Western Canadian Music Awards

Jessica Ackerley will join saxophone player Jairus Sharif, guitar player Mustafa Rafiq, and drummer Ron DeYoung next year for a residency at the National Music Center in Calgary.

Jairus Sharif's album, Basis of Unity, won the inaugural Meridian Prize, presented at the Western Canadian Music Awards in September.

His album, Water and Tools, was one of the long-list nominees for the 2023 Polaris Prize.

From the album Water and Tools.

And then the 2008-9-10 real estate debacle hit, and my life would change forever.

So first of all, my band actually broke up 20 minutes before going on stage at the Western Canadian Music Awards, which was absolutely devastating to me.

After six years, over 150 shows, we had sponsors and all the rest, airplay and whatnot, gone, done.

Real estate market crashed, lost in 2008 money, $250,000, three houses, thankfully didn't have to declare bankruptcy.