False Starts

Today we're joined by Aidan Belo of His His. His His began in the fall of 2020. It is inspired by nostalgia and analog recording techniques. During the COVID-19 pandemic Belo constructed a makeshift studio in the empty space of an old wooden barn located on his family’s farm. Everything is tracked onto 1/4 inch tape and cassette to help achieve a warm, saturated sound.

On this episode we're joined by Luke Wallace. Luke Wallace is a dynamic force in the world of folk music, using his talent as a songwriter, speaker, and choral arranger to champion environmental causes and inspire positive change. Hailing from the Coast Salish Territory known as Vancouver, Canada, Luke has been on a decade-long journey of touring, recording, and organizing for the betterment of people and the planet.

Today we're joined by Kylie Fox! Kylie Fox is a Canadian singer songwriter, fusing folk storytelling with vintage elements of jazz and alternative rock. With influences like Kate Bush and Joni Mitchell, her music is lush and real. Her releases BalconyEP (2017) and Green (2020) led her to tour coast to coast, support artists like Bahamas, Matt Minglewood, The Strumbellas and Joel Plaskett and showcase at events such as Come Together, Canadian Music Week, the East Coast Music Awards, Folk Alliance International, Folk Music Ontario and Harvest Music Festival. She has participated in the Banff Centre for the Arts International Songwriting Residency, the Canadian Song Challenge and the SOCAN Equity X Music Production course. Recently Fox was awarded “Innovator of the Year” at the 2023 PrixNB Awards.  This year, Kylie released her sophomore record Sequoia, an eleven track album supported by the Canada Council for the Arts and produced by six-time ECMA-winning producer, Daniel Ledwell (Jenn Grant, Fortunate Ones). Sequoia is deeply rooted in folk-Canadiana elements that have characterized Fox’s career, while also exploring folk-rock and jazz-pop fusion.“The eleven branches of Sequoia are reflections on gratitude in relation to the women in my life, my environment, my relationships, and myself.” says Fox of the forthcoming album. Amplify Magazine says, “Her charisma is invigorating, creating a warm, safe listening place, even when the topics at hand have heft and weight”. Find Your Sounds says “Just about everybody in the industry is sitting up and taking notice.” Kylie is currently touring Sequoia throughout Ontario and the East Coast. 

Today we're joined by Sean Cronin! Sean Cronin is best known as an internationally touring upright Jazz bassist who plays with some of New York’s finest traditional Jazz players. But where his passion lies is in pulling apart how music works, creating musical experiences for himself and his audience, and learning how people think and communicate about music.Sean Cronin’s career as a performer began at age 4 with classical piano and recorder lessons. By age 12, he was gigging on bass with his father as well as his own bands. In high school he composed scores for local theater productions. He studied Jazz performance for double bass at both Capilano University in Vancouver BC and at The University of North Texas in Denton TX. By 2005, Sean found himself one of Canada's busiest bassists, playing and touring worldwide with the country's finest in Jazz, Improv, Rock, Bluegrass, and Theatre. Between 2004 - 2012, Sean led many of his own bands, including flash mob community band Too Big To Care Marching Band, Jazz group ShhEnsemble, and his 8-piece art-rock band, Very Good. He attended the Banff Centre Jazz and Creative Music Workshops in 2007, directed by Dave Douglas, and in 2009, returned to the Banff Centre for the TD Fellowship Artist Residency. In 2012, Sean made the move to New York, and was welcomed into its vibrant traditional Jazz community, as well as improv rock and performance art circles. Sean also became involved with New York theatre, writing musical scores for Potion and Kill Me Like You Mean It. In 2016, Sean acted and performed music with Chelsea Hotel: Songs of Leonard Cohen. Recently, he has toured internationally with Dennis Lichtman and Bria Skonberg, worked extensively with dance company Konverjdans, and scored a sleep app by Audible. Sean has been the recipient of the Galaxie Rising Star Award, The Grand Prix du Jazz at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, and the Fraser Macpherson Memorial Scholarship, and his score for Kill Me Like You Mean It was nominated for a Drama Desk Award in 2015. 

Today we interview Cassie Noble, a stunning musician from Ontario. Listen to their new album "Nowhere To Go But Everywhere" out now!

Today we're joined by Laurel Minnes, who is a Niagara-based performer and songwriter offering fresh choral arrangements and a new force for feminist pop. Harnessing the power of an all-female choir and an eclectic backing band, her project Minuscule released their debut album “Great” in February 2020. The title track secured Minnes’ recognition as Songwriter of the Year at the Niagara Music Awards and was featured on CBC’s Q. Minnes has collaborated with genre-spanning Juno- and Polaris-nominated artists, from wistful indie-folk group Great Lakes Swimmers to epic heavy-metal duo Vile Creature – the latter for which she received a Juno nod for her choral arrangements.

Today we are joined by Avalon Tassoyni who has some profound insights into the human condition. Avalon Tassonyi is a high volume singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Toronto. Since 2022, they’ve released three albums on Vain Mina Records. Tassonyi moves freely between genres but their main touchstones are indie-rock and americana. Forthcoming record “Annette Street” sees Tassonyi shift to the piano, and will be released in 2025.

On this episode of False Starts we interview the mad scientist of music Daniel Trudeau about his project Pregnant.