Harvest Media Center
Galaxie Rising Star Showcase Returns to Festival Week
July 14, 2009
In partnership with CBC's Galaxie, the continuous music network, the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival announced the return of the Galaxie Rising Star Showcase to the Festival week line up.
As one of the region's most important musical competitions, the Galaxie Rising Star Showcase provides NB artists with a potentially career-launching opportunity to gain exposure on the local, provincial and national levels through a highly-competitive music competition.
Up to five hopeful finalists will take the stage at Dolan's Pub on Friday, September 18th where they will be judged on their talent, originality and stage presence by a panel of music industry experts, as well as through audience and online voting.
"Supporting the New Brunswick music scene has always been important to the Festival, as local musicians make up 35% of our programming," says Brent Staeben, Music Director for the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival. "Bringing the Rising Star Showcase back to Harvest week this year will give the promising finalists - whoever they end up being - even more exposure and support, which is something we couldn't be happier about."
CBC's Galaxie radio champions Canadian talent by supporting the development and promotion of new musicians. Launched in 1998, the Galaxie Rising stars program is committed to recognizing, encouraging and contributing cash awards to Canada's up-and-coming stars.
"We share a deep sense of passion for music with our partners and embrace the bright talent of Canadian artists on the rise. For the recipients, a Rising Stars Award is a mark of respect and recognition. For Galaxie, it is our way of showing how proud we are of our new artists!"says Jean-Richard Lefebvre, Director, Development, Partnerships and French Programming.
The success of the program lies in the success of its past winners who, with the help of the CBC's Galaxie and the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival, have now taken their music to national and even international levels, while remaining faithful to their local roots.
Many of the Rising Stars of the past will be taking the stage at this year's Festival, including Matt Andersen, Ross Neilsen, Keith Hallett and the most recent winners, funk rockers Telfer, who in the past year have recorded their debut album and toured extensively through the Maritimes and Ontario.
"The Galaxie Showcase showed us that we were on the right path and that we had reached a point in our career where we could take some risks and try to expand our fan base," says Florenceville's own Tommy Green Jr of Telfer. "The award has opened doors at venues and with media throughout the Maritimes and Ontario. We have learned that both the industry and fans have a lot of respect for the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival and what kind of talent they put on stage every year. We're honoured to have our name attached to Harvest and can't wait to perform this year."
The Galaxie Rising Star competition - which includes a cash prize of $2000, a Friday pass to the Festival, a feature on CBC's Galaxie website, and in all promotional literature for the Rising Star program - is open to all New Brunswick performers - whether solo or in a band - who were born in, or currently live in, the province.
The application deadline for all interested musicians is Monday, August 3 at 5pm. The five finalists, who will play the Galaxie rising Star Showcase at Dolan's Pub during Festival week, will be selected by a Festival-appointed jury, and will be announced on Friday, August 17.
For more information on how to apply, please contact Erin Pelerine at erin@harvestjazzandblues.com.
