When Ian Cameron is at the Grammys this month, the Coquitlam violinist won't just be hobnobbing with some of the music industry's bigwigs.
He'll also be meeting - for the first time - the man responsible for getting him there.
The Feb. 10 awards ceremony, televised around the world, will be the first time Cameron will get a face-to-face encounter with Arun Shenoy, a Singapore-based songwriter who sought out Cameron two years ago to partner on his new record, called Rumbadoodle.
Cameron co-wrote two songs - the title track and The Violin Song - and played violin on each piece. But throughout the process, Cameron never composed or performed in the same room as Shenoy as all of his work was transferred digitally over the internet.
"You couldn't do that 10 or 12 years ago," Cameron said. "With the introduction of broadband, I've been collaborating with a huge variety of artists and producers from all around the world - and all online. We only get to meet by chance sometimes."
A few weeks ago, Cameron got news from Shenoy that Rumbadoodle had been nominated for Best Pop Instrumental at the 55th annual Grammys. The album is up against four other contenders: 24/7 by Gerald Albright and Norman Brown; Impressions by Chris Botti; Four Hands and a Heart Volume One by Larry Carlton; and Live At the Blue Note Tokyo by Dave Koz.
Cameron described Rumbadoodle as a blend of calypso, flamenco and rumba sounds. "I know, it's a complete bizarre combination but that's kind of the nature of how pop culture progresses: You take different influences and mash them up and come up with 'the unique, new thing.'
"I guess with this album, it hit a nerve because, apparently, getting a Grammy nomination isn't that easy to achieve."
Cameron said he'll be flying to California a few days before the event.
"I think Arun is staying at the same hotel as me so, as soon as I get into town, I'm going to ring his room and get a chance to meet him in person and shake his hand," he said. "Then, we're probably going to hang out together and enjoy our nomination."
