November 2017 | Folk Roots Radio

Folk Roots Radio Episode 353: Raine Hamilton & More New Releases

Folk Root Radio Episode 353 - Raine Hamilton & New Releases

Nov 29 2017

Winnipeg based singer-songwriter Raine Hamilton will release her second album “Night Sky” in March 2018. Raine sat down with Folk Roots Radio at the 2017 Folk Music Ontario conference to chat about her music and the new album. She also played a couple of new songs live. We’re pleased to bring that interview to Episode 353 of Folk Roots Radio and as always, we also check out more of the latest new releases including new music from Carmel Mikol, The Barrel Boys and Be Good Tanyas founder members Jolie Holland & Samantha Parton. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Root Radio Episode 352 - Erin Costelo & New Releases

Nov 29 2017

Episode 352 of Folk Roots Radio features an interview with Erin Costelo recorded at the 2017 Folk Music Ontario conference. Erin released a wonderful album in 2016, “Down Below, The Status Quo”, a fabulous slice of genre-bending soulful pop that skips from R&B/Soul to bluesy jazz, and an album that was deservedly one of our Favourite Albums of 2016. Erin joins us to chat about her current musical activities, including starting work on a new album in January. We also check out more of the best new releases including new music from Trent Severn, Susan Cattaneo, Janie Barnett & Blue Room and Edward Sayers. Check out the full playlist below.

Sultans of String Christmas Caravan - Folk Roots Radio Interview

Nov 26 2017

Canadian world folk supergroup the Sultans of String have just released their first holiday album, “Christmas Caravan”. Turning the notion of holiday music completely on its head, the new album, recorded and co-produced with JUNO Award winning engineer John ‘Beetle’ Bailey, features Quebecois fiddle tunes and collaborations with a traditional Turkish string ensemble, and jumps from a classic Andrews Sisters holiday sound, to a Himalayan sleigh ride, African roots music, Gypsy-jazz, rumba flamenco, ska, and the grandeur of the symphony. You name it, its in there. To help celebrate the season, the band brought in an all star cast of guest musicians including six times Grammy winning Paddy Moloney (The Chieftains), Ruben Blades & Luba Mason, platinum-selling jazz vocalist Nikki Yanofsky, Alex Cuba, Benoit Bourque of Quebec’s Bottine Souriante, African-American a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock, Cameroon’s Richard Bona, Rebecca Campbell (Emmylou Harris, Alanis Morissette), singer Mary Fahl from NYC’s October Project, a recording collective of Turkish Roma violinists in Istanbul, Sudanese-Canadian singer Waleed Abdulhamid, Nashville-based JUNO Award winning country singer Crystal Shawanda, sitar virtuoso Anwar Khurshid, and hang drum player David Charrier from France. We caught up with Sultans of String fiddle maestro, Chris McKhool, at home in Toronto, to learn more about the new album. The Sultans of String will be touring the album across Canada in the run up to the holidays, including a visit to the Registry Theatre in Kitchener ON (December 1), the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto (December 2) and Aeolian Hall in London (December 3). Check out all the dates and visit the Sultans of String online at sultansofstring.com. Music: Sultans of String, “Turkish Greensleeves”, “Himalayan Sleigh Ride” and “Hallelujah” from “Christmas Caravan” (2017, Self).

Folk Roots Radio Episode 351: Ken Yates and The Canadian Folk Music Awards

Folk Roots Radio Episode 350 - Ken Yates Interview & 2017 Canadian Folk Music Awards

Nov 23 2017

The winners of the 2017 Canadian Folk Music Awards were recently announced at a couple of very special gala evenings in Ottawa. On Episode 351 of Folk Roots Radio we feature music from some of the award winners alongside an interview with double award-winning singer-songwriter Ken Yates, recorded at this year’s Summerfolk. Ken took home the awards for both English Songwriter of the Year and New/Emerging Artist of the Year for his wonderful 2016 album “Huntsville”. Check out the playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 350 - 2017 Developing Artist Program

Nov 17 2017

We’re all about the Folk Music Ontario conference 2017 Developing Artist Program on Episode 350 of Folk Roots Radio. Each year during the annual conference, a group of developing artists – youth performers are paired with mentors from the Ontario folk community to work on a showcase performance and participate in professional development activities. Join us as we chat to participants in this year’s program and check out some of their music. The program is open to residents of Ontario and the National Capital Region, between the ages 15 and 21, who are chosen for their interest, ability and experience. This episode features commentary and musical contributions from program coordinator and mentor Treasa Levasseur; Mentors: Kaia Kater, Cindy Doire, AHI, Yao and Leonard Sumner; Youth: Madison Galloway, Sara Gougeon, Moscow Apartment, Ben Heffernan, Rachel Barber and Greg Smith. Learn more about the program HERE. Photo credit: Mike Bourgeault. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Root Radio Episode 349 - Jabbour & New Releases

Nov 17 2017

Fun bilingual Quebec roots trio Jabbour join us at the Folk Music Ontario conference on Episode 349 of Folk Roots Radio to chat about their music and play three songs live. We also check out more of the latest new releases including new music from Ashley Condon, Dennis Johnson, The Lifers and Harrow Fair with a fabulous version of The Rankin Family classic song “Fare Thee Well”. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Root Radio Episode 348 - Piper Hayes & New Releases

Nov 10 2017

We’re back at the Folk Music Ontario conference on Episode 348 of Folk Roots Radio for an interview with Hamilton Ontario singer-songwriter Piper Hayes & her partner Carson Ritcey-Thorpe. Piper is getting ready to release her first full-length album “Piper & Carson”. Piper and Carson join us in the studio for a fun chat about their music, and a couple of live songs from the new album. As always, we also check out more of the latest new releases. Check out the full playlist below.

Folk Roots Radio Episode 347 - Remembrance Day

Nov 09 2017

We’re holding back on the interviews on Episode 347 of Folk Roots Radio as we bring you a themed hour of music for Remembrance Day. We had lots of great music choices to consider – starting with 30 songs before narrowing it down to the thirteen thought-provoking songs that we can squeeze into an hour. Heading off the beaten track we also feature a lot of fairly recent music. We hope you enjoy the mix we’ve put together. Check out the full playlist below.

Nov 04 2017

Erin Costelo from Halifax NS released a wonderful album in 2016, “Down Below, The Status Quo”. A fabulous slice of genre-bending soulful pop that skips from R&B/Soul to bluesy jazz, the album was a joy from beginning to end, and deservedly one of our Favourite Albums of 2016. We caught up with Erin Costelo at the 2017 Folk Music Ontario conference, to chat about the critical response to the recording, and her current musical activities. To learn more about Erin Costelo, visit erincostelo.ca. Photo credit: Kimberly Sinclair. Music: Erin Costelo, “Fighter”, “Turn It On” and “The Line” from “Down Below, The Status Quo” (2016, Venue Records).

Rob Lutes “Walk In The Dark”- Folk Roots Radio Interview

Nov 04 2017

Montreal based blues roots performer Rob Lutes released a fabulous new album, “Walk In The Dark”, early this year. Featuring twelve strong originals, a couple of co-writes with award-winning Americana songwriter Dale Boyle and a cover of John Prine‘s “Rocky Mountain Time”, the album finds Lutes, a Kerrville New Folk winner, Maple Blues and Canadian Folk Music Awards nominee exploring a wide range of subjects and paying homage to some heroes: James Cotton (on “There’s No Way to Tell You That Tonight”) and guitarist Joseph Spence (on the instrumental “Spence”). Rob Lutes soulful voice, some great fingerstyle playing and support from some of the finest blues and roots players in the business, including regular side player guitarist Rob MacDonald, keyboardist Bob Stagg, Guy Bélanger on harmonica and Joe Grass on mandolin – the album is, truly, a tour de force. I’m sure it will up there for consideration at awards time. We caught with Rob on the road to chat about the new album. Check out Rob Lutes online at roblutes.com. Music: Rob Lutes “A Little Room”, “Believe In Something”, “Rabbit” and “Walk In the Dark” from “Walk In The Dark” (2017, Self).

Raine Hamilton – Folk Roots Radio at FMO

Nov 02 2017

Raine Hamilton, the Winnipeg based singer-songwriter with the ethereal voice and the wonderful string trio will release her second album “Night Sky” in March 2018. Recorded in Winnipeg with Lloyd Peterson, the album features eight new Raine Hamilton songs and two co-writes with support from, among others, her regular string trio members Quintin Bart on double bass and Natanielle Felicitas on cello. Raine joined us in the mobile studio at the Folk Music Ontario conference for a wonderful conversation about the making of the new album, plus two songs from the new album live and a first spin of the album’s first single “Lift Me Up”. You can also check out the new video for “Lift Me Up” HERE. For more information about the music of Raine Hamilton, visit rainehamilton.com. Music: Raine Hamilton “Robin Hood” (Live), “Bury My Heart” (Live) and “Lift Me Up” from “Night Sky” (2018, Self).

Piper Hayes – Folk Roots Radio at FMO

Nov 01 2017

Hamilton folk singer-songwriter Piper Hayes is getting ready to release her first full-length album, “Piper & Carson”, which also features her partner Carson Ritcey-Thorpe. Produced by Chris Bartos, the album was recorded live off the floor at Thorpe’s Organic Produce farm in Millgrove, ON (near Hamilton) in the summer of 2017. Joining Piper Hayes (lead vocal, rhythm guitar) on the album are Carson Ritcey-Thorpe (vocal, lead guitar), Kevin Neal (pedal steel), Leah Ritcey-Thorpe (back-up vocals) and Chris Bartos (upright bass, piano, electric and acoustic violin, electric guitar, Moog, vocals). Album release shows take place in Hamilton, at This Ain’t Hollywood, on Thursday, December 7, 2017, doors at 8:00 p.m. (show at 9:00 p.m.) and in Toronto, at The Dakota Tavern on Friday, December 8, 2017, doors at 6:00 p.m. (show at 7:00 p.m.). The support for the Hamilton show will be the great Guelph-based folk group The Lifers, while Owen Sound folk duo Our Shotgun Wedding join Piper for the Toronto release. Piper and Carson joined Jan Hall from Folk Roots Radio at the 2017 Folk Music Ontario conference for a fun chat about their music and a couple of live songs. For more information about Piper Hayes, visit pipersings.com. Music: Piper Hayes “In My Bones” from “Piper & Carson” (2017, Self), “Careless” (Live), “Big Red” (Live) and “Honey” from “Goodbye Mister Nice Guy” (2016, Self).