Since inspiring Olympic Athletes with her soul baring performances in private concerts and performing solo on site at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, the artist developed an international fan base and piqued the interest of European radio.  Over the past few years Dana-Marie made headlines by performing international anthems in multiple languages, taking the stage at festivals, entertaining crowds of thousands, and sharing the bill with several Juno Award winners.

Meanwhile the self-taught composer and gear-headed singer-songwriter built a home studio to fulfill a burning urge to arrange and record accompaniment to her songs.  Exploring her feel for haunting, classical compositions, the resulting sound of her demo was an unparalleled blend of acoustic folk-pop melodies with tragic, grand orchestral elements.

The indie artist was thrilled in 2009 when the complexity of her compositions captivated John MacArthur Ellis (Jeremy Fisher, Dan Mangan, Leeroy Stagger, The Be Good Tanyas), a major label contractor and award winning producer who agreed to work with her as an independent artist. After two years of co-engineering and co-production on top of the same track beds that Battaglia started, came an album of exceptional quality on the indie scene.

Battaglia’s 2011 debut release entitled “Songs of utter despair, guilt, empathy, lust, longing and/or hope” comes to life on stage as she's joined by Tim Bartsch on cello and her sister Tanya Maria on background vocals and keys/synth.  In the summer of 2011, the trio completed a Western Canadian Tour leaving in their wake a vast trail of new enthusiasts suddenly undergoing much self reflection.

When you find yourself strapped in to her emotive wavelength, keep your eyes open and your hands up.  With just enough sweetness to make you forget your anguish, Dana-Marie Battaglia will ensure that when the ride stops, you’ll be excited to line up all over again.

TEA Volume 15 artist Sarah Troy adds a huge spark to the TEA Volume 15 release with her track Arson. Sarah Troy is a prolific songwriter and recognized as a captivating performer. Her unique sound moves audiences with original songs and lyrics that demonstrate knowledge and skills far beyond her years. Couple this with dynamic piano compositions and you have the amazing young performer that is Sarah Troy. Sarah's musical style is pop/rock singer/songwriter with undertones of blues and jazz.  Her songs explore the passion and emotion of her life’s journey, her relationships and her dreams; featuring lyrics full of integrity that are extremely easy to relate to.

Upcoming Events

Over the past year Sarah’s been performing and promoting her 4th independent album release, ‘A Dozen Hearts’. Sarah’s single ‘Arson’ has been featured by Music Week in London, England in the best of Canada feature and is featured in the TEA (Toronto Experimental Artists) compilation CD release. Her recent live performances have included shows in Boston, Vancouver, Edmonton and New York City’s oldest rock club, ‘The Bitter End’. Sarah was also featured in the Shaw Calgary Cable series, ‘A Room Full of Sound’ in September 2011. In March 2012 Sarah will perform in Toronto as part of Canadian Music Week at three venues listed below. Sarah Troy will host and perform at the third annual YoUthtopia on April 20, 2012 in Bragg Creek. This past summer Sarah studied music performance at Berklee College of Music in Boston on a full scholarship.

Sarah was born a musician and loves to perform. Her fans are entranced by her musical abilities and amazed at her maturity and relaxed, captivating stage presence.

“If you haven’t had the privilege - meet Sarah Troy! This young contemporary pop singer/songwriter is causing a stir in the Alberta music scene and giving hometown Bragg Creek much applauded bragging rights.”

Routes Magazine, Sandra Wiebe, 2011

Canadian Music Week Dates

March 21, 2012 - Rivoli at 1am
March 22, 2012 - Free Times Cafe at 9pm
March 23, 2012 - Free Times Cafe at midnight

TEA Volume 15 artist Trevor Davies brings Nostalgia to the TEA Volume 15 compilation release. Born in Winnipeg Manitoba, in 1987, Trevor Davies has spent his entire life as an independent musician on Vancouver Island. Largely self-taught on guitar and vocals, he fronted a rock band at fourteen which performed some original material and performed near his home town in the Cowichan Valley. As his songwriting developed, a more adventurous group called Freedom Toast was formed. Here began his passion for both improvisation and ideas in music…

The teenage experimental band released two professional recordings and played hundreds of shows including the Islands Folk Festival, VIEX, and other gigs typically reserved for grown-ups.

Trevor maintains a deep interest in literature and language. He has written many poems, short stories, articles and essays, some of which have been published. Some of which have become songs. He has also written and directed several films and worked as director and musical director in theatrical productions.

In 2005, Trevor enrolled in jazz performance at Vancouver Island University, where he studied with some of the best musicians in Canada, including: Buff Allen, Ken Lister, Greg Bush, Bryan Stovell, Myron Makepeace and jazz-guitar jedi Pat Coleman. Trevor has performed with such talented performer/musicians as Ian Finkel, Ken Lavigne, The Nylons and the Victoria Symphony Orchestra. Commercial work as a guitarist locally and on cruise ships around the world has resulted in a certain musical versatility and a growing vocabulary of styles. Through a constant exposure to music, Trevor also plays bass, drums, piano and trumpet to respective extents.

Trevor is currently promoting his first “solo” release (with full band), entitled Vanity Press. It is comprised mainly of material that has been accumulating for several years. The title is a reflection of the self-produced nature of Davies’ career. These song-poems are based in personal experience and love, and are strongly influenced by external works of art. They betray a fascination with wordplay, people, nature, and the simplicity (yet depth) of pop music. Over the years, and definitively with this release, the focus of Trevor’s music has shifted from the group collaboration of a jam band to composition and language, with an emphasis on elegance, authenticity, and personal emotive forces.

Listen to Trevor Davies

49 Parralel members are...

Jeff Wilcox (guitars) one of the more seasoned players in the Okanagan. Jeff's bands have opened for greats such as Long John Baldry, Helix, Nazareth, Prisim, Trooper, The Powder Blues, members of Kiss (Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer) the list goes on.

Laura Robidoux's (keyboards) very first contact with the music industry happened when she met Norman. From then on it was her main goal in life,  to hold her post in 49 Parallels, and she does it with a touch of brilliance & finesse.

David Mihal (Drums) - David is a drummer with many years of professional experience, having toured and recorded with many Canadian/US artists, including the great Canadian jazz pianist Oliver Jones, Juno nominee Rita Chiarelli, Stacey Heydon of David Bowie and Iggy Pop fame, Refugee/Myles Hunter, Shawne Jackson, Ken Hamilton Show (Las Vegas/NYC) and many others.

A 25 year veteran of award winning bands, Jim Leduc (bass) spent many years performing and recording in the bluegrass/country music industry with along list of credits to his name. He was a member of the award winning
band “Rocky Mountain Bluegrass Boys” who were two time winners of the BCCMA “Bluegrass Performers of the Year”.

NARIA is and contains 4 brilliant voices whose vocal prowess and original choreographed compositions features opera, pop, techno and world music with classical high notes while exhibiting their intimate personal style. While “aria” refers to the show-stopping moment in an opera, the “n” stands for “the north” — NARIA is proudly Canadian.

Determined to perform original pieces in a techno-operatic format, NARIA sought the professional expertise of two diversified musical arrangers: Haim Mazar from Los Angeles and Toronto’s Dima Graziani. In October 2011 NARIA launched their debut CD, NARIA Opera Pop Supernova, accompanied with their first video, “The Witch”.

NARIA’s music has been featured on The New Classical 96.3 FM, CHIN Radio as well as Britain’s International British Showcase, and internet radio stations including Woman of Substance, Indie Castle and ruKus radio with live performances currently occurring in Canadian cities. Undoubtedly in the not too distant future, NARIA will be taking center stage in Mexico, Europe and Asia, building international fan bases and winning over international audiences.

All in all, recording our fist album was very rewarding in many respects. There is a special feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment when you create something that you can truly call your own. As talks are underway regarding our next album, we are excited for this wonderful journey to continue… We hope you enjoy “Naria: OPERA POP SUPERNOVA”!

Congratulations Naria! They are going to Midem in Cannes, France to be showcased as one of three winners in the Sonicbids International competition

Check out their Thank You video to fans

If COLDPLAY, PINK FLOYD and THORNLEY all hung out and decided to make an album, it would sound just like The Weak Need's  debut band release entitled "Restitution." This eclectic group of guys who's style and influence range from jazz to 80's electronic, to power punk have found one vision, one dream, one band that they all believe in. They are: The Weak Need A high energy pop act being regularly compared to such bands as Keane, Coldplay, Muse, Pilot Speed and U2. Their emotive delivery at their live shows has their fans saying that they were "blown away" and "speechless" afterwards. "They are like the Coldplay of Canada." Sean (Lead vocals and Keyboards) himself is quoted as saying "I love Keane and Coldplay and I really like their sound but honestly, I don't listen to them a lot of the time because I don't want to start writing like they do. I'm totally influenced by their sound, but I really try to take it somewhere totally different." Different indeed.

It is easy to hear the 80's influence of bands like The Cure, The Smiths, Brian Ferry, and U2, along with newer bands like One Republic, and Never Ending White Lights washing through The Weak Need as the listener is bathed in Croley's unique intimate vocals, textured harmonies and intricately woven lyrics.

"There is no other band in Canada with a sound like you guys" says Juno award-winning producer, J. Richard Hutt.

The Weak Need performed a well liked and powerful set at the TEA Summer Showcase on Saturday July 18, 2009 at the Rivoli on Queen Street. They are also on the TEA Volume 12 and 15 compilation releases. New material will be showcased on the up and coming TEA Volume 15 compilation CD release.

Listen to The Weak Need

TEA Volume 15 Release - Jan 3, 2012

We are thrilled and excited to let everyone know that TEA Volume 15 has officially been released on January 3, 2012. Happy New Year!

TEA Volume 15 is an independent compilation of work by 20 Canadian artists and members of the music industry. This compilation explores the newest and best in Canadian alternative music with one of the new year’s most daring and diverse compilations (rock, pop, singer / songwriter, mainstream, progressive, blues, country, jazz, folk, acoustic and ambient)

Vancouver’s hard rock quintet VERSUS THE NOTHING’s single “Let It All Come Down” is featured on SEGA® Europe Ltd. ‘ soundtrack for Vancouver 2010™ - the Official Video Game of the Olympic Winter Games.

Listen to Versus the Nothing

One of the new tricks to confuse artists is "digital distribution" or "digital servicing". This is a service where the following is supposed to happen. You pay a small fee to have your audio sent to radio stations, then the person at the station listens to your track, plays it, then the service then tells you who played it. The problem is, it's very misleading.

First of all you have to understand the difference between "servicing"  radio and "promoting" to radio. Promoting to radio means you have a diologue / conversation with the person at the radio station and this requires phone calls and emails...

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Katelyn Dawn - She Talks to Angels (CTV)

Katelyn Dawn - CTV Spotlight (CTV)

Discovery Channel with David Suzuki

What has Katelyn been doing since Canadian Idol? PART 1 - Katelyn recently released her 2nd album, 'The Window'. The new album, produced by Chris Burke-Gaffney (Chantal Kreviazuk) & Dale Penner (Nickelback) combines an organic sunny roots-pop sound, with hummable melodies and jangly hooks. We are very proud of Katelyn here at TEA and we will continue to bring awareness to her many talents. She performed a passionate acoustic driven set at the TEA Summer Showcase at the Rivoli in Toronto. We are thrilled to have Katelyn back on the TEA Volume 14 Compilation CD which is being released on January 14, 2010. Her track "When the Coffee's Cold" will be featured on TEA Volume 14 along with many other talented TEA Artists. Katelyn is currently going to Hollywood to film a Discovery Channel Special with David Suzuki. She will open up the show with a glamorous performance.

PART 2 - At 20 Katelyn is moving forward with her music career with a new EP after having spent a year exploring the road towards independence.  Though there have been many roadblocks heartbreak and hardships, Katelyn has never taken her eye off of that final destination, which is to bring an honest heartfelt message to all you amazing fans through catchy melodies and thought provoking lyrics.

Says Katelyn: "I really just want to be able to create music that I am proud of, and that other people can relate to.  Being on stage and having an audience feel my songs along with me is the biggest high I could imagine, after all, music is the only thing that connects strangers on such an intimate level."

With a new EP on the horizon, a Discovery Channel Showcase, and a top spot from Canadian Idol under her belt, Katelyn Dawn has never been in such an exciting position! Her career is about to take flight and the possibilities are endless!

Listen to Katelyn Dawn