To celebrate Black Music Month in June, the National Music Centre (NMC) will present a special event curated by former MuchMusic VJ Master T and hosted by CBC Key of A’s Tarik Robinson on June 7 at the King Eddy.
“From jazz to soul and hip-hop to rock’n’roll, Black artists have pioneered some of the most influential genres in history,” said Master T. “Black Music Month is a time to celebrate those contributions and put a spotlight on today’s Black Canadian artists.”
The program features performances from lo-fi soul act Sargeant X Comrade, Edmonton-bred hip-hop/R&B titan K-Riz, Calgary jazz pianist, music producer, and composer Timothonius, and Nigerian-Canadian DJ Jadé, who fuses house, disco, afrobeats, and pop into her sets. The evening will also include an open mic for emerging Black talent, where artists will have a chance to flex their skills and receive live industry insight and feedback by a panel of Black music industry professionals, who will share their own experiences navigating the industry as independent artists. The panel includes K-Riz, up-and-coming R&B singer LATISHA, vocalist and beatmaker Lowkita, and R&B crooner Ethan Cybril.
Emerging Black artists are encouraged to submit an original song to be considered for the open mic. The top four submissions will be invited to perform the song live on the evening of Friday, June 7. Each artist will receive an honorarium and live feedback onstage from a panel of established musicians. Artists interested in performing and receiving feedback can upload their submissions at studiobell.ca/bmm24 by Friday, May 31 at 11:59 pm MT.
NMC Presents: Black Music Month at the King Eddy happens on June 7 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $15 or $10 for NMC Members at studiobell.ca/whats-on. To become an NMC Member, visit studiobell.ca/become-a-member and save on NMC events and exhibitions.
The National Music Centre (NMC) has a mission to amplify the love, sharing, and understanding of music. It is preserving and celebrating Canada’s music story inside its home at Studio Bell in the heart of the East Village in Mohkinstsis (Calgary) on Treaty 7 territory. NMC is the home to four Canadian music halls of fame, including the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Quebec’s ADISQ Hall of Fame. Featuring musical instruments, artifacts, recording equipment, and memorabilia, the NMC Collection spans over 450 years of music history and innovation. A registered charity with programs that include exhibitions, artist development, performance, and education, NMC is inspiring a new generation of music lovers. For more information about NMC’s onsite activities, please visit studiobell.ca. To check out the NMC experience online, including video-on-demand performances, made-in-Canada stories, and highly entertaining educational content, visit amplify.nmc.ca.
