Steve's Blog
Thursday November 4, 2010

Hi everyone

A quick note about tonight's Ruthie Foster show. We saw her last night at Capilano Performing Arts Theatre. There is no intermission, so please buy your raffle tickets before the show. We will post the winning number by the exit door and will have the prize CD at our sales table in the usual place (by the black screen on the way to the cafeteria.) It was a great show, with Ruthie backed by her band. She was joined by Eric Bibb for her last song. Not sure if he'll be around this evening, though.

Also, the Zachary Richard concert scheduled at CPAT for this Saturday has been cancelled due to illness.

The November-December issue of the Rogue Folk Review is now available for download on our website.

While we're on the subject of downloads, posters for our shows are available on the site as well. Please feel free to email them to friends, or print one or two of them out and display them at your local coffee shop / community centre / market / notice board. Thanks!!!

We have two incredible concerts this weekend, featuring sublime singing, scintillating instrumentals, majestic fiddling, and a stunning dancer, too. We'd love to see you at St. James Hall for these concerts.

1. Radio Waves

I should be Sheryl McKay's guest on North By Northwest this weekend. Probably on Sunday at 7:30am, maybe on Saturday at 7am. Tune in to CBC Radio One 88.1fm or AM 690 to find out!

On my own show - The Edge On Folk - this Saturday I'll have an interview with Kevin Burke, plus new releases by La Volee d'Castors, Lissa Schneckenburger, Elvis Costello, Afrocubism, The Breakmen, Jim Byrnes and more. Plus previews of our concerts and plenty of surprises. Tune in to CiTR fm 101.9 or www.citr.ca from 8am to noon on Saturday for four hours of the very best in Folk, World & Roots Music.

2. Ruth Moody (The Wailin' Jennys) plus Joey Wright Band, Friday November 5th 8pm, St. James Hall, 3214 West 10th Avenue

delicious and refreshing, recommended to her fans and those who enjoy the Jennys collective. — All Music Guide

quietly mesmerizing and sensuous... Highly recommended. — Direct Current

as musically enticing as a ripe, red pomegranate — Vintage Guitar

A founding member of The Wailin' Jennys, Ruth Moody takes a temporary break from the trio to launch her first full-length solo CD, The Garden, on Red House Records. Ruth has long been recognized for her captivating voice, superb musicianship and impressive songwriting. She displays all this and more on this stunning, highly anticipated release. Gardens, like the seasons, are symbols of life and its cycles. Ruth says. They have always been magical places for me – where the tiniest seeds are planted and grow into beautiful expressions of life.

It is only fitting, then, that after 13 years as a touring musician, Ruth finds herself tending her own garden, bringing her own beautiful songs to life. Appropriately, the album opens with "The Garden", which refers to an awakening, according to Ruth. It was inspired by a theme from Voltaire's Candide - the idea that we must work on our garden and make our little corner of the world beautiful, in whatever way we can. Performed on the banjo and layered with lush strings and harmonies, this is the perfect introduction to Ruth's rich and vibrant collection of songs. Stretching beyond traditional acoustic sounds, the record uses organ, horns and pedal steel to create radio-friendly pop tunes like "Travellin' Shoes" and "Closer Now," in addition to more spare tracks like the traditionally-inspired "Nest," the sensual "Cold Outside," and the poignant "Never Said Goodbye." Ruth's verdant garden of songs is a breath of fresh air.

Ruth, who plays banjo, piano, accordion, guitar and bodhran, will be joined by The Bills' mercurial fiddler / pianist Adrian Dolan and Winnipeg bassist Gilles Fournier.

There will also be an opening set by Black Hen recording artist Joey Wright, who releases his 3rd CD, Hatch, on November 10th. Like his previous two albums, Hatch features outstanding instrumentals and inspired arrangements. Unlike his other work, however, Hatch features eight new songs by Wright. Joey has been co-writing songs for years now with his partner Jenny Whiteley, but this is the first time we hear him handling the vocals on his own compositions. The songs on Hatch are lyrically dreamy and poetic, and melodically inventive and catchy. Joey is known for his lyrical and inspired guitar and mandolin playing, and is versed in many styles such as bluegrass, blues, swing, pop and country. He is also known for his unique compositions. He is a sought after collaborator as much for his positive and inspirational attitude as for his musical vision and talent. Joey will be joined by Jesse Zubot on fiddle, and Dan Whiteley and Christine Bougie on various guitars, mandolins, and other things with strings.

Joey Wright doesn't need a bio. You just hear about him. A rumour, a sound. Musical charisma enveloping a career of cinematic guitars, slides of blues and bluegrass. An inspired force of beauty and bravado, danger and charm. — Sarah Harmer

3. Kevin Burke's Open House, plus special guest Kierah, Sunday November 7th 7pm, St. James Hall, 3214 West 10th Avenue

Kevin Burke is one of Ireland's most celebrated and treasured fiddle players. Growing up in London, Kevin was classically-trained, but also participated in the Irish sessions which proliferated around his home. His first music teacher encouraged him to pursue his involvement in Irish music, and asked to borrow some recordings. She was very taken with the work of the late, great Michael Coleman: here is a man who has discovered the soul of his instrument, she told him. Kevin travelled to Ireland for annual summer holidays and this continued for many years. On one such visit he encountered some American musicians there. It wasn't long before Arlo Guthrie and Paul Simon were inviting him over to the States to record with them. He replaced the legendary Tommy Peoples in The Bothy Band, which was the first Irish band to bring traditional music into the popular, hip, "progressive" music scene of the 1970s. He later moved to Portland, along with fellow Bothy Band member Michael O'Dhomhnaill, who sadly passed away a few years ago. Kevin still lives in Portland, and it was there that he first encountered the Hurricane Ridge Riders, starring Mark Graham on harmonica and Paul Kotapish on mandolin and guitar. Graham is also a fine clarinettist and a writer of many's the hilarious topical parody song. Kotapish played here in June with Wake The Dead. These three musicians combined their eclectic approach to music - which incorporates everything from Irish to Applachian to Balkan to Latin to Klezmer - with the stunning percussive dance of Sandy Silva, who is now the featured dancer with La Bottine Souriante. They toured extensively as a quartet throughout the 1990s, releasing three fine CDs in the process, before pursuing other interests - notably in those aforementioned bands (and Kevin fronting the ever-popular Celtic Fiddle Festival ensemble.) After a decade apart, the quartet reunited for a short tour of California last Spring and were delighted to find that many folks remembered them and everyone loved their music! So we jumped at the chance to bring them back to The Rogue. This is a must-see for fans of Celtic music, and also for devotees of world music, dance, and musical merriment of all kinds.

There will be a short opening set by the stunning young fiddler, Kierah, from White Rock. Kierah started classical violin with the Suzuki program at 4 years old and is now doing her ARCT with the Royal Conservatory of Music. For the past 8 years, she has been a dedicated and enthusiastic member of the Semiahmoo Strings Youth Orchestra. Her true passion, however, is performing and composing Celtic fiddle music. Taught by many wonderful teachers at the week long summer fiddle camps on the Sunshine Coast as well by listening to many East Coast, Irish and Scottish recordings, fiddle music has become an integral part of Kiérah's musical life. This fiery young Celtic fiddler fascinates audiences with her exceptional musical ability. She released a wonderful CD this year called A Fiddle Affair, accompanied by Andy Hillhouse (Mad Pudding etc) and Nova Scotia's Troy McGillivray. We encourage you to check out this brilliant young musician. We are a bit worried about the earlier start time for this show. Kierah should be on stage at 7pm, but the Vancouver Sun has listed it as an 8pm start in today's paper. So if you arrive in time for a 7pm show, then a 7pm show it will be!

The next two weekends promise to be amongst our most memorable ever! Full details are on our website.

Don't forget, the clocks go back on Sunday morning, so you get an extra hour's sleep. You know, the one you lost back in March.

Steve