Sophie and Fiachra and André Marchand – Portraits
Since the days of the Irish potato famine that began over 150 years ago and the resulting mass migration of people to North America, Québec has benefited in a myriad of ways. Irish musicians pollinated Québec folklore with their tunes, ...
Elizabeth Szekeres breaks down this year’s Festival Mémoire et Racines ...
Festival Mémoire et Racines was founded in 1995, a one-tent-by-the-river affair in the town of Saint-Charles-Borromée, which is situated in the greater Joliette area northeast of Montréal. This is the Lanaudière region, perhaps the epicenter of the Québec folk music ...
Le Vent du Nord – Territoires
We are pretty sure there are lots of you out there who have been waiting with bated breath for this new recording from Le Vent du Nord, the preeminent progressive folk band out of Québec. Let this be your ...
Pete’s Posse – The Conversation
Honestly, these three Vermont guys should be honorary Canadians. Pete Sutherland, Oliver Scanlon and Tristan Henderson together comprise Pete’s Posse, and they have so many Canadian connections it feels like the border shouldn’t even exist for them. Take their festival ...
Max Kerman of Arkells talks songcraft with Elizabeth Szekeres
The best songwriters are invariably really smart, perceptive people with a grand passion for what they believe in. We’ve been keeping an ear out for a while now on what young Max Kerman has been up to, and for a ...
Folk Alliance: the business of trad music in Quebec
The annual Folk Alliance International conference wrapped up in Montreal this weekend – its first time in Canada since 2013 – and Roots Music Canada was there in force. We’re still processing all the amazing things we saw and did ...
Folk Alliance: Elizabeth’s tour of the late-night Saturday night ...
First up in the Saturday late night showcases at Folk Alliance International was Sawyer Fredericks, who won The Voice competition at the age of sixteen in 2015. We have been spellbound by the songwriting of this young man. “Hide your ...
Folk Alliance: Elizabeth’s tour of the Saturday official showcases
The day dawned early after a bedtime of past 2 a.m. on Friday night. A late night email invited us to attend the Bed In at 9:20 a.m. in the room once occupied by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in ...
Folk Alliance: Elizabeth Szekeres’ tour of the Friday night ...
First up in the official showcases of Friday afternoon at the Folk Alliance International conference was Kaia Kater with her band. She played a series of lovely passionate songs on guitar and banjo, including some from her new album Grenades, ...
Folk Alliance: Elizabeth’s tour of the Thursday night private ...
Three floors of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in downtown Montreal are set aside this weekend for private showcase performances. Every room has its beds removed so that a constant procession of musicians can do showcase performances they hope will catch ...