April 2015 | Folk Roots Radio

Jennis with Sarah Beatty

Apr 27 2015

Jennis, the ‘difficult to categorize but sounds great’ roots combo featuring Dennis Gaumond on dobro and Jen Gillmor on cello are coming back to Guelph for a show at Silence on May 29 with support from Hamilton-based singer-songwriter Sarah Beatty. They’re also playing together in Hamilton at the Artword Artbar on May 16. I’m not sure if you’ve been to a Jennis show before but for a duo they have an amazingly full live sound. Expect to be regaled by some original songs augmented by early American jazz, reggae, funk, R&B and blues classics re-interpreted in the inimitable Jennis style!

Apr 27 2015

Sarah Jane Scouten brings her unique blend of roots music back to Guelph for a Folk Roots Radio presents… show at Silence on Saturday May 23 at 8 p.m. For this show she will be joined by Alan Mackie (from The Bombadils and Jaron Freeman Fox and the Opposite of Everything) on stand-up bass. The opening act for the evening will be Guelph’s own bluegrass band The Chesterfield Trio, the abbreviated version of Chester Field and The Sofa Kings. It promises to be a great night so get your tickets early!

Apr 27 2015

This week’s Folk Roots Radio featured another interview recorded at the Folk Music Ontario conference this past October. On this episode we talk to Owen Sound based folk, pop and jazz singer Coco Love Alcorn about her music and forthcoming album ‘The Spirit Sessions’. It was a fantastic interview, and as expected, lots of fun. You can listen to the interview on the website here. As usual, there was lots of new music on the show, alongside our mystery theme and guilty pleasure.

Apr 26 2015

Episode 17 of Folk Roots Radio Overtime, our extra helping of Folk Roots Radio on CFRU 93.3fm, featured an in-depth conversation and session with singer-songwriter Dana Sipos. Dana spent her formative years in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories before heading out for a life on the open road in pursuit of her art. Her third album, the hauntingly beautiful and ethereal “Roll Up The Night Sky” is released on April 30 on Muddy Roots Records. Music: Dana Sipos, “A Coronary Tale” from “Roll Up The Night Sky” (2015, Muddy Roots Records); Dana Sipos (Yet to be titled demo) (Live); Dana Sipos “Morningside” (Live); Dana Sipos “Shadows” from “Roll Up The Night Sky” (2015, Muddy Roots Records); Dana Sipos “Road To Michigan” (Live); Dana Sipos “Portraits” (Live); Dana Sipos “My Beloved” from “Roll Up The Night Sky” (2015, Muddy Roots Records).

Same Latitude As Rome… CD Giveaway

Apr 24 2015

Peter Boyer from Same Latitude as Rome will be joining us on Folk Roots Radio Overtime on CFRU 93.3fm on Saturday May 9 from 10-11 a.m. to play tracks and chat about his new album, the JK Gulley produced ‘Early Days’. And, guess what, we also have a couple of copies of the album to give away. On this week’s Folk Roots Radio (Episode 193) we’re playing Peter’s song ‘Union Man’ about the birth of the Canadian labour movement. All you need to do is tell us the name of one of the two big labour strikes in Canada that were pivotal to the development of organized labour in Canada, and were mentioned in that song. Easy. Send us an e-mail or contact us via the website and we’ll be mailing that CD right off to you!

The Shoeless On Tour

Apr 21 2015

The Shoeless are back in tour in Ontario with upcoming shows in Hamilton and Kitchener. The Shoeless are Frank Evans (Slocan Ramblers) on banjo, Eli Bender (Hale and Hearty) on cello and Emilyn Stam (Lemon Bucket Orkestra, Beneath the Ice, Eh?!, Té) on fiddle. Their music is a blend of traditional and original tunes/songs, with influences from klezmer, celtic, old time, french, bluegrass and more… they describe it as Bela Fleck meets Bela Bartok in Appalachia! They are lots of fun live, and definitely worth checking out if you get the chance. For more information, visit www.theshoeless.com.

Wednesday, May 6 2015 at 8 p.m.
Artword Artbar, Hamilton
$10 (sliding scale, depending what you can afford)
More details

Thursday, May 7 2015 at 7 p.m.
Café Pyrus, Kitchener
Double bill with The Ever Lovin’ Jug Band
More details

Coco Love Alcorn – The Interview

Apr 20 2015

Folk, pop and jazz singer Coco Love Alcorn is renowned for compelling vocal delivery, fantastic improvisation skills and extraordinary ability to engage the audience, and equally comfortable fronting her own music or providing backing vocals for others. She is about to head out on a spring and summer tour of Canada prior to returning to the studio to record her next project the intriguingly titled “Spirit Sessions”. Coco stopped by our mobile studio at this past October’s Folk Music Ontario conference to chat about her music, and play a couple of songs live on her instrument of choice, the ukulele. Like everything that Coco gets involved in, the interview was a lot of fun, and very in the moment. We hope you enjoy it. Music: Coco Love Alcorn, ‘Best Part Of My Day’ from ‘Play’ (2011, Self); Coco Love Alcorn, ‘The River’ (Live); Coco Love Alcorn, ‘Wonderland’ (Live); Coco Love Alcorn, ‘Joyful’ from ‘Joyful’ (2011, Self).

Episode 192: Trent Severn

Apr 19 2015

This week’s Folk Roots Radio featured another interview recorded at the Folk Music Ontario conference this past October. This time we talked to Emm Gryner, Laura C. Bates and Dayna Manning who collectively form Trent Severn, a wonderful folk super-group who share fabulous stories of Canadiana in gorgeous harmony and music. You can find the interview on the website here. As always, we found time for some new music plus our mystery theme and guilty pleasure.

Apr 18 2015

Kevin Breit is one of the most innovative and creative guitarists that Canada has ever produced. Comfortable performing jazz, blues, world music or his own solo compositions that often go in all those directions at the same time, Kevin Breit has recorded and toured with a who’s who of modern popular music. Watching him play live is indeed an amazing experience – if ever there is someone who is one with whatever stringed instrument he is playing, that person has to be Kevin Breit. Kevin Breit joined us in the studio to chat about his new double album, ‘Ernesto & Delilah’; ‘Ernesto’ – instrumental compositions from the Upper York Mandolin Orchestra with a Brazilian favour and ‘Delilah’ – gorgeous duets with actress and vocalist Rebecca Jenkins, accompanied by a mandolin quartet. Music: Kevin Breit ‘Dance with Delilah’ (feat. Rebecca Jenkins) , ‘Como Uma Corrida De Cavalo’, ‘Seven Silver Buttons’, ‘Murderous Dimitri’ (feat. Rebecca Jenkins), ‘Ghost Of California’ (feat. Rebecca Jenkins) and ‘Come On Home’ (feat. Rebecca Jenkins) from ‘Ernesto and Delilah’ (2015, Poverty Playlist).

Trent Severn – The Interview

Apr 17 2015

Emm Gryner and Dayna Manning had successful careers in their own right as singer-songwriters before joining fiddler Laura C Bates to form Trent Severn, the Southern Ontario based folk super-group known for a love of Canadiana, plaid, fine harmonies and outstanding musicianship. Their debut album, the self-titled ‘Trent Severn’ became a firm favourite with many from the first listen, their live shows a must-see based on a burgeoning reputation. They sat down with us as the Folk Music Ontario conference this past October to chat about their music past, present and future. Music: Trent Severn, ‘Bluenose on a Dime’, ‘Mulroney Times’ and ‘Road Less Travelled’ from Trent Severn (2012, Outside Music).

Episode 191: Charlie Angus

Apr 12 2015

This week’s Folk Roots Radio featured an interview with singer-songwriter, politician and Canadian MP (Timmins-James Bay) Charlie Angus, who joined us to chat about his music, activism and politics. You can find the interview online here. As always, we found time to include some new music alongside our mystery theme and guilty pleasure.

Apr 08 2015

We don’t normally promote classical events on Folk Roots Radio as they are somewhat out with our remit, however, we’re pleased to mention this one because it takes place at Silence, the great community venue in Guelph, and – it is their first classical performance. Silence has been incredibly kind in welcoming our own shows to their wonderful space. It seemed only natural that we extend that kindness and promote this event for them.

Apr 07 2015

Charlie Angus and The Grievous Angels have been making great Canadian roots music with a strong social conscience together for more than two decades now. After taking a break from recording for nearly a decade to pursue a political career, Charlie Angus, who is now the Member of Parliament for his home region of Timmins-James Bay, put the band back together to record their seventh album ‘The Great Divide’ in 2013. The Great Divide is a haunting, heartbreaking and fun ride across the great northern plains of Canada. We caught up with Charlie at home in Cobalt to chat about his music. Music: Charlie Angus & the Grievous Angels ‘Village Of The Bomb’, ‘Four Horses’ and ‘Diamonds In The Snow’ from ‘The Great Divide’ (2013, Self).

Steeltown Pilgrim – In The Studio

Apr 05 2015

Folk Roots Radio Overtime is an hour of radio on CFRU 93.3fm (Guelph, Ontario) dedicated to live in-studio sessions and in-depth artist interviews. This week we welcomed Hamilton-based singer-songwriter ‘Steeltown Pilgrim’ Matthew Mutch into the studio to chat about his music and play songs (some live) from his new JK Gulley produced album ‘Walkin’ The Way of St James’, inspired by his many pilgrimages to the Camino Santiago in Spain. Music: Steeltown Pilgrim ‘Carmen By The Sea’ from ‘Walkin’ The Way of St James’ (2015, Americanada Records); Steeltown Pilgrim ‘Camino Sunset’ (Live); Steeltown Pilgrim ‘Song For Angel’ from ‘Walkin’ The Way of St James’ (2015, Americanada Records); Steeltown Pilgrim ‘If You Ever Feel The Way I Do’ (Live); Steeltown Pilgrim ‘Who We Are’, ‘Southbound Train’ and ‘Walkin’ The Way of St James’ from ‘Walkin’ The Way of St James’ (2015, Americanada Records).

Folk Roots Radio Episode 190: feat. The Oh Chays & More New Releases

Apr 05 2015

This week’s Folk Roots Radio features an interview with Kelly Authier and Mike Authier who together are The Oh Chays. Kelly and Mike joined us to chat about their music and play a couple of songs at the Folk Music Ontario conference this past October. You can listen to the interview again here. As usual, there’s a lot of new music on this week’s episode – plus, as always, our mystery theme and guilty pleasure.

Apr 01 2015

Kelly Authier and Mike Authier are The Oh Chays. They first came to our attention at the Kingsville Folk Music Festival where we became enchanted by their upbeat and fun songs, the uplifting and heartfelt lyrics, Kelly’s powerful vocals and their wonderful stage banter. Kelly and Mike joined us for a chat at the Folk Music Ontario conference this past October, where much hilarity ensued. They also played a couple of songs for us live despite the challenge of a cold guitar in a warm room. To try and capture the experience we’ve tried to keep our editing to the minimum. We hope you enjoy it. Music: The Oh Chays, ‘Big Old World’ from ‘Big Old World’ (2014, self); The Oh Chays ‘Do Say Think’ (Live); The Oh Chays, ‘Dirk’s Lullaby’ from ‘Big Old World’ (2014, self); The Oh Chays ‘Righting Your Wrongs’ (Live); The Oh Chays, ‘Piece of Me’ from ‘Big Old World’ (2014, self)