Episode 223: Cambridge Live Music & The Lifers

On this week’s Live & Local we talk to Ted Ferris from Cambridge Live Music about their new local music compilation, and The Lifers Liv and Anita Cazzola join us to chat about their show with Lynne Hanson at Silence in Guelph on Friday November 20. We also take a look at some upcoming shows you might want to catch including holiday outings for both Boreal and The Good Lovelies.

The folk music community came together in Edmonton this past weekend to celebrate the vibrancy of the Canadian folk music scene as they handed out the 11th Canadian Folk Music Awards. This year, artists from Newfoundland and Ontario received the most honours, each taking home five wards. Quebec artists followed, with three awards. Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia were recipients of two awards each with Alberta and British Columbia artists collecting one award each. After a fantastic weekend in Edmonton its clear that Canadian folk music is indeed in rude health. Congratulations to all the nominees and recipients. You can check out all the winners in this post on our website or visit their website at folkawards.ca.

Traditional singer Matthew Byrne came home with Traditional Album of the Year for his album “Hearts & Heroes” at this year’s ceremony. Matthew will be sharing the stage with fellow islander Sherman Downey at a Georgian Bay Folk Society show at the Heartwood Concert Hall in Owen Sound on Tuesday November 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance online HERE, and $25 at the door. Matthew Byrne & Sherman Downey have a dynamic stage chemistry which should make for a great show. You may also remember Sherman Downey & The Ambiguous Case as the winner of the CBC Searchlight Contest in 2013 for their song “Thick as Thieves”, from his great album “The Sun In Your eyes” (2013, Self).

Cambridge Live Music recently announced the release of “Vol 1 – Sounds of Cambridge”, a compilation album featuring 19 tracks by local artists selected by a panel of independent judges. The album layout features three pieces of artwork by local artist Jennifer Depencier, which represent Preston, Hespeler and Galt alongside an eight page booklet with a detailed track listing. The album will be available through local retailers and digitally via iTunes and other services. You can also order it online HERE. Cambridge Live Music is offering free delivery anywhere in Waterloo Region with $5 shipping and handling elsewhere in Canada. CDs and download cards will also be for sale during every Cambridge Live Music event. A CD release show is planned for early to mid 2016. Ted Ferris joined us to talk about the album. For more information on the album, visit soundsofcambridge.com. For more information about the work of Cambridge Live Music, visit cambridgelivemusic.com.

The Lifers are a London – Toronto based duo featuring sisters Liv and Anita Cazzola, who were born and raised in Guelph. Long time listeners to this radio show will probably recognize them under their former name Detour. Lifers songs feature beautifully articulated, honest and compelling lyrics wrapped in a warm musical accompaniment by acoustic guitar, ukulele, accordion, glockenspiel and more. Their debut E.P. “Set the Sails” was recorded and released in the summer of 2014. The Lifers will be joining Ottawa-based singer-songwriter Lynne Hanson for a show at Silence on Friday November 20. Advance tickets are $15 and can be purchased online HERE (no booking fee!), $20 at the door. We caught up with Liv and Anita at their family home in Guelph. For more information visit thelifersmusic.com.

Two of our favourite holiday concert tours have been announced. Tannis Slimmon, Jude Vadala and Katherine Wheatley come together each Christmas to put on a series of concerts “Songs For The Snowy Season”, in collaboration with Folkway Music. They’ll be paying their annual visit to Guelph on December 5 (number nine if you’re counting!). They also have trips to the Victoria Jubilee Hall in Walkerton (December 4) and Hugh’s Room in Toronto (December 16). This year’s Guelph show takes place at Guelph Little Theatre, 176 Morris St, Guelph on Saturday, December 5 at 8:30 p.m. (Doors, 8:00 p.m.). Tickets $22.60 (includes HST) / $25 at the door and available from Folkway Music by phone at 1-855-772-0424, email claire[at]folkwaymusic.com or in person (22 Dupont Street East, Waterloo); The Bookshelf (41 Quebec Street, Guelph) and online through Event Brite HERE. For more information about Boreal, visit borealsongs.ca. This show always sells out, so get your tickets early!

And The Good Lovelies will be at Dublin St United in Guelph on Saturday December 11 as part of their Winter’s Calling Holiday Tour, which consists of eight shows in Ontario and Quebec. The tour coincides with the re-issue of their “Winter’s Calling E.P.” consisting of five tracks: three originals, and a couple of covers, including a holiday song by Gordon Lightfoot. Sounds like it should be a great show!

And lastly, we squeezed in some new music from Adam Iredale-Gray – who you may know as the fiddle player with Fish & Bird. Adam has a new instrumental combo, the Aerialists, that play what has been described as “post-folk” or “progressive-trad.” if such categories exist. Joining Adam in this new endeavour are Elise Boeur (Jenny Ritter), Nate Sabat (Mile Twelve) and award-winning Scottish harpist Mairi Chaimbeul. And I should mention that Fish & Bird will be back in Guelph for a show at Silence on February 26. We’ll give you more details on that show as we get them.

Well, that’s all we have time for. Check out the full playlist with artist links below and share your love for all the great folk and roots music out there. Thanks to all the artists who share their music with us, and thank you for listening. We have a lot of great music to bring you on future shows. I hope you’ll join us! You can listen to this show again on Mixcloud by following the link below.

Folk Roots Radio: Episode 223 Live & Local by Folk Roots Radio on Mixcloud

Nicolas & The Iceni (Theme)
Lucy She Rises (Demo)
Roll Right (expected 2015)

Matthew Byrne
Bold Nelson
Hearts & Heroes (2014, Self) CDN

Sherman Downey & The Ambiguous Case
Annalee
The Sun In Your Eyes (2013, Self) CDN

Katherine Wheatley
Hallelujah
Landed (2009, Self) CDN

Aerialists
Deep Toque
2015 Demo (2015, Self) CDN

Jesse Parent
Let It Go
Vol 1 – Sounds of Cambridge (2015, Self) CDN

Interview: Ted Ferris from Cambridge Live Music discussing Sounds of Cambridge Vol 1. Listen to the interview again HERE.

Mo’ Kauffey
Scramble
Vol 1 – Sounds of Cambridge (2015, Self) CDN

The Lifers
Home For The Weekend
(single) (2014, Self) CDN

Interview: The Lifers Liv & Anita Cazzola discussing their music and upcoming show with Lynne Hanson at Silence on Friday November 20. Listen to the interview again HERE.

The Lifers
Lego
Set The Sails (2014, Self) CDN

Lynne Hanson
First One’s Free
7 Deadly Spins (2015, Self) CDN

The Good Lovelies
Taboo (Live)
Live At Revolution (2012, Warner Music) CDN