Photo by courtesy / courtoisie. Left to right/De gauche à droite :Don Alder, Valerie "Valley" Hennell, Lynne Partridge.

SOCAN recognizes three 2020-2021 BC Entertainment Hall of Fame inductees

Story by Howard Druckman | Wednesday February 10th, 2021

SOCAN is pleased and proud to recognize that British Columbia’s BC Entertainment Hall of Fame recently inducted SOCAN member and acoustic guitarist extraordinaire Don Alder; Western Canadian performing rights pioneer Lynne Partridge; and trailblazing music publisher and artist manager (among other things) Valerie “Valley” Hennell.

Don Alder is a three-time World Champion Acoustic Guitarist, who performs with a rare kind of passion. Often referred to as the Jimi Hendrix of the acoustic guitar, he continues to impress audiences around the world with his jaw-dropping performances. Guitar Player magazine Senior Editor Michael Molenda says, “Alder, is a Guitar Star in the making, and can hold an audience with the best of the seasoned pros”. Carly Rae Jepsen says, “Just saw the most amazing guitarist, still shocked this morning.” Ray Daniels, manager of RUSH, says, “Alder should be famous around the world.” Alder has shared the stage in duets with the likes of Jepsen, Col. Chris Hadfield, poet Shayne Koyczan, among many others.

Lynne Partridge pioneered performing rights in Western Canada, launching the BMI Canada (later called PROCAN) office in 1968. She’s been a constant source of knowledge, information, and inspiration to both young and established artists in British Columbia. In 1987, she was honoured with a Special Achievement JUNO Award for her tireless work on behalf of creator’s rights. Partridge has served as Director of Communications for the Songwriters Association of Canada, and as tour manager and publisher for The Irish Rovers. She has also served on the Boards of Directors of numerous music organizations, including CARAS, PROCAN, ArtSpring, Salt Spring Island Folk Club, and BMI.

Valerie “Valley” Hennell Is a music-industry trailblazer, and a mainstay of the British Columbia arts scene as a writer, producer, artist manager, music publisher, and arts advocate. She has managed the careers of several well-known BC artists, including previous BC Entertainment Hall of Fame inductee Ann Mortifée. Hennel has also produced a dozen award-winning albums and countless seminal performing arts events and series. She’s recognized throughout the Canadian music industry as a force for integrity, fair dealing, and positive change. Her numerous national and local award awards are a testament to her talent and dedication to the music community in British Columbia.

SOCAN congratulates all three inductees on their lifetimes of achievement!

Photo by Heather Pollock

Video: The Breakdown – “What do you need in order to mix a record?”

Story by Howard Druckman | Thursday February 11th, 2021

Words & Music is pleased to extend its helpful “how-to” series for our members, “The Breakdown,” into the realm of short, question-and-answer videos.

 In this episode, former SOCAN A&R Representative Racquel Villagante talks with Toronto-based mixing and mastering engineer Jason Dufour, who worked as an assistant at the legendary Phase One, and was later hired as staff engineer at Revolution Recording. Jay has since gone independent and is quickly joining the ranks of the industry’s elite. Dufour has mixed consecutive No. 1 singles for July Talk, and won Recording Engineer of the Year at the 2017 JUNO Awards for his work on their Alternative Album of the Year-winning release Touch. Known for his relentless work ethic, creativity, and meticulous attention to detail, Jay has dedicated his life to the art of mixing records.

Our question this time is, “What do you need in order to mix a record?”

Photo by courtesy/courtoisie Le Phoque Off

Le Phoque OFF 2021 : a daring, inspiring virtual edition

Story by Eric Parazelli | Wednesday February 10th, 2021

For the seventh consecutive year, on Feb. 12-20, 2021, Le Phoque OFF will be held in Québec City, albeit virtually. Though the event started as a single after-party, Le Phoque OFF has become a genuine hub for the province’s alternative scene. Its mission is to introduce tomorrow’s artists to the various players in today’s performing arts market.

In addition to the musical showcases – featuring, among others, Ariane Roy, Alexiane, Kanen, LaFièvre, Narcisse, Pastel Barbo, Pure Carrière, and Quitte La Ville – Le Phoque OFF also presents a Pro component this year. On the menu: the return of Messe Basse—Lepointdevente.com, with topics and issues of interest to all players in the cultural sector; panels on exporting your music, presented by SOCAN (February 17, 18 and 19); conferences presented by Mallette and SMAQ I(Les Scènes de musique alternatives du Québec); virtual reality networking; and more.

This year’s edition of Le Phoque OFF will take place on the Fanslab platform. Pro accreditation (at a cost of $20) grant access to all programming. Along with an accreditation, attendees can also purchase a virtual booth to promote their organization and/or artists, at a cost of $60. If you have any questions about exhibitor booths, contact production@phoqueoff.com.

The public is also invited to take advantage of musical showcases via the Lepointdevente.com distribution platform. An all-access pass for the shows is on sale at a cost of $12.

SOCAN wishes you a great Phoque OFF!