Its been a chilly winter and there’s even more to come but hang tight, NLFB has just the fest to get you moving in time for spring! In 2019 Northern Lights Festival Boréal will be presenting its very first edition of Bloom, a multi venue world music festival taking over the downtown core March 8^th – 10^th ! NLFB has made a name for itself in its 45+ years for bringing different flavours of music to their summer festival each July at Bell Park. This new venture sees them focusing on bringing together sounds from across the globe and presenting artists with unique cultural perspectives and influences.

The full Bloom festival line up and schedule is now available at www.nlfb.ca, weekend passes are available for the bargain price of $60 (individual tickets also available). Previously announced co-headliners include Bombino, Shad and The Battle of Santiago with an awesome selection of artists joining the program. Read on to learn more about the artists performing at Bloom 2019, March 8^th -10^th!

 

Bombino

For centuries, the desert town of Agadez has served as a converging point for the great camel caravans driven by the Tuareg that link West Africa with North Africa and the Mediterranean. Born in 1980 at a nomadic camp near this dusty outpost, the young guitarist and songwriter Omara “Bombino” Moctar was raised during an era of armed struggles for Tuareg independence and violent suppression by government forces. Bombino’s electrifying jams capture the spirit of resistance and rebellion while echoing with guitar riffs reminiscent of fellow Africans Tinariwen and Ali Farka Touré not to mention rock and blues icons such as Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Page. For centuries, the desert town of Agadez has served as a converging point for the great camel caravans driven by the Tuareg that link West Africa with North Africa and the Mediterranean. Born in 1980 at a nomadic camp near this dusty outpost, the young guitarist and songwriter Omara “Bombino” Moctar was raised during an era of armed struggles for Tuareg independence and violent suppression by government forces. Bombino’s electrifying jams capture the spirit of resistance and rebellion while echoing with guitar riffs reminiscent of fellow Africans Tinariwen and Ali Farka Touré not to mention rock and blues icons such as Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Page.

Shad

Shad is a Juno Award winning rapper and 3-time Polaris Music Prize shortlist nominee from London, Ontario. His 4 full-length albums have been recognized for their sharp lyrics and soulful arrangements. He is also the host of the Emmy and Peabody Award winning documentary series Hip Hop Evolution.

The Battle of Santiago

Toronto-based group Battle of Santiago combines classic Afro-Cuban rhythms and vocals with a distinctly Canadian post-rock spirit and sensibility. The result is a wholly unique sound that tells a universal 21st Century story, transcending borders while staying rooted in one city’s immigrant experience. The band’s newest release La Migra dives deep into Afro-Cuban waters, mixing Afro-Cuban Yourba chants with subtle electronica (“Barasu-Ayo”) and rumbas with post-rock experimentalism (“Asi Vengo Yo”). The sound is more than just Radiohead meets Irakere, though: there’s cumbia tinged with dub (“Cimmaron”), anthemic Latin rock (“Pa Bailar”) and even the smooth funk of “Complica”, which speaks to the messy lives and identities of so many immigrants and refugees.

Kobo Town

Founded and fronted by émigré Trinidadian songwriter Drew Gonsalves, Kobo Town’s music has been variously described as “an intoxicating blend of lilting calypsonian wit, dancehall reggae and trombone-heavy brass” (Guardian) and a “unique, transnational composite of rhythm, poetry and activist journalism.”(Exclaim!) From their home in Toronto, the JUNO-nominated group has brought their distinct calypso-inspired sound to audiences across the world, from Port-of-Spain to Paris and from Montreal to Malaysia. 

Pierre Kwenders

Afro-Canadian singer/songwriter Pierre Kwenders will also perform. While Pierre’s music ranges from icy R&B to futuristic hip-hop, his style is rooted in Congolese rumba, the ubiquitous sound of The Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mehdi Cayenne

With a wide sonic palette mixing the sweet and the abrasive, Mehdi Cayenne has been developing his eclectic, minimalistic and evocative approach over three LPs so far: “Luminata” in 2011, “Na Na Boo Boo” in 2013, and “Aube” in 2015. He proposes a colourful and fiery repertoire of post-punk songs that blend world, pop, folk rock and funk in his very particular way. His songs possess something animalistic as well as a poetic sweetness, evoking a musical culture of every stripe and every era.

NADJIWAN

The first NADJIWAN compact disc titled “Brother”, released in 1995 went on to achieve much success in both Canada and the United States earning him an nomination for BEST ROCK ALBUM at the Native American Music Awards as well as the #1 album spot on the Aboriginal Voices Top 10. Over the past 20 years NADJIWAN has gone on to release 4 studio albums with the latest ‘Superposition’ being number five. The first single ‘Reentry’ hit the #1 spot on the National Indigenous Music Countdown in June 2017. In the past decade Marc has had 5 consecutive #1 hits on the National Aboriginal Top 40 Countdown.

Gurpreet Chana

A musician, technician, composer and performer,  Gurpreet and his music juxtaposes the time-honoured tradition of the tabla with a dizzying array of musical styles.  Weaving the hypnotic sounds of the tabla drums into the fabric of various  music, he spreads its rhythmic pulse like a meme with each fresh cultural integration.

The Young Novelists

The Young Novelists create contemporary folk songs that marry their effortless harmonies with darkly poetic lyrics and exquisitely crafted hooks. Their third album In City & Country features songs about 10 small towns in Ontario, and has been described as “a lush-sounding feast” (Penguin Eggs) and “emotional, melodic music that variously reminds me of the Jayhawks and Richard and Linda Thompson.” (No Depression) Their previous album landed them a Canadian Folk Music Award for New/Emerging Artist, a nomination for Vocal Group of the Year, and multiple songwriting awards. They have toured across Canada, the United States, and in Europe, often with their young son in tow. Their signature show features confessional storytelling about their songs and travels, singalongs, and the unique sound of bowed glockenspiel.

Greyson Gritt

Greyson Gritt was born on the Canadian Shield, raised on a dirt road, and lives as a sub-arctic folk-blues musician in Yellowknife, NWT. With a mouthful of soul and a truckload of blues, this queer Anishinaabe-Métis songster was nominated for Best Blues Album at the Indigenous Music Awards in 2017 and is a member of the JUNO award-winning group Quantum Tangle.

Catherine Taddo

Canadian singer-songwriter Catherine Taddo brings her experiences, passion and voice to her music. After repeated moves as a youngster at age 11 she found a home playing guitar and has been playing and writing songs ever since. The latest release Under Your Hood is Taddo’s second album. The album debuted at number 1 at the CILU Folk/Roots/Blues earshot chart, and reached the top 10 Canadian national earshot chart for Folk/Roots/Blues. Taddo penned all of the songs on this straight up blues album, with the exception of Louis Jordan’s, Men Are Like Street Cars. Under Your Hood features Taddo on rhythm guitar, Rusty McCarthy on lead guitar, Ed Young on drums, and Frank Deresti on bass.

LAL

Through their exploration of a dynamic range of diasporic rhythms, LAL have developed a sound that ingeniously integrates their South Asian and West Indian roots with jazz sensibilities, hip-hop and authentic soul – all encased in a fresh and eclectic electronic sound.

Chippy Nonstop

Chippy Nonstop got her name for a reason. She is an audacious, undeniable party starter with a penchant for travelling the world and always bringing her unique energy. As a sound selector she makes the dance floor shake, but there’s much more to the story. Chippy is a DJ, rapper, songwriter, writer, producer, activist and organizer of community events. She is of Indian descent, but is more of a cultural nomad; she was born in Dubai, grew up in Zambia, has citizenship in Canada, lived in Los Angeles, Oakland, New York, and currently resides in Toronto after a very public deportation; (Fader’s coverage here). Chippy Nonstop is currently working on new music-related endeavors including a project called Intersessions, a sound initiative curated by and for women & the LGBTQ+ community.