SHOWCASE PEI 2009 DELEGATE GUIDE Mark Ringwood Roots Around the World [email protected] www.rootsaroundtheworld.info Agent England Agent running both Roots Around the World (agency) and live gigs. Currently working on tours in 2010 for Nudie & The Turks, and Christina Martin. Previous tours for PEI Artists include many for Richard Wood, and Teresa Doyle. Programming various venues and festivals in the UK and overseas. 2001 – December 2007 Presented ‘Roots Around the World’ on Spirit FM (coverage throughout West Sussex) which started as being a non- presenting guest invited to play music for one hour per month and ended up presenting and producing a 3 hour show every week often with special guest live interviews: Linda Gail Lewis, Martyn Joseph, Debbie Bonham, Richard Durrant, Dave Pegg, Mike Sanchez, Eric Bibb, Duncan McKenzie, John Otway, Nuru Kane, Ann Peebles, etc. Production Director for the UK’s largest outdoor Blues Festival ‘Blues on the Farm’ (2000-2007). Founder and Artistic Director of ‘HI-There’ Festival on Hayling Island (1996-1999) a multi-arts festival in a small community but which brought: Eric Bibb, Eliza Carthy, Bert Jansch, Alvin Youngblood-Hart (first UK show), Baka Beyond, Gesuino Deiana, George Melly, The Holmes Brothers, Merengada, Big Bill Morganfield (first UK show) and more to perform in makeshift but suitable venues on the Island. Previously: Running Nico Polo record label, tour manager for Allan Holdsworth. Marketing and Programming Portsmouth Festival, and Portsmouth Bicentennial Festival. Programmer & Deputy Manager for The Bognor Regis Arts Centre. Marketing Manager and Programmer for The Hexagon, Reading, semi-pro footballer Programming and marketing Reading Arts Festival. Marketing Greenwich Festival, programming blues/folk/jazz at The Tramshed, Woolwich, regular presenter on London’s first community radio station ‘Thamesmead Insound’. Marketing Swansea Grand Theatre, regular guest slots on ILR Swansea Sound. Tour manager & on the road promotion for: Supertramp, Nils Lofgren, The Strawbs, Andy Fairweather- Low, Billy Connolly and others. Agent for LPG (Larry Page Group) touring The Troggs, ‘signed’ The 101’ers’ (Joe Strummer’s first band). Social Secretary for Sheffield Polytechnic. Steve Butler Paquin Agency [email protected] Www.paquinentertainment.com Agent Toronto Hailing from St. John's, Newfoundland, Steve was formally trained in Classical Music Program at Memorial University (NL) and Jazz studies at St. Francais Xavier University (NS). With 20 years of experience in the music industry as a musician and an agent, Steve’s duties at Paquin Entertainment has him overseeing North American theatre and festival touring as well as developing some of the finest singer-songwriter, world and roots artists from around the world. Sue Urquhart Atlantic Presenters [email protected] www.atlanticpresenters.ca APA Charlottetown Sue Urquhart is the Executive Director of the Atlantic Presenters Association which is the regional presenters’ network of Atlantic Canada consisting of 60 theatres & festivals. She has worked in the arts for the past 17 years as Executive Director of the Indian River Festival and Event Manager & Coordinator of Contact East 2005, 2007 and 2009. Peter MacDonald OCFF [email protected] www.ocff.ca Conference Ottawa Peter is the Executive Director of The Ontario Council of Folk Festivals, Canada’s largest member-based folk/roots music organization. The OCFF is a network of 32 member festivals, some 60 organizations (record companies, bands, venues, presenters, managers, booking agents, publicists and other industry folks…) and about 400 individuals, most of them performers. At showcase events, Peter meets with other industry professionals to increase the connection between them and OCFF members, and he gathers intel on showcase performers who might fit well at Ontario events. He also solicits participation in the OCFF’s various programs, like its annual conference (October 15-18, 2009 in Ottawa) and showcase program. If you are looking for a door to open into the Ontario scene, have a chat with Peter. Before becoming the OCFF E.D., Peter ran Nutshell Music & Event Management, a production and promotion company, putting thousands of artists on stages over a 12-year period. www.ocff.ca Yvonne Matsell NorthbyNortheast [email protected] www.nxne.com Conference Toronto Co-founder of NXNE / director of music programming. Actively involved since inception . NXNE is now in its 16 year , bringing the best of both Canadian & International talent to the clubs & streets of Toronto. As a club talent buyer , Yvonne has been extremely active in supporting Toronto's indie music scene for many years. Has been the talent booker for such well known Toronto venues as : Ultrasound Showbar, the Horseshoe, Ted's Wrecking Yard & others . Involved in helping the early careers of such current established artists as: BNL, Lowest of the Low, Ron Sexsmith, The Headstones, Broken Social Scene, Sum 41, Jason Collett, Sarah Slean & many, many, others. For the past 8 years has been the music booker of the famed El Mocambo, under its current new ownership, and, has re-established it as a prime music venue, where, well know bands such as QOTSA , Daniel Lanois, Kaiser Chiefs, Jet, Hawksley Workman, the Weakerthans, have played. Jonas Coltier Evolve Festival [email protected] www.evolvefestival.com Festival, Antigonish, NS The Evolve Music and Awareness Festival is an annual 3-day summer celebration of music, culture, and social awareness. From its start in 2000 as a grassroots music and awareness festival featuring local bands, the festival has grown to showcase world-class performers from around the globe. Evolve also plays host to workshops that inform spectators about social issues such as personal wellbeing and environmental awareness. Waye Mason Halifax Pop Explosion [email protected] www.halifaxpopexplosion.com Festival, Halifax, NS I am a business person, educator, strategic planner, event organizer, and opinionated so an so who lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The HALIFAX POP EXPLOSION is a five day music, culture, and media festival and conference taking place October 20-24, 2009, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. This is the music festival's 17th anniversary. Josh Grady Salty Jam [email protected] http://www.saltyjam.ca/ Festival, St John, NB Saltyjam - Saint John’s Festival of Music’s roots date back to 1996 as the Saint John Jazz & Blues Festival. From humble beginnings as a small, modest festival the event has grown quite significantly in recent years. James Boyle Harvest Jazz & Blues [email protected] http://www.harvestjazzandblues.com Festival Fredericton A 10 year veteran of the Fredericton Music community and Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival programming committee, James has also worked as a musician, music teacher, promoter, sound technician, and artist manager. As a sound technician and tour manager, he as toured with high profile Canadian artists throughout North America and Europe. His most recent and notable endeavour to date is the establishment of Forward Music Group Inc. The label and artist management company, which James is both president and founder, works to advance the careers of east coast artists, all the while, continuing to put Fredericton on the map as a music leader across Canada and worldwide. Russell Easy Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival [email protected] www.folkharbour.com Festival, Lunenburg NS Russell Easy has been involved in the artistic direction of the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival for 8 years. He has gained considerable experience in this role playing an integral part in the festival’s success leading to East Coast Music Association (ECMA) and Music Nova Scotia nominations as Event of the Year. During Russell’ tenure several new initiatives have been developed at the festival including a local musician’s stage, instrument workshops, an extended tutorial workshop on the history of folk music and a songwriting competition now in its fifth successful year. Russell has acted as a mentor for the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals (OCFF) and the ECMA and as a member of the buyers program for both Music Nova Scotia and ECMA conferences. Russell is also co-Chair for the society’s year-round concert series where he is responsible for arranging the outstanding talent that has appeared at the event. His tireless efforts to develop new musical initiatives have helped draw a continuous stream of both committed and new folkies to the festival which in 2010 will celebrate its 25th anniversary. Troy Greencorn Stanfest [email protected] http://www.stanfest.com/ Festival Canso, NS Some of the finest songwriters and performers in North America gather at this festival, to celebrate Stan's lasting contributions to folk music. A new generation of powerful songwriters also come together with Stan's family members, friends and associates not just to share remembrances - but to create new songs and stories Phyllis Stenson Harrison Springs Festival [email protected] http://www.harrisonfestival.com/ Festival Harrison Hot Springs Phyllis has been the Executive & Artistic Director of the Harrison Festival for the last 27 years. The festival is a ten day event that takes place in the small resort town of Harrison Hot Springs, BC. The organization also presents ten concerts during the year. Programming focuses on the diverse cultures of the Canadian landscape and also includes international performers. The audiences