2023 Line Up
MOONTRICKS
Based in the rustic Kootenay mountains of Western Canada, Nathan Gurley and Sean Rodman of nationally renowned electro-folk duo Moontricks draw inspiration from the ongoing cycles of the natural world. Both volatile and constant—like nature’s best offerings—the band finds solace and beauty in the fusion of seemingly disparate elements. There’s a kind of technicolor campfire quality to their uniquely hybrid sound: Each track is steeped in tradition and polished with a futuristic sheen, mixing organic folk, roots rock, and old-time blues with modern electronic production.
WHITEHORSE
Whitehorse is the prolific partnership of Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet. Uninhibited by expectation, boldly adventurous and categorically talented, Whitehorse’s signature sound is always guitar-heavy, harmony-plentiful and lyrically deft.
With an expansive run of records that freely and thrillingly dip in psychedelic country, pop noir, squalling blues rock and celestial folk, Whitehorse have pushed their musical identity into new realms and sounds for over a decade. As attested by five consecutive JUNO Award nominations in many different genre categories, Whitehorse do a lot of things, and do them well.
On their new record, Whitehorse venture deeper into classic country music touchstones than ever before, a move that is both a homecoming and an evolution of their sound. I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying is an immaculate collection of 70s country-inspired songs that showcase Whitehorse at their absolute best.
MIINA
(formerly Carmanah) “She’s like the little sister who grew up, got feisty and knows she’s exactly where she’s meant to be” says Laura Mina Mitic, front-woman to the new musical project, Miina.
Along with her longstanding creative partners (Pat Ferguson, Lo Waight, Graham Keehn and Jamil Demers) the five-piece cut their teeth as the band Carmanah, performing across North America including at Edmonton Folk, Winnipeg Folk, Hillside and Rifflandia music festivals. Two songs (Roots, Nightmare) went to Number 1 on CBC’s Top 20 list and Carmanah’s music received successful commercial radio spins, including on SiriusXM, Toronto’s Indie88, Vancouver’s The Peak and Edmonton’s CKUA.
With producer Gus Van Go, they pulled the grooviest aspects from their original sound and combined it with new inspiration and musical maturity honed during the still years of the pandemic. Miina’s debut album - Slow Motion - will be released spring 2023.
Putting strength in femininity and a passion for the planet at the forefront, Laura Mina’s voice is confident and graceful. The band’s live performance is both moving and fun, combining danceable modern sounds with retro and rich melodies.
“This new project honours our past while elevating our passion,” says Laura Mina. “With a little more wisdom and a lot more fire, we feel empowered and excited to turn over this fresh new leaf.”
DANNY MICHEL
The only good thing about not shopping in record stores anymore is you won’t have to figure out what genre to look for Danny under. If that were the case, you could try looking under, rock, pop, folk, world or even classical.
His own self-described musical A.D.D. has kept his music fresh for decades. Maybe it has something to do with being born next to a candy factory, or his ambidextrous brain, but his thoughtful lyrics & charming performances have earned a devoted fan base, multiple nominations for Junos, The Polaris Prize, CBC’s "Heart Of Gold", and most recently winning the CFMA's "Producer of the year" and "Oliver Schroder Pushing the Boundaries" Awards.
But Danny considers his career highlights to be the unique real life moments like performing for Jane Goodall’s 85th birthday party, touring with Stuart Mclean and working with charities close to his heart.
MISERY MOUNTAIN BOYS
You might hear the tunes of the Misery Mountain Boys drifting from behind a rotating bookcase of a 1930’s speakeasy. Harkening back to a simpler time, the MMB’s create a collaborative soundscape infused with humour, tongue-in-cheek wit, nostalgia, and playfulness. With a mix of catchy originals and contemporary songs reimagined in driving swing, the melodies of the MMB’s deliver themselves as both surprising and inevitable. The band offers a diverse range of sonic experiences, urging audiences to gyration in the tassel-clad, sweaty swing numbers, and swaying in the velvety jazz tunes.
RAY ELLIOTT BAND
Hailing from the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Ray Elliott grew up writing the stories and the music that the mountains wished to share. Heading east and making his home near the North Saskatchewan river, Ray found the voice of the Prairies, and recreated a sound that is unique to his own story. Nothing too complicated. Just something to connect with and an experience to share.
Ray Elliott has been charming audiences for over twenty years with his story telling and his turn of phrase, both lyrically and musically. His songs have been made into plays, they’ve provided theme music for film, and they've graced the airwaves across the country on CBC and numerous community radio stations across the continent. With Peter Abonyi on bass, Fabian Minnema on drums and Gillian’s accordion and voice, Ray Elliott has brought with him songs that change like the weather in the mountains and flow free like waves on wheat fields. With Good Prairie Folk (2015) and Prairie Mountain Resonator (2016) Ray has made an impact the Canadiana music scene, and he hopes to do the same with his brand new album Storyteller Wilderness (2023).
JOSH & BEX
Josh+ Bex are a Canadian Dream Folk duo from the Okanagan Valley of BC. Their spellbinding harmonies and honed yet rustic sound, meet at the intersection of hope and sorrow- giving space to let their songs explore light, love, pain, connection and nature. Close your eyes and think Tim Burton meets Fleetwood Mac-creating a haunting, yet soothing and familiar dreamscape.
Josh+ Bex released their self-titled EP in October 2019 and have recently followed up with their sophomore record, Everything is Everything, May 20th, 2022. Everything is Everything is Josh+ Bex latest dream folk production. Whimsical, enchanting, haunting-these songs bridge the audience from the physical world to the spiritual; a world where we are connected as one. Just as the stardust particles of the cosmos, there is a shared commonality in all of us-and to Josh and Bex, this unique experience is non-coincidental and intertwined amongst all forms of life. Through this philosophy they have explored beyond the natural human experience, dipping into the metaphysical realm where they posit their deepest inquiries through ethereal song and story.
ZAYNAB WILSON
Zaynab Wilson, a Montréal-born multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter with the spirit of a traveler, anchors to the rhythm, melody, and matters of the psyche while exploring the depths of her story. She sculpts a soundscape with intrinsic Afro-Caribbean and ancestral rhythms and her soulful vocalization of stories of the inward and outward journeys.
With over two decades of artistic evolution as a sensitive, dynamic, and well-rounded musician, which began at age 6 in her family steelpan ensemble, Zaynab continues to gain traction with her soulful voice and original music. Since her 2018 debut, Zaynab has performed across Canada, in the US, and Australia, has released two singles, and her forthcoming debut studio album, Dwij, is set for an early 2023 release. Her work is an ode to the odyssey of rebirth, recalibration, and reimagining artistic definition, and an offering to the kindred ears and hearts of the world.
BRASSTACTICS
Can’t Stop! Won’t Stop!
Edmonton’s premier brass party band, The Brasstactics deliver only the tightest jams! Serving up hot throwbacks from the 70's, 80's, 90's, and 00's, we guarantee you'll dance and sing along. Throw your worries away and get down to The Brasstactics!
CHUBBY CREE
Eleven year old Noah Green with his larger than life voice, and grandmother Carol Powder, have taken the internet by storm. Singing by eight months old and having his own drum months later, Noah began performing live at the age two. Steeped in traditional Cree music and culture, Carol has taught all of her children and grandchildren, and was herself trained at a young age by her then 99 year old grandfather. "In the future, you're going to be a singer," she recalled him saying. "You're going to help bring these women back to the drum because that's where they belong. Children belong there. Why? Because that's the only time anyone's going to heal."
MADDIE STORVOLD & THE WALNUT COLLECTIVE
Tough and sweet like gravel in honey, she can make you laugh and cry, think and ache - all in the same hour. Storvold’s music seeks to tell a story, to challenge us, to spark delight, and to touch a fragile part of the human spirit. Funny and fresh-faced, this story singer is quickly gaining attention across Canada as a voice to be reckoned with, harkening in a new generation of folk icons.
MICHAELE RHODES
Michaele Rhodes is a singer-songwriter who started performing last year on some of Jasper’s stages. His lyrics and music are clever and soulful, taking inspiration from his own experiences as well as observations of those around him. He draws from nature and memory, and is excited to grow as an artist in the mountains.
CAPTAIN THUNDERPANTS
CPTN THNDRPNTZ!!! is a singing, storytelling, intergalactic space pirate. His home planet, Funkathon, is completely inhabited by ceratopsian dinosaurs, (the ones with horns and frills, like Triceratops) where he was the head cook to King Zaxxon.
After running out of sweet potatoes, the CPTN headed out across the universe in his Space Galleon, to trade stories and songs for more sweet potatoes.