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‘Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story’ Opens In Canadian Cinemas Starting August 16

Michael Mabbott and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee’s award-winning Banger Films/National Film Board of Canada (NFB) feature documentary Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story is opening in cinemas across Canada beginning August 16, distributed by the NFB.

Nashville-born soul singer Jackie Shane boldly carved a new path as one of music’s pioneering Black trans performers—but on the edge of stardom, why did she suddenly leave the spotlight?

Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story hands the mic over to one of the most beguiling artists of the 20th century to finally reveal her truth, in her own unmistakable voice. The film combines never-before-heard phone conversations, dazzling animation and an original score by Murray Lightburn (The Dears), in a remarkable portrait that includes Elliot Page (X-Men, The Umbrella Academy) as executive producer.

To date, Any Other Way has won the Out in the Silence Award at the Frameline International LGBTQ+ Film Festival in San Francisco as well as the DGC Special Jury Prize – Canadian Feature Documentary at Hot Docs, where it was also a Top 10 Audience Favourite. The film currently has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

National screening schedule

More cities to come—filmmaker Q&As at select screenings:

Additional festival screenings:

A star is reborn. With an outsize stage presence that eclipsed R&B greats like Etta James and Little Richard, Black trans soul singer Jackie Shane was the real deal.

Vowing to escape the Jim Crow South, Jackie joined a travelling carnival and arrived in Cornwall, Ontario, in 1959. In 1960, she moved to Montreal, joining with bandleader Frank Motley and his Motley Crew band as its singer, touring Canada and the U.S. before settling in Toronto in 1961. In an era when voices like hers were silenced and marginalized, Jackie blazed an incandescent trail to the top of the charts in 1960s Toronto, where she ruled the nightclub scene.

After mysteriously vanishing from public view for almost 40 years, this little-known icon is given her ultimate due in Michael Mabbott and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee’s remarkable documentary portrait Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story, executive produced by Elliot Page.

With few recordings of her legendary performances, this film brings Jackie to life in her own words through never-before-heard phone conversations, dazzling rotoscope animation and a newly released song, part of an incredible soundtrack that seals Jackie’s place as one of the greatest soul performers of the 20th century.

The full scope of her extraordinary life and career is an epic journey, marked by family secrets, loss and love. From standing down the mob to telling off Ed Sullivan, Jackie lived as her most authentic self through talent, courage and an unbreakable commitment to truth. But on the eve of her return to the stage, fate had other plans. In Any Other Way, Jackie finally gets her second act. Or in her own words: “Oh, Honey! When it comes to Jackie, look out!”

‘Sounds & Pressure: Reggae in a Foreign Land’ premieres August 23 on NFB

At the height of the golden age of reggae, some of Jamaica’s brightest stars left their homeland to relocate to Toronto. Now their stories and the musical community they helped build are celebrated in Graeme Mathieson and Chris Flanagan’s captivating National Film Board of Canada (NFB) anthology series Sounds & Pressure: Reggae in a Foreign Land, premiering August 23 on nfb.ca and the NFB’s streaming platform for smart TVs.

Toronto’s Paradise Theatre will also host a special screening and launch event on August 22.

Through rare archives, electrifying needle drops and lively interviews, this five-part series takes viewers from Kingston to Kensington Market to see and hear how reggae made roots in Canada against all odds, chronicling the musical and geographical journeys of Nana McLean, Johnny Osbourne, Leroy Sibbles, Jerry Brown and the duo of Roy Panton and Yvonne Harrison.

Getting their sound to catch on in Canada wasn’t easy. These innovators of rhythm and rhyme had to work against racism, scarce resources and an industry that stigmatized reggae music. But that didn’t stop them from transforming the city into a reggae mecca. With a powerful message of love and a revolutionary spirit behind them, these visionaries faced the pressure head on—and thanks to them, you can still feel the infectious beats of Bathurst Street and Eglinton Avenue reverberating all over the world.

Prior to the online launch, the Paradise Theatre (1006c Bloor Street West) is hosting a special Toronto screening of all five episodes on August 22, starting at 8 p.m. The screening will be followed by a live Q&A with directors Graeme Mathieson and Chris Flanagan, and all five artists featured in the series, moderated by journalist/radio host Danae Peart. General admission is $15.00 + HST/fees. Tickets are available now at eventbrite.

My Next Read: “Revolutionary Spirit: A Post-Punk Exorcism” by Paul Simpson

Part memoir, part social history, Revolutionary Spirit is the poignant, often hilarious story of a cult Liverpool musician’s scenic route to fame and artistic validation, and marks the arrival of an original literary voice.

If Morrissey was the Oscar Wilde of the 1980s indie scene, Simpson was its William Blake; a self-destructive genius so lost in mystical visions of a new arcadia that he couldn’t meet the rent. Simpson’s career begins alongside fellow Liverpool luminaries Ian McCulloch, Bill Drummond, Will Sergeant, Pete Wylie, Pete Burns, and Holly Johnson at the infamous Eric’s club, where, in 1976, he finds himself at the birth of the city’s second great musical explosion. He co-founds and christens the neo-psychedelic pop group The Teardrop Explodes with Julian Cope but walks out of the band just as they are about to break big and goes to work in a tearoom instead. He then forms The Wild Swans, the indie-band of choice for literary-minded teens in the early 1980s, and Care with Ian Broudie of The Lightning Seeds, sharing a flat with a seventeen-year-old Courtney Love along the way.

Marriage, fatherhood, tropical illness, and divorce follow, interspersed with artistic collaborations with Bill Drummond and members of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, among others. Following an onstage reunion with Cope at the Royal Festival Hall, Simpson discovers that seven thousand miles away, in the Philippines, he is considered a musical god. Presidential suites, armed-guards, police escorts—you couldn’t make it up, and, incredibly, he doesn’t need to.

Revolutionary Spirit is the story of a musician driven by an unerring belief that artistic integrity will bring its own rewards. It concludes with an exorcism of sorts as Simpson finally rids himself of the debilitating demon of psychological depression that has, from the age of nine, run like malware in the background of his life.

Photo Gallery: Slash with Keb’ Mo’ and ZZ Ward at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage

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All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her through Instagram or X.

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Larry Folk’s “Hey Politician!” Is A Bluegrass Scorcher Taking Aim at Today’s Divisive Political Climate

Retribution; in-fighting; stalling; personal attacks; Sounds like a plot from HBO’s hit series Succession. Actually, it’s politics as usual these days. And just like that hit show, it’s hard to find a likeable character among our current elected officials. Toronto-based composer and vocalist Larry Folk follows up his moving song of goodbye (“Gathering of Friends”) with a to-the-point commentary on the current political climate called “Hey Politician!” Though never intended to be released publicly, the atrocious level of un-civility that exists in today’s politics begs for the song’s inclusion in his upcoming album Lessen the Blue. In the tradition of the great protest songs of the past, Larry’s view on the outrageous behavior is a biting statement on our divided reality. “Hey Politician!” is a fast, upbeat bluegrass scorcher that calls for a return to civility. In the words of Bob Dylan, “You gotta serve somebody.” When it comes to our public officials, that should be the people.

For more than 45 years Larry Folk has written and performed in a variety of styles, moving with ease and sustained emotion from simple folk ballads to the swinging standards of the Great American Songbook. On “Hey Politician!” He plays everything except for the bass playing of Pat Collins, and Folk engineered the recording which Murray Daigle mixed.

Folk’s ability to write lyrics that create stunning visuals for his listeners is matched perfectly to his masterful guitar playing. Larry’s early songs mused about love and the beauty of the vast Canadian wilderness but didn’t shy away from more serious subjects such as the horrible treatment of North America’s Indigenous Peoples. In the 80’s he performed his original song “Amandla! Ngawethu! (Power to the People)” on Ottawa’s Parliament Hill and at Toronto City Hall during rallies to end Apartheid in South Africa. A completely new version of that song called “There is a Power” appears on Lessen the Blue.

Larry’s songs continue to challenge the status quo, confronting our complex relationship with the planet, political divisions, the loss of innocence, and his response to Covid 19. He wrote his guitar piece, “Nunca Mas,” in response to the atrocities inflicted on the citizens of Argentina by the military in the 70’s. The title is the name of the committee formed to investigate what happened and translates as “never more.” The forthcoming album includes a new version for solo guitar.

Toronto Pop Artist And Actress Harriet Chung Takes Us Through A Bad Romance With Glam-Inspired “Popcorn Film”

When someone ghosts you, it hurts like hell. But pop artist Harriet Chung manages to make the whole thing sound glam – and even somewhat rock opera – in her whimsical and soaring new single “Popcorn Film.”

Accompanied by guitars, piano, and beautiful backup-singer harmonies, Harriet Chung sets up the premise of her “Popcorn Film” love story:

Our popcorn film seemed complete
We shared our favorite things to eat
Then took a stroll along a sandy beach
We held hands
Skipped rocks
Took some pics
Kissed in bright Muskoka chairs
A crack of thunder rumbled down from the sky

And then we get an actual crack of thunder, right before we learn that the narrator’s lover is ambivalent at best: “Cuz I could see a cloud over you/ Something inside you wasn’t true/ I could sense it all within your sighs.”

The romance unravels, until the beloved disappears and the ‘popcorn film’ is revealed to be an imaginary bliss. “It’s a heartfelt journey through love and loss, and it captures the bittersweet essence of a relationship that felt perfect but slowly revealed its cracks,” says Chung.

For “Popcorn Film,” Chung is joined by Warren Robert (arranger, bass, guitars, midi), Christopher Siu (piano), Randy Cooke (drums), and Rique Franks (backup vocals).

Harriet Chung was born in Hong Kong and grew up dancing, singing, and playing the piano. As a member of children’s choirs that performed around Europe and the United States, Harriet became enamored with the west at a young age. After graduating from high school, she majored in dance at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts.

Harriet moved to Toronto to further her dance training at the National Ballet of Canada. Afterwards, she danced professionally with the Empire State Ballet, Ontario Ballet Theatre, and Xing Dance Theater, among others. During this time, she also landed roles in operetta and musical theatre productions. Harriet’s career took a huge turn when she was cast in the Toronto production of The Phantom of the Opera. Most notably she has won numerous Best Actress awards for her portrayal of the titular character in the internationally acclaimed musical Golden Lotus.

Harriet’s debut album A World Away was released in January 2023 and includes her hit track “A World Away (Remix)” and “Today and Tomorrow,” which won Best Original Song at the New York Movie Awards. Its music video won Best Music Video at the Los Angeles Film Awards and the Seattle Filmmaker Awards. Harriet was also awarded as Best Artist of the Future for her single and music video of Old Montreal at them World Class Film Awards in Mexico City.

Harriet will also be appearing at the Stratford Festival in the world premiere production of “Salesman in China” opening August 23.

Copyrighting All The Melodies To Avoid Accidental Infringement

In the litany of copyright infringement lawsuits, technology lawyer and musician Damien Riehl demonstrates that music is merely math, and has a finite number of possible melodies. If you’ve ever thought a song you like sounded similar to another, the culprit may not be an unethical forger, but rather the limited mathematical musical equations that our favorite artists have to work with. Current copyright law is at risk of severely limiting future music creation and future human creativity. This talk suggests a new way to handle these legal cases. Damien Riehl is a technology lawyer with a B.S. in music. After beginning to code in 1985, and for the web in 1995, he has worked for the chief judges of state and federal courts; litigated for a decade; taught law-school copyright classes; and led teams in software development, digital forensics, proactive cybersecurity, reactive cybersecurity incidents, and world-scale investigations. Damien’s combined experience in the law, technology, and music has inspired his most recent project—copyrighting billions of unique melodies. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

“Let’s All Sing Like The Birdies Sing” – The Beagles’ 1964 Novelty EP Brings Canine Crooning to the Charts

In a whimsical twist on musical novelty, The Beagles’ 1964 EP “Let’s All Sing Like The Birdies Sing” delivers a playful and unforgettable auditory experience with its unique concept: dogs barking to the tunes of two popular songs. This quirky release, featuring the distinctive barks of canine vocalists set to well-known melodies, captured the imagination of listeners and showcased a creative take on the novelty genre. With its lighthearted approach and charmingly absurd premise, the EP quickly became a cult favorite.

The Kennedy Center Announces 47th Class of Honorees: Grateful Dead, Bonnie Raitt, Arturo Sandoval and The Apollo

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced the selection of five Honorees who will receive the 47th Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievements. Recipients to be honored at the annual national celebration of the arts in Washington, D.C. this December are: acclaimed director and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola; legendary American rock band the Grateful Dead (Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Bobby Weir); blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Bonnie Raitt; jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer Arturo Sandoval; and The Apollo, which will receive a special Honors as an iconic American institution. Done+Dusted are Executive Producers of the 47th annual Kennedy Center Honors, which airs on the CBS Television Network for the 47th year and will stream on Paramount+*.

“The Kennedy Center Honors recognizes artists who have made an extraordinary impact on the cultural life of our nation and continue to have an immeasurable influence on new generations,” stated Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein. “A brilliant and masterful storyteller with an unrelenting innovative spirit, Francis Ford Coppola‘s films have become embedded in the very idea of American culture; a social and cultural phenomenon since 1965, the Grateful Dead‘s music has never stopped being a true American original, while inspiring a fan culture like no other; Bonnie Raitt has made us love her again and again with her inimitable voice, slide guitar, and endless musical range encompassing blues, R&B, country rock, and folk; ‘an ambassador of both music and humanity,’ Arturo Sandoval transcended literal borders coming from Cuba 30-plus years ago and today continues to bridge cultures with his intoxicating blend of Afro Cuban rhythms and modern jazz; and on its 90th anniversary, The Apollo, one of the most consequential, influential institutions in history, has elevated the voices of Black entertainment in New York City, nationally, and around the world, and launched the careers of legions of artists.”

“Our Honorees this year have each played an invaluable, pioneering role in developing American culture—not with one act of art but with their decades-long devotion to pushing creative boundaries,” said Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter. “In December, we are thrilled to pay special tribute to New York City’s renowned Apollo Theater on its 90th anniversary. Throughout its history, The Apollo has guided us and the world forward by discovering and nurturing raw talent, molding a unique cultural identity that still defines American culture today. Across Honors weekend, artists with special connections to The Apollo will serve as ambassadors of the institution’s legacy.”

Throughout its 46-year history, the annual Honors Gala has become the highlight of the Washington cultural and society calendar. On Sunday, December 8, in a star-studded celebration on the Kennedy Center Opera House stage, the 47th class of Kennedy Center Honorees will be saluted by today’s leading performers from New York, Hollywood, and the arts capitals of the world. Seated in the Box Tier of the iconic Kennedy Center Opera House, the Honorees will accept the recognition and gratitude of their peers through performances and tributes. The 47th Kennedy Center Honors Gala concludes with a post-performance party in the Grand Foyer.

The Kennedy Center Honors recognizes and celebrates individuals whose unique contributions have shaped the way we see ourselves, each other, and our world. Recipients have each had an impact on the rich tapestry of American life and culture through the performing arts. Whether in music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures, or television, each Kennedy Center Honoree has a unique place in the national consciousness and their influence has inspired audiences from all walks of life.

The Honoree selection process includes solicitation of recommendations from former Honorees, the artistic community, the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees, and the general public. This year’s selected Honorees were chosen based on the recommendation of the Center’s Special Honors Advisory Committee, which is chaired by David Bohnett and includes past Honors recipients and distinguished artists Gloria Estefan, Sally Field, Renée Fleming, Herbie Hancock, Judith Jamison, Lionel Richie, and John Williams, as well as David M. Rubenstein, Deborah F. Rutter, Bryan Lourd, Cappy McGarr, Shonda Rhimes, and Daryl Roth. These individuals play a critical role in the evaluation and selection process, and the Kennedy Center is indebted to them for their involvement.

Each year, Honorees are confirmed by the Executive Committee of the Center’s Board of Trustees. The Honors are not designated by art form or category of artistic achievement; over the years, the selection process has produced balance among the various arts and artistic disciplines.

*Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service as well as on demand in the United States. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs in the U.S. only.

Matchbox Twenty Honored With SoundExchange Hall Of Fame Award

Photo: (L-R) Matchbox Twenty members Paul Doucette, Rob Thomas, Brian Yale, and Kyle Cook receive the SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award backstage prior to a performance at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo credit: Ashley Haer)

SoundExchange, the premier music tech organization powering the future of music, announced today that Matchbox Twenty has been honored with the SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award. The honor for the band responsible for such hits as “Push,” “3AM,” “Unwell,” “Bent,” and “If You’re Gone” recognizes their stature as one of the most streamed creators in the organization’s 20+ year history of administering digital performance royalties.

“It’s not hard to understand why Matchbox Twenty continues to delight an ever-growing fan base – between their legacy of hits, plus new music and packed tour dates nearly three decades into their career, the band is as vital today as they were at their start,” said Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange. “We are thrilled and honored to present Matchbox Twenty with the SoundExchange Hall of Fame Award.”

“What a great honor it is to have Sound Exchange bestow us with their Hall of Fame award,” said Matchbox Twenty guitarist Kyle Cook. “To me it affirms through earnings the hard work and dedication we in Matchbox Twenty put into the music we make.”

Matchbox Twenty has quietly woven their songs into the very fabric of American popular culture. The band has sold over 50 million records worldwide, dominated charts, garnered multiple GRAMMY Award nominations, and played to millions of fans in arenas, amphitheaters, and stadiums across continents.

Earning hits in each of the last three decades, Matchbox Twenty has gone from perennially dominating radio airwaves and ruling MTV to piling up streams in the billions, speaking to the enduring appeal of their music. Fueled by such classic songs as “Real World,” “Back 2 Good” and the No. 1 smash hits “Push” and “3AM,” 1996’s Diamond-certified Yourself or Someone Like You proved a worldwide sensation and instantly established the band as global superstars. 2000 saw the band release the four-times Platinum Mad Season, containing the No. 1 singles “Bent” and “If You’re Gone.” Their third release, More Than You Think You Are, also was certified double-Platinum and featured the No. 1 hit, “Unwell.” 2007’s greatest hits compilation album with six new songs, “Exile On Mainstream” yielded yet another No. 1 track, “How Far We’ve Come,” while 2012’s North, exploded into the top position on the Billboard 200 release – Matchbox Twenty’s first-ever chart-topper and No. 1 debut.

The band sounded refreshed as ever on 2023’s Where the Light Goes, benefiting from the musicians’ respective solo journeys. Rob Thomas has proven one of the most highly decorated artists of recent years – releasing five solo albums and receiving three GRAMMY Awards, 11 BMI Awards, the first-ever Songwriters Hall of Fame Hal David Starlight Award, two Billboard “Songwriter of the Year” honors, and top 5 placement on Billboard’s Top 20 Hot 100 Songwriters (2000-2011). Meanwhile, Paul Doucette has scored and contributed original music to film and television series such as Utopia, For All Mankind, and more.

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That Eric Alper
6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week, a 16-time JUNO Award winner overseeing PR campaigns, and have also been truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

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