Cormiers, Musycsyn collect ECMAs
HALIFAX — The 2021 East Coast Music Awards Festival and Conference, presented virtually with online showcases and industry events, wrapped up on Sunday with its second round of awards for artists and the people who work behind the scenes to keep the music industry in motion.
Following in the wake of Thursday night’s East Coast Music Awards Show, which was streamed on YouTube and Facebook, Sunday’s virtual closing ceremony hosted by Heather Rankin saw a number of artists become double winners in a variety of categories.
Prince Edward Island-raised and Halifax-based singersongwriter Rose Cousins saw her Juno Award-winning album “Bravado” pick up a second ECMA, for contemporary roots album of the year, joining the solo recording award it earned on Thursday.
The son-and-father team of Cheticamp guitarists Maxim and Gervais Cormier also received their second award for their “Live at the Fortress of Louisbourg” album, recorded in the acoustic splendour of the historic site’s chapel. On Sunday, the concert album was named instrumental recording of the year, alongside its Thursday award for roots/ traditional album of the year.
The past week proved to be a celebratory one for Halifax electronic pop artist Rich Aucoin, who picked up his second ECMA on Sunday for electronic recording of the year for “United States,” an album that he composed and produced during and after a bicycle trek across the southwestern U.S.
On Thursday, Aucoin’s single “Walls” was named the ECMA song of the year, while earlier this week its visual mashup of classic pop clips made the top 10 shortlist for the Prism Prize, honouring the best Canadian music videos.
The sparkling harmonies and retro-cool tunes of New Brunswick vocal trio Les Hay Babies also got some love from ECMA voters Sunday, as the album “Boite aux Lettres” was named group recording of the year, in addition to the Francophone album win on Thursday.
Also hailing from — and recently moved back to — New Brunswick, East Coast balladeer and broadcaster David Myles received the folk recording of the year award for “Leave Tonight.” Moncton stoner punks Diner Drugs picked up the loud recording prize for “As Is,” while Sackville-raised saxophonist Joel Miller’s “Unstoppable” was named jazz recording of the year.
Sunday’s music award winners also included Halifax composer Peter-Anthony Togni’s “Sea Dreams” for classical composition of the year, Cape Breton singersongwriter Jordan Musycsyn’s inspirational recording of the year win for “Around the Fire” and Halifax band Beauts’ rock recording of the year award for “Dalliance.”
Newfoundland and Labrador artists honoured Sunday included the lively acoustic trio the Swinging Belles, named children’s entertainer of the year with “The Superstar Sibling Detective Agency,” classical guitarist Steve Cowan for his collaboration with Montreal’s Adam Cicchillitti on “Focus,” country-folk entity the Heavy Horses (a.k.a. singer-songwriter Justin Mahoney) for country recording of the year for “With Darkness In My Eyes” and dance recording of the year winner BRDGS & FLWR for “Suspicious.”
The work of Enfield hiphop star Classified was honoured twice during Sunday’s industry awards, where he was named producer of the year for his work with fellow performers as well as on his own ECMA-winning “Time” EP, featuring the gold single “Time’s Up” with Breagh Isabel.
The Time’s Up promotional film also earned a video director of the year award for Mike Boyd, the brother of Classified (a.k.a. Luke Boyd), who’s also a noted songwriter and performer in his own right.
The industry awards also saw the artist innovator (in light of COVID) honour go to P.E.I. folk trio the East Pointers for a series of #Annedemic videos in which band members and their talented friends read passages from Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. Halifax’s Sonic Entertainment Group was once again named management/manager of the year, while its Sonic Temple recording room was hailed as studio of the year.
Honorary awards were presented to North Preston spiritual music pioneers the Gospel Heirs (Bucky Adams Memorial Award) and Celtic Colours International Festival co-founder Joella Foulds (Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award). St. Andrews, N.B., manager and Paddlefest founder Jamie Steel was named the ECMA’s 2021 industry builder.
This year’s Stompin’ Tom Awards are presented to honour those groups and individuals who are part of the bedrock of their respective regions’ music communities. Presentations this year included Cape Breton broadcaster Wendy Bergfeldt, Pictou County songsmith and producer Dave Gunning, Halifax Pop Explosion founder and artist manager Peter Rowan, P.E.I. songwriter and producer Tara MacLean and Newfoundland & Labrador’s long-running comedy trio Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers.
While the virtual version of the 2021 East Coast Music Awards Festival and Conference took place in lieu of the originally scheduled event slated for Sydney this year, organizers announced this week that the event will return as an in-person celebration of Atlantic Canadian artists in Fredericton in 2022.
“We are very excited to return to Fredericton for the 34th annual edition of the ECMAs,” East Coast Music Association CEO Andy McLean said earlier this week. “Known for its lively spirit, its deep roots in music and culture, and its undeniable hospitality, we’re looking forward to working with the host team in Fredericton to create a memorable and successful week for music fans, performers, and the entire community.”