2022 Juno Award winning songwriter Maria Dunn draws deeply on the folk tradition of storytelling through song. Melding North American roots music with her Scottish-Irish heritage, her new album Joyful Banner Blazing (2021) celebrates resilience, grace, gratitude, solidarity, joy and the love that fires our actions to make the world a better place. Her previous recording, Gathering (Nominee – 2017 Juno Award, Nominee – 2017 WCMA, Winner – Edmonton Music Prize), highlights positive stories of courage and activism, both local and global. 2012’s Piece By Piece (Nominee – 2013 Canadian Folk Music Award) pays tribute to immigrant women working at a Canadian clothing factory and 2004’s We Were Good People mines the vibrant people’s history of Western Canada in the early 1900s. Maria’s other independent albums include the more broadly themed The Peddler (Nominee – 2009 CFMA), For A Song (Nominee – 2002 Juno Award), all produced by Shannon Johnson (of Juno-winning band The McDades).

Edmonton-based, Maria has developed and toured four multimedia people’s history shows, On The River (with Indigenous women’s trio Asani), Packingtown, GWG: Piece by Piece and Troublemakers: Working Albertans, with videographer Don Bouzek. Maria also performs (solo, duo, ensemble) at festivals and theatres in Canada, Europe (UK, Ireland, Netherlands) and USA. Media features include: Bravo TV (The Carol Project), CBC National Radio (Sunday Edition), CKUA Alberta, BBC Radio Scotland. Her songs are published in the Rise Again songbook, Sing Out! and Penguin Eggs magazines and recorded by other artists including Niamh Parsons, The Outside Track, Bob Bossin

Tzadeka (TZA-deka) is Maigan van der Giessen, an Edmonton based emcee who has been pushing the boundaries of music since putting out her first tracks with hip hop collective Eshod ibn Wyza (2003). Maigan’s spicy vocals and intricate rhymes blend with long-time producer Marek Czuba’s masterful beat-making to create music that is distinct and fresh; with hints of jazz, punk, politics and the blues. Forever evolving,Tzadeka recently released Cities on Fire (2021); joining forces with local horn players Audrey Ochoa (trombone), Allison Ochoa (baritone sax), and Kirsten Elliot (flute). Resulting in a fresh musical release that further evolves that classic Tzadeka sound.

“AV & the Inner City” is a soul/roots group which formed during the course of the COVID19 pandemic and opioid crisis pandemic in the inner city of Edmonton, Canada. The group is made up of 6 singers: band leader and multi award-winning singer-songwriter AV (Ann Vriend), Debbie Houle (co-founder of the Juno-nominated international touring Indigenous a cappella group “Asani”), jazz radio host, jazz singer, and professional pickle company owner Johanna Alleyne (company: Mojojojo Pickles and Preserves); Crystal Eyo, leadsinger and songwriter of Edmonton pop/RnB band “Mercy Funk”, Alenka Lundell, who fronted and wrote songs for bands in her home country of Czech (formerly Czechoslovakia); and experienced marching band and choral singer, Jenn Dahlen.

From April 2020 to October 2021, every Sunday that the pandemic restrictions and weather would allow multi-award winning international touring artist AV hosted and performed nearly 60 free concerts on her front porch in the inner city neighborhood of McCauley; often with guests. The concerts often also featured other acts and bands from all parts of Edmonton as well as from the immediate neighbourhood. The concerts were informal in nature, but were a much needed life-line of music and social interaction for both performers and audience members alike, especially during some of the most restrictive pandemic periods, and in a neighbourhood where there is a high population of people already quite cut off from a lot of opportunities and acceptance from the rest of society.