The Alberta Caledonia Pipe Band

The Alberta Caledonia Pipe Band, or "AlCal" amongst our friends and followers, has emerged as the premier competitive band on the Canadian prairies, attracting some of the top pipers and drummers from throughout Western Canada. The band competes and performs throughout Canada, the US and the United Kingdom with the World Pipe Band Championships serving as the apex of each season. Visit the The Alberta Caledonia Pipe Band website.

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Baba

Edmonton's superstar DJ from CKUA radio network. 

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Bill Bourne

Bill was raised in a musical family in rural Alberta. When he was 2 years old, he was known to sleep behind the piano at country dances. His parents played dance music in community halls in beautiful farming country. The love of nature and of music and of people gathering for celebration has been with him for his whole life.

Bill loves to collaborate with friends (musicians). His most recent collaboration is with Eivør Pálsdóttir from the Faroe Islands. He produced and performed on Eivør's third solo CD, 'eivør'. The recording won double at the Danish Music Awards Folk in 2006. Other collaborations: with Alan MacLeod, Shannon Johnson, Hans Staymer and Andreas Schuld, and Lester Quitzau & Madagascar Slim, as well as his solo projects, have all attained award status in Canada.

A multiple Canadian Juno Award winner, Bill has received international acclaim for his recordings and live performances. A mainstay on the international roots scene, life on the road is reflected in Bill's music - powerful rhythms and soulful songs, steeped in World Beat, Blues, Cajun, Celtic, Folk, Flamenco, Funk, Poetry and more... Visit the Bill Bourne website.

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Boonaa Mohammed

Boonaa began writing poetry as a means of dealing with societies stress. Since the summer of 2006, Boonaa began sharing his newfound therapy while gaining plenty of support and popularity from a growing spoken word audience. He has since won numerous poetry slams around Toronto and was recently crowned the 2007 CBC poetry face-off's “Best New Artist”. He has also been featured in the historical "When Brothers Speak" spoken word concert and was a member of Team Toronto in the "Canadian Festival of Spoken Words" annual team poetry slam. Currently touring high schools around the Toronto, Boonaa continues to use his poetry to help educate and entertain audiences of all ages.  Visit the Boonaa Mohammed website.

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Daniel Buxton

The D.B. Buxton Revue started as the result of famous Edmontonian street performer Daniel Benjamin Buxton's desire to develop his show and get it into clubs and on the road. Still in the early stages of development, The group features jazz trained, all female backing musicians and has a an intensly raw, soul inflected jazz influenced, folk-rock bent. The material ranges from wistful acoustic originals to hard edged garage punk. Traditional material such as jazz standards and delta blues songs are presented with an unmatched authenticity and an electrifying all or nothing vocal delivery. Visit the Daniel Buxton website.

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Emcee E

Born as Ian Nana Yaw Adu Budu Keteku, Emcee E feels even his birth name is poetic and contributes to his seemingly innate talent. His poetry is refreshing in the sense that it speaks to a universal audience as opposed to a strictly an urban one. From his socially and politically charged words that at times can be tongue in cheek to his eclectic, yet still "hip-hop" sound, Emcee E refuses to be typical. He defines his poetry as “critical oratory”, feeling compelled to speak on the issues he feels are not thought about regularly. He loves to use his words to inspire messages of peace, action and critical thought. Emcee E feels that using his voice to speak for the voiceless is an honorable quest that he will never stop. Visit the Emcee E website.

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Isaac Isitan

Isaac Isitan was born in Turkey. He studied Law at the University of Istanbul before launching into a film producing and directing career. In Turkey, he founded the group « Cinéma du peuple » and produced and directed a several films on social issues. He was also an ABC correspondent in the Middle East, from 1978 to 1980. He has been living in Canada since 1980 as a Canadian citizen, directing more than a hundred TV reports, and producing and directing documentary films. Visit the Isaac Isitan website.

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Le Fuzz

From the jungles of Central America, to the deserts of Northern Mexico, onto the plains of old Russia, through timeless streets of vieux Paris, then home to Alberta on the Voyageur route, Le Fuzz takes you on a magnificent world journey.

The music of Le Fuzz reaches audiences both young and old while inspiring an appreciation for a world of music that defies borders.
The music will make you laugh, dance and smile.
It will move you to ponder far away places.

Le Fuzz combines rhythms and song-writing traditions of other cultures with their own unique blend of Alberta folk music and original lyrics, sung in French, Spanish, Russian, and a wee bit of English.

Le Fuzz brings the world to you... Visit the Le Fuzz website.

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Mile Zero Dance

Mile Zero Dance (MZD) Edmonton’s most progressive dance company has evolved into a cutting edge, world-renowned company devoted to the vitality of contemporary dance and performance in Edmonton. Since 1985 MZD has been developing dancers and choreographers, creating and producing new works, and providing dance education through school residencies. MZD has become a voice for a new generation of choreographers, artists and audience members alike who are interested in community development by merging dance with different art forms through interdisciplinary collaborations. MZD Artistic director Gerry Morita was awarded 2006’s Syncrude Award for Innovative Artistic Direction. Mile Zero Dance is a member driven non-profit society and registered charity run by a volunteer Board of Directors. MZD continues to say with art what we are not allowed to say in words. Visit the Mile Zero Dance website.

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People’s Poets

The people’s poets are three Edmonton MCs who rap about social justice issues, local and global. Rosouljah, 4 Life and solidario joined up in the fall of 2006 with the intention of making critically conscious hip hop. They then hooked up with Edmonton's renowned cut artist DJ Dice, who has over two decades of experience in contributing to the local Hip Hop scene. This hip hop collective mixes rhymes about life experiences with political commentary. Visit the People’s Poets website.

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Pip Skid

Pip Skid is a prominent Canadian rapper and writer, and a cornerstone of the successful Vancouver based independent hip hop label Peanuts & Corn.

Originally hailing from Brandon, Manitoba, Pip (born Patrick Skene) is renowned in underground hip hop circles for his distinctive gravel-throated vocals, as well as his gritty writing style, and fierce delivery. As a co-founder of landmark Canadian hip hop group Farm Fresh, as well as a member of other famed crews such as Fermented Reptile, Hip Hop Weiners, Taking Care of Business, and Break Bread, Pipi has sold thousands of albums while starring on over a dozen albums since 1994, appearing on many more, and touring all over North America. With nearly 16 years of field experience in the independent rap grind, Pipi Skid has risen to international status as one of the most ferocious, unforgiving political MCs on the scene today.  

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Truth Is

Her passion is only surpassed by her desire to explore and express the truth itself, and this becomes obvious when her poetry is spoken. As a repeated member of Toronto Poetry Slam Team, a TPS & ESC slam Champion, an Up From the Roots' 5th Annual Toronto International Poetry Slam finalist and with a scheduled appearance in the Women Of the World International poetry slam she is no stranger to grueling and intense competition. She has competed twice in the Canadian festival of Spoken Word, The Rustbelt Regional Slam and has had several of her pieces aired on Canadian-based radio stations (Flow 93.5's OTA Live, CBC's 99.1's Big City, Small World among others) Truth Is...is an avid guerrilla poet taking poetry from street to street. She has featured at many reading series, schools and Conferences and also just finished participating in the 8th Annual 'When Sisters Speak.' spoken word concert held in Toronto.  

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