Folk Roots Radio on September 27 (Episode 165) featured one of our best recent editions, our end of the festival season show from August 30 2014. Unfortunately I was struck down with a virus on the way back from a short family break to Florida. That will teach me to think about taking a holiday!
Claude Parlour welcome Relative Harmony to Caledon on Sunday October 5 2014 for a show at Claude Presbyterian Church, 15175 Hurontario Street (Hwy 10), Caledon at 7:30 p.m. (Doors 7:00 p.m.). Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online HERE. Relative Harmony are Rick Avery, Judy Greenhill, Jonathan Avery and Judy Avery. Their most recent album “Rolling Home” (2012) features all four band members playing a plethora of instruments in a predominantly Celtic traditional style, with country and jazz stylings creeping in. For more information, visit relative harmony.com. Music: Relative Harmony “If He’s Gone Let Him Go” from “Rolling Home” (2011, Self).
Cambridge ON based three piece folk/rock alternative band Factory City have a CD release on Saturday September 27 at The Burns Howff Scottish Pub, 95 Saginaw pkwy, Cambridge. The cover is $5 or free with CD purchase! Factory City have been together since 2013, although all of members are stalwarts of the local scene. They feature guitarist/vocalist Mike Meacher, Fyl Bennett on stand-up bass and drummer Mat Bowman. Stylistically they describe their music as blurring the lines between folk music and rock alternative with songs that tell stories of love, tragedy, grief and hope. For more information visit factorymusic.com. Music: Factory City, For You from Factory City (2014, Self)
Vocal group Ondine Chorus have several concerts this fall, visiting Port Carling on September 27 and Utopia on October 5 before heading home for a show in Guelph on October 31.
Guy Davis is a master of both traditional and contemporary blues, and definitely worth checking out in concert. The good news is that he will be touring in Ontario this fall. Guy will be playing nine Ontario dates during the tour including Hugh’s Room in Toronto (October 3), The Acoustic Grill in Picton (October 7) and NEAT Bursntown Schoolhouse (October 12). As well as regular shows, he’ll also be be playing a Wellesley and District Lions Club fundraiser at the Wellesley Community Centre, 1000 Maple Street in Wellesley on October 8 at 7 p.m. Advance tickets for the fundraiser are $20 ($25 at the door). The proceeds will support the construction of an accessible playground in Wellesley. Advance tickets for the fundraiser can be purchased by e-mailing Peter van der Maas at [email protected]. Guy’s latest album, the fabulous “Juba Dance”, from 2013, features Fabrizio Poggi on harmonica, the Blind Boys of Alabama and Lea Gilmore. For more information on all the Ontario shows, visit guydavis.com. Music: Guy Davis, “Love looks Good On You” from “Juba Dance” (2013, Red House Records).
DJ MacDee was again keeping my chair warm on September 20 (Episode 168) while I was in Florida for a short vacation. You enjoyed DJ MacDee on Folk Roots Radio. Now enjoy his playlist!
Fearing & White are back on tour in Ontario and Alberta. Stephen Fearing & Andy White released their second album as a duo, “Tea & Confidences” earlier this year. We caught up with Andy White prior to their barnstorming appearance at the 2014 Hillside Festival. You can check out that interview on the website HERE. As it seemed only fair that we check in with the other half of this pair of wandering minstrels, we caught up with Stephen Fearing at home while on a short touring break. During our fun and wide-ranging conversation we tackled such topics as balancing solo and band commitments, recording and touring “Tea & Confidences”, why Gary Craig is such a great drummer, music as a business for independent artists 101 and the ‘Manzer guitar / Air Canada incident’. It’s a great interview and well worth checking out. Music: Fearing & White, “Emigrant Song”, “Tomorrow Takes A Long Time”, “We Came Together” and “To The Great Unknown” from “Tea & Confidences” (2014, Lowdenproud).
When Jesse Winchester passed away early in 2014 I think many people thought that the music had died with him. Well, the good news is that is not the case. A new album, “A Reasonable Amount Of Trouble”, has just been released on Appleseed Recordings. The album was recorded while Jesse’s cancer was in remission and features nine Jesse compositions alongside three cover versions.
The self-written songs on the album are all quintessentially Jesse Winchester – songs that cover the whole gamut of life experiences from transient pleasures (“All That We Have Is Now”), to tongue-in-cheek rockers (“Never Forget to Boogie”), and an uneasy peace (the heartwrenching “Just So Much”). Never maudlin, A Reasonable Amount of Trouble is inevitably tinged with an awareness of mortality but not a drop of self-pity. The covers are all sweet oldies, “Rhythm of the Rain”, “Devil or Angel” and “Whispering Bells”. Jesse plays acoustic guitar and keyboard and sings in his uniquely weightless tenor, there’s an attuned rhythm section, and guest appearances by “newgrass” country Grammy winner Jerry Douglas on lap steel and legendary saxophonist Jim Horn, among others. The new album was produced by Mac McAnally (Jimmy Buffet’s producer), who also plays lead guitar. Buffet, a huge Jesse fan wrote the liner notes.
Its an excellent album, one that really grows with you. We’ll be playing songs from the album on Folk Roots Radio. In the meantime, here is Jesse Winchester with the easy on the ear and relentlessly upbeat “All That We Have Is Now” (2014, Appleseed Recordings). For more information visit jessewinchester.com.
Folk Roots Radio on September 13 (Episode 167) featured interviews with British Americana duo Plumhall, who’ve just release a great album of moody British Americana, “Thundercloud” and Guelph-based singer-songwriter Jane Lewis, who releases her new album “Stay With Me” on September 26. We wrapped it all up in lots of great music including a highly topical mystery theme and this week’s guilty pleasure.
Teal & Joyce will be in Guelph for a show at Magnolia Café, 88 Yarmouth St. on Saturday September 20 for a show at 8 p.m. Carol Teal and David Joyce write delightful songs about life’s challenges and the funny moments we all have. They also put on an engaging and fun show. Their most recent album (their third) is 2013’s “Has It All Been Said”. Magnolia is the perfect place for a meal and a show. Due to the intimate size of the venue, reservations are recommended. Call 519-766-4663 to reserve. For more information visit tealandjoyce.ca. Music: Teal and Joyce, Same Damn Door from Has It all Been Said (2013, Self)
Guelph-based singer songwriter Jane Lewis releases her first solo album, “Stay With Me” on September 26, 2014 at Dublin St United Church in Guelph. The show starts at 8 p.m. Stay With Me is a piano-based folk-pop-roots album that blends engaging melodies and well-crafted lyrics, with gorgeous production that allows the vocals to stand up against the beautifully well-balanced musical accompaniment. The album features Jane Lewis on piano joined by a stellar core band of Sam Turton (guitar), Jesse Turton (bass) and Adam Bowman (drums & percussion). Special guests on the album include Jason Fowler, Eve Goldberg, Katherine Wheatley, Tannis Slimmon and Doug Wilde among others. The album was produced by Sam Turton and engineered by Nik Tjelios. The release show promises to be a very special night. You can buy tickets online here. Jane Lewis joined us in the studio to chat and play tracks from the album. For more information, visit janelewis.ca.
Folk Roots Radio on September 6 (Episode 166) featured interviews with Lynn Jackson, Hannah Shira Naiman and Pharis & Jason alongside our mystery theme, guilty pleasure and, as usual, lots of great music.
Pharis & Jason Romero bring their beautiful harmonies and old-time banjo and guitar tunes to Kitchener on Friday September 12 for a show hosted by Folkway Music at the Registry Theatre, Kitchener. They released their recent album, “Long Gone Out West Blues”, in early 2013 to critical acclaim, the album garnering several awards while making it into the top 10 of many end of year ‘Best of’ lists. Long Gone Out West Blues features an array of songs that blend old and new, while telling stories about ageless characters, hard lives, love and loss. Tickets for the Registry show are $22.60 (includes HST) and available through Eventbrite, or in person at Folkway Music, 22 Dupont Street East, Waterloo ON N2J 2G9, 519-772-0424 (1-855-772-0424). Tickets will also be available at the Door $25 (cash only). The shows starts at 8:00 p.m. (Doors 7:30 p.m.). For more information: pharisandjason.com. Music: “Long Gone Out West Blues” and ‘I Want To Get Lucky” from “Long Gone Out West Blues” (2013, Lula Records).
Hannah Shira Naiman will be at the Magnolia Café in Guelph on Thursday September 11 as part of a tour supporting her 2013 album release “Tether My Heart”. Tether My Heart is a gorgeous album of banjo-driven songs, inspired by Ola Belle Reid and Hazel Dickens, with an Appalachian Old-time feel and English / Irish folk ballad stylings thrown into the mix. Hannah’s music has already been critically acclaimed, drawing favourable comparisons with the work of both Gillian Welch and The Be Good Tanyas. At Magnolia, Hannah will be performing with fiddle player Rosalyn Dennett (formerly of Oh My Darling). The show starts at 8:00 p.m. and the cover is just $10. Due to the intimate size of the venue, reservations are recommended. Call 519-766-4663 to reserve. For more information visit hannahshiranaiman.com. Music: Hannah Shira Naiman “Looking For My True Love” and “Little Fox” from “Tether My Heart” (2013, Merriweather Records)
Kitchener-based singer-songwriter Lynn Jackson releases her new album (with Chris Boyne), “The Acoustic Sessions” at The Jane Bond in Waterloo on September 7 2014. The show starts at 9:00 p.m. (doors at 8:00 p.m.) and admission is just $10 which also gets you copy of the CD – which is an amazing deal! Lynn will also be in Brantford at the Train Station Coffee House on September 6 and at Borealis in Guelph on September 18. After that she is off on a western tour. We caught up with Lynn at home in Kitchener. Music: “Wintersong” and “Mark The Spot” from “The Acoustic Sessions” (2014, Busted Flat Records)
For more details on the tour dates, check out lynnjackson.net.
Fearing & White, the great collaboration between Stephen Fearing and Andy White, will be back in Ontario in September for a few shows to promote their second album “Tea & Confidences”. Coming up after an outstanding performance at the Hillside Festival, they are definitely well worth checking out in concert. As usual, sidesman extraordinaire Gary Craig (Blackie and The Rodeo Kings, Bruce Cockburn, Tom Cochrane) will be sitting in on drums. They will be at Neat, Burnstown (Sep 12), Aeolian Hall London (Sep 13), The Acoustic Grill Picton (Sep 14), The eBar Guelph (Sep 16), The Moonshine Café Oakville (Sep 17), Hugh’s Room Toronto (Sep 18), Black Sheep Inn, Wakefield QC (Sep 19) and The Pearl Company, Hamilton (Sep 21). For more information, visit fearingandwhite.com. Check out the new single, “We Came Together” from Tea & Confidences (2014, Lowdenproud Records)
Hey Grinty, Thanks for the message. I really enjoyed chatting with Michelle and Nick. We love the new Plumhall album…
Plumhall are Michelle Plum and Nick Hall. They come from West Yorkshire in England and they’ve just released a great debut album of moody British Americana entitled “Thundercloud”.
Michelle is a former member of Chumbawamba, Waking the Witch and The Accidental Tourists. Nick has been a member of the Hall Brothers band nearly all his life. Together as Plumhall they have supported Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls of The Wonderstuff, as well as State Of The Union, Andy White and Henry Priestman. They also recently performed with multi-instrumentalist, and former member of Bob Dylan’s tour band, Larry Campbell at the BBC Radio 2 award-winning folk club The Black Swan in York England. We caught up with them at home in Bradford. For more information visit: plumhall.co.uk. Music: Plumhall, “Let Me Sleep” and “Exit From The Light” from Thundercloud (2014, Proper Distribution).
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