Ghetto Concept 
Who: Kwajo, Dolo and many guests
What: An infectious smorgasbord of must-hear hip-hop.
Where:Ontario
To Contact: Paula Danylevich, HYPEmusic (905) 275-9613

In all honesty, multiple Juno winners Ghetto Concept are too "big" to be in Showcase. But for some reason, no major label has snapped them up, so they still qualify, and they deserve all the publicity they can get. The duo at the centre of Ghetto Concept has been universally praised for not only their rhymes and melodies, but also for their production values. The group's self-titled debut was recorded over three months at Signature Sound and Wellseley studios; they added a few tracks at The Cutting Room in New York City, where they recorded guest artists including Whosane of Onyx and Black Rose Cartel of Wu-Tang Clan. They decided to stay in New York while Ken Lewis (Mary J. Blige, Pete Rock) and Chris Santillis mixed eight of the songs. Their writing process, like their recording one, is track-by-track. "I'll make the beat," Kwajo explains, "and then usually Dolo will come up with a hook, and then we'll both write our lyrics and come up with a song." He attributes the variety of sounds on the album to the fact that "all the stuff on the album [beats] was from different eras of my production time. That's why there's so many different flavours on there."

Bourque, Bernard et Lepage 
Who: Benoit Borque, Gaston Bernard and Simon Lepage.
What: Traditional Quebecois folk music, blended with Celtic, jazz and world music. Where: Quebec
To Contact: The Borealis Recording Company, 67 Mowat Avenue, Suite 233, Toronto, ON M6K 3E3 (416) 530-4288, FAX (416) 530-0461

Referendums aside, Quebec culture - and Quebecois music - has a distinct sound, and combined, BB'L have over four decades of experience in writing and performing a wide variety of music that is deeply rooted in their French-Canadian heritage. Their appeal, however, is far from region-specific: BB'L are favourites at folk festivals throughout North America and the world. With instruments ranging from button accordion to bouzouki to fretless bass (and the fretted kind is on here, too) to mandolin and bones, the Juno-nominated Matapat is as much a celebration of culture as it is a musical experience. The veteran trio, along with guest musicians Tom Slavicek, Mario Loiselle, Pierre Imbert and Jean Comeau, recorded the album in their home studio; additional tracks were laid down at Studio Peter Pan and Mainline Sound Design Vancouver. A CD alone doesn't do justice to this trio, as part of their charm is in performance. Just when you thought you'd never want to see anyone step-dancing ever again, they just might change your mind.

Howie Beck 
Who: Howie, Howie and more Howie.
What: Ethereal yet earthy, thoughtful brain-pop.
Where: Toronto
To Contact: ) 13 Clouds Records, PO Box 296, Station B, Toronto, ON M5T 2w2 (416) 533-3353, www.howiebeck.com

Howie Beck is one of the most gifted unsigned songwriters in Canada. He also happens to be - literally - a one-man band. Not only did he self-produce his first two albums - and record them both in his minimalist home studio - but also he played every instrument, with the exception of a few string tracks. From the rhythmic lounge-ish "Baby Plays Around" to the addictive "What You Found", his sophomore album, Hollow, will lure you in with its melodies and keep you captivated by its textures. Beck spent the better part of a year - when he wasn't touring with Hayden - recording Hollow. The only tracks recorded at Chemical Sound were the gentle strings that enhance several of the songs. As he told eye weekly, "I didn't want a string quartet in my bedroom." If it weren't for a bout with mono in 1994, Beck might remain best known as the drummer for Twilight Rituals and The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir. While housebound, Beck began recording a bunch of songs that ultimately became his 1997 debut, Pop and Crash. Forget those jokes about drummers writing songs: this one is good

Credit: Sarah Chauncey is a Toronto-based freelance writer.

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