Episode 227: Duane Rutter

Hamilton-based singer-songwriter Duane Rutter joins us on this week’s new release hour to chat about his wonderful new album of roots rock “Crazy Things” which includes a fantastic cameo from the Band’s Garth Hudson and his wife “Sister” Maud Hudson. We also have a great selection from some of the best new releases of the last few months.

We started off the hour with Jesse Palidofsky from Washington DC with “Glad You Made It Through The Fire” from his wonderful new album “Dancing Toward The Light” (2014, Azalea City Recordings). “Dancing Toward The Light” is a great album with a wonderful mix of thought-provoking songs beautifully delivered by Jesse – who, by the way, is also a hospice counselor. Joining Jesse on the album are multi-instrumentalist Ken Whiteley – who also produced it, Gary Craig (drums), George Koller (bass), John Showman (fiddle) and more. The album has a wonderfaully optimistic and open feel to it – I’m not sure if that’s down to Jesse’s great songs or Ken Whiteley being in the producer’s chair – probably a bit of both, but it really works. We’ll be dipping back into this album again for sure. We also played another Roy Schneider song from his new album “Ten From The Pen” (2015, Shiny Gnu Records) This time we listened to “Under The Lights Of The Angels” – a song written about Roy’s appearance on the TV show The Voice. Now I have to admit to not having ever seen the show and I’m not sure that his experience was overly successful – he is a folkie after all! But, at least, it produced one great song from a pretty good album.

Coco Love Alcorn has a fabulous voice and fantastic improvisation skill – she’s very relaxed singing jazz, folk, pop or gospel She’s a wonderful live performer, with an extraordinary ability to engage the audience – any audience. She joined us on Folk Roots Radio at the Folk Music Ontario conference last fall to chat about her new project, “The Spirit Sessions”. You can find that interview HERE. Well, that project is nearing completion, and this holiday season Coco is heading out on the road with John McDermott. And she’s just released a fabulous new single, from the forthcoming album – “That Old Feeling”. It’s a beautiful song – and if this is indicative of rest of the album, it’s going to be absolutely fantastic. One of the most-anticipated releases of 2016, for sure!

Hamilton-based singer-songwriter Duane Rutter has just released his third recording “Crazy Things”, an album of bluesy country-roots songs which playfully mixes in some occasional psychedelic flourishes. The album features a stellar group of musicians including Andrew Aldridge (electric guitar), Carrie Ashworth (bass), Nick Burson (drums) and Steve ‘Honeyboy’ Wood (pedal steel) and JB Reed (vocals) among others, with cameos from The Band’s Garth Hudson and his wife “Sister” Maud Hudson. We caught up with Duane in Hamilton to chat about the new album. Listen to the interview HERE.

And finally, fresh from a fabulous show at Erin Roots, Jennis will be bringing their multi-instrumental rootsy sound to the ANAF, 32 Gordon St, Guelph on Saturday, November 28 2015. And they’ll be joined by their banjo-toting chums, The Banjo Mechanics featuring Ian Pattison and Lewis Melville. It promises to be a good night.

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 227 New & Noted by Folk Roots Radio on Mixcloud

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

Jesse Palidofsky
Glad You Made It Through The Fire
Dancing Toward The Light (2014, Azalea City Recordings)

Roy Schneider
Under The Lights Of The Angels
Ten From The Pen (2015, Shiny Gnu Records)

Harlan Wells
Every Time It Rains
Waiting for June (2015, One Fell Swoop Recordings) CDN

Bob Ardern
50 Not Out
Eight Winds (2015, Self) CDN

Coco Love Alcorn
That Old Feeling
Spirit Sessions (expected 2016, Self) CDN

Dylan Menzie
You’re Tearing Us Apart
Heather Avenue (2015, Self) CDN

Duane Rutter
Who Found Who
Crazy Things (2015, Self) CDN

Interview: Duane Rutter discusses his latest album “Crazy Things”. Listen to the interview HERE.

Duane Rutter
Take That Water
Crazy Things (2015, Self) CDN

Jennis
I’m Not Here
The Current (2014, Self) CDN