Episode 238: Songs Of The Future & Lotus Wight

On this episode of Folk Roots Radio, we talk to Guelph folk and roots musician Lewis Melville about the new compilation album “Songs Of The Future” and banjo player Lotus Wight from Sheesham, Lotus and ‘Son, joins us to chat about his new solo album “Ode To The Banjo”.

Songs of the Future is the latest collection of music curated for Guelph’s Bar Code Free Music by folk and roots musician Lewis Melville. Released under the name of the Tomorrow Collective, the album features 33 songs by 31 different artists and groups (there are two songs each from Tannis Slimmon and Lewis Melville) who were asked to reflect on Canada’s place in the world and their hopes for the future in the wake of the 42nd Canadian General Election that took place in October 2015. We caught up with Lewis Melville at home in Guelph to chat about the project.

Lotus Wight, banjo player with rag-timers Sheesham, Lotus and ‘Son released a solo album of banjo-driven tunes, the rather appropriately-titled “Ode to the Banjo” late in 2015. “Ode to the Banjo” itself is not a musical track, but a 23-stanza poem about the history of the banjo written by Lotus Wight. A musical version of the poem may appear on a future recording. Lotus Wight plays all the instruments on the 13 tracks (12 traditional, one self-composition) on the album, and alongside a variety of banjos, also plays the kalimba and his own invention, the Contrabass Harmoniphoneum. Lotus stopped by our mobile studio at the Folk Music Ontario conference to chat about the new album.

Well, that’s all we have time for. Check out the full playlist with artist links below and share your love for all the great folk and roots music out there. Thanks to all the artists who share their music with us, and thank you for listening. We have a lot of great music to bring you on future shows. I hope you’ll join us! You can listen to this show again on Mixcloud by following the link below.

Nicolas & The Iceni (Theme)
Lucy She Rises (Demo)
Roll Right (expected 2016)

Anne Lindsay
North Star Falling
Songs Of The Future (2015, Barcode Free Music) CDN

Hoofbeats
Put On Your Toque, Eh!
Songs Of The Future (2015, Barcode Free Music) CDN

Jenny Omnichord
We Still Have Time
Songs Of The Future (2015, Barcode Free Music) CDN

Tannis Slimmon
In The Future
Songs Of The Future (2015, Barcode Free Music) CDN

Interview: Lewis Melville discussing the “Songs Of The Future” compilation project. Listen again HERE.

Lewis Melville
Give It A Whirl
Songs Of The Future (2015, Barcode Free Music) CDN

Banjo Mechanics
Banjotopia
Songs Of The Future (2015, Barcode Free Music) CDN

Lotus Wight
Skillet
Ode To The Banjo (2015, Self) CDN

Interview: Lotus Wight discussing his solo album, “Ode to the Banjo”. Listen again HERE.

Lotus Wight
Roustabout
Ode To The Banjo (2015, Self) CDN

Chester Field & The Sofa Kings
This Is Your Country
Songs Of The Future (2015, Barcode Free Music) CDN

Mangelis (Brian MacMillan and Brian Johnston)
Say It Again
Songs Of The Future (2015, Barcode Free Music) CDN