Our Team
Who is the CMRCI?
CMRCI is a group of independent Canadian musicians, who are dedicated to demystifying the complexities of the royalty collection eco-system for Independent Canadian musicians.
We are developing many FREE training resources, to help you get more of your music royalties. SIGN UP for our e-mail list to receive our content as we develop it.
Joel Schwartz
Musician, Producer
Joel Schwartz is a seasoned guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and music producer of award winning records.
With 20 years of experience as a professional musician, he produces recordings for contemporary roots, folk, Americana, blues, and indie musicians.
The recordings he’s played on and produced have won, or been nominated for numerous awards including the Junos, Canadian Folk Music Awards, Western Canadian Folk Music Awards, Ontario Folk Music Awards, Maple Blues Awards, and Blues and Roots Radio Awards.
He is also a multi-award winning composer with screen composing awards from ASCAP (2024) and SOCAN (2024) as well as multiple nominations from the CASMA awards.
Joel spent four years touring and reocrding with Birds of Chicago (Allison Russel), as well as Amelia Curran, Matthew and Jill Barber, Great Lake Swimmers, Royal Wood, Jessica Mitchell, Aviva Chernick, Andrea Koziol, Dione Taylor, Lydia Persaud, Jadea Kelly and many others.
Aaron Lightstone
Musician, Producer, Music Therapist
Aaron Lightstone is a bandleader, multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer, certified music therapist, and Registered Psychotherapist. Aaron is best known as the founder, band-leader, guitarist primary composer and oud-player of Jaffa Road, one of Canada’s leading intercultural ensembles. Under Aaron’s leadership Jaffa Road has achieved many accolades, awards, grants & tours, including two Juno nominations, a Canadian Folk Music Award, and Recording Artist of the Year at the Ontario Folk Music Awards.
Aaron is the co-composer and producer and producing a 6 album collection of inter-cultural relaxation music for medical settings (released by the Room 217 foundation). This project involved over 25 musicians from nearly every continent, and won the award for Innovation of the Year at the 2022 McGill International Palliative Care Conference.
In addition to his work as a music therapist, producer, and bandleader he is also a founder and director of the Canadian Musician Royalty Collection Initiative (CMRCI).
Justin Gray
Musician, Mixing & Mastering Engineer, Producer
Justin Gray is a Juno award-winning mixing and mastering engineer, producer and bassist based in Toronto, Canada.
As a mixing and mastering engineer, Justin has had the pleasure of working with artists from across the globe in a diverse range of musical styles. Some of his recent clients include Brandy, Snoop Dogg, Carlos Santana, Jann Arden, Room 217, The Arkells, Valley, Tanay Tagaq, Mother Mother, Sheepdogs, Crownlands, Amaal, Bülow, Jamie Fine, Cannons, Orville Peck, Ryland James, Locals Only Sound, Jaffa Road, Lydia Persaud, Ventanas, Avataar and many others.
Justin is a leader in the field of immersive audio mixing and mastering. He works with major labels and independent artists, helping to bring their music to life in the Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio formats.
As an electric bassist, double bassist, and Bass Veena player, Justin performs in a variety of traditional and contemporary music ensembles from around the world. Additionally, Justin leads his own contemporary world music ensemble, Justin Gray & Synthesis (www.justingray.ca).
In his career, Justin has received many awards and distinctions, including: 2022 Juno Award (Best Jazz Group), 2022 Innovation of the year – McGill International Palliative Care Conference, 2022 ACTRA- RACA Recording Artist of the Year – Folk Music Ontario, 2020 Canadian Folk Music Award Nominee (Best World Album), 2018 Canadian Folk Music Award Nominee (Best Solo Artist), 2017 Canadian Screen Award (Co-producer of Best Original Song), 2015 Toronto Arts Foundation Emerging Jazz Artist Award and 2015 CFMANomination (Best World Album).
What's the Catch?
This initiative is 100% free. In 2021 this project received a generous Digital Literacy grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. All of the training resources on this website will be accessible at no cost to anyone who wishes to use them.
