Winnipeg's Cool FM Flips to 99.1 Groove FM November
15, 2007 - Winnipeg has a new radio station, well
at least a new version of an old station. Cool
FM is now 99.1 Groove FM featuring a more easy
listening/Smooth Jazz appeal including artists
like George Benson, Michael Buble and Earth Wind
and Fire. General Manager Garth Buchko of Corus
Radio Winnipeg says, "Months of research
went into building 99.1 Groove FM and we're confident
that given the station's unique format, that no
matter how you are feeling, the station will help
you find your groove," The new sound includes
a new on-air line-up featuring morning man Dan
Michaels, and two announcers from the Cool days
Roxane Gagne
who will handle mid-days and Walle
Larsson with evenings. Cool FM went on the
air in 2003, the brainchild of late great jazz
aficionado and station owner Izzy Asper, the station
has faired as well as the other Smooth Jazz out
lets in Canada (california 103/Calgary, Magic/Edmonton
and Wave/Hamilton). For info go to http://www.groovefm.ca/home/index.cfm
- by John
Beaudin
Smooth
Jazz Ratings in Canada May
11, 2005 - At time of print we have only received
ratings from two of the four Smooth Jazz cities
in Canada, Calgary and Vancouver. Clear FM
in Vancouver which only plays about 30% Smooth
Jazz stayed steady from last fall's book at
3.0. The Breeze in Calgary however went donw
to 2.5 with audiences 12+ from a 2.9 in the
fall. More
Porter
Leaving Cool FM and Cool TV June
4, 2004 - OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: Rick Camilleri,
CanWest Chief Operating Officer (Operations)
announced today that Ross
Porter, Vice President of Programming
for CoolFM
and CoolTV, will be leaving the company as
of June 30th. Porter will be moving to Toronto
to continue his jazz broadcasting career with
another company. Porter
was in charge of programming CanWest's specialty
channel CoolTV, seen across Canada on a number
of cable and satellite services, as well as
the artistic force behind CoolFM, CanWest's
entry into radio broadcasting in Winnipeg.
David Asper, CanWest's Executive Vice President,
will assume those roles on an interim basis.
"Ross helped us launch a terrific radio station
and a great television service, and helped
lay the foundations for our presence in the
world of music broadcasting. He will be missed
and we want to wish him the very best in his
future endeavours. Ross built a great team
at both the radio and television operations
and we expect to continue to move forward
and build our audiences at both operations."
Porter is going to Jazz FM 91 In Toronto.
Ross
Porter 'Behind the Mic' Interview May
3, 2004 - Canada has had its fair share of
great Jazz Broadcasters with true appreciation
and encyclopedic minds for the format but
one name usually heads the pack in this country
- Ross
Porter. He grew up and discovered Jazz
in Ottawa and was a Jazz journalist for the
Winnipeg Free Press before landing his famous
gig as host of 'After Hours' on CBC Radio.
Now heading CanWest Global's Jazz division
via Cool FM, Cool TV and Cool Records, Porter
seems to be in the ideal position to "spread
the word" about the music he loves. Porter
was named 'Broadcaster of the Year' again
at the National Jazz Awards in February and
he is our 'Behind the Mic' profile for May.
We talked to Ross by phone on April 8, 2004.
Read the
interview.
Ross
Porter Wins Broadcaster of the Year Feb
26, 2004 - Ross Porter (left), Vice President
of Programming for Winnipeg based CoolFM
and CoolTV was named Broadcaster of the Year
during the 2004 National
Jazz Awards ceremony held Tuesday night
in Toronto. "This is very important and
special for me," said Porter. "Many
things have changed over that past year, but
my love of jazz and broadcasting is and always
will be, first in my heart." Israel Asper,
Porter's mentor and friend, enticed Ross to
join CanWest Global Communications in June
2003 from CBC. During his broadcast career
Ross produced widely acclaimed documentaries
on such jazz greats as Miles
Davis, Duke Ellington, Louis
Armstrong, Chet Baker and many others,
as well as television documentaries on music
legends Oscar Peterson, Joni
Mitchell, Quincy Jones, George Harrison,
Natalie McMaster and Diana
Krall. As VP of Programming for CoolFM
and CoolTV Ross continues to produce jazz
based radio and television shows for the Canadian
market. Winners in all categories of the National
Jazz Awards are voted for during a nation-wide
selection process. This is Porter's third
nomination and second win of the National
Jazz Awards, Broadcaster of the Year.
While in Toronto for the awards, Ross will
appear on The Mike Bullard Show, Wednesday,
February 25, 2004. (Taken from the official
Cool FM website.) Warren
Hill Wins First Smooth Jazz Award At NJA February
24, 2004 - Congratulations to Warren
Hill for winning Canada's first Smooth
Jazz Award. The Canadian saxophonist who now
lives in Colorado picked up the honor for
Smooth Jazz artist of the year beating out
Eddie Bullen,
Brian Hughes,
Demo Cates
and Nura. Appropriately
the award was sponsored by Canada's first
Smooth Jazz radio station The
Wave in Hamilton. Smooth Jazz Now's own
Liz Rivard attended
the ceremony at Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto.
"It's a thrill, its great honor to be
in such good company," says Hill who
dedicated the award to his parents who were
in the audience. A former physics major in
high school, Hill says he's glad his mother
and father supported his music, I suppose
it would have been nice to say if id stuck
with physics. I would have been one of the
designers on the Canada space arm but I'm
sure that wouldn't have happened," said
Hill laughing. "My parents are very proud"
when we were kids and were trying to figure
out what to do lots of parents say don't be
a musician but they were very supportive and
I dedicate the award to them." Cool
FM's Ross Porter picked up the Jazz broadcaster
of the year award. The big winner of the night
was Rob McConnell winning Trombonist, Arranger
and Big Band awards. Vocalist Molly
Johnson from the Narada Jazz label won
two trophies for Composer and Musician of
the Year. Other Smooth Jazz acts included
Denzal
Sinclaire whose self titled album picked
up Album of the year and Diana
Krall was the winner of the International
musician of the year even though she is a
Canadian artist.
The
Winner:
Jazz Broadcaster of the Year - Ross
Porter
Jazz Festival of the Year - festival
du Montreal
Jazz Journalist of the Year - Geoff
Chapman
Jazz Producer of the Year - Bill King
Drummer of the Year - Terry Clarke
Bassist of the Year - Dave Young
Guitarist of the Year - Jake Langley
Keyboardist of the Year - David Restivo
Trombonist of the Year - Rob McConnell
Trumpeter of the Year - Kevin Turcotte
Saxophonist of the Year - Mike Murley
Clarinetist of the Year - Phil Nimmons
Violinist
of the Year - Hugh Marsh
Instrumentalist of the Year - Don Thompson
Vocalist of the Year - Heather Bambrick
Arranger of the Year - Rob McConnell
Composer of the Year - Molly Johnson
Big Band of the Year - Rob McConnell
Tentet
Acoustic Group of the Year - Kollage
Electric Group of the Year - Metalwood
Smooth Jazz Artist of the Year - Warren
Hill
Label of the Year - Justin Time
Album of the Year - Denzal
Sinclaire 'Denzal Sinclaire'
International Musician of the Year -
Diana
Krall
Musician of the Year - Molly
Johnson
Fall
Jazz/Smooth Jazz Radio Ratings for Canada December
10, 2003 - Rating for Canada's three commercial
Jazz/Smooth Jazz radio stations have not changed
much since the summer book. The Breeze in
Calgary and The Wave in Hamilton made moderate
gains each climbing by .1 percentage while
Winnipeg's Cool FM made the biggest jump going
from 2.3 to 2.8 since the summer ratings.
The figures below are based on all adults
12 plus. Read
more. Cool
FM Founder/Canadian Broadcasting Pioneer Izzy
Asper Dead at 71 October
7, 2003 - Izzy Asper who founded Canada's
largest media empire died today at the age
of 71. Asper was admitted to St. Boniface
Hospital in Winnipeg this morning and died
a short time later. The cause of death was
listed as a heart attack. The patriarch of
CanWest Global Communications left his business
empire in the care of his three children,
all lawyers. Asper also dabbled briefly in
politics. He led the five-seat Manitoba Liberal
party from 1970 to 1975 and sat in the legislature
himself from 1972 to 1975. Asper recently
launched Cool TV a Jazz specialty television
station in Winnipeg to compliment his other
Jazz ventures Cool FM and Cool Records. The
funeral is set to take place at a Winnipeg
synagogue (Shaarey Zedek at one p-m.)this
Thursday. Summer
Jazz/Smooth Jazz Radio Ratings for Canada September
19, 2003 - All three Jazz/Smooth Jazz radio
stations in Canada faired about the same in
the summer ratings book released on Wednesday.
Calgary's Breeze, Hamilton's Wave and Winnipeg's
Cool FM all registered a one or two plus share
for adults 12+. It was Cool FM's first full
book after signing on in February of this
year - they scored 2.3. Read
the full story.
Big
Changes At Winnipeg's COOL - FM
July
11, 2003 - Program Director George Raymond
is no longer with 99.1 COOL FM in Winnipeg.
He's going back to devoting full time to
his own company. Also leaving 99.1 COOL
FM Winnipeg today are Morning Show Host
Shirley McQueen and Promotions Director
Angie Lamerande. Roxanne Gagne moves to
mornings, Lisa Best (Global TV Entertainment)
will host PM drive. Additionally, John Wyndels
moves over from CBC to take over programming
and music duties.
CanWest
launches COOL Records July
5, 2003 - Jazz musicians in Canada will
soon get a helping hand with the launch
of a new Jazz label by CanWest Global. Cool
Records will feature established Jazz acts
as well as up and coming artists and should
give Canada's Jazz scene a shot in the arm.
CanWest Global already runs Cool FM in Winnipeg
and will soon launch Cool TV. Ross Porter,
Vice President of Programming for all three
Jazz outlets for CanWest Global says, "There
is a deep vein of talented jazz musicians
in Canada that has yet to be fully mined.
We intend to showcase some of that talent,"
Cool Records will have its headquarters
in Winnipeg.
Ross
Porter Joins Cool FM and Cool TV May
27, 2003 - The man who made "After Hours"
a Jazz favorite for the CBC has joined CanWest
Global Communications Corp. Ross Porter one
of the leading forces in traditional Jazz
in Canada will join CanWest as Vice President,
Programming, of Winnipeg's Jazz Cool FM 99.1
plus Cool TV an all Jazz TV channel that should
be available later this year. Commenting on
the appointment, I.H Asper, CanWest's Chairman
of the Board, said "I am delighted that
Ross will be joining us to direct CanWest's
new jazz radio operations and also to bring
his wealth of talent and experience to our
next new venture into Jazz television.
November
15, 2007 - Winnipeg has a new radio station, well
at least a new version of an old station. Cool
FM is now 99.1 Groove FM featuring a more easy
listening/Smooth Jazz appeal including artists
like George Benson, Michael Buble and Earth Wind
and Fire. General Manager Garth Buchko of Corus
Radio Winnipeg says, "Months of research
went into building 99.1 Groove FM and we're confident
that given the station's unique format, that no
matter how you are feeling, the station will help
you find your groove," The new sound includes
a new on-air line-up featuring morning man Dan
Michaels, and two announcers from the Cool days
May
11, 2005 - At time of print we have only received
ratings from two of the four Smooth Jazz cities
in Canada, Calgary and Vancouver. Clear FM
in Vancouver which only plays about 30% Smooth
Jazz stayed steady from last fall's book at
3.0. The Breeze in Calgary however went donw
to 2.5 with audiences 12+ from a 2.9 in the
fall. 
June
4, 2004 - OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: Rick Camilleri,
CanWest Chief Operating Officer (Operations)
announced today that 
May
3, 2004 - Canada has had its fair share of
great Jazz Broadcasters with true appreciation
and encyclopedic minds for the format but
one name usually heads the pack in this country
- 
February
24, 2004 - Congratulations to 
October
7, 2003 - Izzy Asper who founded Canada's
largest media empire died today at the age
of 71. Asper was admitted to St. Boniface
Hospital in Winnipeg this morning and died
a short time later. The cause of death was
listed as a heart attack. The patriarch of
CanWest Global Communications left his business
empire in the care of his three children,
all lawyers. Asper also dabbled briefly in
politics. He led the five-seat Manitoba Liberal
party from 1970 to 1975 and sat in the legislature
himself from 1972 to 1975. Asper recently
launched Cool TV a Jazz specialty television
station in Winnipeg to compliment his other
Jazz ventures Cool FM and Cool Records. The
funeral is set to take place at a Winnipeg
synagogue (Shaarey Zedek at one p-m.)this
Thursday.
July
5, 2003 - Jazz musicians in Canada will
soon get a helping hand with the launch
of a new Jazz label by CanWest Global. Cool
Records will feature established Jazz acts
as well as up and coming artists and should
give Canada's Jazz scene a shot in the arm.
CanWest Global already runs Cool FM in Winnipeg
and will soon launch Cool TV. Ross Porter,
Vice President of Programming for all three
Jazz outlets for CanWest Global says, "There
is a deep vein of talented jazz musicians
in Canada that has yet to be fully mined.
We intend to showcase some of that talent,"
Cool Records will have its headquarters
in Winnipeg.
May
27, 2003 - The man who made "After Hours"
a Jazz favorite for the CBC has joined CanWest
Global Communications Corp. Ross Porter one
of the leading forces in traditional Jazz
in Canada will join CanWest as Vice President,
Programming, of Winnipeg's Jazz Cool FM 99.1
plus Cool TV an all Jazz TV channel that should
be available later this year. Commenting on
the appointment, I.H Asper, CanWest's Chairman
of the Board, said "I am delighted that
Ross will be joining us to direct CanWest's
new jazz radio operations and also to bring
his wealth of talent and experience to our
next new venture into Jazz television.
