Jill Barber, Matt Andersen and Gordie Sampson each pick up two awards

(Corner Brook, NL) - Newfoundland's own Hey Rosetta! took to the stage multiple times tonight, as they walked away with three East Coast Music Awards, including Group Recording of the Year, Recording of the Year, and Alternative Recording of the Year. The ECMA Music Awards Gala at the Pepsi Centre in Corner Brook, NL, also celebrated double award winners Jill Barber, Matt Andersen and Gordie Sampson.

The 2009 East Coast Music Award winners are:

College of the North Atlantic DVD of the Year: SQUID: The Evolution, directed by Ryan Fraser, Mark Jamieson, Daniel St. Pierre, and Ian MacMillan (Squid)

Colemans Entertainer of the Year: Joel Plaskett Emergency

The Grenfell College, Memorial University Female Solo Recording of the Year: Chances (Jill Barber)

Western Petroleum Group Recording of the Year: Into Your Lungs (and around in your heart and on through your blood) (Hey Rosetta!)

Konica Minolta Male Solo Recording of the Year: Something in Between (Matt Andersen)

FACTOR Recording of the Year: Into Your Lungs (and around in your heart and on through your blood) (Hey Rosetta!)

CBC Galaxie Rising Star Recording of the Year: You Will Land with a Thud (The Tom Fun Orchestra)

Vibe Creative Single of the Year: We Are Young And So Is The Night (Gordie Sampson)

SOCAN Songwriter of the Year: Gordie Sampson (with J. Smith & JT Harding) for "We Are Young and So Is The Night" (performed by Gordie Sampson)

Star Style Creative Works Video of the Year: "Weighty Ghost", directed by Sean Wainsteim (Wintersleep)

Newcap Radio Alternative Recording of the Year: Into Your Lungs (and around in your heart and on through your blood) (Hey Rosetta!)

Bluegrass Recording of the Year: The Grass Mountain Hobos (The Grass Mountain Hobos)

Blues Recording of the Year: Something in Between (Matt Andersen)

Children's Recording of the Year presented by Marblewood Village Resort: Shine (Rik Barron)

Classical Recording of the Year: A Child's Cry from Izieu - Oskar Morawetz complete works for violin and piano (Jasper Wood)

Country Recording of the Year presented by Comfort Inn: Chasing the Sun (Tara Oram)

Way's Transport Folk Recording of the Year: On the Line (David Myles)

Instrumental Recording of the Year: Raindrops (Duane Andrews)

Jazz Recording of the Year presented by Fortis Properties: Chances (Jill Barber)

ECMA 2010 Cape Breton Loud Recording of the Year: Creator of Scars (Iron Giant)

Newcap Radio Pop Recording of the Year: Two Hearts (Christina Martin)

Sirius Satellite Radio Rock Recording of the Year: Terminal Romance (Matt Mays & El Torpedo)

Roots/Traditional Solo Recording of the Year presented by Central Dairies: Endless Memories (Brenda Stubbert)

Roots/Traditional Group Recording of the Year presented by Marble Mountain: When Here Meets There (Troy MacGillivray & Shane Cook)

World Recording of the Year: Against The Grain (Ryan Leblanc)

Newcap Radio Aboriginal Recording of the Year: This is the Life for Me (The Flummies)

CBC Galaxie Francophone Recording of the Year: J'ai Trouvé Dans Une Chanson (Ronald Bourgeois)

Brook Construction Gospel Recording of the Year: The Reason We Sing (The Burkes)

Rap/Hip-Hop Single Track Recording of the Year presented by the Mamateek Inn: The Main Event (Hotbox feat. Spesh K & Y-Rush

The winner of this year's Fan Choice Award is Classified. The Fan's Choice Award is the only East Coast Music Award voted on by the public. Twenty thousand votes were cast in this online process over the last month.

In addition, the Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Newfoundland's own, Dick Nolan. This award recognizes an individual or group that has had a profound and lasting effect on the Atlantic Canadian music industry and the recipient is chosen each year by the ECMA board of directors. Nolan, who passed away in 2005, was originally from Corner Brook, NL, and was a pioneer of Newfoundland's music industry, sharing the music of his province with the rest of Canada. The award was accepted on his behalf by his wife, Marie Nolan and his sister, Priscilla Butcher.

A complete list of ECMA winners and biographies is available online at www.ecma.com.

The ECMA Music Awards Gala caps off a four-day extravaganza of multi-genre musical performances, conference events and workshops that attracted 2,000 delegates from as far away as the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.

The 2009 East Coast Music Awards, Festival & Conference has received financial support from the Government of Canada through ACOA and Service Canada, Province of Newfoundland and Labrador through the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, and the City of Corner Brook. The East Coast Music Association would also like to acknowledge the financial support of FACTOR and the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada's private radio broadcasters.

Proposed Long Wharf Development Site

I happened to stumble upon the Proposed Long Wharf Development Project Website yesterday, and thought it would be interesting to post. I am excited to follow the development of Saint John from afar. Being in Rome, has given me the chance to be more appreciative of what has been given to me over the years. The many wonderful experiences growing up in Saint John, and surrounding areas.

I am very grateful for my roots, and Saint John will forever be location dear to the heart.

JR

Below is some information regarding the proposed development.


The current Irving Oil proposal would see the Long Wharf development built in three potential phases. Development of the Long Wharf site requires federal government approval. If approvals were received, the initial construction phase (Phase One) could begin in 2009.

Phase One
Phase One would include the construction of a new Irving Oil building. The building would be approximately 185,000 square feet and would meet Irving Oil's current need for additional office space. Phase One would also include the development of a secondary cruise ship berth and infrastructure to support Saint John's cruise ship industry, such as a welcome area for passengers, bus parking and vendor space. Phase One would include new public spaces such as walkways, trails, green space and park bench areas that would allow the community to enjoy the area surrounding Long Wharf.

Phase Two
Phase Two would include the addition of a more formal entrance area onto the Long Wharf site. The entrance would allow easy access for pedestrians and movement of vehicles, including tour buses for cruise ship passengers.

Phase Three
Phase Three would include a possible phased addition to the Irving Oil building, depending on demand and market conditions. This phase would also include additional landscaping at Long Wharf slip and the potential for a naturalized edge on the west portion of the property.

More information available at the following site:
http://www.longwharf.ca/

David Miles to host CBC's Weedend Morning

From the David Miles website

Also, in other very exciting news starting Dec. 6th I'll be hosting the
legendary "Weekend Mornings" all over the Maritimes on CBC Radio One,Saturday and Sunday from 6am to 9am. That's right I'm taking a crack at the world of radio. Stan Carew, the show's host, is taking a break for the month of December and I was asked to come in and play guest host for a while. Some pretty huge shoes to fill indeed. I'm so excited! It's going to be a great month. I can't wait. Please tune in and let me know what you think. It's a real cool show and is a pretty incredible slice of Maritime culture so check it out.
That's all the news for now.
Thanks for the visit.
David

Canaport LNG terminal cretes buzz for Maritime Markets

An anticipated influx of liquefied natural gas into the Canaport LNG terminal carries untapped opportunity for the Maritime markets that could boost economic development, according to the Atlantica Centre for Energy.

The National Energy Board released its recommendations into a 25-year licence application for Repsol Energy Canada Ltd. to import liquefied natural gas and export regasified LNG into the U.S. northeast. The licence will become final following a consultation period.

Spanish-based Repsol is partnering with Irving Oil Ltd. to build the LNG terminal near Saint John.

Market studies undertaken by Repsol show that up to one quarter of the LNG it expects to bring to the new Saint John terminal could be sold into the Maritime market.

Tim Curry, president of the Atlantica Centre for Energy, said that availability of new quantities of natural gas will be a huge benefit to local economic development.

"A quarter of a billion cubic feet per day of discretionary capacity would be two to two and half times what the Maritimes is using now, it allows for a lot room for growth," Curry said.

Repsol Energy North America has a daily contract to sell one billion cubic feet a day, but only three-quarters of that is destined to pre-arranged buyers, leaving the rest to be put on the market.

"Given that not all of the applied-for export volume is contractually committed to the export market, Repsol reiterated its commitment to make gas available to Maritimes Canada on competitive terms and conditions," the documents said.

"We're pleased that the NEB concluded that this new source of natural gas supply will be a very beneficial resource for energy markets in Canada and the Northeast U.S.," said Phil Ribbeck, president of Repsol Energy Canada, Ltd. and Repsol Energy North America Corporation, in a release.

The report filed with the national regulator from Concentric Energy Advisors indicated that there is "significant long-term demand" for natural gas in the region and that growth will be fuelled by access to LNG and the reduction in domestic supply.

"The demand projections also indicated that the Atlantic Canadian market by itself is not sufficient to absorb the entire output from the Canaport LNG terminal. Repsol indicated in its application that the ability to export the natural gas to serve anchor markets in the U.S. northeast is therefore fundamental to the availability of incremental supplies to serve Canadian markets," the report said.

Repsol was given the licence on Thursday to import LNG to the Canaport terminal in Saint John and export shipments. The company had applied in January for a 25-year licence to supply 365 billion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas annually into the terminal and export up to one billion cubic feet a day of gas to customers in the United States.

The national regulator said in a release it had concluded that the operation would be a "useful addition to the supply of natural gas in North America."

Curry said the long-term licence, which had been opposed by some interveners earlier this year in favour of a 10-year deal, is a "major step forward" because it offers more stability.

"What this does is give business the confidence to invest in facilities and manufacturing processes that require natural gas," Curry said. "It also gives long-term choices to residential and commercial customers to make the commitment to invest in natural gas."

ECMA's Coverage Online

CBC OFFERS LIVE BROADCASTS AND GREAT PROGRAMMING FEATURING A STELLAR LINE UP OF PERFORMERS FROM THE 2008 ECMAs

see (www.cbc.ca/)

CBC will showcase Canadian Music, East Coast Style from coast to coast to coast with a multitude of live broadcasts and programming from the 2008 East Coast Music Awards, Festival & Conference in Fredericton, NB from February 7-10.Q with Jian Ghomeshi, CBC Radio One’s national arts, culture and entertainment show is coming to Fredericton for the entire ECMA event.

“One of my favourite parts of the ECMA weekend is discovering vibrant new east coast artists that I've not heard of or seen yet, but that I inevitably end up loving and championing for the rest of the year,” says host Jian Ghomeshi. “I'll be out late checking out the music each night in Fredericton. I'm looking forward to what surprises I might find.” Jian will kick off CBC Radio’s live broadcasts on Friday, February 8th from noon to 1:30 pm at the Fredericton Playhouse. Q will feature live performances by two of the top ECMA nominees – Joel Plaskett (solo) and Wintersleep – along with Carmen Townsend; plus, Jian will have a few special surprises during the show.

Q will also broadcast a weekend wrap up on Monday, February 11th from 2 pm – 3:30 pm. Listeners will hear all the tales, stories and highlights of ECMA weekend as experienced by Jian himself! (tune-in only)

SHIFT with Paul Castle will broadcast live to Atlantic Canada from The Playhouse on Friday, February 8th from 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm and will feature live performances by David Myles, winner of the 2006 International Songwriters Competition, the smooth vocals of Meaghan Smith, jazz guitarist Duane Andrews, and Damhnait Doyle backed up by members of the band SLOWCOASTER, and 2008 Canadian Maple Blues Award Nominee Thom Swift.

CBC RADIO 3 will join forces with SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO (Channel 94) for two nights to present an incredible line-up on the rock stage at the Delta Fredericton Hotel. Friday, February 8th will showcase Mark Bragg, Two Hours Traffic, hey rosetta!, The Tom Fun Orchestra, and the Jimmy Swift Band. Saturday, February 9th will feature Dwight D'Eon, Age of Daze, Carmen Townsend, SLOWCOASTER, and The Trews. Both shows are from 11 pm to 2 am and are ECMA ticketed events.

The SOCAN Songwriter’s Circles, sponsored by CBC Galaxie, will be recorded live for future broadcast on CBC Radio One and CBC Radio 2 on Saturday, February 9th and Sunday, February 10th at 1:30 pm from the Playhouse. Fredericton’s David Myles will host the Saturday’s Songwriter’s Circle which includes Thom Swift, Damhnait Doyle, Jean–Francois Breau and SOCAN special guest Steven Page. Lennie Gallant hosts the Sunday’s Songwriter’s Circle which includes Christian “Kit” Goguen, Jenn Grant, Roger Howse and SOCAN Special Guest Martha Wainwright. These artists will share their stories about songwriting in the cozy and intimate setting of the songwriter’s circle.

ATLANTIC AIRWAVES with Stephanie Domet is up next at the Playhouse on Saturday, February 9th from 5 pm to 6 pm. Fredericton hiphop artists First Words, featuring legendary beatman/producer JoRun will be performing. The Extremeties project “The New Tonic”, a hiphop/jazz collaboration produced at CBC Halifax (based on original tracks from the Tonic CD nominated for Jazz Album of the Year) will make its debut on the show. Joining The Extremeties are MCs Fizz, Ghettosocks, DJ JoRun, and jazz players Jamie Gatti, and Chris Mitchell.

CANADA LIVE will celebrate East Coast style with a two-hour special edition featuring all the highlights from various artists performing during the entire 2008 ECMA weekend. It will be broadcast to the country on CBC Radio 2 on Friday, February 29th from 8 pm – 10 pm. (tune in only)

BARENAKED EAST COAST MUSIC! hosted by Steven Page of the Barenaked Ladies is a one-hour national TV program celebrating Canadian Music, East Coast Style featuring the very best musical performances captured at various locations and events throughout the 2008 East Coast Music, Awards, Festival & Conference. The fast-paced show will have special performances by Meaghan Smith, Jenn Grant, hey rosetta!, Joel Plaskett Emergency, Tom Fun Orchestra, Dave Gunning, and Ron Hynes. It will also include segments from a special ECMA 20th Anniversary Concert featuring Lennie Gallant, Damnhait Doyle, Ashley MacIsaac and Bruce Guthro. The program is produced by Dream Street Pictures in association with CBC and the East Coast Music Association. BARENAKED EAST COAST MUSIC! will be broadcast Sunday, March 2nd at 7:00 pm on CBC Television. Join CBC at our many live radio broadcasts, tune in, watch, and visit us online (http://www.cbc.ca/) to experience all the great music and performances captured at the 2008 East Coast Music Awards, Festival and Conference. Unless noted, all live CBC Radio broadcasts are free and open to the public. Tickets are on a first-come, first-served basis.

East Coast Music Awards -Check it Out

Artists and Host Announced for East Coast Music Special on CBC TV

Steven Page from Barenaked Ladies to Host


(Fredericton) – The East Coast Music Association and Dream Street Pictures announced today that Steven Page of the award-winning Canadian band the Barenaked Ladies will host the one-hour East Coast Music television special entitled BARENAKED East Coast Music! The special, produced by Moncton-based Dream Street Pictures in association with CBC and the East Coast Music Association, will broadcast nationally on CBC Television on Sunday March 2nd at 7 pm / 7:30 pm NT.

With Page acting as tour guide, the program will treat viewers to musical performances at bars, clubs and main stages during the four-day East Coast Music event. The special will encompass varying aspects of the entire East Coast Music weekend. TV crews will roam Fredericton all weekend long capturing East Coast artists in dozens of showcasing venues, in bars, hotel lobbies, on main stages and much more.

Dream Street Pictures executive producer Rick LeGuerrier says Page is the perfect host. “Although Steven isn’t from Atlantic Canada, his candidly curious nature and his love for all things music will help Canadians discover East Coast music,” said LeGuerrier. “People rave about this annual East Coast musical party, and our TV special is designed to share that great music and excitement with all Canadians.”

Wade Pinhorn, chair of the ECMA board of directors agrees. "With the industry and media in general changing so rapidly, this fresh direction for our broadcast in right in step,” says Pinhorn. “Steven will most certainly share with viewers a genuine appreciation for our musical culture as he himself discovers it for the first time. I can't think of a more exciting way to present this 4-day stellar event than through his eyes!"

One aspect of the show will feature a musical medley at the 20th Anniversary Concert with artists like Ashley MacIsaac, Bruce Guthro, Damhnait Doyle, Lennie Gallant, Mary Jane Lamond, and Jean-Francois Breau along with fresh faces such as hey rosetta!, Meaghan Smith and the Tom Fun Orchestra. Other artists featured over the weekend at various venues, include the Joel Plaskett Emergency, David Myles, Dominique Dupuis, Chucky Danger, Paul Hébert, Jenn Grant, Wintersleep, Dave Gunning, and Ron Hynes.

As can be imagined, a lot of footage will be shot over the course of the four-day event, happening from February 7th to the 10th, 2008. Footage that isn’t included in the TV special will be available on the web. East Coast music fans who want a deeper look into a particular performance or want to take in as much of the experience as possible can click on www.cbc.ca/eastcoastmusic for an entire year after the event. ECMA 2008 will be at your fingertips 24/7! Outtakes included!

Steven Page will be yelling cut and ducking away from the cameras at least a couple of times over the weekend. And, Fredericton is in for a special treat when Page hauls out his guitar and hits the Playhouse stage as the SOCAN Special Guest at the Songwriter’s Circle on Saturday afternoon. Not bad for an ECMA first timer!


Dream Street Pictures is pleased to be returning to Fredericton to shoot a major television production. In the past three years, Dream Street has produced two TV dramas in the New Brunswick capital - the movie of the week “Sticks & Stones” and the mini-series “Canada Russia ‘72”.

The East Coast Music Awards, Festival & Conference is an annual event organized by the East Coast Music Association. The ECMA is a not-for-profit organization whose mandate it is to foster, promote and celebrate East Coast music locally and globally.

The 2008 East Coast Music Awards, Festival & Conference has received financial support from the Government of Canada, Province of New Brunswick, and the City of Fredericton. The East Coast Music Association would also like to acknowledge the financial support of FACTOR and the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada’s private radio broadcasters.

Life Support -Christian Alternative Band plays UNBSJ

Life Support -A Christian Alternative Band played at University of New Brunswick's Saint John campus this past Saturday evening.

The band was formed while I was studying at Saint Francis Xavier University (2001-05), Antigonish -Nova Scotia, and has been touring for the past year around Canada and into the United States.

It was great to hear them play and learn that they are trying to bring about an encounter with Christ through their music.

Please check them out,

Below is a write -up from their website:

Life Support is a modern and original alternative rock/worship ensemble whose appearances have been inspiring hope and change in the lives of people across Canada. Comprised of six veteran musicians who met while studying at St. Francis Xavier University, Life Support showcases no compromise, passionate lyrics, and a message of hope to a desperate generation.

The band is comprised of Alex Stephen and Deanna Leil vocals, Rob Reid and Jordan Mattie guitars, Chris Lively bass, and Matt Stride drums. Life Support fuses a non restraint musical pallet with an open and honest heart of worship to produce an intense and dynamic worship event. Life Support came together out of a unified vision for their University campus; that students and friends would come to know Jesus. "There is a real need here and we felt a calling to hold our own services to reach out to other students and friends. There were so few believers here when we started and it has been amazing to watch the Lord work to change lives", says Reid. With an acoustic guitar at the helm of most of their songs, the band creates an organic wall of sound and texture ranging from intense drive to gentle refrain.

Life Support draws on the influences of United Live, Switchfoot, Fourth Avenue Jones, and a variety of musical styles to produce an interesting blend of musical dynamic. The band is a refreshing mix of the worship and rock/alternative format. They have just released a full length album of their own tunes, mixed and mastered at the Hive Studios in Toronto. The album has been nominated for a 2007 East Coast Music Award for "Gospel Recording of the Year", and also their original tune "Out of Order" was nominated for a 2006 Canadian Gospel Music Award in the category of "Rock Song of the Year."Life Support has been together now for four years, playing all over the East Coast and quickly expanding into Quebec and Ontario.

The band is planning on touring Canada this year with dates starting in Newfoundland.Matt Stride has joined the group in the absence of Michael Fredricks who has left the band to continue in the path that the Lord has chosen for him which is to be a Pastor."We're waiting on the Lord for His leading in all future endeavors," adds Reid. With a single unified goal in mind, Life Support is allowing God to use them to further His Kingdom. Come out and witness the life changing power of Jesus.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=12555322

In Friendship,

JR

Saint John Artist's Work Online

Hey Friends,

I wanted to let you know about a friend's artwork that is now available
for viewing online at the following address:

www.maryyoungartist.com

I hope many of you may be moved by the beauty of her work.

In Companionship,

JR

Saint John Communion and Liberation Beginning Day

Friends and Families of the Saint John Communion and Liberation community celebrated its first Beginning Day on Sunday October 21. The Beginning Day’s activities started with the celebration of Mass at Saint Peter’s Church. Following Mass, the assembly of friends and families gathered for a barbecue lunch and afternoon at the Roderick’s family’s summer cottage on the Saint John River. The afternoon encounter was highlighted by the beauty and peacefulness of the fall foliage and crisp cool air. Beginning Day is a time of friendship and fellowship whereby those interested in learning more about the mission and work of Communion and Liberation are invited to participate and share the lived experience of the CL community. Communion and Liberation was founded in Milan, Italy by Msgr. Luigi Giussani in 1954, as an initiative to provide integral catechesis and an experience of common life for young people. It took initial form as a youth branch of the Italian “Catholic Action” organization in the years immediately prior to Vatican II.
After a great feast of hamburgers, delicious appetizers and desserts, the children of the various families ran around and played either sports or with their dolls before going on a nature walk along the beach. The children’s nature walk enabled the parents to have some time to relax and take a little break from minding their kids. During the nature walk, the children got to see the beauty of the fall colors, and had great fun having a stone skipping contest, and finding a few shells and other cool washed ashore objects. At one point during the nature walk, one ambitious little boy pushed a twenty foot washed ashore tree back into the water. The childlike passion for life and wonder exhibited by the children was contagious and led to a few adults partaking in their games.
Later in the afternoon, the adults gathered together for a small encounter to learn more about the mission and work of Communion and Liberation. The meeting began with the singing of a song together, and followed with a presentation and discussion led by John Zucchi, who is the Head Responsible of Communion and Liberation for Canada. John Zucchi shared a few key insights into the life and history of the movement and about his personal experience following it. Following John Zucchi’s presentation, Barry and John Roderick each gave personal witnesses of their experience meeting the movement. Barry Roderick shared his experience of attending a CL national Diaconia in Boston with Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, SJ. Whereas John Roderick shared learning the importance of asking Christ to reveal himself in the ordinary activities of daily life and praying to have the heart to be attentive to his presence. One of the beautiful aspects Communion and Liberation emphasizes is that God is present and works through the concrete circumstances that are given and placed before us. He explained that as “Mary freely assented to the message of the angel Gabriel and brought the baby Jesus into the world, God continues to remain and be present in the world through the free assent of his followers today.” Afterward copies of the movement’s monthly publication Traces were made available; a magazine that illustrates the experience of those following Communion and Liberation around the world.
As the afternoon winded down and Beginning Day came to an end, many of the families and friends remained together and continued to share the friendship and communion that was lived during the day. Upon returning to our regular daily lives, families, jobs and school work, we take with us this lived experience of friendship and communion knowing that what we lived during the afternoon together does not have to end upon the return to ordinary daily life. The afternoon encounter proposed an answer to the distraction that often drowns our daily lives. He who attracted us during this time together is Someone, Jesus Christ, who we are able to continue to follow through the friends and families that were present that afternoon.