Manitobans score 44 Western Canadian Music Awards nominations

There will be plenty of chances to celebrate homegrown talentwhen theWestern Canadian Music Awardsroll intoWinnipegthis fall. Manitoba artists and industry picked up an impressive 44 nominations in 28 categories for the 12th annual celebration of music from the western provinces and territories with talented acts from Manitobas aboriginal, Francophone, roots and world music communities dominating their respective categories. The hardware will be handed out at a gala event onOctober 5in Winnipeg at the newly-opened Club Regent Event Centre.

For the third year in a row, the Franco-Manitoban scene is a strong leader, with fourlocal albums up for Francophone Recording of the Year. This years nods went to powerhouse pop artist marijose,rapper Tresor Ezoman, playful multi-lingualfolkgroupChez Willi,and children's actLuLu et le Matou.

Manitobas aboriginal music community continues to shine, landing three out of five nods for Aboriginal Recording of the Yearagain this year. The diverse list of nomineesincludes JUNO-nominated country chanteuseDesiree Dorion,indie pop/rock outfitFederal Lights,and young popsinger/songwriterCassidy Mann.

The local roots community strengthened its reputation for releasing acclaimed music, snapping up fivenods in the group and solo categories. Roots/pop trioSweet Alibi,pop/alt-country newcomers The Bros. Landreth,and JUNO nomineesLittle Miss Higgins & The Winnipeg Fiveare all up for Roots Duo/Group Recording of the Year.Last year's Roots Solo Recording of the Year winner,Del Barber, is up for the award again this year, along with acclaimed singer/songwriterRuth Moody.Barber and The Bros. Landreth also picked up nominations the competitive Songwriter of the Year category.

Barber, a three-time nominee this year, is also up for Independent Album of the Year, along with thegenre-defyingRoyal Canoe,a JUNO nominee this year, which also picked up a nod for Pop Album of the Year, as did soul/pop duoImaginary Cities.

Manitoba's world music community picked up three nominations for World Recording of the Year, including a first-time nod forThe Mariachi Ghostfor its mix of Mexican trad and prog rock,Victoria/Winnipeg-based Persian/western classical/jazz duo Moody Amiri, and 2012's winner, Brazilian jazz guitaristMarco Castillo.

Other artistic award nominees includeThe Perpetratorsfor Blues Recording of the Year;Madame DivaandSeanster and the Monstersfor Children's Recording of the Year; T. Patrick Carrabr for Classical Composition of the Year; theManitoba Chamber Orchestrawith Isabel Bayrakdarian for Classical Recording of the Year; Iskw for Electronic/Dance Recording of the Year;Jeff Presslafffor Jazz Recording of the Year;Noirefor Metal/Hard Music Recording of the Year; andMoses Mayesfor Urban Recording of the Year.

With a nod in all nine Industry Award categories, Manitobasindustry entrepreneurs and music companiesalso have an impressive showing in 2014.This years nominees for Manager of the Year includePaquin Entertainment Group's Gilles Paquin(Del Barber, Bachman & Turner, Buffy Sainte-Marie) and Tim Jones ofPipe & Hat(Mise En Scene, The Noble Thiefs, The Revival). Pipe & Hat, meanwhile, also landed a nod for Independent Record Label while Paquin Entertainment Group added its 11th nod for Agency of the Year.

Manitoba's live music scene takes centre stage this year, with theWest End Cultural Centreand The Park Theatreboth vying for Live Music Venue of the Year, and Chris Frayer (Winnipeg Folk Festival), Jason Hooper (West End Cultural Centre), and David Schellenberg (Union Sound Hall) earning nods for Talent Buyer of the Year.

The local recording scene was recognition with three nominations. Past winnerCameron Loeppkylandeda nod forEngineer of the Year for his work on severalalbums by local artists, including Greg MacPherson, Sweet Alibi, Federal Lights, Slow Leaves, and Les Jupes.Rusty Matyasearned his first Producer of the Year nomination for his work on various local releases (Sweet Alibi, Federal Lights, Slow Leaves) and also shares a second nod in the same category with BC's Howard Redekopp for Imaginary Cities' latest.

Other industry nominees include Album Design of the Year nominee Roberta Hansen for her work on The Bros. Landreth'sLet It Lie, and Milos Mitrovic for his video forLatka's "The Arrival."

A highlight of Manitoba'sYear of Music, the awards gala is the pinnacle event ofBreakOut West, which will be heldOctober 2-5, 2014. The event features a conference and three-day music festival with 50 showcasing acts in addition to the two awards shows. BreakOut West presents an incredible opportunity for emerging and established artists to be a part of the western Canadian music community. Participating artists and other music professionals have the chance to meet key industry stakeholders creating the opportunity for a new wave of exciting industry developments from record deals to international tours.

2014 Western Canadian Music Awards - Manitoba Nominees

Artistic Awards:

ABORIGINAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Federal Lights -We Were Found In The Fog
Desiree Dorion -Small Town Stories
Cassidy Mann -Blue Skies and Bright Eyes

BLUES RECORDING OF THE YEAR
The Perpetrators -Stick 'Em Up

CHILDREN'S RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Madame Diva - Viva la Diva
Seanster and the Monsters -Yay!

CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR
T. Patrick Carrabr -Inuit Games

CLASSICAL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Isabel Bayrakdarian and Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Anne Manson, conductor -Troubadour & the Nightingale

ELECTRONIC/DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Iskw -Iskw

FRANCOPHONE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
marijose -Pas tout cuit dans l'bec
Tresor Ezoman -Nouveau monde, Nouvelles Perspectives
Chez Willi -I Saw The Wolf
LuLu et le Matou -Le Chat Bott

INDEPENDENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Del Barber -Prairieography
Royal Canoe -Today We're Believers

JAZZ RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Jeff Presslaff -The Complete Rebirth of the Cool

METAL/HARDMUSIC RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Noire -Dark Reverence

POP RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Imaginary Cities -Fall of Romance
Royal Canoe -Today We're Believers

ROOTS DUO/GROUP RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Sweet Alibi -We've Got To
The Bros. Landreth -Let it Lie
Little Miss Higgins & the Winnipeg Five -Bison Ranch Recording Sessions

ROOTS SOLO RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Del Barber -Prairieography
Ruth Moody -These Wilder Things

SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR
Del Barber - "Big Smoke" from the albumPrairieography
The Bros. Landreth (Joey Landreth, David Landreth) - "Greenhouse" from the albumLet it Lie

URBAN RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Moses Mayes -Moses Mayes

WORLD RECORDING OF THE YEAR
The Mariachi Ghost -The Mariachi Ghost
Moody Amiri -Safar
Marco Castillo -Zabel

Industry Awards:

AGENCY OF THE YEAR
Paquin Entertainment Group

ALBUM DESIGN OF THE YEAR
Roberta Hanesen / Renee Design - The Bros. Landreth - Let it Lie

ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Cam Loeppky - Greg MacPherson,Fireball/ Sweet Alibi,We've Got To/ Federal Lights,We We're Found in the Fog/ Slow Leaves,Second Chances/ Les Jupes,Negative Space

INDEPENDENT RECORD LABEL
Pipe & Hat

LIVE MUSIC VENUE OF THE YEAR
West End Cultural Centre
The Park Theatre

MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Tim Jones, Pipe & Hat
Gilles Paquin, Paquin Entertainment Group

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Rusty Matyas and Howard Redekopp - Imaginary Cities
Rusty Matyas - Sweet Alibi, Federal Lights, Slow Leaves

TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR
David Schellenberg, Union Sound Hall
Jason Hooper, West End Cultural Centre
Chris Frayer, Winnipeg Folk Festival

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Milos Mitrovic - Latka, The Arrival

Listen to SCENE with host Bruce Ladan on Saturday June7 for music featuring some of the WCMA nominees.The show airs from 5 - 6 p.m.on CBC Radio One, 89.3 FM/990 AM/97.9FM in Brandon.