That’s a wrap
The 30th anniversary edition of the East Coast Music Awards wrapped up in Halifax with its Music and Industry Awards celebration held on Sunday night.
After a beautiful opening night concert on the Halifax waterfront, a splashy awards gala at Scotiabank Centre and four days of showcases and schmoozing, the 30th anniversary edition of the East Coast Music Awards wrapped up with its Music and Industry Awards celebration on Sunday night.
The ceremony, held in the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel’s Nova Scotia Ballroom, was to feature performances by Halifax- based P. E. I. natives Lennie Gallant and pop recording of the year winner Jenn Grant, Nova Scotia singer and ECMA veteran Heather Rankin and Newfoundland & Labrador’s sax-powered funkmeisters Ouroboros.
Following the 13 awards handed out on Thursday night, the 12 music categories honoured on Sunday were fairly evenly split between male and female artists, most notably with singer- songwriter Rose Cousins turning her ECMA 2018 weekend into a hat trick, picking up a third award for her acclaimed Natural Conclusion, this time as folk recording of the year.
On Thursday, the Grammy Award- nominated record also earned album of the year and song of the year for the ethereal track Grace, which Cousins also performed to close out that night’s ceremonies.
Making a return trip to the podium as well was New Brunswick-born, Falmouth-based soprano Measha Brueggergosman, who also turned in an impassioned performance at Thursday night’s gala, where she was presented with the Bucky Adams Memorial Award.
On Sunday, her collection of spirituals linked to the civil rights struggle, Songs of Freedom, was named gospel recording of the year.
“The work is ongoing, and my ambition is unquenched,” said Brueggergosman after her earlier win.
“I am inspired by Bucky and his legacy to go at the next 40 (years) just as hard. I’ll keep it close to home, though.
“I can only be as huge worldwide as I am at home, and in my heart, as I serve my children and
my church and my community. It’s that kind of fervour; if we can be found faithful in the small things, the big things will gravi- tate towards us, I believe that wholeheartedly.”
Big things were also happening for 16- year- old country singe — and Rolling Stone artist to watch — Makayla Lynn, whose On a Dare and a Prayer was named country recording of the year, after previously winning the country category at the 2017 Music Nova Scotia Awards.
Women in rock were also honoured as Wednesday night kick- off concert performer Mo Kenny won solo recording of the year for her expansive third album The Details, which she coproduced with longtime cohort Joel Plaskett, and Jessie Brown’s gutsy and soulful Keeping Appearances was named rock recording of the year.
A pair of awards are also heading home across the Canso Causeway as Cape Breton artists won ECMA trophies in the instrumental and roots/ traditional categories. Violinist Rosie Mackenzie’s Dingle, Irelandrecorded Atlantic was chosen in the former category, for its trans-oceanic collection of original compositions.
In the latter category, Celtic supergroup Coig — fiddlers Rachel Davis and Chrissy Crowley, pianist Jason Roach and mainlander multi- instrumentalist Darren Mcmullen — saw its album Rove jig its way to the top of the class after also earning the quartet its first Juno Award nomination.
Another double winner of the weekend also hails from Cape Breton, the original East Coast blues rocker Matt Minglewood, whose Fly Like Desperados tied with New Brunswick songwriter Mike Biggar’s Go All In for blues recording of the year.
On Thursday night, Minglewood received a standing ovation in absentia at Scotiabank Centre when he was named the Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year.
“He’s probably playing a gig in Fort Mcmurray as we speak,” quipped presenter Ashley MacIsaac as he accepted the fanvoted award on Minglewood’s behalf.
After this year’s 30th anniversary blowout, it falls on Prince Edward Island to step up to the plate and host the next edition of the East Coast Music Awards, taking place in Charlottetown, May 1-5, 2019.