Three Nanaimo musicians are among this year’s Juno nominees.
David Gogo is in the running for Blues Album of the Year, the Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra is up for Jazz Album of the Year, and Eric Bearclaw is nominated for Instrumental Album of the Year.
Gogo has been nominated for Juno awards six times before and has won Maple Blues Awards’ Guitarist of the Year in 2002 and 2004; Western Canadian Music Awards’ Blues Recording of the Year in 2012; Great Canadian Blues Awards’ Best Canadian Blues Musician in 2004; and West Coast Music Awards’ Musician of the Year in 2000.
At this year’s Junos, he will be up for the Blues Album of the Year for Yeah alongside Big Dave McLean, Blue Moon Marquee, Samantha King and the Midnight Outfit and Sue Foley.
Jensen, a three-time Juno winner, is nominated for her group's album Harbour. She previously won Junos in 2023 for Day Moon, 2014 for Habitat and 2011 for Treelines. Sha has also won the Montreal International Jazz Festival's Prix Oscar Peterson for her contributions to jazz in Canada.
The other nominees this year in the Jazz Album of the Year group category include Andy Milne and Unison, the Carn Davidson Nine, the Jeremy Ledbetter Trio and Raagaverse.
Bearclaw, from Cedar, collaborated with Juno-winning artist Rob the Viking of Swollen Members, on his album Distant Places. Other nominees in his Instrumental Album of the Year category include Disaster Pony, Ginger Beef, the Intervals, and Melón Jimenez and Lara Wong.
Other Vancouver Island artists nominated for Junos this year include a heavy metal band Spiritbox from Victoria and Mother Mother, a rock band from Quadra Island.
Both Spiritbox and Mother Mother are nominated for Group of the Year, alongside Crash Adams, Sum 41 and the Beaches.
Spiritbox’s second nomination is for Best Metal/Hard Rock Album, competing against Devin Townsend, Anciients, Kittie and Striker.
Mother Mother’s album Grief Chapter is nominated for Rock Album of the Year.
Previously, Spiritbox won Best International Live Artist at the 2024 Heavy Music Awards and was nominated for two Junos in 2022, among other awards and nominations. Mother Mother has also previously been nominated for Junos.
Spencer Chandra Herbert, B.C. minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport, congratulated all nominees in a press release last week.
“A special shoutout to the B.C. artists – your talent, passion, and creativity continue to make our province a powerhouse in Canadian music,” he said.
The 2025 awards are set for March 29-30 in Vancouver.
-files from Sam Duerksen/Black Press Media
