Episode 256: Hannah Shira Naiman

This episode of Folk Roots Radio features two interviews. Banjo and fiddle playing singer-songwriter Hannah Shira Naiman joined us at the Folk Music Ontario conference to chat about her music, her new project involving shadow puppetry, and play a couple of songs live. We also check in with Gordie Tentrees who will be appearing at this year’s Kingsville Folk Music Festival which takes place in the beautiful confines of Lakeside Park in Kingsville from August 12-14. And as always, we include some of the best of the new releases we’ve received.

Hannah Shira Naiman is just about to head into the studio to record the follow-up to “Tether My Heart”, her very well received 2013 album on Merriweather Records. Hannah joined us at Folk Music Ontario to chat about her music and Shadow Puppet Theatre, her collaboration with shadow puppeteer Christopher Godziuk of Panadream Theatre. Using Hannah’s lyrics for inspiration, Christopher creates a shadow puppet world to complement the musical performance. Check out their video for Hannah’s song “Tether My Heart” HERE. Hannah also played a couple of new songs live for us. For more information visit hannahshiranaiman.com.

Gordie Tentrees is no stranger to Folk Roots Radio. We’ve interviewed him a couple of times before, and I think the last time was around the release of his great 2015 album “Less Is More”. Well, Gordie will be bringing what he describes as his ‘storytelling-based folk, country, blues thing‘ to this year’s Kingsville Folk Music Festival with support from Jaxon Haldane (who will be performing in his own right at the festival). This year’s festival takes place from August 12-14 2016 in the beautiful confines of Lakeside Park in Kingsville. Get your tickets HERE. We reached Gordie at home in the Yukon to chat about what’s new with his music and this year’s festival.

The late great Alan Hull, lead songwriter with British band Lindisfarne passed away suddenly in 1995. His legacy is kept alive by his former band (in its ever evolving incarnations) and now by current Lindisfarne members Dave Hull-Denholm and Ian Thompson as the Alan Hull Songbook who have just released “Some Other Time”, an album of recently discovered early Alan Hull song demos from the 1967 – 1969 period, that have been sensitively and respectfully re-recorded using some of the same techniques available to Alan in the 70s. It’s a pretty good album, and as a big fan of Alan’s songwriting, it was great to hear some songs that we didn’t even know existed, and it’s amazing to hear how much Dave Hull-Denholm – Alan’s son-in-law sounds like the great man himself. We’ll certainly be playing more from the album on a future show.

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)

Anna Elizabeth Laube
Already There
Anna Laube (2015, Pockets)

David Owen
Livin’ Life Blues
Livin’ Life (2015, Owensound Recordings)

Donna Ulisse
Working On The C & O
Hard Cry Moon (2015, Hadley Music Group)

Birds of Chicago
Dim Star Of The Palisades
Real Midnight (2015, Self)

Nuala Kennedy
Le Funambule (The Tightrope Walker)
Behave The Bravest (2015, Under The Arch)

Hannah Shira Naiman
Little Fox
Tether My Heart (2013, Merriweather Records) CDN

Interview: Hannah Shira Naiman recorded at the Folk Music Ontario conference.

Hannah Shira Naiman
Ruby Kee (Live)

Hannah Shira Naiman
The Blue House (Live)

Hannah Shira Naiman
Tekakwitha
Tether My Heart (2013, Merriweather Records) CDN

Interview: Gordie Tentrees discussing his music and upcoming appearance at this year’s Kingsville Folk Music Festival

Gordie Tentrees
Somebody’s Child
Less Is More (2015, Buckaroo Records) CDN

Christa Couture
When It Gets Dark Again
Long Time Leaving (2016, Self) CDN

Alan Hull Songbook
Love Lasts Forever
Some Other Time (2016, Belvue Records)