East Coast Music Association Conference and Awards
by Steve Winick

The Maritime Report: Music of Eastern Canada

As readers might remember, in 1996 I provided coverage of Canada's East Coast Music Association conference and awards. I guess it took them five years to forget what a pain in the ass I was, because they finally asked me back for this year's show, the 13th annual ECMA. I was among a contingent of American delegates brought up by the Canadian Embassy and various consulates to help market Canadian music in the U.S. We participated in the conference by day and listened to an endless panoply of concerts and showcases by night. Government support for the arts is a beautiful thing, my friends. Especially when it pays my airfare.

The daytime aspect of the ECMA was a trade show for music industry professionals. Flesh was pressed, deals were made, and drinks were bought. A series of well-run and informative seminars allowed delegates to explore thorny issues affecting the music business. The seminar featuring us ugly Americans was about breaking into the U.S. market, a big concern for Canadian bands.

When evening came, schmoozing gave way to music. Each evening featured concerts in two places: the main show at the Confederation Center, and the jazz and classical show at the MacKenzie Theatre. At the same time as the jazz and classical series, showcases for emerging artists were held at the Delta Hotel. The separate jazz and classical venue was thus a mixed blessing; it was a good idea for people whose primary interest is in jazz and classical music, and also for people who can't stand the stuff. But this arrangement prevented those of us who wanted to catch the new talent from seeing any jazz or classical artists. This scheduling was an understandable compromise, but, like many things in life, it wasn't perfect.

I saw six artists in the concert series: Richard Wood, the Ennis Sisters, and Barachois on Friday, and Lennie Gallant, Damhnait Doyle, and Grand Dérangement on Saturday. Friday's concert was uniformly excellent. Wood, a native son of Prince Edward Island, treated us to a variety of fiddle tunes, from mournful slow airs to frenetic reels (his unofficial showcase on Saturday night foregrounded the harder-edged, rock side of his music). The Ennis Sisters performed stripped-down arrangements of material from their latest album, mostly self-penned songs. Self-assured performers as well as fine harmony singers, they've come a long way since I saw them in 1997; their interpretation of Sydney Carter's "Lord of the Dance" had the audience chair-dancing and foot-tapping with abandon. Barachois, a PEI Acadian band, performed French language songs and fine fiddle tunes laced with goofy humor. It also did a set of Cajun music, explaining the essential differences between Cajuns and Acadians. ("They play the washboard, we play the cake rack.")

Saturday's concert was also enjoyable. Singer/songwriter Lennie Gallant played a set that included classics like "Peter's Dream" alongside his newest masterpiece, "Pieces of You." It was a great, if short, performance. Newfoundland pop singer/songwriter Damhnait Doyle impressed everyone with the sheer range and power of her voice, showing why she garnered the most ECMA nominations of any artist this year. Emcee Eric MacEwan's hilarious shaggy-dog stories gave several of the American delegates the giggles, which persisted throughout Grand Dérangement's set. The band's exaggerated acting and frilly 18th-century garments did nothing to dispel the laughter. Its nearly X- rated step-dancing — young girls in short skirts tapping away while sitting in chairs at the front of the stage — made a lot of people think of Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. While its music was energetic and generally very good, the theatricality, especially the over-rehearsed movements, were jarring. They're very proud of having played at Disney World, but the last thing I want to see is animatronic Acadians.

After the concerts came showcases, bar gigs, and informal music sessions. I was very happy to hear New Brunswick fiddle legend Ivan Hicks, along with Kendra MacGillivray and the seemingly ubiquitous Richard Wood, performing an impromptu fiddle session in the hotel. At Myron's Bar I was finally able to see Newfoundland folk-rock group The Fables in concert, and was very impressed with its chops, its songwriting, and its arrangements of traditional Irish and Newfoundland songs. At the showcases I caught a variety of acts, from folk to grunge. Folk acts to watch for in the future include Cape Breton fiddler Jennifer Roland (who performed her set behind a posse of step-dancing cuties doing the jiggly jig); PEI Acadian band Celtitude, which performs fiddle tunes and French songs with style and energy to spare; and Cape Breton singer/fiddler Glenn Graham, whose combination of classy fiddling and up-front rock 'n' roll make him a sort of down-to-earth Ashley MacIsaac. Somewhere along the way, I also caught Celtic Tide, a Nova Scotia Celtic band made up of members of the Chaisson family. They struck me as very talented and personable, a great combination that could take them a long way.

At the industry awards brunch on Friday, awards were presented for such categories as industry professional of the year (Andre Bourgeois), manager of the year (Sheri Jones) and indie label of the year (Tidemark). It was also the venue for the Stompin' Tom awards, a prize that goes to musicians — mostly folk musicians — who have made a long-term contribution to Atlantic Canadian music. This year's went to Newfoundland ballad singer and accordion player Dorman Ralph; PEI fiddlers Joseph, Kenny, Kevin, and Peter Chaisson; New Brunswick singer/songwriter/accordionist Lorraine Diotte; Cape Breton fiddler and composer Marcel Doucet; and mainland Nova Scotia fiddle legend Hugh A. MacDonald. Since most of these artists are deceased, it was a time for touching family remembrances, as well as musical celebration. And the food was good, too!

The awards show itself, held on Sunday night, was a high-quality, glitzy affair. Charlottetown is a small city in Canada, so the biggest hall in town has floorboards laid down over a hockey rink. The only ill effect of this was cold feet, which afflicted the audience as much as the nominees. The CBC televised only about half of the awards show, which made the experience a little weird. Right in the middle, there was a huge opening number to mark the start of the televised portion, featuring Richard Wood, Grand Dérangement, Jeremiah Sparks, and Native American drums and chants. As someone quipped, it would be the perfect theme song if Survivor featured 14 numskulls stranded on PEI! The show also contained a lot of musical numbers, including a grunge band that was accompanied by fireworks and skatepunks doing stunts. Musical highlights included performances by Lennie Gallant, high-energy swing group The Jive Kings, and country singer Julian Austin.

The number one musical moment was a tribute to Nova Scotia native and former PEI resident Anne Murray. Murray, a four-time Grammy winner, 31-time Juno Winner, and Canadian Music Hall of Famer, was on hand to receive the ECMA Board of Directors Special Achievement Award. The tribute, which featured vocalists Linda Carvery, Damhnait Doyle, the Ennis Sisters, Holly Cole, and Lisa McDougall, consisted of some of Murray's greatest hits from over the years, including (of course) "Snowbird." Murray made a classy speech that made it clear her heart was in East Coast Canada. Another lifetime achievement award went posthumously to the Newfoundland singer/accordionist Harry Hibbs, who was one of the top Canadian recording artists of his era. Having Hibbs and Murray share a similar honor is exactly what makes the ECMA so great — it's a big popular music show that allows folk music to shine.

There were few upsets at the awards, but there were some surprises. The prize for roots/ traditional solo artist, for example, went to Lennie Gallant, who hasn't performed in a traditional band in decades. Gallant was classy enough to point this out in his speech, and to suggest the award really should have gone to fiddler Buddy MacMaster. More surprisingly, the Barra MacNeils won group of the year, but were not even nominated for roots/traditional group, or for any other category. As many audience members asked, "What's up with that?"

The most awards went to Damhnait Doyle, who took home prizes for the year's best rock artist, female artist, video, and single, the last two for her hit "Tattooed." Close behind was Lennie Gallant, who picked up nods for male artist, roots/traditional artist, and album of the year (for Lennie Gallant Live). In a nice show of support for fellow artists, Great Big Sea took itself out of the running for entertainer of the year, which it has won every year since 1996. Bob Hallett explained to me that the band wanted to give someone else a chance. I'm sure the band was delighted that it went to another Newfoundland folk-rock group, The Fables. This might make D'Arcy Broderick the only person to have won this award with two different bands; he was also in The Irish Descendants, which won several times in the mid 90s. Natalie MacMaster picked up the instrumental artist of the year award, and the Jive Kings picked up the jazz group of the year, both good decisions in my book.

As all such events must, ECMA weekend came to an abrupt end on Monday. Next year's show will be in Moncton, New Brunswick. With any luck, I'll see you there!

The Maritime Report: Young Artist Spotlight
Kendra MacGillivray

Kendra MacGillivray's ancestors are from Scotland, but her family has lived in Canada since the 18th century. For as long as anyone can remember, they've been fiddlers. MacGillivray's hometown of Antigonish, on Nova Scotia's eastern mainland, lies halfway between the provincial capital in Halifax and Cape Breton Island's main city of Sydney. It is a musical crossroads of great importance, and a starting point for the history of Canadian fiddle records. "My grandfather, Hugh A. MacDonald, was a pioneer recording artist back in the 1930s," MacGillivray explained in a February interview. "He and a fellow Antigonisher were the first two fiddlers to record Scottish fiddle music in Canada." For his importance to the tradition, MacDonald was awarded a Stompin' Tom award at this year's ECMA.

MacGillivray's family tradition doesn't end with her famous grandpa, however. "My whole family plays the fiddle," she explained, and most of them play other instruments, as well. Kendra, her brother Troy, and her sister Sabra are also accomplished dancers. "Music has been played in our house for as long as I can remember," she recalled. "Between my mom taking fiddle lessons and the constant playing of records and tapes, I grew up listening to fiddle music."

MacGillivray was able to play tunes by ear before she ever took lessons. But beginning formal instruction from Stan Chapman was still quite a milestone for the young musician. "Stan was a great teacher," she enthused. Her fellow students weren't too bad, either. "I was in a group class with Natalie MacMaster, Ashley MacIsaac, Wendy MacIsaac, Neil Beaton, John Pellerin, and Jackie Dunn, among others," she explained. "We played quite a bit together as a group." One of those group performances occurred in Halifax in 1984, and their audience included Pope John Paul II.

After holding her own in such a challenging class, MacGillivray clearly had what it took to make a career of music. Soon after she graduated university, the invitations started coming in. "I was invited to perform my fiddle music in a Tourism Nova Scotia promotion in Scandinavia in the fall of 1995," she explained. "After a few more of these opportunities, which have taken me around the world, I started my own company, Kenroy Music Productions, and decided to put my business degree to use for my music business."

Among MacGillivray's staunchest companions are her siblings Troy and Sabra. Troy is her regular accompanist, plays terrific piano solos, and also does fiddle duets with Kendra. Sabra often joins them, dancing and playing the bodhrán. "I think it's really special that I get to perform with my brother," she said. Then she added. "Sabra is a great addition to the team, and the fact that she choreographs her own dances to our music is beautiful."

One of the greatest concerts the MacGillivrays have played together was a tribute for John Morris Rankin, the Rankin Family band member who died in a 2000 car accident. They played a selection of Rankin's compositions, finishing off with the girls step-dancing to Troy's piano. "John Morris was an inspiration and a friend to us," MacGillivray said. "I think he would have been very touched with the tribute, and I think he would be happy knowing that we will be playing his music for years to come." Other highlights of Kendra's stage career include a showcase at the 1998 ECMA conference in Halifax and an appearance at the Stan Rogers Folk Festival.

MacGillivray's music is available on three recordings. Her first two showcase her fiddling in a purely traditional context of fiddle, piano, and guitar. Many of the tunes on these recordings were ones her grandfather had recorded on 78 r.p.m. discs, which have not been available in another format. Her latest recording, Over the Waves, contains a wider variety of tunes, including some of her own compositions, and a wider variety of accompanists, as well.

When she's not touring, performing, or recording, MacGillivray is a music teacher at the Maritime Conservatory in Halifax. "I love passing on the tradition to the next generation," she said. "I have traveled to lots of really neat places to perform for others. I take those experiences back with me and into the classroom. To the students, I think that it all seems a little glamorous."

CD review:
Kendra MacGillivray is a granddaughter of Nova Scotia fiddle legend Hugh A. MacDonald, a student of Stan Chapman, and a classmate of Natalie MacMaster and Ashley MacIsaac. But on Over the Waves [Kenroy Music KMGCD3 (2000)] she progresses beyond all those associations, accepting the best of all of them and building the rest for herself. The result is a fiddle album with a refreshing variety of sounds. If you like the dance tunes common to all Celtic music, there's a nice selection here, including a set of reels and hornpipes played as a duet with guest banjoist J.P. Cormier. If you like the strathspeys and reels played for highland dancing, MacGillivray's set with highland piper Ann Grey is rhythmic and rousing. If your taste runs more to swing, there's a pretty pair of rags, and for romantics MacGillivray includes a waltz played with members of Symphony Nova Scotia. Throughout the disc, MacGillivray's vibrant and powerful bowing brings great, driving pulses out of the fiddle. Meanwhile her brother Troy surpasses the role usually given to accompanists, adding lift and swing with his jaunty piano. Dave MacIsaac's superlative guitar playing underlies it all tastefully, and a low-key rhythm section of John Chiasson (bass) and Scott Ferguson (drums) crops up here and there when necessary. None of it distracts from the central role played by MacGillivray and her fiddling, and she is more than equal to the task.

This is an exceprt from Dirty Linen #94 To read it all, buy it on the newsstand or subscribe!