Steve's Blog
Friday September 16, 2011

Hi everyone

1. Rogue Folk Review

We mailed out the Rogue Folk review - first one in several months - this week. If you didn't receive it - and expected to - or you DID receive it and didn't expect to - please accept my apologies. The issue is now available for download from our website.

2. Dala, Friday September 16, 8pm, St. james Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue)

Tonight we present the Canadian Folk Music Award Winning duo (for Vocalists of the Year in 2010) Dala at St. James Hall. These two youn women from Ontario have come a long way since first writing songs together in 2002. I first saw them in Edmonton a few years ago and they took my breath away. When I next saw them at a Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis they were even more impressive. With solid roots and influences from the likes of Neil Young, Donovan, and traditional music, Sheila Carrabine and Amanda Walther have developed their own writing style, but it's their harmonies that really stand out. I've alluded to this before, but Carrabine has this delightful habit of sounding the last consonant in a phrase just as you thought the word was about to fade away into sweet memory. It's a "hook" that catches me unawares every time, and keeps me coming back for more! Dala was the only Canadian act invited to the 50th annual Newport Folk Festival a couple of years ago, and just last weekend they were the big hit at the Sisters Folk Festival in Oregon. They were the subject of a PBS documentary - Girls From The North Country - last year (I haven't seen it on KCTS yet, though) and their most recent CD, Everyone Is Someone, garnered them a Juno nomination and a Canadian Folk Music Award.

Come and sample the sweet sounds of Dala tonight at The Rogue at St. James Hall. ore info: www.dalagirls.com

3. Radio Waves

Tomorrow morning I'm Margaret Gallagher's guest on CBC Radio North By Northwest at 7am. That's on 88.1fm after the News. Then I zoom off to CiTR for The Edge On Folk from 8am to noon. You can tune in live on 101.9fm or www.citr.ca, or tune in later for the podcast on that website. If I manage to find the time I might have some of the interview with Gillian Welch & david Rawlings from the Vancouver Folk Music Festival for you on CiTR.

4. David Bromberg & Ollabelle, Monday September 19, 8pm, St. james Hall (3214 West 10th Avenue)

Speaking of the folk fest, they had to cancel a show on Monday night with the African band Staff Benda Bilili. This is very unfortunate for them and especially for the group - who are all polio victims who work at a local hospital to help others. But it works out rather better for us, as we have a great show for you on Monday night at St. James Hall. David Bromberg hails from New York City and cut his teeth as a session man and guitarist for the likes of Dion and Jay & The Americans in the early 1960s. Moving on to the Greenwich Village scene in the mid 60s he encountered Bob Dylan and co, and became Dylan's guitarist on several albums. At Woodstock he shared the shelter of a tent with Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead, leading him to collaborate with them in later years, and they also introduced him to the music of Doc Watson. In 1970 he was an unexpected star at the Isle Of Wight Festival - headlined by Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and the Who - as the 'tweener, playing his amazing country blues. Later he toured and recorded with Willie Nelson, and he formed his own band, which gradually increased to include horns and strings, as the David Bromberg Big Band before deciding he'd had enough of the music business rat race and he studied violin making and opened his own repair shop. For over 20 years he declined opportunities to tour, making only occasional appearances. But in the last few years he's returned to recording with the 2007 CD Try Me One More Time and this summer's blockbuster album, Use Me, on Appleseed Records. I saw him at Edmonton in 2007, and his set blew me away. He was a keynote speaker at the Folk Alliance in Memphis last February and we are delighted to be able to bring him to town for his first concert here in living memory.

David will be joined by one of my favourite bands, Ollabelle, which features Amy Helm (Levon's daughter) as well as a Canadian, an Australian, and two more American singers. They are a roots band in the style of The Band and Crosby Stills & Nash: sublime harmonies and powerful original songs - plus the occasional cover of a classic like Down By The Riverside or Swannee River. They too have a brand new CD, Neon Blue Bird.

It's going to be a magical night at The Rogue next Monday. We hope you can join us. There is a lot at stake for us - indeed it's our most ambitious show in over 25 years - but if we get a full house it would make up for some of the loss of Gaming Revenue this year. Above all, it would give us the stability and security we need to keep on bringing you the very best in Roots music from all over the planet. See you there!

Have a great weekend
Steve