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Canadian Musicians (22)
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Blue Rodeo: On the RoadMillefiore Clarkes 2014 6 minThis short film pays tribute to beloved Canadian country rock band Blue Rodeo. They've been traveling the highways and back roads of Canada for almost 30 years, bringing their music to audiences far and wide, and building a passionate and dedicated fan base. The expressions on the faces in the crowd say it all: concert-goers are transported to moments in their lives that remain vital in their hearts. Blue Rodeo: On the Road follows this iconic band on the last leg of their 2014 tour, and revisits their early days through found footage. The film captures the essence of a band that is forever moving forward—and always finding inspiration for their songs in the landscapes and people of Canada.
This film was produced by the NFB in co-operation with the National Arts Centre and the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation on the occasion of the 2014 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. -
A Composer's DreamBarbara Willis-Sweete 2011 7 minThis short film demonstrates how Howard Shore has distinguished himself as one of Canada's most accomplished - and versatile - composers.
During woodland rambles with his beloved dogs, Shore gives free rein to his ceaseless creativity. Whether composing delicate counterpoint or Oscar®-winning movie music, Shore is keenly tuned to a remarkable range of musical expression.
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David Foster’s EGGGPAATeresa Alfeld 2022 4 minAfter an incredible 40-year career, iconic producer and songwriter David Foster has still not achieved EGOT status (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony). But today he’s about to achieve something much greater.
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Eye Witness No. 221950 10 minAlberta's Blood Indians: On their reserve near Cardston, Alberta, the Kainai take action against waste and want, to improve living standards. Music Master: All the world of music reaches blind Paul Doyon, piano virtuoso, through his "seeing fingers." Sky Sentries: Jet planes of the Royal Canadian Air Force's famed 401 Squadron scream through the skies over Montréal in an air defense exercise.
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The Haunts of Murray McLauchlanMichael McNamara 2018 5 minMurray McLauchlan says his battered second-hand guitar is haunted by all the musicians who ever played it. Murray’s songs are haunted too, by all the experiences and music that have filled his life. Ever curious and generous, he shares music and stories with us, and with the spirits that still inhabit the legendary studio where he records in Toronto’s Kensington Market.
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Johnny à Dennis à Alfred (English Version)Michel Brault & André Gladu 1976 26 minThree generations of Acadian fiddlers from Baie Sainte-Marie relate their experiences and their love of music. The fiddling tradition passed from the grandfather Alfred, a lumberjack, to the father Dennis, a caulker, to the son Johnny, a fisher and professional musician. An admirable legacy in one of the oldest Acadian communities.
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Johnny OsbourneGraeme Mathieson & Chris Flanagan 2024 18 minBefore gaining international recognition as the “Dancehall Godfather,” legendary singer Johnny Osbourne was at the forefront of a revolution that transformed Toronto into one of the most influential reggae communities in the world.
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John Kim Bell: Born to “Indspire”Roxann Whitebean 2023 4 min
In this unconventional portrait of John Kim Bell, he reflects on his formative years, which brought him to Broadway and influenced him to become the first Indigenous person in North America to lead a classical orchestra. After spending a lifetime amplifying the voices of Indigenous Peoples through the arts, he elaborates on his trailblazing work, including founding the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, known today as Indspire.
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Jerry Brown’s Summer RecordsGraeme Mathieson & Chris Flanagan 2024 15 minJerry Brown’s Summer Records was one of the first recording studios to give Canadian reggae artists a voice. Four decades later, never-before-seen footage lets us meet the man behind the mixer for the very first time.
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k.d. lang: songs & silenceLaura O'Grady 2023 5 mink.d. lang shares her perspective on preferring silence and listening to making noise as one of the 2023 recipients of the GGPAA for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. A musician, 2SLGBTQI+ activist, daughter and icon, lang transcends categorization. Here, she delves into the essence and significance of musical expression, examining its emotional impact on both the performer and the audience.
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Love, ScottLaura Marie Wayne 2018 1 h 16 minWhile walking on the street one night in a small town in Canada, Scott Jones, a gay musician, is attacked and paralyzed from the waist down; what follows is a brave and fragile journey of healing and the transformation of a young man’s life. From the first raw moments in the hospital to a disquieting trip back to the place he was attacked, Scott is constantly faced with the choice of losing himself in waves of grief or embracing love over fear. Filmed over three years by Scott’s close friend, Love, Scott is an intimate and visually evocative window into queer experience, set against a stunning score by Sigur Rós.
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Leroy SibblesGraeme Mathieson & Chris Flanagan 2024 17 minIn Trench Town—the birthplace of reggae—Leroy Sibbles rose to stardom as the lead singer of The Heptones and the undisputed king of the reggae bassline. Then, at the height of his career, he left it all behind to create a new legacy for himself in Toronto.
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MusicanadaMalca Gillson & Tony Ianzelo 1975 57 minWith no commentary other than the music and words of the performers themselves, this fast-moving film presents the grandest Canadian concert of them all. Here, the performers include both the great and the unknown from across the country, the musical styles span the centuries, and the artists are involved in all stages of musicianship: learning, teaching, conducting, recording, performing. Among the film's many stars are Edith Butler, Beau Dommage, Maureen Forrester, Glenn Gould, Paul Horn, the Huggett Family, and Gilles Vigneault.
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Molly MovieClark Johnson 2023 6 min
Raised in the wings of the theatre, it is perhaps no surprise that Molly Johnson was destined to become one of Canada’s greatest voices. Directed by Molly’s brother—acclaimed actor and director Clark Johnson—Molly Movie is as much a tribute to Molly’s singer-songwriter career as it is a testament to the communities she supports and the philanthropic work that drives her.
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Nana McLeanGraeme Mathieson & Chris Flanagan 2024 15 minAgainst the changing face of Toronto’s Little Jamaica, where she established some of the city’s landmark reggae record stores, singer Nana McLean challenges outdated stereotypes and establishes her reputation as the queen of Reggae in Canada.
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Roy & YvonneGraeme Mathieson & Chris Flanagan 2024 15 minRoy Panton and Yvonne Harrison made history as one of the first Jamaican ska duos. Decades after going their separate ways, the pair rekindle their magic—this time, 3,000 kilometres north, in Scarborough, Ontario.
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The Song and the SorrowMillefiore Clarkes 2018 42 minThe Song and the Sorrow follows Catherine as she journeys to understand her father and face her own struggles with mental illness. Through archival footage and intimate interviews with friends, family members, and musicians who knew and played with Gene—including Anne Murray, Lennie Gallant, and the late Ron Hynes—the film reveals a troubled and loving man who was never at ease with fame or money.
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Starlight & Other Sounds: The music of Alexina LouieJosephine Anderson 2021 5 minThis short sensory film explores the internal process of Alexina Louie, whose unique sound has established her as one of Canada’s most performed and highly regarded composers.
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Then Sings My SoulSusan Rodgers 2021 14 minPrince Edward Island singer and part-time fisherman Chad Matthews is a hardworking father of four and a Stompin’ Tom Connors tribute artist. In a rural town where making a living means only earning minimum wage, Then Sings My Soul follows Chad as he reaches for a guitar to help ease the pain.
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Trécarré: Exploring the Saint Mary’s Bay SoundNatalie Robichaud 2024 30 minMusical culture is part of the DNA in the Nova Scotia Acadian community of Baie Sainte-Marie. Brimming with talent, members of the local music scene are reinventing tradition and taking their vibrant rhythms far beyond the region’s boundaries. Rich in dialect and bursting with local tunes, Trécarré invites us to discover the magic of music that asks us not just to listen, but to share it, dance to it and live it.
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Tomson Highway: kipimâtisinaw tapâhpeyahkBarry Bilinsky 2022 5 minAn intimate glimpse into the life of Cree author, musician, playwright, and storyteller Tomson Highway, who is the 2022 recipient of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. Through his warmth and Cree humour Tomson invites us into his home in Gatineau, Quebec, where he shares stories about his parents, reasons for living, and the power of music as a language in and of itself.
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Wes “Maestro” Williams: Wes to the East - Forward Movin'Gilles Doiron 2024 3 min“Don’t make records, make history.” A true trailblazer, Wes “Maestro” Williams was the first Canadian rapper to break into the mainstream. In this snapshot portrait, Wes to the East- Forward Movin’, Williams takes us through his career as a recording artist, actor, author and motivational speaker, a career that has always tirelessly looked ahead to shatter barriers for the next generation.
