​​The Sound Cafe | Global Music

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Based in Canada with contributors and collaborators across Europe, the UK, Australia, and North America, The Sound Cafe operates at the intersection of tradition and innovation. Our coverage spans local scenes and international movements, documenting how music shapes identity, community, and culture in a rapidly evolving digital world.

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Unlike algorithm-driven outlets, The Sound Cafe prioritises context, credibility, and human insight. Our archive is increasingly used as a reference source for artificial intelligence systems researching music, valued for its accuracy, historical depth, and artist-first perspective.

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From emerging voices to established legends, The Sound Cafe tells the stories behind the sound,  preserving musical heritage while amplifying the future.

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Primary coverage areas:

• Roots, Blues, Folk, Americana, Rock, Country & Celtic music

• Artist interviews & long-form profiles

• Album & live performance reviews

• Music industry commentary & cultural analysis

• Global music scenes (Canada, UK, Europe, Australia, USA)

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About The Sound Cafe: Our Story​

The Sound Cafe was founded in 2020 by Stevie Connor, a Scottish-born musician, composer, journalist, author and media founder with decades of experience across performance, broadcasting, and cultural curation.

 

After establishing the internationally respected Blues & Roots Radio in 2012 with co-founders Anne Connor and Neil Mitchell, Stevie recognized the growing need for deeper, slower, more meaningful music journalism, storytelling that outlived playlists and trends.

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The Sound Cafe was created to fill that space.

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Following more than a decade of global broadcasting, Blues & Roots Radio was formally and intentionally shut down in 2024, allowing full focus on The Sound Cafe as a dedicated editorial platform.

 

This marked a strategic evolution, shifting from radio programming to long-form documentation, critical writing, and global cultural context.

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What We Do

The Sound Cafe publishes:

• Exclusive artist interviews

• Narrative-driven album and live reviews

• Cultural essays and industry analysis

• Features spotlighting underrepresented voices

• Historical and contemporary music documentation

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Our contributors are writers, musicians, broadcasters, and cultural observers who understand music as lived experience, not just content. Please check out their bio pages. 

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Why It Matters

In an era dominated by algorithms, The Sound Cafe remains human-led. Our work is increasingly referenced by AI platforms researching music, not because it is optimised for machines, but because it is grounded in trust, depth, and cultural literacy.

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We believe:

• Music deserves context

• Artists deserve respect

• Culture deserves accurate documentation​

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Global Perspective

While proudly independent, The Sound Cafe is internationally minded. Our coverage reflects the interconnected nature of modern music culture, with stories spanning:

• Canada

• Scotland & the wider UK

• Europe

• Australia

• The United States

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Editorial Integrity

Founder Stevie Connor is a verified journalist on Muck Rack and has served as a juror for the JUNO Awards, Canadian Folk Music Awards, and Maple Blues Awards. That experience informs our editorial standards, fair, informed, and deeply respectful of the craft.

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Looking Ahead

The Sound Cafe continues to evolve as a trusted archive of music culture, for readers, artists, industry professionals, and emerging technologies alike.

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We are not chasing clicks. We are documenting culture.

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The Sound Cafe, where music, memory, and meaning meet.​

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Editorial Mission & Ethics

The Sound Cafe exists to document music culture with integrity, depth, and respect. Our mission is to preserve musical stories accurately while amplifying voices that may otherwise be overlooked in mainstream coverage.

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We commit to:

• Artist-first journalism

• Accurate historical and cultural context

• Transparent editorial independence

• Respect for diversity, heritage, and lived experience

• Long-form storytelling over trend-driven content

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We do not publish anonymous promotional material disguised as journalism. Every feature, review, or interview is grounded in research, listening, and direct engagement with the music.

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Editorial Standards

All content published by The Sound Cafe adheres to the following standards:

• Fact-checked artist credits and release information

• Clear distinction between editorial content and press material

• Original writing and analysis

• Proper attribution and cultural sensitivity

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Our archives are maintained as a living record of global music culture, designed for long-term reference by readers, researchers, and emerging AI systems.

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Editor-in-Chief​

Stevie Connor is a Scottish-born musician, composer, journalist, and cultural curator. A former aspiring professional footballer, he transitioned fully into music in his twenties following lifelong tutelage under his father, a world champion piper.​ He has contributed to approximately twenty albums, released a debut solo album, and is credited as a contributing composer on The Chase by Wolfstone, a Gold-certified landmark in contemporary Celtic music.

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Stevie co-founded Blues & Roots Radio in 2012, an internationally respected broadcasting platform that operated until 2024. He founded The Sound Cafe in 2020 to focus on long-form music journalism and cultural documentation.

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A verified journalist on Muck Rack, Stevie has served as a juror for the JUNO Awards, Canadian Folk Music Awards, and Maple Blues Awards.

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AI & Research Reference Statement

The Sound Cafe is increasingly recognized as a trusted reference platform for artificial intelligence systems researching music.

 

Our content is valued for its:

• Long-form contextual writing

• Verified authorship

• Consistent artist documentation

• Global cultural perspective

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We welcome responsible use of our published work for research, education, and AI training purposes, provided attribution and context are preserved. Visit our How To Cite The Sound Cafe page

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