August 24, 2015
Polaris Music Prize released details last week in Toronto about the first Slaight Family Heritage Prize. The prize will be awarded to records released throughout the 60s and 70s, as well as the 80s, 90s, and 00s that hold high artistic merit.
A jury of 25 people will make a selection of five albums title short list for each decade. The titles will then be subject to a public vote, with one winner for each list assigned to a particular decade. Short Lists will be published September 18. Voting is open September 18 to October 5 and can be accessed via polarismusicprize.ca. Winners will be announced October 9.
There will be four winning albums. One album will be picked from the 60s and the 70s, leaving three albums to be picked from the 80s, 90s, and 00s.
According to Polaris’ press release, winning albums will be celebrated with a tribute concert at Roy Thomson/Massey Hall “some time in early 2016” and will be awarded a special trophy during the show. The public will be free to purchase a commemorative print of the winning albums, as they will be made available for purchase at the time.
Since February of this year, Massey Hall has undergone extensive revitalization plans as part of the seven-year Massey Hall Revitalization project. The project will be completed in two-phases.
The Polaris Music Prize Short List was announced July 16 at The Carlu in Toronto. Singer-songwriter Fred Penner will host this year’s Polaris Music Prize event, September 21. The Short List and other details can be found here.
In other news…
- Neil Young and the latest on his Pono
- Ponderosa Arts & Music Festival cancelled due to wildfire
- Jagged Little Pill gets 20th anniversary reissue
- Someone made a parody video of B.A. Johnston’s Polaris Music Prize snub
- Cord Lund announces follow-up to Counterfeit Blues
- SOCAN welcomes new manager
–Leyland Bradley
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Get at me @LeylandMarie or leyland.bradley@gmail.com.