Jeremy Dutcher

Jeremey Dutcher set the Canadian music scene on its ear a half decade or so back with his groundbreaking album and performance, drawing on field recordings, Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawags. 

A Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik) from the Tobique First Nation in north-west New Brunswick, Jeremy is a classically trained operatic tenor who studied anthropology and music at Halifax’s Dalhousie University. He undertook a research project in Ottawa, listening to recordings made at the turn of the 20th century featuring traditional songs. The results might have ended up in a scholarly journal article somewhere, read by a handful of other academics – but happily it didn’t. It became a cause célèbre on the Canadian music and concert scene, and if there was a worry that it was a one-time thing, a subsequent album, Motewolonuwok, came out last year featuring songs in both the Maliseet-Passamaquoddy language and some English language songs, as well. 

It appears Mr. Dutcher has found his niche as a two spirited tenor, composer, musicologist, performer and activist, currently based in Montreal. If you missed his touring of Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawags, this summer at this festival you have the opportunity to experience one of the most compelling and musically interesting artists from any tradition. 

– GC