AMP Camp 2007 Begins Next Week

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The Manitoba Audio Recording Industry Association’s Aboriginal Music Program and the Music Section of the Canada Council for the Arts are pleased to announce the beginning of AMP Camp 2007. This week-long residency for emerging and mid-career Aboriginal recording artists from across Canada will be held at the Misty Lake Lodge in Gimli, Manitoba from February 11-16, 2007.

“This year's AMP Camp will provide participants with practical and useful information as well as a support network of friends and artists that they can carry with them throughout their careers,” says Sam Baardman, Executive Director of MARIA. “Manitoba’s Aboriginal artists come from an extremely talented pool of musicians and songwriters and this retreat will bring some of the best from across Canada into an intensive and dynamic environment of learning, collaboration and mentorship.”

The residency will include professional and artistic development workshops on songwriting, performance skills, image, studio techniques, touring, pitching and packaging, best business practices and sound checking strategies, among other topics.

The instructors include Juno nominated artist Kinnie Starr, Order of Canada recipient Heather Bishop, Canadian Aboriginal Music Award winner Sherryl Sewepagaham (Asani), Breach of Trust front man Marty Ballentyne, and Aboriginal music legends Errol Ranville, Billy Joe Green, Ray St. Germain, Curtis Jonnie and Vince Fontaine to name a few. A full list of the instructors is available below.

Participation in AMP Camp was subject to a juried application process which began with a call for submissions in September. The participants come from across the country and cover hip-hop, throat singing, country, blues, folk, electronic and rock.

The regional breakdown of the participants includes three artists from British Columbia, two from the Northwest Territories, five from Alberta, two from Saskatchewan, seven from Manitoba, three from Ontario and two from Quebec.

A participant showcase is schedule for the media and invited guests on February 15 from 7pm-11pm at the Misty Lake Lodge. The showcase will include performances by each of the participants. The participants and instructors will also be available for interviews at this time.

AMP Camp 2007 is a one-week professional and artistic development project that will give emerging to mid-career Aboriginal recording artists a chance to develop their understanding of the music industry along with their ability to succeed in it. The project is made possible by a working partnership between the Aboriginal Music Program of MARIA and the Music Section of the Canada Council for the Arts.

The Aboriginal Music Program would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, Manitoba Culture, Heritage & Tourism, the Manitoba Arts Council and a contribution by MARIA through the Manitoba Music and Motion Pictures Development Project.

A PDF copy of the AMP Camp Participant and Instructor Profiles is available for download here: www.manitobamusic.com/files/File/AMP-Camp-Profiles.pdf

For digital photographs of the participants and/or instructors please contact the Aboriginal Music Program Coordinator:
Alan Greyeyes
P: 204.975.0284
E: alan@manitobamusic.com

For more information on the Music Section of the Canada Council for the Arts, please visit: www.canadacouncil.ca/music

The AMP Camp instructors are:
Marty Ballentyne, Breach of Trust www.myspace.com/breachoftrust
Kinnie Starr, recording artist www.kinniestarr.com
Sherryl Sewepagaham, Asani www.asani.org
Heather Bishop, recording artist www.heatherbishop.com
Doug Cox, recording artist www.dougcox.org
Errol Ranville, C-Weed Band www.cweedband.com
Art Napoleon, recording artist www.artnapoleon.com
Curtis Jonnie, National Aboriginal www.naria.ca
  Recording Industry Association
Ray St. Germain, recording artist www.ncifm.com/ray-stgermain.html
Joel Martin, graphic designer www.myspace.com/joelplusminus
Vince Fontaine, Eagle & Hawk www.eagleandhawk.com
Scott Stephens, photographer www.myspace.com/pagakskel
Dom Lloyd, West End Cultural Centre www.wecc.ca
Billy Joe Green, recording artist www.billyjoegreen-band.com
Sam Baardman, MARIA www.manitobamusic.com
Brandon Friesen, Arbor Records www.brandonfriesen.com
Sal Ferreras, music educator www.salferreras.com

The regional breakdown of AMP Camp participants is:
British Columbia 3
Northwest Territories 2
Alberta 5
Saskatchewan 2
Manitoba 7
Ontario 3
Quebec 2

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