A blooming great April
for Celtic music fans at the Rogue!
By STEVE EDGE
VANCOUVER – Oysterband have always done things their way. From a time when folk music was seen as one of the uncoolest things around (apparently some people still think it is?!...?), they have followed their deep rooted love of the traditional music of Britain while combining it with all kinds of influences, pointed social commentary and exceptional musicianship.
Their song When I'm Up I Can't Get Down was covered by Great Big Sea a few years ago. It was a breakthrough hit for both bands. After an absence of over seven years, they came through town twice last year.
With the latest tour in support of The Oxford Girl. A release from the band says, “Not a ‘Best of...’, and it's not a systematic retrospective. It's a set of all-new acoustic recordings to mark Oysterband's 30th anniversary: 14 classic songs from all periods of the band's history, re-imagined and re-arranged for now.”
John Jones' voice keeps getting richer and better with every passing year and album. Indeed, he released a very fine solo CD last year, Rising Road, which is also available from their website.
Alan Prosser's guitar playing and Chopper's cello and bass provide such sumptuous accompaniment, and Ian Telfer's fiddle playing and compositional skills are always a highlight. Currently in the drummer's seat is Dil Davies.
We anticipate a return to this stripped down sound which is well suited to St. James Hall when the Oysters perform April 16.
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A festival of gypsy jazz inspired by the legacy of Django Reinhardt – who was born 100 years ago this June – and Stephane Grappelli might not seem to be of particular interest to fans of Celtic music, but this year the Rogue's fourth annual April In Paris festival (April 17, 18 and 24) features several musicians well known in local Celtic music circles.
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Daniel Lapp has travelled to many corners of the globe with his fiddle and trumpet playing at festivals, clubs, concert halls and pubs in a great variety of contexts with a wide array of artists.
He was the star of the recent Tribute to the Mississippi Sheiks shows at Capilano Performing Arts Theatre, playing – and soloing – with all of the Blues luminaries. He is one of Canada's finest violinists/fiddlers/musicians.
He has teamed up with the Marc Atkinson Trio to form Caravan, a smokin'-hot gypsy swing band that plays at St. James Hall on April 17.
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Mark Dowding plays flute, sax and harmonica with local Celtic/Slavic combo The Wheat In The Barley. On April 18 he be lending his “wind god” skills to Deanna Knight & The Hot Club of Mars, who open up for the legendary John Jorgenson Quintet.
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And on April 24, former Mad Pudding fiddler extraordinaire Cam Wilson leads the wonderful Van Django string quartet in the third evening concert of April In Paris. More information can be found on www.roguefolk.bc.ca
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Quebec's hot quartet Le Vent Du Nord (The North Wind) combine traditional tunes and songs from Brittany with crooked Celtic tunes from Quebec and original and traditional songs from their home province to make one of the most scintillating and exciting new sounds on the Celtic music scene.
Fiddler Olivier Demers is a former member of La Bottine Souriante, and an exceptional composer as well as a stunning musician. Keyboardist/vielle a roue (hurdy gurdy) player Nicolas Boulerice used to play with Ad Vielle Que Pourra; accordionist Rejean Brunet is a former member of another great Quebec Celtic combo, La Volee d'Castors; and singer/guitarist Simon Beaudry – brother of La Bottine singer Eric – rounds out this fine band.
Their latest CD, La Part Du Feu (Borealis Records) came out in November, and is garnering universal praise. “Through traditional songs we discover pieces of our history,” says Boulerice. “The songs provide direct contact with a moment from long ago, showing us what life was like at that time.”
Accordionist Brunet adds, “on this record we wanted to put a spotlight on the texts of the songs to bring out their stories.
“We wanted to show that this music is not just for parties, but can also tell us about who we are as Québécois.” (And, we hasten to add, how many of us Canadians are connected through the common roots of traditional song and dance and the stories of our ancestors – be they from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, or beyond.) Don't miss their concert at St. James Hall on April 21.
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Looking ahead: we hope to bring Wake The Dead, a remarkable septet of San Francisco musicians who set the songs of The Grateful Dead amongst Celtic airs, and jigs and reels. It is a stunning sound, that works sublimely.
Among the band members are Paul Kotapish (of Kevin Burke's Open House) on mandolin; Kevin Carr on fiddle and uilleann pipes; singer Sylvia Herold, and Celtic harper Maureen Brennan.
The show will mark the 25th anniversary of my radio show, The Edge On Folk, on June 4 at St. James Hall. (The Edge On Folk airs every Saturday from 8 AM to noon on CiTR FM 101.9 and www.citr.ca.)
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