PERFORMERS and PRESENTERS Matt Andersen  New Brunswick bluesman Matt Andersen has been generating a phenomenal buzz on the East Coast of Canada. His CD Solo at Sessions was multi-nominated for East Coast Music Awards and his most recent release Live at Liberty House is continuing to add to his devoted following. Matt has shared the stage with America, Randy Bachman, Bo Diddley and Little Feat among others. His lightning guitar licks are matched by his barrelhouse vocals. Matt's phenomenal energy onstage will amaze you. Duane Andrews Mary Barry Paul Bendzsa The Bergmann Duo Ted Blades Catcher Rita Chiarelli The Cottars A Crowd of Bold Sharemen Amelia Curran Robert DiPaola
Damhnait Doyle Dzolali Drum and Dance Ensemble Terry-Lynn Eddy Band
Danny Greenspoon Julia Halfyard Denielle Hann Liz Harvey-Foulds Paul Hoffert Janeatt Hogan Brad Jefford Bruce Jones Rick Lambe George Morgan and Alison Black Chad Murphy Trio
Peter Narvaez
The Once Dana Parsons Daniel Payne Kevin Pinhorn Joel Plaskett
Don Quarles Gordon Quinton Mark Reed Neil and Terri Rosenberg Sherry Ryan Jack Schuller Eddie Schwartz Bill Sharpe
Bill Skolnik Spanner Jerry Stamp
Margaret Stowe Sandra Sween Jowi Taylor Ellen M. Versteeg-Lytwyn El Viento Flamenco
Graham Wells Alan Willaert
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| ____________________________________________________________________ All photos used with thanks to Bob Brink. Images © Copyright, 2007, Bob Brink |
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Duane Andrews is a virtuoso guitarist who melds traditional Newfoundland music (a mix of French, Irish, Portuguese and English influences) with Gypsy Jazz in the same way that Django Reinhardt infused Jazz with Gypsy melody. A graduate of the Jazz Studies program at St.FX (BA Music, Honours), Duane spent several years studying music composition at the Conservatoire International de Paris with Michel Prady and eventually with Georges Boeuf and Regis Campo at the Conservatoire National de Region in Marseille, France. As a record producer and filmmaker, Andrews has wo rked with a variety of artists including Canadian Jazz legends Mike Murley and Doug Riley, folk icon Ken Whiteley, Icelandic guitarist Bjorn Thoroddsen, Afro-Newfoundland group Mopaya, Irish fiddle master Seamus Creagh and the Chieftains. He has toured the world with stops at Ten Days on the Island in Tasmania, the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island and the Montreal Jazz Festival. In 2002 Duane began fusing traditional Newfoundland music with Django Reinhardt’s jazz guitar styles to produce his own original compositions. This work resulted in the 2004 release of his solo CD and the 2006 release of his most recent recording, Crocus. Duane is currently in production on his third full length album which is set for release in early June 2008.
In addition to her own work in visual arts, Angela Antle is host of the Weekend Arts Magazine on CBC radio in St. John's. As host of WAM, she covers a broad range of arts issues, interviews artists and presents a weekly feature called Liner Notes that reviews new CD releases by local musicians. Her quick wit and insight into the world of creativity is matched by a deep interest in the implications of the arts for society as a whole. She will host our forum on music education and creativity. 
Newfoundland's "Jazz Chanteuse" Mary Barry is a nationally acclaimed award-winning singer, songwriter and ECMA nominee. Red Eye Tonight, her third independent recording, is receiving regular airplay across the country and won Barry Music NL's Female Artist and Jazz/ Blues Artist of the Year for 2007. She has thrilled audiences across Canada, the United States and France. Her performances have included the Vancouver, St. John's and Montreal Jazz Festivals. Her music has been described as "a goldmine of nuggets for collectors of original jazz and blues. . .with a glowing hint of torch in her voice." 
Paul Bendzsa has been an enthusiastic creator and performer of classical and new music for most of his 40-year career. He currently plays with the percussion, woodwind and electronics duo SPANNER, and the theatre-music BLUE RIDER ENSEMBLE, with whom he is working on a 3-year project called “ Frankenstein‘s Ghosts". Paul works at Memorial University School of Music in Newfoundland where he teaches clarinet, saxophone, New Music Ensemble, classical and jazz improvisation. He is endlessly experimenting with artists in other media; for example, an ongoing collaboration with visual artist Les Sasaki in a series called "Hear the Art - See the Music". Paul also leads workshops for school teachers and students on creativity and composition through improvisation. 
Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann have been performing together as a duo since 1989. They studied with Arie Vardi at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater, Hannover and with Jean-Eudes Vaillancourt at the the Université de Montréal. The duo received first prize at the International Chamber Music Competition in Caltanissetta, Italy, and were laureates of the 4th Murray Dranoff International Two Piano Competition. Their recordings are available on Deutschegrammaphone and other major record labels. Their musical performances span from the classical repertoire to popular themes with an exuberance that is authoritative and appealing, 
Ted Blades is the host of On The Go, CBC Radio One's province-wide afternoon show in St. John's. He is known for his warmth and his ability to ask hard questions. In addition to talking to the news makers of the day, On The Go promotes local music and profiles local musicians, so Ted is looking forward to this conference, and to finding out what the future of local music will look like. He will host our forum on the role of the AFM. 
Robert Buck has been an active musician since the age of 15. He was music editor for The Newfoundland Herald and arts and entertainment editor for numerous other publications. He began working in music retail in 1989 and in 1991 he moved to distribution and manufacturing. Over the past 10 years, he has gained first hand insight into the local music industry as it has grown and developed. He has participated in layout, design and photography for more than 100 recordings, catalogues, brochures and print ads. He is the past treasurer of the Music Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and has won four East Coast Music Awards as an independent music distributor. Currently Robert is General Manager of MMS Atlantic Disc & DVD and manages his own on-line retail store. He has been featured on local recordings as a drummer and percussionist. 
Catcher is the illegitimate love child of Trevor Bennett's many and varied musical interests and influences. As a singer and composer from a young age, Trevor has balanced his love for industrial and hard rock with heavy involvement in classical music, choral and a capella singing, musical theater, operatic performance, and dabblings in jazz, electronica, and metal. Early studies in piano and trumpet led him to the guitars, bass, and eventually forays into programming and sequencing, which makes up the bulk of Catcher's palette. The better part of 2005 and early 2006 was spent locked away, writing, arranging, and producing an album of new material in his home studio. 
Rita Chiarelli has a voice "that can growl at her demons or soar with the angels, a gift for lyric, an ear for melody and the heart to combine them." Her broad range of musical styles defies easy definition. Dubbed "the goddess of Canadian blues" by CBC's Shelagh Rogers, Rita Chiarelli won the 2007 Canadian Folk Music Award for "Best World Artist - Solo" for her CD Cuore... the Italian Sessions. Her most recent recording Uptown Goes Downtown matched Rita Chiarelli with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. It features the symphony as Rita's "backup band" to present her original roots-blues compositions in a novel and lush setting. 
The Cottars are, by many accounts, the hottest Celtic band to come out of the rich musical landscape of Cape Breton in recent years. These young musicians play fiddle, keyboards, whistles, Irish flute, bouzouki, guitars, bodhráns, and they stepdance—all with an authority beyond their years. They sing haunting Gaelic ballads, and harmonize with a sweetness that brings a tear to the eye. 
Take a pair of veteran performers who have appeared at major folk festivals nationally and internationally, add Newfoundland & Labrador’s most renowned flute and tin whistle player and one of it’s fastest-rising young stars of traditional music on fiddle, flute and accordion, and you’ve got A Crowd of Bold Sharemen. Formed in 2001, the Sharemen have since performed to critical acclaim throughout Canada and internationally. The band consists of Jim Payne, one of the province’s best songwriters; Fergus O’Byrne, one of our most recognizable voices; flute player Gerry Strong with his vast knowledge of traditional tunes and noted fiddle and accordion player and actor Daniel Payne. Each is an accomplished performer in their own right, and together they provide an unbeatable musical experience. Their repertoire consists of Newfoundland & Labrador traditional and original material - virtuoso playing and strong vocals with sweet harmonies, entertaining stage banter, and polished performances. 
Amelia Curran is an amazing songwriter who has been compared to Leonard Cohen and Kate Bush. If making misery and the depth of personal enigma into something that becomes happy and uplifting enough to throw in the odd mandolin lick appeals to you, Amelia Curran can paint your picture! Curran draws upon influences that incude Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen and Neil Young. Once described as "a performer who can smoke, drink a beer, and sing at the same time...harmoniously", Curran has that dirty raspy "I've been there and felt it" conviction to her songs. There is no putting it on, she is real and she’s here to sing about it. The audience is not left to wonder who these songs are about. It's her, but at the same time, it’s about You. Barricade, her first album, released just after her move to Nova Scotia from her home in St. John’s Newfoundland, garnered a 2002 ECMA nomination for Female Artist of the Year and bridged the connection between the young artist and a seeding audience. With the SenseAmelia Project, an elaborate seven-piece touring and entertaining music machine, she recorded Trip Down little Road (2001). This album charted with CBC, HMV and university radio stations country–wide, was nominated for an ECMA for Rock Group of the Year and was named top album of 2001 by Fred's Records in St. Johns, Newfoundland. Amelia's third album, Lullabies for Barflies (2002), found her again in solo territory, and secured her a third ECMA nomination as well as a Nova Scotia Music Week nomination, both for Female Artist of the Year. 
Damhnait’s career is charging ahead on all levels with the release of her new cover CD, Lights Down Low, adding to an impressive list of writing credits and many invitations to guest on recordings by some of Canada’s leading lights, not to mention a weekly column and a book deal! An award winning artist, Damhnait dedicates a significant amount of time and energy to co-writing – which has paid off with covers by Eva Avila, Rex Goudie and Alex Johnson, as well as multiple television and film placements. She also continues to perform along with Kim Stockwood as Shaye. 
Dzolali (pronounced “jo la lee”) Drum and Dance Ensemble was formed by Curtis Andrews because he wanted to share his love and knowledge of West African music and dance with others. The word Dzolali can be taken to mean “strike while the iron is hot” and connotes living for the moment and taking an opportunity when it arises. Dzolali Drum and Dance Ensemble performs the music and dance of Ghana which is well known across the world for its energy, complexity, beauty and ability to inspire smiles on all those involved, audience and performer alike. In total, a feast for the eyes, ears and spirit. 
Terri Lynn has always been one hell of a singer and performer. She’s been known to silence a crowd with her soulfulness and entertain with such power that no amplification is required. In recent years, she’s also added songwriting to her resumé. With her band mates on stage their musical powers collide. The Terri Lynn Eddy Band is rock music personified. On stage, their energy will shake you to the core and get you moving. 
Ian Foster is a St. John's-based musician and writer who has released one album with his band (Ian Foster Band - Through the Wires, 2006), and one album solo (Room in the City, 2008). A finalist for the International Songwriting Competition and 4-time MusicNL Nominee, Ian has toured Canada, bringing his stories to festivals, cafes, bars and clubs across the country. Ian's music has been featured on AM and FM radio internationally. 
Jeff Gilhooly is the host of our CBC regional morning show here in St. John's. Following a BA earned at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, Jeff Gilhooly went on to graduate studies in the University of Western Ontario's School of Journalism. He began his career in private radio and television with CFPL in London, Ontario. In 1978 he became News Director for both CFPL AM and FM 96. In 1985 Jeff left private broadcasting to assume the duties of Program Director of the Canadian Forces Network in Lahr, Germany. In addition to delivering news from home to fifteen thousand Canadian soldiers and their families, Jeff booked and promoted much of the LIVE entertainment on base. This included shows by such bands as Tom Cochrane and Saga. Since returning to Canada, Jeff has hosted numerous CBC Radio programs. His wife Mil is from St. Lewis, Labrador. His hobbies continue to be fumbling with his trombone and an ever-deeper allegiance to his soccer team - the rosa-nero of Palermo, in the Italian first division. Jeff will host our forum on the future of live performance. 
Danny Greenspoon is a multi-platinum, award winning record producer, recording engineer and guitar player. He was the guitar player on the popular radio series Swinging on a Star for national CBC radio. In the studio he has produced over fifty albums, including recordings by Great Big Sea, Ian Tyson, Colm Wilkinson, Sophie Milman, Jane Bunnett and Spirit Of The West. These albums have garnered four JUNO Awards and received sixteen nominations. In television he is a two time Gemini Award winner (Best Sound – 2008, Best Original Music Score – 1991), and has been nominated in each of the last four years. As a guitarist he has performed with some of the biggest names in Canada, including stints with Murray McLauchlan, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Sylvia Tyson and The Great Speckled Bird, and The Romaniacs.
Cabaret artist Julia Halfyard has won over everyone from Broadway producers to former US President George Bush, and will introduce New York City to her riveting and funny show in early 2009. Classically trained with a Master’s in Voice Performance from Memorial University in St. John’s, Ms. Halfyard moved into the world of cabaret like a hand into a glove—her tremendously successful Cabaret series at the exclusive Cigar Volante at Bianca’s in St. John’s led to a run at the ‘Velvet’, one of Montreal’s highly regarded Cabaret clubs. Chosen by CBC Music Craft as a guest, Ju lia also had the pleasure of hosting an hour long special on Cabaret music. She has worked with a variety of Musical Theatre companies throughout Canada and in 2007 she attended the prestigious Cabaret Conference at Yale University with 35 other participants from around the world. Ms. Halfyard was selected to sing in the 2002 Juno showcase series and the 2003 East Coast music awards and in 2002 her colleagues at the Music Industry Association of Newfoundland nominated her as ‘Female Artist of the Year’.
Denielle Hann has been making her mark on the local music scene for quite a few years. As lead singer for the band Blue Eyed Blonde, she has shared the stage with Rex Goudie, Hedley, The Trews, Trooper, Dr. Hook and Charlie Major. Her energetic nature on stage mirrors her personality offstage. Full of charisma and enthusiasm, Denielle’s hard work and determination has allowed her to travel to Toronto and Nashville to audition for “Rockstar Supernova” and “Nashville Star.” Denielle has appeared on “Entertainment Tonight, Canada” after being interviewed about her musical hopes by Rick Campanelli. She has been featured on 3 compilation CDs, singing original songs and is currently working on her debut album. Denielle takes great pride in helping younger players believe in their own dreams. She mentors young musicians at “Young Folk at the Hall” with Fergus O’Byrne, hosts the O’Reilly’s Open Mic for Young Performers, is involved with the Provincial Student Leadership Conferences and is a performance & motivational coach for young girls. Denielle can be seen regularly playing at O’Reilly’s Pub on George Street. 
Liz is the owner and operator of By the Bay Productions, an artist management agency based in Northwestern Ontario (closer to Winnipeg than Toronto!) Over the past thirty years she has worked as a grassroots community organizer for numerous folk/roots concert series and festivals. She has run a booking agency and managed various Canadian roots artists including Tamarack, Rodney Brown and the Northern Roots Band, Ian Tamblyn and Rita Chiarelli. She is a long time advocate for independent musicians, who says, "It's always important when you're on the road, to know who is in the driver's seat."
Paul Hoffert is Berkman Faculty Fellow at Harvard University, Fine Arts Professor at York University, Chair of the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, and Chair of Guild of Canadian Film Composers. He is also former President of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, former Chair of the Ontario Arts Council, and a founder of the Canadian Independent Record Producers Association (CIRPA). By the time he was twenty-six, Mr. Hoffert was an established jazz recording artist, television performer, off-Broadway musical author, film composer, and had studied mathematics and physics at the University of Toronto. In 1969 he co-founded Lighthouse, a rock band with horns and strings that sold millions of records, toured the world and earned three Juno Awards as Canada's number one pop band (1971-1973). Paul Hoffert was inducted into the Canadian Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. From 1994 to 1999, he directed Intercom Ontario, a $100 million trial of the world's first broadband-connected community that landed him on the cover of the Financial Post and in the Wall Street Journal. In 2001 he received the Pixel award as the new media industry's "Visionary of the Year." In 2005 Hoffert received the Order of Canada for his contributions to music and media. Noank Media is a spinoff of his Harvard research that tracks digital content use and compensates copyright holders. 
Janeatt Hogan is a strong supporter of the music industry and musicians in Newfoundland and Labrador. In 1997, Janeatt and her drummer husband Sonny opened their music school, which grew into the first rock school in Newfoundland. Since that time, Janeatt has been a very active member of the music industry, dealing with issues from a business and education perspective. In addition to operating the Rock City Music School, she has served for many years on the Board of Directors of our provincial music industry association. She is currently in her third year as President of the Board of MusicNL. 
Brad Jefford was born in St. John's in 1984. He began playing music in his late teens with his early influences including rock, blues, funk, and reggae. Brad decided to attend St. Francis Xavier University to study jazz performance with a focus on the electric guitar; he graduated with honors in May of 2007. During his studies at St.FX Brad started the Brad Jefford Trio. As leader of this group he was able to focus on his own musical voice as a performer and test his works as a composer. Brad Jefford Trio performances have been presented in Antigonish and St. John's where fans have gathered to hear their high-energy style of improvisation. Performance highlights include the 2005/2006/2007 St. John's Jazz Festivals, Hurricane Katrina Relief Concert, and many club dates in St. John's. During the summer of 2007 Brad traveled to the TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz festival to perform as a part of the National Jazz Youth Summit All-Star Big Band and the CBC Galaxie Rising Stars Band. It was here that the Ottawa Jazz Festival presented Brad with the 2007 Galaxie Rising Star of the CBC Award for his talents on the guitar and his skills as a composer/arranger. Today Brad can be found performing and teaching in the St. John’s area. His music, primarily inspired by the jazz idiom, is focused on simplicity and groove, leading to new lands of improvisation. Be sure to check it out! 
Rick Lambe has been an active member of the music scene for 15 years now. he is an accomplished instrumentalist and singer/songwriter. Rick has started successful bands such as the Gravelpit Campers, Photon band, and more recently his own solo project featuring his MIA award winning album lost time. Rick is currently working on a second solo record which will be entitled high expectations. look for it in the the new year! 
George Morgan is a composer, drummer, percussionist, producer, and pianist who enjoys an active and varied career in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Alison Black is Concertmaster of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra as well as Concertmaster of the Newfoundland Sinfonia and First Violinist of the Atlantic String Quartet. The award winning compositions of George Morgan have been described as bittersweet, haunting, intense and excruciatingly beautiful. Knockturns was released to critical acclaim in November 2007. 
Formed in the summer of 2005, the Chad Murphy Trio began playing in the local bar scene at the end of August that year. Sparingly at first, playing whenever opportunity arose, they began to understand the importance and benefit of live playing. They turned their focus to the playing experience they all wanted and worked to become a more cohesive unit. Once they had reached the point where they felt satisfied on stage, they began working to develop a catalogue of music to call their own. They are hardworking, and always play with everything they’ve got to give to their music.
Going strong at 66, after thirty-five years as a musician, Peter Narvaez has entertained Newfoundlanders, Atlantic Canadians, and international audiences with his roots acoustic repertoire of down-home blues, early country, ragtime, ‘songster’ pieces, and original songs and instrumentals based on these traditional forms; many are stylistic hybrids of his own unique creation but they are all based on roots music.
Andy Newman will be one of our concert hosts. He is a regular host on Coast 101.1 radio here in St. John's." 
The Once is a recently formed trio based in St. John's, Newfoundland. The Once is made up of Geraldine Hollett from Burin, Phil Churchill from Corner Brook and Andrew Dale from Coley's Point. The three met in the summer of 2005 while working in the historic town of Trinity with Rising Tide Theatre. They discovered they shared a mutual appreciation for folk music, particularly the music of their native Newfoundland and the British Isles. Superb musicianship, clever arrangements and stunning harmonies all combine to make The Once a fresh and exciting new group whose rise will be something worth watching. 
2007 East Coast Music Award nominee for Pop Recording of the Year, Dana is a graduate of Toronto’s Sheridan Musical Theatre program where she received the APMAR recording award and the Jo Havilland Acting achievement award. She has performed in numerous main stage musical theatre shows in Toronto and Newfoundland. As the high energy front gal in Pop/Rock, Jazz and Funk genres, she also spent the last few years on several cruise ships with her Jazz trio. Returning home to Newfoundland to record and release her debut album, It’s You Not Me! she has received critical acclaim and 5 Newfoundland and Labrador Music Industry Award nominations plus the GALAXIE Rising Star of the CBC for New Artist/Group of the Year. Dana was just featured as a singer\songwriter on a recent taping of CBC Toronto’s “Go!” radio show where she performed an original tribute to Premier Danny Williams! 
Daniel comes from a long line of traditional accordion and fiddle players from Cow Head on the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland. He is a well-known singer, actor and multi-instrumentalist who teaches at the Vinland Music Camp in Gros Morne National Park. Daniel has performed both as a musician and actor throughout North America, Australia and Europe. He is a recipient of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council's Emerging Artist Award and played a leading role in the Newfoundland-Ireland production of the TV miniseries, Random Passage, a portrayal of life in early Newfoundland. In 2004 Daniel started DOP Productions, which has since released four titles, an album of accordion music entitled The Four Stops, two button accordion instructional DVDs, and his first solo album, released in summer 2008 and entitled Chain. 
Kevin is a young and dynamic sound recording engineer who works with Rick Hollett at Record Time Productions here in St. John's. Working with him is always a pleasure because of his keen ears, knowledge of media and equipment, and his easy-going nature. We are pleased to include him as the engineer in our mobile digital studio, which will be set up in the Battery Hotel to offer demo recording onsite, to any musician who would like to schedule a session, during our trade fair. At the same time, Kevin will be demonstrating recording techniques and equipment (courtesy of Musicstop) for all those who would like to observe. We will have microphones, a digital drum kit, electric guitar and bass ready to go. Bring your own acoustic instruments. Sign-up for a session is required. You can do this online by sending an 
Joel Plaskett is a songwriter and performer with the soul of a troubadour and the heart of a rocker. His five critically acclaimed, award winning CDs trace the evolution of a major songwriting talent through songs that are heartfelt, intelligent and original. His performances – whether solo or with his rock band, “The Emergency” – are thought provoking, humorous, and hugely entertaining. His music has been heard in film and on television in Canada and the US. Joel was a multiple award winner at the 2008 ECMAs. 
Jill Porter, a prolific singer/songwriter has recently burst onto the Newfoundland music scene with her blend of pop/rock style, true-to-the bone performance and smoky vocals. Her unique style has lead to live performances with Matt Mays, Sam Roberts, Jimmy Rankin, and Michelle Wright. She has a solid track record serving as background vocalist for recording artists like Pamela Morgan, Mark Bragg, Terry Penny, Andrew Ledrew and The Novaks. With the release of her debut album in August 2005, we are seeing the emergence of a new major artist. The first single, Rock and Roll Songs has been in steady rotation on radio stations in Newfoundland and across Canada. Her second single Easy On You reached number 7 on Halifax’s Breakfast Television in August 2007. The self-titled album also earned her nominations for new artist of the year, female artist and alternative artist at the 2005 MusicNL awards conference. Early in 2006 she launched into the regional music scene with a highly anticipated tour through the Atlantic Provinces. The tour ended with an impressive lineup of showcase appearances in PEI during the ECMAs, which lead to a showcase opportunity at junofest in Halifax. 
As a composer, songwriter and event producer of over 20 years, Don Quarles is passionate about helping Canadian songwriters. He was a regional workshop coordinator for the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) for over 7 years and has helped to bring songwriting into Canadian schools with the founders of a program called SASS (School Alliance of Student Songwriters.) Quarles sits on the National Advisory Board of FACTOR and the music industry's National Training Advisory Committee for the Cultural Human Resources Council. He is the Executive Director of the Songwriters Association of Canada and the proud father of three great musical kids. He continues to write and perform, mostly with his family band 'The Family Quarles." He will host our forum on rights and remuneration. 
Guitarist/composer Gordon Quinton was born in Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and Labrador and now lives in St. John's. A unique, self-taught guitar stylist, he specializes in original compositions and arrangements of traditional and contemporary folk music. As a member of the popular group, Ward Six, which released an album in the early 1970s, Gordon has since produced eight instrumental guitar recordings, Guitar Songs, Woodnight Moon, Wildwood Flower, Sea-Winds: Original Guitar Music from Newfoundland, North Atlantic Dance, Molly Bawn: A Guitar Memoir, From a Christmas Guitar, and the newly released The Yellow Sky. Independently distributed on his Woodnight Records label, Gordon's recordings have crossed international borders into countries such as Japan, Norway and Australia. He has also contributed musically on several recordings by local artists including John White, Phyllis Morrissey, Shirley Montague, and John Lacey. 
Neil and Terri Rosenberg perform old-time songs and tunes from Newfoundland, Ireland and the American south. During their 2006 European World of Bluegrass tour they played at concerts and festivals in Holland, Switzerland, and Germany. They've performed at Sweets Mill Music Camp in California, and the Cat in the Cream Coffee House in Oberlin, Ohio. Featured guest performers and open mike regulars at St. John's Folk Club, their sets at festivals in Mount Pearl and Burin, and in concerts, coffee houses and jam sessions at Jamestown, Carbonear, Bay Roberts, Manuels and the Kirk Café, have been well-received.
Sherry Ryan on growing up in Middle Cove, Newfoundland; "I roller-skated to piano lessons on Saturday mornings. On rainy Saturday afternoons I listened to Carol King records and on Sunday evenings I put on my long dress and danced to the Irish Rovers television show". Raised on a land fertile with songs and storytelling, Sherry Ryan has proven herself a gifted lyricist who can take a personal experience and make it universal. Her debut album Bottom of a Heart (2005) has earned nationwide attention, extensive radio play and showcases across Canada and the US. Sherry was named Newfoundland & Labrador Female artist of the Year for 2006 and her song, One of Those Amazing Nights, was nominated for SOCAN Song of the Year. Following on the success of Bottom of a Heart comes Ryan's second release, Wonderful Cures, another showcase for Sherry's exceptional songwriting. Produced by Mark Bragg and recorded in St. John's by Don Ellis, this album is a bit of a departure in that the bulk of the recording was done in just three days. In an effort to showcase Ryan's evolution as a songwriter, producer Mark Bragg chose to work with fewer musicians in a live setting to create a more soulful, stripped down record. 
Jack Schuller, CEO of Festival Record Distribution, has been working in the Canadian music industry for more than twenty years. Festival Distribution is a Canadian independent record label and music distributor, specializing in folk music and world music artists. The company releases albums on the imprint Jericho Beach Music. Artists who have released records on the label include James Keelaghan, Wyrd Sisters, Oscar Lopez, Allison Crowe, Connie Kaldor, Veda Hille, Ian Tamblyn, Garnet Rogers, Alpha Yaya Diallo and The Wailin' Jennys. Festival has provided Canadian distribution for a wide range of folk, roots and world artists. With the closing of their warehouse this Spring, Jack is dealing with the impact of digital distributionb. He will be able to apply first hand experience to the challenges facing independent recording artists. 
Eddie Schwartz is best known for such classic hit songs as Hit Me With Your Best Shot recorded by Pat Benatar, Don't Shed A Tear by Paul Carrack, The Doctor by the Doobie Brothers and When There’s Time For Love by Lawrence Gowan. He has had some two hundred songs recorded and performed by artists such as Joe Cocker, Carly Simon, Peter Frampton, Robert Palmer, Jeffrey Osborne, Donna Summer, Rita Coolidge, Rascal Flatts, Amy Sky, April Wine, Matt Minglewood and Mountain, among others. A native of Toronto, Eddie has won numerous music industry awards including multiple Junos, BMI awards and SOCAN awards, and SOCAN's prestigious William Harold Moon award. He has released four albums of his own which have garnered international acclaim and included top 30 singles in the United States. Schwartz is President of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, President of the Songwriters Association of Canada, and Chair of the International Music Creators Coalition, which is working to monetize digital music file sharing internationally. 
Bill Sharpe will be one of our concert hosts. He is a regular host on Coast 101.1 radio here in St. John's."
Bill Skolnik's 25-year career in the entertainment industry is extensive and varied. He has worked as a musician, music director, composer, arranger, lyricist, and music producer. He first joined the AFM in 1972 and has lived in various parts of Canada. He has been an active member of Locals 149 ( Toronto, ON), 145 ( Vancouver, BC), and 547 ( Calgary, AB). From 1998 until August of 2007 he served as the Executive Director of Local 149, the Toronto Musicians’ Association, which he successfully moved from the brink of insolvency to a point of economic stability and growth. In June of 2007 he was elected to the position of Vice President from Canada of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada. Mr. Skolnik has been instrumental in developing ground-breaking provisions that affect musicians, composers and producers working in the Canadian film, television and theatre industries. He also holds memberships in the Canadian Media Guild, the National Radio Producers' Association, the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) and was a founding member of The Guild of Canadian Film Composers (GCFC). 
The St. John's new music duo Spanner is an ongoing collaboration between St. John’s experimental musicians Paul Bendzsa and Rob Power. They have been performing together for the past six years. Bendzsa plays a variety of saxophones, clarinets, flutes, whistles, percussion, toys, and analog synthesizers. Power employs a vast array of percussion instruments, ranging from standard drums and cymbals to exotic sounds, hand drums, found objects, and homemade experimental instruments. The result can be subtle, explosive, contemplative, inspiring, but always playful. Last year Spanner's self-titled debut CD led to performances at the Stockholm Jazz Festival, Sound Symposium, and the Memorial University School of Music. Spanner's performances have been broadcast nationally on CBC Radio and Swedish National Radio. Earlier this year the group was featured at The Rooms in St. John’s, as part of SOCAN’s New Music in New Places initiative. 
Singer/songwriter Jerry Stamp started performing locally at age 13, eventually got a music degree and then ran off to tour canada with his band King Nancy....He has shared the stage with artists like Broken Social Scene, Sam Roberts, Controller Controller and Pilot Speed (formerly known as Pilate) to name a few. Jerry played almost 200 shows last year and since has begun learning to use recording gear, prepped work on a new solo album and released King Nancy's third album, This Is Not A High-Five.
Toronto-based guitarist Margaret Stowe performs all over Canada and Europe. A versatile, jazz-based guitarist and bandleader for over two decades, she has performed and recorded with a host of Canadian/International artists including Jackie Richardson, Ellen McIlwaine, Georgette Fry, Rita Chiarelli, Suzie Vinnick, Mose Scarlett, Jackie Washington, Lorraine Segato, Salome Bey, Molly Johnson, Serena Ryder, Suzie McNeil, Dawn Tyler Watson, Tony Quarrington, Lawrence Martin, Vern Cheechoo, Jane Bunnett, Shakura S'Aida, Big Rude Jake and the incomparable Daisy DeBolt.
Jowi Taylor is a Toronto-based writer and broadcaster. He was host and co-producer of the CBC Radio program Global Village and founder of Bright Eyed Inevitable Inc. He has composed commissioned works of music, coordinated major music festivals, appeared in films and on television and contributed reviews and other journalism to magazines such as Shift and Montage. His new initiative, the Six String Nation Guitar Project, resulted in the creation of a uniquely Canadian musical instrument, incorporating pieces of Canadian heritage, as a focus for national awareness. It represents the coalescence of Jowi’s interests in music, media, technology, education and Canadian identity. Jowi will be sharing the results of his work in schools and communities across Canada with the Six String Nation Guitar.
Ellen Versteeg-Lytwyn is administrator of the American Federation of Musicians’ and Employers’ Pension Welfare Fund in Canada, the AFM-EPW FUND (Canada). She has proudly served in that capacity for 37 years. As well as overseeing the Fund’s daily operation she has been instrumental in the ongoing development and changes in the pension plan rules and their implementation. During her years with the Fund it has grown from $3 million to over $620 million, providing much needed benefits (retirement, death and disability) to musicians in Canada. 
El Viento Flamenco is made up of artists who are in love with their tradition, but who also bring their own voices to the genre. The group's musical influences include everything from gospel and blues to Turkish and Armenian folk music. In addition to singing in Spanish, the musicians are writing and singing their own lyrics in their own languages, which for this group happen to include English, French, Turkish, and Armenian! El Viento Flamenco stands subtly but resolutely outside of the pure flamenco tradition. 
Graham Wells is an accomplished performer whose breadth of knowledge of Newfoundland traditional music is impressive. He has played with a number of well known groups locally and recently released his own debut CD. His prowess on the button accordion is a source of local renown, and he is much sought after as an accompanist by other traditional musicians. Playing under his grandfather’s tutelage from the age of five, Graham’s most recent musical manifestations include co-founding and touring internationally with the acclaimed group A Crowd of Bold Sharemen, and recording and playing with Juno Award-winning act The Irish Descendants. For more than a decade, Graham’s has been developing his talents within the local session scene. With the 2008 release of his debut solo recording, Traditional Music of Newfoundland, Graham steps forward as a new standard-bearer for his island’s musical heritage, offering a touchstone for its blossoming future. 
Alan Willaert toured as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist in classic rock bands for 20 years before joining the Canadian office of the AFM. He is well-known across the country for the consistent support he has provided to Canadian AFM local associations and members. As International Representative/ Supervisor, Electronic Media and Intellectual Property for the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM), he is involved in many aspects of change in the music industry. These may include such electronic media specifics such as royalties, new use and special payments as well as new Canadian Copyright legislation. He travels extensively throughout the US and Canada, and is based in the Toronto office of AFM Canada. 
