Folk Roots Radio Episode 379: Jay Gilday & New Releases

Edmonton based singer-songwriter Jay Gilday joins us on Episode 379 of Folk Roots Radio to chat about his music. Whether playing solo or with his power trio, Jay is a captivating performer who weaves together aspects of his own ancestral traditions: Dene spirituals, Irish ballads, into Canadian folk and rock to produce a sound that is very much his own. We also check out more of the new music we’ve received, including the latest releases from The Once, Birds of Chicago, Manitoba Hal, David Francey, Colm Gavin and The Fugitives. It’s a great episode, and definitely worth sticking around for. Check out the full playlist below.

Interview

Jay Gilday grew up in a very musical family in Yellowknife before relocating to Edmonton AB and immersing himself in its vibrant music scene. Whether playing solo or with his power trio, Jay Gilday is a captivating live performer. As a songwriter, he weaves together aspects of his own ancestral traditions: Dene spirituals, Irish ballads, and Canadian folk and rock to produce a sound that is very much his own. His latest album 2016’s “Faster The Light” features ten songs, wrapped up in a harmonic electric blues rock mix. The album earned Jay Gilday the Indigenous Artist of the Year at the 2017 Western Canadian Music Awards alongside Singer-Songwriter of the Year, and a nod as one of the Artists to Watch at the 2017 Edmonton Music Awards. Jay is currently working on a solo folk recording, expected in 2018. Jay Gilday sat down with Folk Roots Radio at the Folk Music Canada export showcase Folk North to chat about his music. Check out Jay Gilday online at jaygilday.com.

Show Notes

Notes about some of the new music on our radar that made it into Episode 379 of Folk Roots Radio.

Avant-garde folk duo Anna & Elizabeth have just released their Smithsonian Folkways debut “The Invisible Comes to Us”, a collection which sees the duo stretching the boundaries of traditional folk.

“These are songs we first heard in small archives in our home states, Vermont and Virginia. Recordings made in living rooms and kitchens, of songs learned in childhood. The characters, and the landscapes they occupied, grew rich in our minds. This record grew out of the desire to show you the world we saw in these songs.”

Joining traditional singer Elizabeth LaPrelle and multi-instrumentalist Anna Roberts-Gevalt are joined by brass, woodwinds and synthesizers; drummer Jim White of The Dirty Three; and experimental pedal steel player Susan Alcorn. The album was co-produced by Anna with Benjamin Lazar Davis from avant-pop outfit Cuddle Magic.

David Francey has just released his latest album, “The Broken Heart Of Everything” (2018, Laker Music). The album was recorded with his long-time band mates Mark Westberg (guitar), Chris Coole (banjo), and Darren McMullen (mandolin, etc.) at Chris Coole’s family cabin on Belmont Lake. On this episode we play “Blue Sorrow And Then Some”, his tribute to Hank Williams which also features Ivan Rosenberg on dobro, and John Showman on fiddle.

David Francey is on tour at the moment, but this is a tour with a difference. Forced to rest his voice, David will be touring his artwork – he’s an avid painter, across Canada this spring and summer. He’s hoping to be back on the road with “The Broken Heart Of Everything” in 2019. For more information visit davidfrancey.com.

Irish singer-songwriter Colm Gavin released his debut album “A Voice for the Urban Darlings” in 2015. The album, which features 12 original songs, was produced in Dublin with Adam Walsh. Colm Gavin started performing at the age of 14 and has shared the stage with acts like Glen Hansard, Liam o Maonlai and Damien Rice.

Quebec trad. folk power trio Genticorum, who feature Yann Falquet, Pascal Gemme and multi-instrumentalist Nicholas Williams, have just released their sixth album “Avant l’orate”. Weaving together fiddle, flute, guitar, accordion, energetic foot percussion, gorgeous vocal harmonies, and a great sense of humour, they’re a very entertaining live band. For more information visit genticorum.com.

Wonderful live band, the Birds of Chicago, featuring husband and wife team JT Nero and Alli Russell, have just released a new album “Love In Wartime”. Recorded in Chicago during the early days of the divisive Trump administration, the new album has love as its central theme. The album was produced by JT Nero with Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars).

“Any act of love is an act of bravery. These songs are snapshots of covenants, big and small, of trust and understanding. We want to give people some good news, and we want them to be able to dance when they hear it.”

Birds of Chicago touring in Europe and North America extensively this summer, including a stop in Ontario at the Kingsville Folk Music Festival (August 11) and Bear Creek Folk Festival in Grand Prairie, Alberta (August 17). For more information visit birdsofchicago.com.

And that’s all we have time for, this time around. Thanks to all the artists who share their music with us, and thank you for listening. We have a lot of great music and interviews to bring you on future shows. I hope you’ll join us!

Listen

You can listen to this episode again on Soundcloud by following the link below. You can also listen to episodes of Folk Roots Radio, on demand, via iTunes, Stitcher and Tune-in Radio. (Click on the highlighted link to reach your chosen platform.)

Playlist

Nicolas & The Iceni (Theme)
Lucy She Rises (Demo)
Roll Right (Pre-release, self)

Anna & Elizabeth
Mother In The Graveyard
The Invisible Comes To Us (2018, Smithsonian Folkways)

The Once
Foreign Shore
Time Enough (2018, Self) CDN

Birds of Chicago
Baton Rouge
Love in Wartime (2018, Signature Sounds)

Manitoba Hal
My Dyin’ Day
Blues In The Water (2018, Hal’s Kitchen) CDN

Genticorum
Lenoir
Avant L’orage (2018, Self) CDN

Jay Gilday
Alleys & Rocks
Faster Than Light (2016, Self) CDN

Interview: Jay Gilday recorded at the Folk North export showcase.

Jay Gilday
City Slide
Faster Than Light (2016, Self) CDN

Jay Gilday
Dream Your Dreams
Faster Than Light (2016, Self) CDN

David Francey
Blue Sorrow And Then Some
The Broken Heart Of Everything (2018, Laker Music) CDN

Colm Gavin
Good Morning Stephanie
A Voice for the Urban Darlings (2016, BEO Records)

The Fugitives
Till It Feels Like Home
The Promise of Strangers (2018, Borealis Records) CDN