These are the great artists and groups lined-up for the 2010 Vancouver Folk Music Festival . . .
Most artists perform Saturday and Sunday except the ones noted below.
Al-Andalus Ensemble (US/Morocco/Spain)
The artists of Al Andalus beautifully meld together jazz, classical and contemporary music with the musical traditions of the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Led by oud-player Tarik Banzi, they draw inspiration from the eight century-long tradition of Andalusian Spain (711-1492 AD). During that era, cultures from Africa, the East and West melded across cultural and religious boundaries. Al-Andalus carries that legacy forward.
Batata y Las Alegres Ambulancias (Palenque, Colombia)
Masters of the oral tradition, Batata and Las Alegres Ambulancias was formed in 1905 in Palenque de San Basilio, a village founded by fugitive slaves over 300 years ago. Singers both young and old, members of the extended Batata family, preserve the legends, music and songs of their African ancestors. This dynasty performs “Lumbalu” funeral rites - chanting, drumming and singing to aid the deceased’s return to Mother Africa. The “Jolly Ambulances” share a rare glimpse into the rich cultural practice and musical heritage of Palenque.
www.myspace.com/alegresambulanciasdepalenque
Annie Lou (Whitehorse, Yukon)
A shared love of string band sounds and old time music brought critically acclaimed Yukon songwriters Kim Barlow (clawhammer banjo/vocals) and Anne Louise Genest (guitar/vocals) together. With the addition of Lindy Jones (bass/vocals) and Meredith Bates (violin), Annie Lou was born. These northern women sing beautifully-crafted original songs brimming with lush vocal harmonies around one microphone. Their songs reflect the solitude and grit of their northern home and draw a straight line to other times and places.
Natacha Atlas (UK / Belgium)
Blessed with a glorious voice that bridges Middle Eastern and Western styles with instinctive ease, Natacha Atlas’ body of work is a testament to the richness and accessibility of Arabic culture. She has spent her life connecting cultures. Her father is of Egyptian descent, her mother is English. She grew up in a Moroccan suburb of Brussels, spent years in the UK and speaks French, Arabic, Spanish and English. Her music finds links between seemingly disparate musical genres. She fuses electronic beats with North African and Arabic music and moves on to explore other eras and styles, using her talent for raq sharki (belly dancing) to dramatic effect. Atlas has performed as lead singer with TransGlobal Underground, guested with Jah Wobble and worked with a range of collaborators including Sinead O’Conner and Sarah Brightman.
www.myspace.com/natachaatlasofficial
The Avett Brothers (Concord, North Carolina)
In between playing the likes of Glastonbury and Merlefest, and joining John Mayer on tour in August, the high-flying Avett Brothers touch down at the folk festival for a visit – so get ready to join the Avett Nation. Known for the rousing intensity of their live shows, Scott and Seth Avett’s music combines bluegrass, country, punk, pop/rock, folk and even ragtime and honky-tonk. You can hear the fraternal magic in their vocals. Their sound, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, melds the “heavy sadness of Townes Van Zandt, the light pop concision of Buddy Holly, the tuneful jangle of the Beatles, the raw energy of the Ramones”.
Friday Night Mainstage only
www.myspace.com/theavettbrothers
Bahamas (Toronto, ON)
Bahamas is Afie Jurvanen. After years as a sideman, including performing on some of the world’s biggest stages as a touring guitarist for Feist, he recorded his debut CD in the winter of 2008 in a cabin in rural Ontario. He adopted the stage moniker “Bahamas” after the breezy, island-spiced twang he heard on the recording (“Pink Strat”). His spare, raw and emotional playing and singing are striking a chord with audiences everywhere, seeing and hearing in Bahamas the Real Deal.
Debashish Bhattacharya (Calcutta, India)
Born and raised in Calcutta, Debashish already possessed a brilliant musical mind by the age of four when he first heard a Hawaiian slide guitar. He went on to take hold of that most modern of western instruments, the guitar, and make it into something more. Now one of the world’s greatest slide guitarists, Bhattacharya plays his self-designed “Trinity of Guitars”: the 22-string Chaturangui, the 14-string Gandharvi and a tiny slide ukulele called Anandi. He plays a fascinating fusion of sitar-inspired music with Hawaiian lap steel technique to mine a deep seam of spirituality within a 1,000-year-old tradition.
Les Boukakes (France, Corsica, Morocco)
With members hailing from France, Corsica and Morocco, Les Boukakes hurdles national, cultural and musical boundaries. Their songs leap from ancient desert blues to edgy electronic anthems, from rai to rock, all woven together by an addictive groove. Their name is a bold retort to what they call “less than friendly” comments they received while busking on the streets: ‘Boukake’ is a phonetic mixture of two typical racist insults. Their music, their success, their impassioned lyrics about social conditions reflects their outspoken resistance to bias, prejudice and ignorance.
www.reverbnation.com/lesboukakes
Boukman Eksperyans (Port au Prince, Haiti)
They’ve been advocates for social reform in music and deed in Haiti since forming in 1987. Despite threats, radio bans and even a devastating earthquake their powerful voice has not been silenced. Co-founded by Theodore ‘Lolo’ Beaubrun and his wife, Mimerose, Boukman Eksperyans is a 10-piece mizik rasin (roots music) band. They plays a high-energy fusion of Haitian voudou and folk music, Caribbean rhythms, rock and reggae. Boukman’s songs also speak to issues of social justice and spirituality, and in the face of oppression, deprivation and struggle – hope. Their musicality and political courage has not only made them the most popular roots band at home, but inspired people around the world to unite, sing and to dance along.
Their website www.boukmaneksperyans.com includes band info and links to donate to support Haiti’s recovery efforts
Bob Brozman (US)
Just voted “Best World Guitarist” in Guitar Player Magazine’s 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards (the latest honour among many), Bob Brozman is the guitarist’s guitarist. There are countless superlatives attached to his name and talent. But he’s more than merely a virtuoso musician with world-class guitar chops. Bob’s work with musicians from around the world has marked him as a pioneer in finding a common thread among global music cultures. He performs on his own at the festival, as well as with the Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Project.
Jim Byrnes (Vancouver, BC)
Jim is a multi-award-winning musician, a consummate bluesman with eclectic and varied musical interests, a guitarist, songwriter and actor who has a raft of credits to his name. His voice and music can take you to a rustic blues bar on the Delta, a gospel revival or a grand concert hall. A range of musical styles and genres hang together in his talented possession. Jim appears on his own and as part of the Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Project.
Calexico (Tucson, Arizona)
“One part trumpet flourish to two parts dustbowl twang, Calexico’s sonic cocktail is often strong enough to blow your head off.” (NME review, 2000). Named for the border town of Calexico, California, the group shares a sun-drenched border with a number of musical styles. They’re influenced by traditional Latin sounds of mariachi, conjunto, cumbia and tejano, as well as the country music of the southwest, 50’s and 60’s jazz, rock, and more ambient sounds. In recent years the two core members, Joey Burns and John Convertino and their band mates have mixed it up musically. They are leaning to the country side, flirting with a variety of musical styles and including more political material in their lyrics. Though constantly moving forward, Calexico never turns its back on the past.
Friday Night Mainstage and Saturday workshop at 10 am
www.myspace.com/casadecalexico
Daniel Champagne (New South Wales, Australia)
Daniel has been called “the best young guitarist in Australia” and “the most talked-about rising star of Australia’s next generation”. With praise like that, you want to see and hear what this 20-year old phenomenon has to offer. Look for some jazzy finger-picking, improv and his signature explosion of 2-hand tapping, body percussion and fiery runs in a swag of different tunings. He sings too! Check this young virtuoso out. He’s definitely got the “wow”!
Crooked Still (Boston, Massachusetts)
Crooked Still’s instrumentation includes banjo, fiddle, double bass and cello, and along with some great vocals, these purveyors of the nu-folk, bluegrass movement are breathing their cosmic fire into old songs. Their repertoire spans everything from old time tunes to original compositions. They even stretch to include fresh takes on Rolling Stones’ tunes. Equal parts ambassadors and innovators, this defiantly non-traditional bluegrass quintet explore new ground – artful and adventurous, yet still grounded in that funky, string band thing.
Saturday only
www.crookedstill.com/
www.myspace.com
Alex Cuba (Smithers, BC)
Alex Cuba is busy charting an upward path in the music world. He’s won two Juno’s, collaborated with Nelly Furtado, logged 4 #1 songs on iTunes Canada, and recorded his next release due out shortly. His music is a hybrid of Cuban music, soul, rock and funk, with other influences in the mix. He calls it Cuban Soul Rock. At the festival, his live energy will wrap you up in a happy rhythmic groove, so get set to “go with the ‘fro!”
Steve Dawson (Vancouver, BC)
An acclaimed guitarist and virtuoso multi-instrumentalist, renowned for his collaboration with Jesse Zubot, Steve Dawson has also become one of the most in-demand producers and musical collaborators around. His wide-ranging interest in roots and traditional music, along with a finely-tuned sense of what “works” has resulted in numerous accolades over the years: 11 nominations and 5 Juno Awards, 22 nominations and 8 Western Canadian Music Awards, and a Maple Blues award among others. Steve is also the force behind the recording and performance project that pays tribute to the 1930’s group The Mississippi Sheiks. At the festival he teams up with Bob Brozman, Jim Byrnes and Alvin Youngblood Hart to pay homage to these pioneering artists.
The Deep Dark Woods (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
For very good reason, ecstatic praise is being heaped upon this Prairie-based alt-country/roots foursome. Critics and fans are drawn to the timeless nature of Deep Dark Woods’ songs – their moody, raw ambience that still manages to stay warm and sometimes even playful. Along with some brilliant guitar work and rich harmonies, their magnetic appeal is explained. Words like “treasure” and “masterpiece” are used to describe their 2009 album Winter Hours, produced by Steve Dawson. It won the 2009 Western Canadian Music Award for roots recording.
Carlos del Junco and the Blues Mongrels (Ontario)
Carlos is one of the world’s most distinctive and adventurous harmonica virtuosos. His flair, fluency and devilish command of the diatonic mouth harp covers a vast array of music styles. Known best for his soulful command of the blues, his breath conjures magic from all manner of roots music influences. With his four-piece band, you’ll hear an eclectic palette of jazz, blues, swing, Latin, funky New Orleans and the occasional African, hip-hop, and ska melody. You will also hear a voice almost as unique as his harp playing.
Brett Dennen (Oakdale, California)
Young he may be (in his 20’s), but this singer/songwriter is already sweeping people off their feet. As they say, he’s “got it”. His music touches on old-school American folk, reggae and pop. His lyrics range from love ballads to protest songs. Compared to everyone from Woody Guthrie to James Taylor and Steve Earle, Brett is fast making a name in his own right. Catch him at his first festival performance!
Sunday only
brettdennen.net
www.myspace.com
DJ Dolores (Recife, Brazil)
A musical master in the “mangue beat” scene, DJ Dolores delivers electronica infused with Latin American elements like coco, maracatu and forro. His dance-floor-ready beats draw from popular Northeast Brazilian styles, creating music that is both culturally and politically meaningful. His passion for music goes beyond creating and remixing tracks. In 2004, his collaboration with the Wired Magazine CD and Creative Commons opened his music to the world, allowing for open usage of his song.
Eccodek (Ontario)
Weaving a multicultural tapestry of sounds, these critically acclaimed “sonic architects” from Toronto are grabbing the attention of the world music scene. Their potent brew of melody and afro-dub grooves serves up a diverse palate of hypnotising rhythms. While they integrate elements of ancient Africa and the Middle East into their music, the outcome is simply innovative, modern, progressive. Their performance is one the Huffington Post says, “You just have to – and should – experience…for yourself”
www.eccodek.com
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emma’s revolution (Mount Rainier, Maryland)
The grand tradition of activist singer-songwriters carries forward in the powerful and passionate women of emma’s revolution. Inspired by the legacy of music for social change, Pat Humphries and Sandy O write and perform songs that Sing Out! Magazine calls “The epitome of great contemporary political music.” Their lyrics are bold and profound, with deftly-turned phrasing, imbued with enough hope to turn tears into laughter and cynicism into action. Pete Seeger is a fan, saying “”The powers that be can control the media but it’s hard to stop a good song.” Viva la emma’s revolution!
www.emmasrevolution.com ¦ www.myspace.com/emmasrevolutionfans
Matt Epp (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
While Winnipeg’s fertile music scene is home base, Matt Epp’s songs are inspired by his life spent on the road. He is a troubadour in the truest sense, travelling constantly from Newfoundland to Mexico to Germany and everywhere in between. He turns his experiences and the stories of people he meets into compelling songs of life, love and the meaning of it all. Sometimes spiritually-natured, sometimes contemplative and even a little dark, his songs can also be light and upbeat: kind of like life.
Fish & Bird (Vancouver & Victoria, BC)
If you see a right-hand drive Delica van powered by vegetable oil pull up to the festival gates, you know Fish & Bird have arrived. However they get there, F&B’s presence at this year’s festival delivers some true-blue, independently-minded fiddle-banjo-guitar folk music to the mix. By turns dark, funny, spirited and smart, their songs will always grab you – sometimes roughly, sometimes with a sweet and lyrical touch.
www.fishandbird.ca ¦www.myspace.com
Fribo (Norway/UK)
After meeting at a kitchen table music session in Edinburgh in 2003, three musicians found so much in common they decided to perform and tour together. Describing their music as a “collision of traditions”, Fribo explores British and Scandinavian music traditions, adding other contemporary influences along the way. From fiddle tunes and jigs to evening psalms, their eclectic repertoire and artistry has gained them recognition as one of the most inventive emerging acts on the Nu-Nordic scene. Fribo is a collaboration between Norwegian singer Anne Sofie Linge Valda, Scottish fiddler Sarah-Jane Summers and English born guitarist Ewan MacPherson. Together they’re creating new music out of old ingredients.
www.fribo.co.uk ¦ www.myspace.com/fribo
Gadelle (Prince Edward Island)
Gadelle is a four-member, all-woman, Acadian band. The group includes former Barachois members Helene Bergeron and Louise Arsenault, along with Caroline Bernard and Samantha Gallant from the next generation of traditionally inspired musicians. Hailing from the Evangeline region of PEI, Gadelle’s music celebrates the heritage of that tiny place where their French forefathers and mothers settled. Great tunes, singing, step-dancing and stomping foot percussion – now that’s a party right there!
The Gertrudes (Kingston, Ontario)
Banjo-picker Annie Clifford had a dream about The Gertrudes and described it to guitarist Greg Tilson. He got on the phone and called all the people in her dream – and a folk big band was born! This unique roots symphony weaves horns, banjo, accordion and strings together into “an ol’ time saloon party in deep space.” Sometimes you’ll hear delicate harmonies and sometimes they just rock. “With their imaginative use of eclectic instruments, they are now one of the most original roots bands in the country.” (Penguin Eggs)
www.thegertrudes.com ¦ www.myspace.com/theothergertrudes
Babe Gurr (Vancouver, BC)
Babe hails from our own back yard. Her warm and sultry voice, intelligent lyrics, memorable melodies and savvy personality add up to pretty much everything you want to see on a stage. Babe’s rootsy, bluesy country-folk has made her one of the best-selling Indie recording artists around, and won her the 2009 Sonic Bids Nashville Song Contest. Make sure to discover (or re-discover) this local musical diamond at the festival.
Sarah Harmer (Kingston, Ontario)
Back and refreshed from a 5-year recording hiatus, Sarah just released “Oh Little Fire” on June 22nd to already-enthusiastic reviews. The preview of the song “Captive” on her website is proof enough that this Niagara-born singer-songwriter is both continually evolving AND just keeps getting better and better. Harmer is still a breath of fresh air, still crafting brilliant songs, still a committed environmentalist. Catch up with this great talent at the festival.
Saturday Night Mainstage Concert plus workshops
Alvin Youngblood Hart (Memphis, Tennessee)
A formidable guitarist, Alvin Youngblood Hart’s praises have been sung by everyone from Bob Dylan to Brit guitar gods Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor. He’s known primarily as a bluesman, based in the rural traditional style, but that doesn’t cover the full range of his music. He’s southern rock, he’s soul and more. Whether on acoustic or electric guitar, he burns right to the centre of the groove. Alvin performs on his own as well as part of the Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Project.
www.myspace.com/alvinyoungbloodhart
Colin Hay (Los Angeles, California / Australia)
We first heard Colin Hay back in the 1980’s when his then-band, Australia’s Men at Work stormed the charts with two #1 singles, Down Under and Who Could It Be Now, and scored a Grammy. The Scotland-born artist’s unmistakable voice and style won over people around the world. These days, Hay calls La La Land home, finding new fame thanks to his tune’s inclusion on the soundtrack to the Zach Braff film Garden State. He’s also appearing (vocally and in person) in movies and on TV’s Scrubs. Colin continues to craft and sing compelling songs. All that remains is to order up some vegemite so the man feels at home!
Sunday only
Elisapie Isaac (QC)
For Elisapie Isaac, the North is not at the top of the world, it’s at the centre of her world. Born of an Inuk mother and a Newfoundland father, she was adopted at birth by an Inuit family and grew up in the community of Salluit, Nunavik. Elisapie sings in English, Innu and French. Her music is an inspired combination of the music and rhythms of her roots and more southerly folk and pop – and shows she has a deep respect for both the profound and the party.
Jon & Roy (Victoria, BC)
Jon and Roy play an original combination of acoustic folk music blended with reggae, Latin, Cuban and African beats, with a bit of hip hop on the side. Roy’s spicy rhythms complete Jon’s mellow tenor and guitar. They draw from a myriad of influences to create music that is at once disarming and artful.
Connie Kaldor (Montreal, Quebec – but a prairie girl at heart)
We welcome back a festival favourite – a trail-blazing artist who continues to remind us why we love folk music. Connie Kaldor is a Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter and entertainer with a charismatic talent who started out at a time when a woman with a powerful voice, set-list and personality was a rare thing to see. Then and still she is a fearless, thoughtful, often funny chronicler of the human experience.
www.conniekaldor.com
www.myspace.com/conniekaldor
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba (Bamako, Mali)
Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba have a sonic revelation in store for you: an ngoni quartet! They are the first-ever group built around four ngoni players (the ngoni is an ancient traditional lute found throughout West Africa; some say it is the banjo’s African ancestor). Kouyate represents a new kind of global griot: one who has travelled the world negotiating artistic alliances between the ancient and the contemporary, and in the process, saving the ngoni with rock ‘n’ roll revelations and blues muses. The group’s repertoire is from the Sega region in the heart of Bambara culture. Its music as close to the blues as you can get in Africa. fRoots’ Ian Anderson said, “Disco ngoni through a Fender amp – how cool can you get?!”
www.myspace.com/bassekoukouyate
Shane Koyczan and the Short Story Long (Penticton, BC)
Only time will tell the full impact that Shane Koyczan has had on bringing spoken word performance into the mainstream consciousness around the world, but we already know some of that answer: it’s a lot. In this foray into creative boundary-busting, the multi-award-winning artist breathes life into the new genre of talk rock with his band the Short Story Long. From folk to funk, their sound is by turns moving, hilarious and deeply profound – often all in the same song.
www.houseofparlance.com/koyczan/index.html ¦ www.koyczan.com
Bettye LaVette (Detroit, Michigan)
Known as the “Great Lady of Soul”, singer Bettye LaVette has been on a roll since her 2005 release I’ve Got My Own Hell to Raise brought her back into the spotlight. That was 43 years after her first single My Man is a Loving Man was released when she was a teenager in 1962. Since then she’s recorded the Grammy-nominated Scene of the Crime, rocked the house at the Kennedy Centre Honors’ tribute to The Who with a show-stealing version of Love Reign O’er Me, and teamed up with Jon Bon Jovi at Barrack Obama’s inaugural celebration. This woman is a vocal force of nature who wrings every drop of soul out of whatever song she sings.
Saturday Night Mainstage and Sunday workshop
Ladies of the Canyon (Montreal, Quebec)
These Ladies are four friends who got together in their living rooms to write and sing songs influenced by their favourite bands – The Eagles, the Band and Fleetwood Mac. Musicians and songwriters Maia Davies, Senja Sargeant, Jasmine Bleile and Anna Ruddick each have their distinct tone and personality. When they come together in harmony, it’s a dazzling, soaring, countrified thing.
Luluc (New York & Melbourne, Australia)
The unadorned and delicate music of Luluc has become a quiet sensation on two continents: first their Australian homeland, and lately here in North America. Zoë Randell and Steve Hassett’s music has quickly become renowned for its austere and simple beauty. In songs pared down to an essential core, Zoë’s unique alto is central, and exquisite melodies are sung with uncommon grace and solemn power.
http://lulucmusic.com ¦ www.myspace.com
Catherine MacLellan (PEI / Halifax, Nova Scotia)
Catherine matches pure and haunting vocals with poetic lyrics in beautifully crafted songs that reveal hidden layers with every listen. Her albums have been called “bona fide roots music gems” and a hit with fans, critics and fellow musicians. Gently fusing folk and country, this fast-rising singer-songwriter’s subtle, deeply confessional music and caressing voice will touch your heart and not let go.
www.catherinemaclellan.com ¦www.myspace.com
Madison Violet (Toronto, ON)
As one reviewer said, there’s more to Madison Violet than sweet voices. That’s not to say this alt-country/folk duo, whose music has also been described as city-folk and tumbleweed pop, don’t have great pipes. Their harmonies are exquisite. Madison Violet’s songs are infused with heartache and loss but you’ll always find an uplifting twang in their sound. Vibrant with honesty and imagery, heartbreak never sounded so good.
www.madisonviolet.com ¦www.myspace.com
The Malahat Revue
Jeremy Fisher, Said The Whale, Hannah Georgas, Aidan Knight (BC)
Some festival performers will be biking to work. We hear a lot about the impact of touring on the environment, along with various initiatives musicians are taking to offset their carbon footprint. What better way to do this than by biking to the gig? Artists Jeremy Fisher, Said The Whale, Hannah Georgas and Aidan Knight are doing just that this July with what they’re calling The Malahat Revue. They’ll spend 10 days crossing British Columbia by bike, travelling over 500 kilometres and stopping off at the festival on the way. How cool is that? Be sure to catch these great musicians on our stages, and throw in a bit of extra applause for their good work. They deserve a pedallion!
Sunday only
Mauvais Sort (Québec)
Mauvais Sort (roughly translated: to cast a spell on someone) takes traditional lyrics and rhythms of old-time Québécois folk tunes, and combines them with contemporary and world music influences to create tomorrow’s Québéc folk music traditions. This group of seven talented musicians have produced a musical style they have dubbed “Folk’n’Roll”! “Folk” for the inspiration, the foot stomping, the squeeze box, the fiddle and the guitar. “Roll” for the arrangements, the bass, the drum, the percussion and the dynamic energy. With vitality, contagious joie de vivre and incessant motion, Mauvais Sort heats up the stage and casts a binding spell that will thrill, amuse and seduce you.
www.myspace.com/mauvaissort ¦ www.mauvaissort.com
Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Project
The Mississippi Sheiks were the most popular blues artists of the 1930’s. Their repertoire drew upon all facets of black and white rural music: hard-edged blues, pop music, hokum, white country and traditional songs. The Sheiks’ legacy has influenced legendary musicians like BB King and Bob Dylan among others. It’s also been a major source of inspiration for our own Steve Dawson. To pay them tribute, he pulled together a cast of great musicians to record and perform their music. At the festival, as part of the Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Project, Steve is joined by Jim Byrnes, Bob Brozman and Alvin Youngblood Hart.
Namgar (Moscow, Russia)
Namgar performs music steeped in the ancient nomadic traditions of Southern Siberia and Mongolia. You’ll hear the songs of the Burayts and Mongolians, dance songs and Mongol legends about fairytale beauties, epic heroes, and powerful horse racers hurling across the endless steppes. Namgar’s repertoire also includes more contemporary compositions. Named after the group’s extraordinary singer, Namgar Lhasaranova-Evgeniy Zolotarev, they perform on traditional instruments such as the chanza, a 3-stringed Mongol lute covered in snake skin, flutes and drums.
www.khomus.com/music/group/buryatiamongolia/namgar
Nathan (Winnipeg, MB)
“Lift me out of this dustbowl and hand me a champagne”. The lyrics from Nathan’s Key Principles kind of reflects some of what this band of four Winnipeg musicians is about. While harnessing a bit of the frontier essence of the Canadian Prairies, they incorporate some contemporary worldliness in a sound that is both expansive and homey. They sing of domestic life and of restlessness, of darkness and light. With sweet country harmonies, guitars, banjo, accordion and percussion, Nathan captures the spirit of the modern, old-fashioned sound of the lonesome, crowded west.
Oka (Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia)
When Stu Boga Fergie was a child, his Yakin Andu elders gifted him with the nickname DidgeriStu, a nod to his prodigious skills on the didgeridoo. Now, DidgeriStu is all grown up, and his talents on the otherworldly Australian instrument have too. As one half of this genre-defying dance-roots duo, Fergie rattles earth and sky on his didge. He also brings the ancient stories of his people to stages across the world. Next to him sits Chris, a man with a haunting sense of melody and a daunting collection of instruments. Oka updates the earthy beats of tribal music for the digital age, while keeping their spiritual melodies pure.
Pacific Curls (New Zealand)
Three gals from different backgrounds find common cause in crafting a musical fusion that comes together like it was waiting to be revealed. Pacific Curl members come from Scotland, New Zealand’s Maori people and from a volcanic island 465 clicks north of Fiji called Rotuma. Singing in Maori, Rotuman and English, Pacific Curls play the fiddle, ukulele, traditional Maori and other instruments. They’re sound incorporates the Celtic and the South Pacific in a beautiful and spirited whole.
Peatbog Faeries (Scotland)
Channelling Celtic tradition through a passion for glorious experiment, the Peatbog Faeries meld a whole heap of styles and influences into a musical spree of sounds. They draw from rock, jazz, electronica, world and folk – but their main influence is traditional Celtic music. Programmed effects go hand in hand with traditional arrangements played on bagpipes, fiddles and whistles. The six-member group have received “Best Live Act” honours from the Scots Trad Music Awards (twice). For the dancers among us, consider the Faeries your invitation. www.myspace.com/peatbogfaeries ¦ www.peatbogfaeries.com
Playing for Change (from many homes)
What started as a simple concept to bring musicians from different cultures virtually together via technology for the common purpose of promoting peace through music, resulted in a bona fide cultural phenomenon; and no one could have predicted the astonishing effect of their live performances, which sold out houses across North America. This very special gathering of musicians now visits a festival where they’ll be welcomed with open arms. PFC artists include Grandpa Elliott from New Orleans, Mohammed Alidu from Ghana, lead vocalist Mermans Kenkosenki and six other artists from Barcelona, Zimbabwe, DRC Congo, South African and the US.
Po’ Girl (Canada)
Po’ Girl makes urban roots music with incredible harmonies, multiple instruments, poetic tunes and a fluid and joyful musicality. Constantly on the road, they’re equally at home at a festival in the Cameroon or in New Orleans as they are on concert stages from Austin to Amsterdam. What’s more, audiences around the world are at home with them, finding authenticity and originality in their music. This June sees the North American release of their 6th CD Follow Your Bliss. As that bliss takes them to the VFMF in July, that works out pretty well for us, doesn’t it?
Janusz Prusinowski Trio (Masovia, Poland)
The Janusz Prusinowski Trio formed in 2007 to continue the musical traditions of Central Poland, particularly the heritage of the village musicians. The band plays fiery mazurkas, triple beat Polish folk dance tunes on fiddle, hammer dulcimer, hurdy gurdy, Polish accordion, folk bass, wind instruments and drums.
El Puchero del Hortelano (Granada, Spain)
El Puchero del Portolano play a melodic, sometimes funky, mix of flamenco-infused pop/rock, rumba and other world and Andalusian rhythms. Their six members, led by the evocative vocals of Antonio Arch, play flamenco guitar and a range of horns and percussion. Since forming while students at the University of Granada in 1998, they’ve released four albums and become the toast of Spain.
Finley Quaye (London, England)
A veteran great of the British music scene, Finley Quaye burst out in 1997 with his debut album Maverick A Strike, and quickly established himself as a truly innovative artist and hit-maker. Jazz is in his blood, and his half-Ghanaian, half-Celtic heritage helped shape him into a musical chameleon that breathed new life into traditional reggae styles. His voice has been described as “sheer beauty”. Quaye remains musically fearless, mashing up electronica, rock and reggae with an innate feel for a soul groove.
Saturday only
Raoul and the Big Time (Toronto, ON)
One of the most highly regarded and awarded young blues acts in Canada, Raoul and The Big Time play an energetic mix of what they call “Toronto/Chicago/Hollywood” blues. It’s an inspired blend of swing, jump-blues and boogie, and mellow late-night grooves. Raoul’s character-filled blues voice and harp style leads a perfect blending of the vintage and modern. Hot stuff!
Tao Ravao & Vincent Bucher with Jean-Noel Godard (Madagascar / France)
This trio’s music has been called a ‘new crossroads’ where blues, jazz, Malgache (Madagascar), African, West Indian, Cajun and French influences meet, combine and generally have a good time. Traditional tunes from Madagascar rub shoulders with Robert Johnson and Jimmy Reed; original compositions combine elements that defy easy categorization. Tao is a master of two key Malagasy instruments, the valiha, a fifteen stringed harp, and the kabosy, a small guitar. The perfect partner for this adventurous project is harmonica master, Vincent Bucher. Joined by virtuoso percussionist Jean-Noel Godard, they are crafting a unique and joyful musical hybrid.
Nathan Rogers (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
With a singular combination of nature, nurture, work ethic and an open-hearted approach to music-making, Nathan Rogers hit the ground running when he launched his career a few years ago. He carries the musical DNA of his father, the late great Stan Rogers, as well as his Uncle Garnet forward. A lifetime spent hanging out at folk festivals and with musicians didn’t hurt either. Part innovator, part revivalist, Nathan’s rich baritone, guitar chops, eclectic repertoire, savvy and compelling lyrics and great stories make him the consummate entertainer.
www.nathanrogers.ca
www.myspace.com/canadiannathanrogers
Sarazino (Ecuador)
The Ecuadorian Andes are a long way from Trenchtown, Jamaica, but Quito native, Lamine Fellah and his group Sarazino have spent the last several years playing the most convincing old school roots/rock/reggae this side of the Caribbean capital. Born in Algeria, Fellah lived a nomad’s life as he grew up travelling between Spain, Switzerland and the African nations of Burundi and Burkina Faso. Listen closely and you’ll certainly hear strains of flamenco, highlife, and Algerian Rai music as you dance to Sarazino’s politically charged music.
www.cumbancha.com/sarazino
Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens (Brooklyn, New York)
“If Gospel is a great American art form, Naomi Shelton should be considered a national treasure” (Washington Post Express). While Naomi Shelton may have grown up singing in church in Alabama with her sisters, her voice is pure soul – every note is drawn from way down deep. Live in performance with her band and the Gospel Queens, she exudes such joy you don’t have to be a believer for her music to touch your heart.
www.myspace.com/naomisheltonthegospelqueens
Tao Seeger Band (Ulster Park, New York)
The first time Tao was at the Festival, he performed with his granddad Pete. Now we’re thrilled to welcome him back with his own band, eager to hear how genes and talent combine. You can’t argue that music is in Tao’s Seeger’s blood. His band fuses the folk styles of his family heritage with contemporary Rock-n-Roll, breaking down barriers of traditional folk to create a new rootsy and psychedelic sound.
http://taoseeger.com
www.myspace.com/taorodriguezseeger
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder (Kentucky)
A fourteen-time Grammy Award-winner, Ricky Skaggs was a teen prodigy who worked with both Ralph Stanley and Flatt & Scruggs. Steeped in roots, country and bluegrass, he is a peerless and dazzling vocalist and multi-instrumentalist.
Skaggs’ career is easily among the most significant in recent country music history. If Skaggs’ burgeoning trophy case full of awards wasn’t already enough evidence of that fact, consider that legendary guitarist Chet Atkins once credited Skaggs with “single-handedly saving country music.” Not one to rest on his laurels, Ricky Skaggs is now actively defining and re-shaping the direction of another indigenous American genre of music – bluegrass.
The term ‘multi-talented’ lacks the power to characterize this extraordinary singer and instrumentalist. Not only can he sing and pick with the best in progressive country and bluegrass, his broad and deep experience in traditional music separates him from the crowd. In the estimation of many, he is without peer as a combination vocalist and instrumentalist (guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo).
www.skaggsfamilyrecords.com
www.myspace.com/rickyskaggs
Timber Timbre (Montreal, QC)
Cool and spooky, spare and moody, Timber Timbre’s ( Taylor Kirk’s ) music lands in a hard place to describe – a quiet spot where blues, country and folk intersect with a sophisticated cinematic ambiance. The name, in case you’re wondering, is a play on the sound of his beat-up guitar (timbre) and the word his father would yell (“timber”) when trees crashed on the Ottawa farm where he was raised.
www.arts-crafts.ca/timbertimbre
United Steel Workers of Montreal (Montreal, Quebec)
The USWM deliver an infectious mix of blues, jazz, country and swing they’ve self-dubbed “blue-collar alt-country”. They’ve wowed audiences from coast to coast with everything from historical ballads and gospel to punk-roots tunes and light-hearted, foot-stomping romps. Beloved in Montreal, this six-piece unit has been voted the city’s #1 Folk/Roots Band for their great harmonies and sharp musicianship. The USWM’s live performances have achieved cult-like status, replete with dry wit, tall tales and some outright lies. Dancing is optional but hard to avoid.
www.uswm.ca ¦ www.myspace.com/unitedsteelworkersofmontreal
Valdy (Salt Spring Island, BC)
The quintessential folk music troubadour, Valdy has been an important part of the fabric of Canadian pop and folk music for over four decades. He’s one of those singers with an unmistakably unique and resonant voice. He’s also an insightful songwriter who mirrors the world for us, catching the small but telling moments that make up life. His Play Me A Rock and Roll Song, about performing at the Aldergrove Rock Festival in 1968 has become an iconic tune – everyone can sing along to the chorus. Valdy’s presence at this year’s festival is a warm and welcome invitation to lovers of a good story and a great melody sung by a true master of his craft.
Watcha Clan (Marseille, France)
Watcha Clan’s music sings with the spirit of traveling people. Powered by the riveting voice and stagecraft of lead vocalist Sista K, they juggle rhythms acoustic and electro rhythms and languages (French, Arabic, Hebrew, English) to the beat of the memories they have and the people and the places they visit. Musical nomads, their songs move from Eastern European melodies to the chaabi, the traditional music of Algiers to hip hop kicks.
Saturday only
