-up album is Somebody Wrote Love.

Madchild (MC), Prevail (MC) and Rob The Viking (producer/DJ), together as Vancouver’s Swollen Members, are Canada’s best-selling urban group of all time. The newest album, Black Magic, kicked off with the first official single, “Put Me On,” featuring Everlast and produced by Evidence. The group has won three JUNO Awards to date.

With his rootsy rock band Blue Rodeo, Cuddy has released 10 studio albums, one live album, a greatest hits collection, and an award-winning DVD, selling in excess of four million copies around the world.   In 1998, he released his first solo album, All In Time, and followed it with The Light That Guides You Home.

The solo project from the Alexisonfire singer Dallas Green features melodically driven songs on solo acoustic guitar. With a poignant vocal style and lyrics that speak of impulse and introspection, he affects his audience by offering his own personal testimonies. The album, which has surpassed gold in Canada, landed City And Colour the People’s Choice Favourite Canadian Artist award at the 2006 MMVAs.

Furtado is back on top with Loose, her third album after 2003’s Folklore and 2000’s Whoa, Nelly!  Songs like “Promiscuous” and “Maneater” show her sexy side, while the ballad “In God’s Hands” is a beautiful lament, pure and classic, that showcases her voice. Furtado, who was born in Victoria, BC, to Portuguese-Azorean parents, also includes on her album the Spanish-language percussive hop “No Hay Igual” and ballad “Te Busque.

While Billy Talent II is the Toronto-based quartet’s sophomore album, the band has been playing together for 13 years. Comprised of frontman Ben Kowalewicz, guitarist Ian D’Sa, bassist Jon Gallant and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk, this year the band reached an incredible level of success including headlining hockey arenas across the country. Their first self-titled album, Billy Talent has won JUNO Awards for New Group of the Year (2004), Group of the Year (2005) and Album of the Year (2005).

“This album coincides with a happier time in my life,” says the jazz singer/pianist. “I think it’s very obvious in the music. It reflects how I’m feeling now, the joy that I have in my marriage and family, and hopefully in the future.” From This Moment On is the tenth album for Krall, who is married to Elvis Costello, with whom she has twins. It was recorded with her quartet and the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.

With this album, Duran has realized his life-long dream. A showcase for the Cuban-born, Toronto-based musician’s love for his native country’s seminal jazz band orchestras, From The Heart features his rhythmically sophisticated compositions and sensual arrangements written for his new 20-piece Latin jazz big band.

The Saskatchewan-born, New York-based JUNO Award winning jazz pianist has been very busy leading a quartet in Manhattan.  With seven albums as a leader, Ballantyne released two solo piano recordings in 2006, Ever Since Now, featuring original compositions and Avenue Standard, featuring mostly standards.

There are no sisters in this quartet. Guitarist Kevin Breit (Norah Jones, Rosanne Cash) bassist Ian de Souza (LAL, Jesse Cook, Melanie Doane), organist Rob Gusevs and drummer Gary Taylor (The Downchild Blues Band, Jani Lauzon) join forces in this instrumental band, which formed in 1996.

Since his first album, Montreal Motel, the multi-instrumentalist has contributed to albums by Faulkner, Painchaud, Dicaire and Belliard along with becoming a major player in the Quebec music industry. Produced with help from Eloi Painchaud, Gratton's second album, It Was Once In The East (Il était une fois dans l'est) introduces listeners to the feel of Motown along with a ‘70s-styled rock beat. 

The past quarter of a century, Grunsky’s name has become synonymous with excellence in children’s music. He has released countless CDs and family concert videos, garnering two JUNO Awards for Best Children’s Recording, several U.S. Parent’s Choice Gold Awards and multiple American Library Association Notable Recording lists. He has also developed a symphony show for kids called Welcome To The Orchestra.

Les Violons du Roy - The chamber orchestra, that has a core membership of fifteen players, was formed in 1984 by artistic director Bernard Labadie and specializes in the vast repertoire of music for chamber orchestra, performed in the stylistic manner most appropriate to each era. Two of their recordings, Apollo e Dafne (Handel) and Requiem (Mozart), won two JUNO Awards for Classical Album of the Year – Vocal or Choral Performance.

Jean-Marie Zeitouni - Associate conductor of Les Violons du Roy, Jean-Marie Zeitouni has been working very closely with this ensemble since 2001. Over the years, he has led them in over 100 performances in North America. Since 2002, Mr. Zeitouni has been associate conductor and chorus master at L’Opéra de Montréal and music director of its young artist program. He is also music director of the Opera as Theatre program at The Banff Centre.

James Ehnes - Ehnes has rapidly established a pre-eminent reputation among concert violinists. A prolific and award-winning recording artist, he has more than twenty titles in his impressive discography. In January of 2006, he celebrated the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth (which coincided with his own 30th birthday) with the release of Mozart’s complete output for solo violin and orchestra.

Mozart Anniversary Orchestra - James Ehnes, who conceived this project, had a discussion with his good friends Jonathan and Molly Crow regarding the orchestra with which he could possibly record. “They suggested that the ideal orchestra for this project would be one that I would form myself,” he says, “an ‘all-star’ ensemble made up of some of my favourite players from around the globe.”

Richard Bradshaw - Conductor Richard Bradshaw is the general director of the Canadian Opera Company. Born in England, he first came to the COC as a guest conductor in 1988 and has remained with the company for 18 years, rising to his current position. During this time, he has conducted more than 60 operas. His greatest challenge has been building a new opera house for the company, The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, which opened its doors in June of 2006.

Isabel Bayrakdarian, Michael Schade, Russel Braun - Three of Canada’s most outstanding Mozart singers, Bayrakdarian (soprano), Schade (tenor) and Braun (baritone), are recognized for their many Mozart roles and interpretations, among them: Bayrakdarian as Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro; Schade as Tamino in The Magic Flute and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, and Braun as the Count in The Marriage of Figaro, and title role of Don Giovanni.

He has composed more than 80 works in various genres, including solo and orchestral, concerti (piano, guitar, English horn, piccolo), chamber opera, musical tale and ballet. He received the Jan V. Matejcek Concert Music Award in 2001, 2002 and 2003 and has been teaching composition at the Faculty of Music of the University of Montreal since 2001.

Esquire magazine wrote: “The euphoric glam-pop of Tiga is as untamed as his name suggests. Think Goldfrapp spliced with Jake Shears (indeed, the Scissor Sisters frontman provides vocals on the first single) with a bit of Tom Ford’s dress sense thrown in.”  NME ordered “Your indie disco needs this!”

Jacksoul’s lead singer Haydain Neale chose to cover 13 timeless songs on mySOUL, including songs from Jane’s Addiction, Radiohead, Curtis Mayfield and Sam Cooke — along with one original. The idea was sparked after Neale performed The Guess Who’s “These Eyes” at the 2004 Canadian Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, which he recorded for the album.

Jamaican-born Keipher Scott, a.k.a. Korexion, draws upon reggae, hip hop and pop to create an appealing musical hybrid. He is classified as an artist on a mission to spread love and reggae music amongst the world's people. Formerly in the duo Two Of A Kind, Korexion is now winning converts with his EP, Xrated. "He has earned his space here," said reggae great Sly Dunbar about Korexion.

Leela Gilday was born and raised in Yellowknife, NWT. A singer-songwriter from the Dene Nation, whose songwriting reflects her northern roots, she sings about identity, death, love and life from the urban Indian perspective. Her first album, Spirit World, Solid Wood, earned her a place in Maclean’s Top 50 Under 30 list, plus three Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and a JUNO Award nomination. Her second album is Sedzé.

It has been 20 years since songsmith Stephen Fearing released his self-titled debut. His eighth solo album Yellowjacket features a potent combination of powerful and affecting lyrics, pure vocals and masterful musicianship. This is the first time Fearing has produced his own album and the result is relaxed vocal and guitar performances.

Punching through the walls of tradition, The McDades’ Celtic-rooted music fuses the spontaneity of jazz improvization and infectious global rhythms. At the heart of the group are siblings Shannon, Solon and Jeremiah, who are joined by Andy Hillhouse and Francois Taillefer. Vocals are performed in English and French.

Growing up on the north side of St. Louis, Byrnes played with such legends as Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins, Taj Mahal, Robert Cray and Ray Charles. With the gospel-tinged album House of Refuge, produced by JUNO Award winner Steve Dawson, he has come up with perhaps the most inspired and soulful album of his already accomplished and storied career.

Since releasing their 2001 self-titled debut, the melodic alt-rockers have won a JUNO Award for Best Gospel Album, and Canadian Gospel Music Association Covenant Awards for Rock Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year. Their third album, Wide-Eyed And Mystified, was produced by Grammy winners Greg Collins and Mark Heimermann, along with the band.

The Bulgarian-born guitarist, composer and singer has developed a unique musical style, combining the wild drive of Bulgarian dances, the festive spirit of Gypsy songs, the emotional intensity of Turkish music with the hip cool of urban jazz grooves. He is one of the few musicians in the world playing fretless guitar. The seven-piece Kaba Horo Ensemble is truly a global band.

The former member of DDT and Closure has had increasing success as a producer/songwriter, particularly with Hedley’s debut and American band Hinder’s Extreme Behavior. He has also produced and co-written with the Grammy-nominated U.S. band Skillet and Canadian newcomers Faber and have collaborated with American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry.

John “Beetle” Bailey got his start in the mid-seventies in New Hamburg, ON, where he started experimenting with a tape recorder to get out of violin lessons. Flash forward to 1994 and he became the head engineer at Lyrdian Sound, where he worked on projects that won JUNO Awards, and earned gold and platinum awards.  In 2001, he decided to go freelance.

Seripop live, draw, design, screenprint and play noisy punk music in Montreal. They like cats, tofu, comics and getting in the van.

Long-time collaborators David Pawsey and Jonathan Legris created Duplex in 2005 in order to assemble directing and visual effects supervision/creation under one roof. Duplex officially launched with the completion of the video for Sam Roberts’ “Bridge To Nowhere,” along with the design and animation of several projections for The Beatles’ Cirque du Soleil production Love in Las Vegas.

The rocker followed his full-length debut, We Were Born In A Flame, with the more ambitious Chemical City, recorded in Australia and in his native Montreal. The anthemic first single, "The Gate," serves as a cautionary tale about a "faded empire," while the acoustic rocker, "Bridge To Nowhere," also plays a part in the album’s overall sci-fi laden theme.

Andy Keen - The director created his Toronto production house, The Horse’s Mouth, which “specializes in independent commercial production with budgets under $40,000.” Born west of Ontario’s Niagara Escarpment, Keen graduated from Montreal’s Concordia University with a Bachelor of Fine Art. His debut documentary, Seven Painters, was nominated for a Gemini Award in 2000. Escarpment Blues is his second documentary.

Sarah Harmer - Harmer says "Most of these songs have been milling about in the back of my mind for a while now. 'I Am Aglow,' 'The Ring,' 'I'm A Mountain,' are tunes inspired by country music and bluegrass bands, singing for the joy of it, and telling new versions of old stories in song." The new folk song, "Escarpment Blues," tells the story of a current land-use conflict on the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.