Folk Roots Radio Episode 542: feat. Shaye Zadravec – Now And Then & More New Releases

We’re pleased to bring you a great interview with another artist who is new to our radar – Shaye Zadravec from Calgary Alberta, who has been creating quite a buzz for her ability to interpret other people’s songs. Shaye joins us to chat about her brilliant first full length album “Now & Then”, which covers songs by fabulous songwriters like Jesse Winchester, Ian Tyson, Lynn Miles & more. As always, we also take a look at more of the latest new releases, and this time around we hear from Piper & Carson, Ian Gill, Bill Bourne, Jeremy Gignoux and Joe Nolan. It’s a great episode. We hope you’ll take a listen. Check out the full playlist below.

Interview

Shaye Zadravec who describes herself as a singer, and occasional songwriter actually started out her career in dance, before moving into musical theatre and then on to a full music career – with a focus on fine interpretations of other people’s songs.

Her first full-length album, Now & Then, is the follow-up to her first EP “Norway” which was produced by Norwegian musician Goran Grini who she met through Chip Taylor, after she was invited to record a version of Chip’s song “I’ll Carry For You” (which appears on the Norway EP). The EP was recorded in both Calgary, Alberta and Goran’s home town of Skien, Norway.

As well as a beautiful version of I’ll Carry For You, Norway also includes spine-tingling versions of “Lilac Wine”, made famous by Nina Simone and Elkie Brooks and Cris Cuddy’s “Dear Elvis”, as well as an excellent version of Shelby Lynne’s “If I Were Smart”.

Now & Then features ten tracks, with fine versions of songs by Jay Farrar (Windfall), Jesse Winchester (Biloxi), Paul Westerberg (Skyway), Lawrence Russell Brown & Pat McLaughlin (The Whispering Wind), Lynn Miles (Night Drive), Roy Forbes (The Slider), Joan Besen (Did You Fall In Love With Me) and Ian Tyson (Summer’s Gone, Silver Bell) alongside a beautiful instrumental by Goran Grini (East Longview Serenade) that uses samples from four songs on the album.

The album was recorded over five days at OCL Studios (just outside Calgary) and was again produced by Goran Grini (who also plays some acoustic guitar / Wurlitzer piano) with support from Mike Lent (bass), Chris Nordquist (drums), Tim Leacock (guitars / mandolin), Russell Broom – guitars, Bruce Bouton (steel guitar), Denis Dufresne (fiddle) and Sydney Zadravec (background vocals).

Although Shaye has not really been able to perform live since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, in the past she has opened shows for William Prince, Dan Mangan, David Francey, Chip Taylor, and pop opera sensations Il Divo.

If you want to check out Shaye Zadravec’s live work, take a look at this fantastic performance of Mary Margaret O’Hara’s “To Cry About” (with support from Tim Leacock) at the Centennial Concert Hall, Winnipeg, Manitoba, in March 2019 while she was on the Il Divo tour.

For more information about the music of Shaye Zadravec, visit shayezadravec.com.

If you enjoy the music we play on this show and want to support the artists – many of whom aren’t able to play live at the moment because of the Covid-19 pandemic, don’t just stream their music – that earns them much less than a penny per play. Instead, buy their music – and really make a difference to their income. They’ll love you for it!

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 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Tune-in Radio. (Click on the highlighted link to reach your chosen platform.)

Playlist

Nicolas & The Iceni (Theme)
Lucy She Rises
Roll Right (2019, self)

Piper & Carson
Don’t Know Where We’re Going
Edgewalker’s Remedy (2020, Self) CDN

Ian Gill
All I Ever Had
Morning Embers (2020, Self) CDN

Bill Bourne
Learn To Love
A Love Fandango (2020, Twelve Point Records) CDN

Jeremy Gignoux
Blow Your Heart Till It Explodes
Cinacoustic (2020, Self) CDN

Shaye Zadravec
Biloxi
Now & Then (2020, Indelible Music) CDN

Interview: Shaye Zadravec discussing her music and first full-length album “Now & Then”.

Shaye Zadravec
Summer’s Gone
Now & Then (2020, Indelible Music) CDN

Shaye Zadravec
Night Drive
Now & Then (2020, Indelible Music) CDN

Joe Nolan
Maybe Tomorrow
Cry Baby: B-Sides (EP) (2020, Fallen Tree Records) CDN