Artist Category: Trad

Ale Möller

After more than 50 years of touring the world and more than 50 albums and 1200 registered compositions, acclaimed multi-musician Ale Möller is still a central figure on the Nordic folk- and world music scene in the search for new musical paths and expressions.

Trying to list all the prizes and awards Ale Möller has received over the years is as impossible as listing all the instruments he masters. Multiple Grammy winner, certified legend and professor. He has received both royal medals and the Swedish government’s Export Honor Award and is an internationally recognized artist with star status worldwide. In 2014, he was awarded the former Beatles producer George Martin’s prestigious Sir George Martin Music Award and the heavy Lifetime Achievement Award shares Ale Möller, as the first artist in the Nordics, with names such as Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Odetta, Joan Baez and Harry Belafonte.

What started with a trumpet and a youthful relationship with jazz continued in a passionate love affair with Greek folk music and then landed in a deep relationship with Nordic folk music. Ale Möller creates his own musical universe, known for his many projects and collaborations across genre and cultural boundaries. Regardless of the genre, Ale Möller works his way into the source code of the music he encounters and he obtains an almost unique legendary status for how he expanded the concept of folk and traditional music for decades.

Nobody’s Business

Nobody’s Business is Hayden Stern (fiddle), Casey Murray (cello), and Helen Kuhar (guitar).

Bon Débarras

Bon Débarras unites the worlds of music, dance and poetry through a collaboration between Montreal artists Dominic Desrochers, Jean-François Dumas and Véronique Plasse. Over the years, Bon Débarras moved boldly into an entirely original repertoire steeped in poetry and rhythmic sounds, with unambiguous Quebec flavors. On guitar, banjo, violin and harmonica, the group carries an identity, a style and an energy-filled zest for life quite unique and beautifully served by the versatility of the musicians as well as their daring jigging and vivid body percussion. Bon Débarras’ energy taps into the rhythms of today and ventures boldly on the multi-faceted road to tomorrow’s dreams, in an atmosphere that transcends boundaries and ages.

Dominic Desrochers
Dominic Desrochers’ passion for sound and movement comes all the way back from those family gatherings, where singers, dancers and accordionists helped create his artistic vision. Over time, Dominic added another passion to music and poetry: percussive dance. Multi-instrumentalist, choreographer and founding member of Zogma, an urban folk group, Dominic is always willing to share his knowledge through educational workshops and master classes. His talent has been widely recognized by various organisations and groups like le Cirque du Soleil, La Bottine Souriante, Loco Locass and Les 7 doigts de la main. His approach is to make percussive dance an extension of oneself. His motto: “Scratch the sky, the earth gives you an itch, then beat the earth and the sky warms you up… All you can beat, bon appétit! There is jig a plenty at the banquet of your two feet”.

Jean-François Dumas
Talk about a one-man band! Accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Jean-François Dumas grew up in a family of musicians and singers where his early musical talent bloomed among songs and melodies from times past. At the age of 17, driven by a thirst for freedom, his guitar slung over his shoulder, he chose travelling to learn his trade. His journeys took him through the United-States, Latin America and Europe. There he discovered other peoples’ folk traditions and colors, and nourished his boundless passion for musical interbreeding in which his own roots lie. Several participations to Noël dans le Parc (Christmas in the Park) as a performer and music director enabled him to stage shows convening artists of all cultures to help create ties between people and generations. Somehow, it’s there that the trio Bon Débarras was born. Equipped with a solid musical knowledge and background, Jean-François has performed with many spirited artists among which La Bottine Souriante, Cedric Watson, Juan Sebastian Larobina and Edgar Bori.

Véronique Plasse
Véronique Plasse, a trained actress and a musician, has joined the world of traditional music since a score of years, working at enhancing Québec cultural heritage. Her commitments and involvements are driven by goals which are at the heart of whatever she undertakes: creation, gathering, preservation and diffusion. Endowed with a very sensitive and positive energy, Véronique really enjoys bringing to the public her knowledge and a kind of cultural expertise she acquired through encounters and research. Spurred by her passion for Québec traditional music, this violinist and singer has been active on the international traditional folk scene for about 20 years. Recognized by her fellow trad musicians as a high-calibre performer, Véronique strongly believes that we must carry on the effort of creating moments and places where beauty, sharing and human interaction weave the threads of a sociocultural fabric we can all call our own. Véronique performs also in several other significant projects: Beaton-Plasse, Les Commandos Trad, Barbo and Hurlevent.

Inn Echo

Three musicians from different metaphorical worlds, converged in Prince Edward Island of all places. It was perfect timing, as they started to create a sound and a journey in music none of them expected. They’d come for the tunes and stayed for the longest session yet. Inn Echo was formed in 2019.

What genre of music is this? The colloquial term “trad” or traditional can refer to a sound descended from Ireland, Scotland, and parts of Europe, fused with the enthusiasm of today’s generation of players. Inn Echo pays homage to these roots and adds tunes of their own to the repertoire. So on first listen you can hear the history but you will immediately delight in a contemporary current.

For Inn Echo, a lilting fiddle is the voice, with its own accent and expression. Though you won’t hear words being sung, there is a story to every tune, a narrative woven into each melody, and a heart beating beneath it all. All the while a strong and nimble percussive acoustic guitar attack is a foundation on which the fiddles climb. You will hear blues, pop, dub in the music, artfully woven by the fiddles who are master chameleons after all. There’s no denying the Celtic roots within, but this is definitely something new. It starts with a story, and ends with an impulse to stomp, clap, and move along.

Tuli (BC) Karson (ON) and Tom (USA) were music students far from home and perhaps it was the building of new spaces which sparked a gravitational pull to bind it all together. From fiddle to cello, guitar to fiddle the three started closely weaving what is now their distinct symphony of living tradition. Releasing HEMISPHERES September 2023 was the next frontier for the band with producers Jake Charron and Donny Richard at the helm.

Inn Echo composes the majority of the repertoire amongst the three of them, but the sets are anointed with some very special composers subtly embedded for maximum drive. And drive they have, not to mention flown, boated and trained around several continents in the last two years. From the iconic Woodford Folk Festival in Australia to the Hebridean Celtic Festival in Scotland, The Calgary and Canmore Folk Festivals or the hometown PEI Festival of Small Halls, Inn Echo have a reputation as tradition keepers and tune makers that will take you to dawn. This is the new traditional sound of Canada. These are the new players. Watch the sun come up with Inn Echo. You’ll dance like the world depends on it.

Wampanoag Singers & Dancers

The Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers are a group of musicians, educators, and artisans from the tribal communities of Mashpee on Cape Cod, Aquinnah on Martha’s Vineyard, and Herring Pond in Bourne. Our performances of eastern social songs and dances have both educated and entertained audiences of all ages in museums, schools, and various multi-cultural events. We dress in our traditional clothing and our songs are accompanied by a water drum and handcrafted rattles. We encourage audience participation and prefer to dance with the people instead of for the people.

The Wampanoag Nation Singers & Dancers have appeared at Jacob’s Pillow, John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, The Peabody Essex Museum, Cambridge Arts Council, The Mary Baker Eddy Library, Heritage Museums and Gardens, Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, Mashpee Powwow, Aptucxet Trading Post Museum, Stonehill College, Brown University and more.

They have toured throughout New England and as far away as Bermuda, Hawaii and the UK. For three years, they have represented at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, heading up the First Light Float and delivering the televised land acknowledgement.

Carmen Marsico & Zafarán

Zafarán crosses time and boundaries, and incorporates musical traditions from around the Mediterranean, weaving together such diverse threads as Southern Italian chants, Sephardic love songs, Romani laments, and Turkish and Greek folk tunes. With driving rhythms, virtuosic improvisation, and the powerful voice of award-winning Italian singer Carmen Marsico, Zafarán bridges languages and cultures with their own eclectic blend of musical styles, combining deep traditions with original songs and ideas.

Musicians:
Carmen Marsico, voice
Björn Wennås, classical guitar, mandola & chitarra battente
Dan Meyers, recorders, zampogna & ocarina
Featuring Giuseppe Paradiso on percussion

Triton

Triton is Jeremiah McLane (accordion, keys, vocals), Tim Cummings (whistles, small pipes, vocals) and Alex Kehler (fiddle, nykelharpa, vocals). From Vermont and Québec, they play a beguiling and orchestral blend of music rooted in the traditional dance repertoire of Northwestern Europe. In addition to songs in French, their repertoire includes bourrées from central France, triple-time hornpipes from the Scottish Borders, Swedish slängpolska, Breton hanter dro, and compelling originals reflecting these influences. Unified by their zeal and musical craftsmanship, their performances are also punctuated with engaging commentary on the music and instruments.

Seán Dagher

Seán Dagher is an active performer, arranger, and composer of music from various folk and classical music traditions: Celtic, Baroque, Medieval, Arabic, French-Canadian, and Maritime. He is a member of Skye Consort and is the co-artistic director of La Nef. Seán sings and plays Irish bouzouki, mandolin, oud, and banjo.

Seán has also provided arrangements for other ensembles and artists, including Camerata Nova (Winnipeg), Chor Leoni (Vancouver), Arion, Palade Musica, Les Voix Humaines, La Mandragore, Pierre Lapointe (all Montreal), Shannon Mercer, I Furiosi (Toronto), Les Voix Baroques, Choeur Louisbourg (Moncton), Cantatica (Pennsylvania), and the Nashville Baroque Orchestra. Other groups he has played with include the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Caprices, Les Boréades, Le Petit Rien.

Seán’s voice is widely known from his recordings for the Assassin’s Creed video game series, including Black Flag. His renditions of sea shanties and other songs from the games have been streamed some 70 million times. His own Shanty of the Week video series receives thousands of views a week and has a loyal following the world over.

Seán’s compositions and arrangements have been performed across Canada, the United States, and Europe. He has worked with the Festival du Monde Arabe creating shows of Middle Eastern and North African music. He has arranged and composed music for audio books, with story-teller and musician Suzanne De Serres, Youth Program Director for La Nef, and for American author Sandra Gulland. He has been a composer and sound designer for theatre productions.

He has been nominated for numerous OPUS and ADISQ awards and participated in the ADISQ-winning CD, La Traverse Miraculeuse with La Nef and Les Charbonniers de l’enfer. He has won OPUS awards for Creation of the Year (Leave Her, Johnny), Album of the Year (Skye Consort & Emma Björling) and Youth Production of the Year (Le chat et le gondolier, La Nef).

Polky

Toronto’s Polky, led by multi-talented female musicians, delights audiences with joyful vocal harmonies, unusual instruments, and upbeat performances. Drawing deep inspiration from Poland’s rich cultural tapestry, they push musical boundaries by fearlessly blending Polish traditional music with sounds and rhythms from across the globe, carving out a niche entirely their own. With their infectious charm, captivating performances, and unyielding passion for exploration, Polky is undoubtedly a band that stands apart. Their music is not just a sonic experience but a celebration of cultural diversity, women empowerment, an invitation to revel in the joy of life, and a reminder that, deep down, we are all connected by the power of music.

Polky stands out for its distinctive elements, including the mesmerizing traditional vocals and incorporation of the ‘suka,’ an ancient lap fiddle reconstructed from historical paintings. Marta Solek, an accomplished suka virtuoso, has performed alongside esteemed Polish artists like Same Suki, Maria Pomianowska, and Nikola Kołodziejczyk. Furthermore, the lead vocalist, Ewelina Ferenc, earned the prestigious title of Traditional Singer of The Year at the 2022 Canadian Folk Music Awards. Through their performances, Polky introduces Polish culture to North American audiences, embodying the role of cultural ambassadors for Polish modern traditions.

The band had a vibrant series of performances across diverse venues, including the Danforth Music Hall, where they opened for Lemon Bucket Orkestra and Boogát. They also graced the stages of the Aga Khan Museum, Polish and Ukrainian Festivals, Summerfolk Festival, Ashkenaz Festival, Memoires et Racines Festival, Sunfest Festival, Vancouver Island Music Fest, Regina Folk Festival, while being recognized as official showcasing artists at Folk Music Ontario, Folk Alliance International, and Mundial Montreal, effectively promoting Polish and Eastern European folk traditions. Their EP, titled “Immigration” (2018), drew inspiration from various sources, such as Polish traditional music hailing from the Mazovia region and Polish mountains and themes of immigration to Canada. Interestingly, even Led Zeppelin played a role in their creative influences.

Their debut album, Songs From Home (2020), received praise from Songlines Magazine for its captivatingly dynamic essence, encapsulating the spirit of the multicultural city of Toronto and reflecting the band’s deep-rooted Polish heritage. Notably, this album’s excellence led to its nomination in three categories at the Canadian Folk Music Awards 2022, ultimately clinching the Traditional Singer of The Year Award for the talented Ewelina Ferenc.

Members:
Ewelina Ferenc – lead vocal, percussion
Ekaterina – vocals
Marta Sołek – Polish knee fiddles
Peter Klaassen – upright bass
Sam Clark – fiddle
Max Senitt – drums

Pine Tree Flyers

Four of the finest voices in New England’s traditional music scene shine a renewed light on the tunes of the Northeast with excitement and respect. From festival stages and concert halls to raucous August nights at fiddle camp, the Flyers are here to make sure New England music has a seat at the table as a distinct and vital American tradition. All residents of Portland, Maine, Katie McNally (fiddle), Emily Troll (accordion), Owen Marshall (guitar), and Neil Pearlman (piano) cut their teeth playing for contra dances and learning from the greats. Individually, they’ve toured the world playing Irish, Scottish, and Quebecois music and they bring this wellspring of knowledge and technical prowess to the American music that was born from these traditions.

Each member of the band brings years of experience and dedication to their craft: Marshall and Pearlman have taught at Maine Fiddle Camp since they were teens, Troll plays in the acclaimed contra dance band Anadama, and McNally performed for over a decade with New England supergroup Childsplay. Momentum is growing for the Flyers and in their first year as a band, they’ve toured internationally and domestically, gracing the stages of festivals such as Celtic Colours, Festival of Small Halls, and Ossipee Valley Music Festival and playing concerts and dances across their home state of Maine.

While New England tunes may not be well known outside of the Northeastern United States, the Flyers are proving that their musical heritage is as vibrant and vital as any American folk tradition.

Make way for…THE PINE TREE FLYERS!