"I think musicians and artists are really proud to be from Cape Breton. There is a rich sound here and it is special. There’s a life and spirit to it."
On May 29-31, 2024, the Music Tourism Convention traveled to Cape Breton Island to host 3 days of talks and presentations, live music, sightseeing and lots of networking opportunities.
This experience gathered 31 speakers and 224 delegates from 24 countries and 90+ cities across the conference days, and offered a 3-day pre-convention music tour across the Island for a select group of them.
Throughout the event, delegates were able to take a deep dive into the music culture of Cape Breton Island, enjoying performances by Sons of Membertou, a First Nation Mi’Kmaq drum and voice ensemble, Morgan Toney, a Juno nominated Mi’Kmaq fiddler, and Men of the Deeps, North America’s only coal miners choir, as well as being part of a traditiona East Coast Kitchen Party.
In addition to this, one of the highlights of the event was the Closing Reception which showcased a musical performance lead by Rose Morrison and joined on stage by musicians such as Graham Marshall, Eric Angus Whyte, Màiri Chaimbeul and Ryan Macneil
Besides all of these concerts going on, the delegate cohort was also full of local musicians that attended the event as part of the Local Musician Programme of the Music Tourism Convention.
This extraordinary gathering of musicians was so special that we decided to capture its vibrancy in a playlist featuring some of the incredible local talents who attended. To introduce the playlist and spotlight the artists, we caught up with Rose Morrison, one of Cape Breton Island’s celebrated music ambassadors, whose mind-blowing performance left us in awe.
Rose is an artist that embodies the roar of the sea with a pure and delicate voice, a musician with a career of 25+ years. She’s a versatile fiddler that has recorded and toured with several Oscar and Grammy Award winners and performed in prestigious venues such as the Carnegie Hall. She’s also the winner of three East Coast Music Awards. In addition to her performing career, she is also the Artistic Director of the Little Church concert series at the Vicar’s View venue in Baddeck, Cape Breton Island.
Hi Rose! We’re excited to have you as the host of this feature about the local musicians that took part in the Cape Breton Island Music Tourism Convention.
It was so wonderful to take part in this event. Thanks so much for featuring our music and sharing our artists with the world.
Could you give us a bit of context about your music career?
I started playing music when I was seven years old. I took lessons from the Gaelic College in St. Ann’s, NS. I had amazing teachers there who were deeply rooted in the Cape Breton style of fiddling. I also started step dancing around the same time.
When I was 11 years old I was part of a group called ‘The Cottars.’ My brother and I along with another brother-sister duo recorded three albums and toured internationally for a few years. It was something that happened very quickly and I didn’t come from a family of professional musicians. We were playing traditional Celtic music originating from Gaelic culture and language. We were young kids and loved performing so it attracted lots of attention and I was then introduced to so many different styles of music internationally. We would be backstage at festivals and sharing music with some of the best folk musicians in the world.
When I was a young adult I continued to tour with other singers and bands. I always felt really excited about music collaborations. I lived away for several years including three years in West Kerry. I really fell in love with tunes again. It really changed my approach to playing. I liked the wildness of it, and it reminded me of the fire we have in our style.
I found myself back home during the pandemic and it was the first time I really felt grounded in my life. I now live with my husband on the same road my great grandparents settled on, and it has inspired my third solo album ‘The River She Knows.’
What is it like to be a musician in Cape Breton Island?
I think musicians and artists are really proud to be from Cape Breton. There is a rich sound here and it is special. There’s a life and spirit to it. To speak of the fiddling style, it’s for dancing. It continues to bring people together to celebrate, to mourn, to experience joy. It’s a lifestyle to play and share. It’s a big part of our lives.
What are Little Church Concerts about? What’s the objective of the project and how has it developed since it was created?
When I was living in West Kerry there was a church that I loved to play in. Whatever music, film, book launch, or event I was attending, I always left the space feeling so inspired. The first time I walked into the Vicar’s View Venue in Big Baddeck, I felt the same energy. I didn’t even know at the time it was my great-grandparents' church. This is now our third year and I have dreams of connecting our series internationally. I love how it brings people together to experience intimate performances on the river.
We know that you have an upcoming release with Graham Marshal, a collaboration that sparked from attending the Cleveland Music Tourism Convention in 2023. Tell us about it.
I went to the Music Tourism Convention last year thanks to Destination Cape Breton. There were nine of us that attended and that is when I first met Graham. We had conversations about music and our approach was very similar. I learned so much from him. He’s so generous with his knowledge and teachings. Our friendship was immediate and melodies come very naturally to us both. We co-wrote ‘For a Thousand Years’ which is the second track on my new album being released June 28th. It’s just the beginning of this special musical connection and I’m really grateful for Graham’s openness and trust. He has an incredible voice. You listen when he sings. He has a power.
What can we expect in the playlist of local musicians that were part of the Cape Breton Island Music Tourism Convention?
I think this playlist is a nice expression of our traditional music and contemporary songwriting. There’s a beautiful wovenness of old and new in the sound you will likely find when traveling to Cape Breton.
I also recommend checking out Emma Stevens, Rachel Davis and Darren McMullen and Andrea Beaton.
Playlist
About the artists featured in the playlist
Jordan is a hard-working singer/songwriter and a masterful storyteller, writing songs about life and love with pathos and humor in a Folk/Americana style. He sustains a busy touring schedule throughout Canada in support of his third album ‘Around The Fire’ which won him an ECMA in 2021. His sophomore album ‘Old State Of Mind’ (2017) was nominated for a Music Nova Scotia award for best Americana album of the year. Drawing on his own life experiences he writes relatable songs of love, loss and the human condition. A dynamic performer, Jordan moves the audience from laughter to tears and back again. His first album ‘The Pitch’ (released in the fall of 2014) was nominated for 2 Music Nova Scotia awards. He has toured across Canada many times playing his songs solo and with his band. He has played the majority of the major music festivals in Atlantic Canada such as ‘Stan Rogers Folk Festival’, ‘Cavendish Beach Festival’, Celtic Colours Festival’ and the ‘Evolve Music Festival’. He also writes, performs and tours with the ‘Cape Breton Summertime Revue’ and ‘Tis The Season’ annually since 2015.
Cape Breton’s troubadour Aaron MacDonald is one of the East Coast’s most prolific and authentic songwriters. Hailing from Mabou, a small town the beats in the musical heart of the island, this ECMA nominee has a matured blend of country and rock that lovingly leans towards roots and blues. The songs seem familiar even when hearing them for the first time. The authenticity of MacDonald’s live performance is magically captured as he lays out his life’s story with each song.
Back-to-back Music Nova Scotia Americana Album of the Year nominations, a live album, Song From A Hurricane, just released in January, Aaron MacDonald continues to show why he is one of the East Coast's premier and unique songwriters.
Doug has studied, taught & performed Cape Breton fiddle for most of his life, inspired from toddlerhood by his grandfather, legendary fiddler Bill Lamey. Since then, Doug has performed at innumerable concerts and festivals throughout North America. He recorded a CD in 2009 as a member of the band Tri (“Among Friends/A-measg Chàirdean”), and upon his move to Cape Breton in 2011, Doug celebrated with a solo album, "A Step Back in Time." Doug's playing has a solid rhythmic beat that’s the key to the great Cape Breton-style fiddling, and his love of the music clearly shines through. Doug currently resides in Baddeck, Cape Breton with his family and in 2023 he released another solo album entitled "True North," now available in person and online.
Long Call is alt-folk/indie rock sibling duo Avalon and Landen Moore. A queer ex-therapist and a relatively tall ex-farmer, Long Call played their first live show in the spring of 2022, and since then they’ve been performing to growing audiences in bars, backyards, living rooms, and theatres across the country and at home in Halifax. This year Long Call is releasing their debut album Everything Will Be Alright song by song alongside the music videos from their accompanying self-produced visual album. Long Call’s third national tour is taking place in the spring/summer of 2024.
GERRY MCDANIEL Youtube
Gerry McDaniel began at an early age performing with my family to local audiences and have been performing ever since to captivating music lovers throughout my career. An accomplished entertainer as a Celtic singer/songwriter, both Canadian and folk music, plus original recordings, including, Tall Ships, All the Way to Here, Waiting for the South Wind, just to name a few. Gerry thoroughly enjoys singing and playing acoustic guitar, bodhran, and thrives on audience involvement. Reaching out to bridge the gap between himself and the audience is what ignites his spirit as a performer!
His career has provided him with the opportunity to play for a variety of audiences and venues, from Irish pubs, hall and concerts, festivals (most recently, Kitchen Fest), and tourist attractions like CN Tower. I have performed all throughout Canada and the eastern United States. Recently, his music is being showcased in a documentary called The Making of Jimmy Brow.
Did you enjoy discovering the music of the Cape Breton Island Music Tourism Convention? Then join us at 2025 Music Tourism Convention in Anguilla to discover the sounds of this tropical paradise. Learn more about the event and sign up to the waitlist.
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