Artists3

Artists



320 Yonge Night Bus: Bloor Station – Steeles

Absolutely Free 

Absolutely free is a band that started in 2011 after the dissolution of the art punk band, DD/MM/YYYY. Michael Claxton, Matt King and Moshe Fisher-Rozenberg – now joined by long time friend, Jason Jang – create highly considered subtly psychedelic electronic art type rock music.

They have released 2 Polaris nominated albums (1 long list), 3 EPs, and a series of singles and film soundtracks. They have performed all over North America and Europe at festivals, concert halls, bars, movie theaters, and multiple swimming pools with groups like alvvays, beak, U.S. Girls, preoccupations and dan deacon.

 

 

 

72 Bay: Queens Quay x Richardson – Bay Street x Lakeshore Boulevard West

Andrew Afework

Andrew Afework is a musician, producer, songwriter, and piano instructor from Toronto, Canada. Andrew has been playing the piano since he was 4 years old and producing music since he was 16. He is a graduate of The Remix Project, and has since had his music featured on both TV and Radio, while also producing for Juno award winning artists JRDN and The Natural Born Strangers.

Curated by The Remix Project

501 Queen: Bay – Parliament

All Nations Juniors

Each member of the group has been singing, dancing, and practicing their culture since they were just babies. So, in 2012 when the drum group first met through Toronto Council Fire’s youth program, Embers, All Nations Juniors was born. The group has composed many songs, one of which, ‘Everyone Welcome’ was written by members Dakota Myran and Jayden Wemigwans. This Cree/Ojibwe song was composed in honour of all peoples across Turtle Island and tells a story that all dancers are welcome to come into the arena to dance and showcase their styles and culture.

The group also sings many covers gifted to them by other Drum groups. Some of these songs they have been carrying for eight years, like the inter-tribal dance by the Smoke Trail Singers. This drum group has honored ANJs by gifting them multiple songs to sing on the pow wow trail. As of today, ANJs have not had the opportunity to record any of their original songs, because of this the music you will hear on the Soundways App are covers. That being said, you can look forward to hearing ANJs original songs soon enough as they are in the process of finding a studio to record and distribute their original works.

MEMBERS: Kevin Myran, Dakota Myran, Joey Myran, Kaelin Pelletier, Jayden Wemigwans, Malakai Daybutch, Danielle Migwans, Ariyah Syvret and Kiyana Johnston.

 

505 Dundas: Yonge – Parliament

Red Bear Singers

The Red Bear Singers started singing together in circle at Toronto Council Fire in 2018, this was done as a way to continue the personal healing journeys of each individual member in a group setting. The group wrote their first song in 2018, titled, “Away Back”. This song honours the children taken from their families and placed into foster care, orphanages, day schools, and Residential Schools. Away Back reflects not only the fact that they were physically taken AWAY, but also what was culturally taken AWAY from them as a result. The lyrics are powerful and emotional. Since then, the group has worked on learning several community songs including the three songs you will hear in the Soundways App.

This year they have performed at various events including TASSC’S (Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council) New Grand Opening Event, Toronto Police Headquarter Indigenous Day Celebrations, as well as several TDSB presentations and Community events. You can catch them at Toronto Council Fire’s Youth Pow Wow on September 3rd.

MEMBERS: Rose Anderson, Winnie Ashkewe, Pamela Carter, Anna Croxen, Bernice Hookimawillillene, Susan Hunter, Clara Louttit, Laurie Okimawinew, Veronica Rice, Wanina Scarlett, Patricia Schuyler, Christine Shawana and Olive Wesley. Youth Mentor: Danielle Migwans

Curated by Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre

7 – Bathurst: Bloor to Roselawn

birthday boy

birthday boy is a producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Toronto, known for an eclectic and inventive musical sense. First appearing in the mid 2010’s, the artist has released a series of collaborative EPs, as well as singles and remixes heard on dance floors across the world. Birthday boy’s productions have been recognized with Polaris and Juno award nominations as well as by praise from press outlets like Pitchfork and The FADER. Garnering millions of streams while playing a part in the revamping of Toronto’s nightlife scene as a DJ and performer, he has also composed scores and sound design for clients including Budweiser and the TTC’s A More Beautiful Journey App. Lately, birthday boy has shifted focus to supporting new talent, honing in on forward-thinking iterations of R&B with golden-voiced soprano Faiza.

 

 

63 Ossington: Eglington – Queen

Brodie West 

Ways is a drum and saxophone duo formed in 2013 as an “in the laboratory” collaboration between drummer Evan Cartwright and saxophonist Brodie West. Their unique collaboration’s strength is in their ability to communicate and co create using a theoretical basis which they refined over 10 years. “Time Harmony I – Transit” is their most recent composition and features West alone, playing four voices of a single melody multi tracked on saxophone, sounded at different frequency ratios.

In 2019 Ways performed at The Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music where they also presented at a symposium “Aesthetic of Perfection“ in cooperation with Durham University (UK). They were artists in residence at “Koncertkirken” in Copenhagen DK in June 2018, where they performed at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival.

They released their debut album “Fortunes” featuring Danish Pianist Simon Toldam to critical acclaim in 2020.

Alto saxophonist Brodie West is a key member of Toronto’s vibrant creative music scene. He leads his own ensembles Eucalyptus, The Brodie West Quintet and the collaborative saxophone/drums duo Ways.

 

 

501 Queen: Crawford – Roncesvalles

Casey MQ

Casey MQ is an artist, composer, and producer from Toronto, now based in Los Angeles. Growing up, Casey’s adoration for pop music intersected with his training as a classical pianist. As he grew older Casey began to work more closely with electronic music. His inspirations widened as he explored the fusion of classic and contemporary sounds. His writing and production styles uniquely reflect that marriage of the ultra modern and the timeless.

“Telephone Light” follows Casey’s debut album babycasey in 2020 and its remix addendum babycasey: ultra the following year, which saw his boyhood fantasies come to life with whimsy and depth.

As a songwriter and producer, Casey has collaborated with a range of artists, including with oklou, Christine and The Queens, Flume, Dorian Electra, Girlpool, Vagabon, Hannah Diamond, Austra and more. His ability to help artists hone their individual voices, and express them in a way that captures the moment, is exceptional. Casey has also scored numerous feature films that have premiered at TIFF, SXSW, Sundance and other major festivals.

During the pandemic, Casey co-founded Club Quarantine, a queer virtual club that has hosted artists such as Charli XCX, Tinashe, Pabllo Vittar, Lady Gaga and others. 

102 Markham Rd: Sheppard x Markham – Eglinton x Markham

Charmie

Discover one of Toronto’s musical gems through the passionate R&B and pop-soul of 26 year-old singer/songwriter Charmie. Born in Haiti, the self-taught musician excels at playing guitar, piano, bass, and drums. Her contemporary style of music is a unique fusion of Rhythm & Blues and Pop Soul. Known for fostering a deep connection with her audiences, Charmie’s words go straight from her heart to yours.

Curated by RISE Edutainment

32 Eglington West: Eglington Station – Keele St.

Chelsea Stewart

Undoubtedly one of the hardest working female artists in the reggae music business today. Chelsea Stewart with her Momager and street team have sold over 28,000 physical copies of her original singles and EP’s combined on the streets of Toronto. This globe-trotting, Juno Nominated independent artist has performed on four of the seven continents. Wearing several hats as writer, composer, producer, creative director and promoter. As an event producer, Chelsea successfully hand selects other talented artists in Toronto to be her opening acts for her own annual live music series ‘An Intimate Evening with Chelsea Stewart’. From Rototom Sunsplash in Europe, to Reggae Sumfest in Jamaica, to arenas in South Africa, Chelsea is continuously making moves and making people move with her style of reggae music worldwide. Chelsea Stewart recently released an eleven track self-titled reggae album much to the delight of her loyal fans. This Juno nominated singer-songwriter has given us an album that can be easily defined as a musical history lesson of sorts. Beginning with nyabinghi drumming and dub poetry, moving on to mento, ska, rocksteady, reggae, and dancehall. Her album is a musical tribute and a treat, with something for everybody. Speaking on various issues of today and moving us through the many moods of love. This beautiful body of work deserves your attention and a spot on your playlist.

 

509 Harbourfront: Exhibition Loop – Spadina

chiquitamagic

chiquitamagic is an underground latinx artist / producer / dj from Bogotá, Colombia and based in Toronto, Canada. Her music can be described as futuristic pop with elements of cumbia, funk, reggaeton, choral music & jazz. She uses microtonal synths, her voice, and drum machines to produce her strange and captivating sound. Her 6th album, “Mexico Sexi Time” comes out Feb 21 2022 on Minaret Records (L.A) and ORIS (Mexico City). Her collaborators include David Binney, Ambrose Akinmusire, Genevieve Artadi, Louis Cole, and Bernice amongst others. 

 

Community Music Schools of Toronto

Expanding from Regent Park School of Music, we’ve changed over to our new identity as Community Music Schools of Toronto. This new name acts as an umbrella, better connecting and reflecting all of our sites, celebrating our history in Regent Park and Jane Finch and looking to reach even more communities in the future.

While the name may have changed, the goal has always remained the same: to help kids thrive through music. Thank you, as always, for supporting our students as we do our very best to provide them a safe, exciting learning environment.

 

 

123 B/C: Kipling Station – Sherway Gardens Mall

Craig “CDH” Live

Toronto native, Craig Doyle Henry is 1Creative, well known as the performing artist “CDH Live!” A Poet, Producer, Recording artist and founder of 1Creative.club. Craig’s signature style is infused with Gospel from Jamaican roots and includes the sounds of Classic Rap, Dancehall- HipHop, Spoken Word, and Urban Rock (UpRock). Craig Live has published poetry books, hosts podcasts, directs & produces music videos and multiple Youtube video series. In his own words “Creative is who I am” He is alive to bring hope and nourish the creative soul through live music and poetry… “1 show at a time.” Craig is currently developing a new music project with his brother, [Juno nominee and long time collaborator], Shel Rock.

Discover Craig “CDH” Live music including his newest album from 1Creative titled “The Live Show” and the latest instrumental album “Vibez the Beat tape | vol. 1 featured in A More Beautiful Journey project, showcasing artists from across Toronto in a geo-based sound app spanning the breadth of the TTC above ground bus routes in Toronto. Music from Craig “CDH” Live and 1Creative is now available on all streaming platforms.

Curated by Arts Etobicoke

504 King: St Andrew Station – Parliament

Debashis Sinha

Driven by a deep commitment to the primacy of sound in creative expression, Debashis Sinha has created numerous audio-centred solo and collaborative projects across Canada and internationally. Sound design and composition credits include works for contemporary dance, video, film, and Dora Award-winning productions with many of Canada’s premiere theatre companies. His speculative mythology-driven sound practice has led to live appearances at MUTEK Japan, the Guelph Jazz Festival, the Banff Centre, Haus der Kulturen der Welt and other exhibitions online and in gallery spaces. Sinha is a committed educator and has been researching sound production using machine learning and AI with an ear to uncovering new modes and methods of story creation, releasing recordings on Berlin’s Establishment Records imprint, Gusstaff and elsewhere. He is currently an assistant professor in production in Performance at The Creative School, Toronto Metropolitan University. 

 

312 St. Clair-Junction Night Bus: Edna Ave x Dundas St West – St Clair x Caledonia

Emissive

Emissive, born in Toronto, Canada, started writing and producing music as a young teen on his older cousin’s laptop. The Emissive concept was created after a handful of trips to Detroit and living abroad in London, UK being exposed to both city’s thriving electronic music scenes.

Having helped bring acts such as the White Material crew, Max McFerren, Funkineven and Octo Octa to Toronto as a promoter, Emissive quickly found himself entrenched in the Toronto dance music community.

After graduating from an audio engineering program and interning at The Hive (Now Secret Door Recording Company) he now spends his time mixing and mastering client’s music while simultaneously channeling his expertise into producing his own electronic tracks.
Evan and his good friend Ian make music under the Active Surplus moniker. 

 

29 Dufferin: Eglinton – Dufferin Gate

Felipe Sena

Felipe Sena is a Brazilian/Canadian multi-instrumentalist, composer and sound designer based in Toronto. Bringing influences from São Paulo and Toronto’s underground music scene and Afro-Brazilian rhythms, his body of work revolves around the transcendent nature of music.

For “A More Beautiful Journey”, Felipe explored the juxtaposition of the underlying rhythms within the city with meditative drones, Brazilian instruments and beats, psychedelic guitars, bossa nova chords and electronic production. It’s a journey that follows the ride through Dufferin Street, between Eglinton Ave. and Dufferin Gate, offering moments of serene reflection, and rhythmic dancing trips.

Currently composing soundtracks for motion picture, VR, games, brands, and installations including “A More Beautiful Journey”, presented by Intersection Festival and Music Gallery in partnership with the TTC. 

 

510 Spadina: Harbord – Lakeshore

Jahmal Padmore

Toronto native Jahmal Padmore is a singer/songwriter and drummer whose deeply contemplative R&B ballads are self-critical more often than celebratory. He first appeared during the late 2000s as a member of the Carps, leading to numerous temporary collaborations and close connections. He made his solo debut in 2021 with a series of expressive vignettes, and in 2022 released Esparonto, his song-oriented first album for the Telephone Explosion label.

Padmore started beat programming as a youngster before he took up drums and guitar, learning how to play the latter instrument from the youth pastor at his church in his native Scarborough. In the late 2000s, known as Jahmal Tonge, he was one-half of the Carps, a highly energetic rock duo that released two EPs. When the Carps split, Padmore temporarily played drums with Thunderheist and MSTRKRFT — he was featured on the latter’s 2009 album Fist of God — and moved to New York. Within a few years, Padmore was back in Toronto, refocusing his energy on music, leading a project he dubbed Miracles while juggling other recording projects with artists such as Just John, Keita Juma, and Brendan Philip.

It wasn’t until January 2021 that Padmore self-released his first solo single. A moody, minute-long tune titled “Add99” marked his low-profile debut. Eleven additional tracks of similar length arrived at a fairly steady (sometimes weekly) rate through that March. Despite their brevity, they were more substantial than interludes, ethereal if emotive pieces — some with vocals, others without — mixing left-of-center R&B and dream pop. Padmore caught the attention of the Toronto-based Telephone Explosion, and the next March, he resurfaced on the label with “Pretty,” a more traditionally structured song of self-examination. Later in the month, “Pretty” and nine other progressive R&B songs found their way onto Esparonto, Padmore’s first solo album. 

 

94 Harbord: Ossington x Harbord – Bay x Harbord

Kind Mind

Kind Mind is the solo work of bassist, improvisor and composer Josh Cole. Kind Mind primarily takes the form of an improvising chamber trio with Karen Ng and Michael Davidson. For the AMBJ project Josh took many of the concepts that are at the core of Kind Mind (improvisation, open compositional structures, and the blending of electronics with acoustic instruments) and applied them to 3 new pieces written specifically for this project. Josh had been an active participant of the improvising community in Toronto for the last decade and has worked with Sandro Perri, Luka Kuplowsky, Brodie West, Nick Fraser, Ryan Driver, Lina Allemano, Thom Gill, Robin Dann (Bernice), Tasseomany, Allison Cameron, Ken Aldcroft, Colin Fisher, and Prince Nifty amongst others. 

 

300 Bloor Night Bus: Spadina – Ossington

Korea Town Acid

Korea Town Acid is a classically trained pianist and recording artist/live performer/DJ from South Korea, currently based in Toronto. She experiments in her unique sound design by using hardware, analogue/digital poly, FM synths, drum machines and samplers to express her unpredictable soundscapes with moody textures. Her unique improvisational Live PA experience is free-form, genre-bending, composing intricate layered beats. Her formidable skills have brought her to global stages including her home town of Seoul, as well as Helsinki, London, Berlin, New York, Athens and all over Canada. Her most notable showcases have been; Mutek, Pop Montreal, Boiler Room and Plissken Festival. 

 

72 Pape: Sherbourne St x Queens Quay East – Queen St. E x Carlaw Ave

merah & thom 

merah & thom (Mara Nesrallah and Thomas Upjohn) are excited to come together again in musical collaboration for A More Beautiful Journey. As long-term partners, it’s natural that the themes of duality and mirroring are at the heart of their work together: what it means to create alongside someone; to have similar values but conflicting ways of communicating them; how to service two almost-parallel visions at once; and how to move through the world recognizing these nuances in all interactions. They have released a series of winter solstice albums over the years, and are currently finalizing their first album of original songs, titled “Value”.

Individually, Mara and Tom are both active members of the Toronto creative music scene. Mara writes and performs with Decoration Day, and supports numerous projects, including Alex Samaras’ GREX, Dorothea Paas, Pleasure Craft, and The Queer Songbook Orchestra. Tom can be found recording, producing, mixing and mastering a variety of projects and disciplines; his collaborators include Jeremy Dutcher, Carmen Elle/Gay Hollywood, The Queer Songbook Orchestra, Telehorn, Emily Steinwell, Rahael, and Daniel Tysdal. Together and separately, they are grateful to participate in many of their community’s expressions, through songwriting and composition, improvisational exploration, film and tv, live performance, theatre, dance, and music production. 

 

71 Runnymede: Dundas West x Runnymede – Industry

Nick Storring

Nick Storring is a Toronto-based composer and multi-instrumentalist. His varied and idiosyncratic body of work spans delicate chamber compositions to meticulously constructed pieces consisting solely of his own overdubbed instrumental performances.

Having been featured been by Oxford UK’s Audiograft Festival, the Esprit Orchestra, and Quatuor Bozzini, his work has also accompanied films and dance by noted directors (Terrance Odette, Ingrid Veninger) and choreographers including Yvonne Ng, Deepti Gupta, Brandy Leary, and Marie-Josée Chartier. He has been commissioned by the likes of lauded pianist Eve Egoyan, veteran ensemble Arraymusic, Soundstreams, and Montréal’s AKOUSMA Festival. His music for ‘ambient gaming environment’ Tentacle travelled with the project worldwide, including to New York’s MoMA in 2011. He is a past winner of the Canadian Music Centre’s Toronto Emerging Composer Award, and the national Jeux De Temps competition for electroacoustic music.

Storring’s sixth studio album My Magic Dreams Have Lost Their Spell was released by Orange Milk Records in March 2020 to considerable acclaim, garnering praise in major outlets such as the Wire, Exclaim!, PopMatters, and Vice China and elsewhere. Its 2021 follow-up Newfoundout (mappa editions) employed names of Ontario ghost-towns for its titles, and achieved a similar critical regard. Kate Molleson of the BBC Radio 3’s New Music Show remarked of it on air that “there are absolutely no clichés at play,” and applauded it for “picking up on the sonic potential around notions of space, notions of repurposed objects, notions of tapping memory and suggestion.”

108B Downsview: Sheppard West Station – Pioneer Village

OBUXUM

OBUXUM is a Toronto based, Somali-Canadian producer and beatmaker, whose lush and characteristic sound celebrates storytelling. She has made her presence known with notable festival performances at Wavelength Festival (Toronto), Kazoo! Fest (Guelph, Ontario), Electric Eclectics (Big Head Valley, Ontario) and Venus Fest (Toronto). OBUXUM’s project Re-Birth was longlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize. 

 

511 Bathurst: Bathurst Station – Front

Prince Josh

PRINCE JOSH, born Josh McIntyre, is a producer, songwriter and DJ based in Toronto, Canada. He is best known as half of the electronic pop duo PRINCE INNOCENCE with singer Talvi Faustmann.

Josh produced a number of songs on Cold Speck’s 2017 album ‘Fools Paradise’ (Arts & Crafts). He has scored music for documentaries on Virgil Abloh and Tau Lewis and created original music for MAC Cosmetics, Vice and Canon Cameras. His music has been featured in television shows such as “Emily In Paris”, “The Sex Lives of College Girls” and “Kim’s Convenience”. In 2018 he scored the documentary “A Kid FromSomewhere” and is currently scoring the upcoming feature-length film “Verona”.

Prince Innocence released their debut EP ‘Lapse’ in 2013 and ‘Blue Star’ in 2019. They have been featured in Gorilla Vs Bear, V Magazine, i-D, Jalouse Magazine and Exclaim! They have also shared the stage with MØ, Jamie XX, Mac Demarco, How To Dress Well, and Homeshake.

Prince Josh is currently working on the follow up to his 2020 debut album ‘The Joy’. 

 

34A Eglinton East – Bermondsey Road to Eglinton/Yonge Station

shn shn

shn shn(she/they) is a queer Black electronic producer, singer-songwriter and creator based in Toronto, Canada. Her music is an ever-changing experience, bending genres as she brings experimental elements from electronic, ambient, world music, folk and pop into her practice. Their work allows exploration, contemplation, reckoning with duality and the spaces in between. 

Curated by Sketch

506 College: River St. – Coxwell

SlowPitchSound x Laura Barrett

SlowPitchSound (Cheldon Paterson) is a Toronto-based composer, mentor, and explorer of sound & visuals. He has collaborated with creators from a wide range of disciplines including opera, jazz,classical, electronic music, theatre and dance. His unique style of music production,

self proclaimed as “scifi-turntablism”, has graced stages around the world including Canada, Australia, USA, United Kingdom and Sweden. With a passion for depth and detail in his work, Cheldon is heavily inspired by nature, outer space, and dystopian sci-fi. Cheldon’s unique approach to making music includes turntablism, sample manipulation, and field recordings.

Laura Barrett’s music is equally at home in concert halls, cinemas, and playhouses (when they’re all open again). She’s released two albums and three EPs, scored three feature films, and provided musical underscoring for several live comedy and theatrical productions. She likes to ask questions about what humanity is up to and where we’re headed. Using a variety of musical styles (from neoclassical lounge piano to minimalist electropop), Laura grounds her artistic practice in empathy, curiosity, and hope.

Together they visit lesser-travelled areas, gathering sounds and inspirations for their wide- ranging creative projects.

506 College: High Park Loop – Dufferin

Stefana Fratila 

Stefana Fratila is a Romanian-born artist, composer and sound designer based in Toronto, Canada. She is also a DJ and co-founder of CRIP RAVE collective, an event platform showcasing and prioritizing Crip, Disabled, Deaf, Mad, and Sick body-minds within safer and more accessible rave spaces. 

 

503 Kingston Rd: Queen Street East x Jones – Neville Park Loop

SÜRF

Influenced by curiosity, Gospel sounds & Hip – Hop crowds, SÜRF pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a pool of Infinite creativity. The 28-year-old Brit with Canadian roots is a multimedia Multipotentialite you don’t want to miss out on. There’s no telling how great his journey is going to be. 

Curated by Long Winter

927 Highway 27 Express: Albion x Martin Grove Road – Kipling Station

TiKA

TiKA is a multi-disciplinary artist, film composer, artistic director, cultural curator, NFT and Web3 consultant, and activist. TiKA makes an impression on everyone she encounters and is a strong advocate for female artists and creatives.

TiKA added film scoring to her repertoire in 2019 after graduating from the Canadian Film Centre in 2021. To date she has scored 8 short films, 4 cartoon series, 4 feature films and is the 2022 Canadian Academy Award Winner for best original music in the film “Learn To Swim.”
This year, TiKA started her first non-for-profit organization, StereoVisual, which aims to teach marginalized musicians and producers how to transition into making music for film in an effort to create equity in the film industry.

As a musician, TiKA has opened for major R&B heavyweights like John Legend + NAO and is listed by Complex Magazine as “One of the most prolific creatives in Toronto.” While her vocation as an ambassador and creator of music has been well established, her image and sound as a new artist is being unleashed to make a very durable impression in order to gracefully provide what this generation has been missing musically. 

 

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