Manitoba Aboriginal Artists To Showcase in Toronto

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Manitoba Music is gearing up to take over legendary Toronto music venue The Rivoli on November 17 for an event showcasing Aboriginal artists. The event, produced through Manitoba Music's Aboriginal Music Program, includes two Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards (CAMA) nominees, Vince Fontaine and Ali Fontaine, as well as buzz-worthy up-and-comers Lorenzo and Cassidy Mann. The CAMAs will be handed out on November 18 at Toronto's Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

Vince Fontaine, who will perform with his Juno-winning band Eagle & Hawk, is up for a CAMA for Best Instrumental Album for his debut solo effort, Songs for Turtle Island. The album has already a slew of awards and nominations, including an Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award earlier this month and an upcoming Canadian Folk Music Award nod.

Newcomer Ali Fontaine, who is nominated for Best Female Artist at the CAMAs, was a double winner at this year's APCMAs, picking up Best New Artist and Best Country CD for her self-titled debut.

Genre-defying hip hop singer/songwriter Lorenzo got a nod from Uptown readers earlier this year when he was named Best New Solo Artist in the weekly's annual Best of Winnipeg poll.

Teenage singer/songwriter Cassidy Mann, who release her self-titled debut EP this summer, has hit the National Aboriginal Music Countdown chart and her songs can be heard in upcoming APTN show, Blackstone.

While in Toronto, the Aboriginal Music Program will also partner with the CAMAs for a reception and networking event after the awards gala on November 18, featuring performances by Ali Fontaine and Cassidy Mann.

The Toronto trip is part of the Aboriginal Music Program's market development initiatives, which promote Manitoba's wealth of Aboriginal talent on the national stage. Through events like these, Manitoba Music is able to increase the level of awareness and connectedness between our province’s music industry and the broader national and international industry, which is vital to the career advancement of Manitoba's Aboriginal artists and industry professionals.

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