Where the action happens
Sidestage sessions give musicians the opportunity to jam together
PREVIEW
SIDESTAGE SESSIONS
Calgary Folk Music Festival
July 27 & 28
Prince’s Island Park
Home to many fine concerts during the day, the Calgary Folk Music Festival's sidestages are also host to many sessions, where several musicians take turns playing songs, often along a chosen theme. Some of the most magical folk fest moments occur when the musicians erupt into spontaneous jams, with a diverse selection of performers all joining in on one stage. Ever hear "Smoke on the Water" played on a bouzouki? Or a contemporary singer-songwriter playing a Stan Rogers tune accompanied by a Gypsy band? Well, this is where the action happens.
This year marks a bit of a transition from the word "workshops" to "sessions" at the Festival, which may have to do with the fact that you don’t learn how to tune a guitar at the festival sidestages. Nor are there symposiums on the social significance of the banjo. Or courses on "Anger Management Through Bluegrass." Nope, this is musical sharing and collaboration, pure and simple.
While reorienting yourself to the newly redeveloped Prince’s Island Park may be challenging enough, folk fest veterans Bruce Pollock, Martin Kemp and Jaime Frederick help you navigate your way through the maze of fantastic sidestage sessions:
BRUCE POLLOCK’S PICKS
· We're Over Here, Columbus!
Harry Manx
Debashish & Subhashish Bhattacharya
Kiran Ahluwalia
Bass Brothers Stage
Saturday, 12:10 p.m.
The first must-see workshop of the weekend for world music fans features artists with some connection to the Indian Subcontinent, including the "blues" musician Harry Manx. The resident of Saltspring Island is a masterful lap-slide guitar player who is a brilliant improvisationalist and songwriter. Five years of study with Vishwa Mohan Bhatt also enabled Manx to become an accomplished performer on the mohan veena, a 20-stringed relative of the guitar. Punjabi artist Kiran Ahluwalia is fast becoming known for her interpretations of classical ghazals, romantic and devotional love poems which are often examinations of the human condition and in which erotic love is sometimes an allegory for love of the divine or of the land or nation. Rhythmically, ghazals are derived from folk music. The final two musicians at this workshop – Silk and Steel members Debashish (stringed instruments) and Subhashish Bahttacharya (percussion) – are from India and well-versed in the classical tradition of the subcontinent.
· The Middle Earth
Kiran Ahluwalia
Silk and Steel Ensemble
B'Net Marrakech
Ship and Anchor Stage
Saturday, 2:30 pm
Kiran Ahluwalia assumes the role of host in the first of two rather intriguing offerings at this time. "The Middle Earth" provides an excellent opportunity to sample folk and classical music from Morocco all the way to India and China. Joining her at this time are the entire Silk and Steel Ensemble and B'Net Marrakech. Silk and Steel is a truly cross-cultural group on their first tour of the folk festival circuit. It consists of leader Debashish Bhattacharya on an instrument of his own design called the Hindustani slide guitar, tabla player Subhashish Bhattacharya, pipa (Chinese lute) and guzheng (Chinese zither) virtuoso Liu Fang as well as the Ukranian bandura player Julian Kytasty. If that weren't enough, they will be joined on a crowded stage by the five women in B'net Marrakech, who bring their haunting versions of various North African musical styles to the banks of the Bow.
· African Routes
Olu Dara
Rokia Traore
D'Gary
Michael Franti
Bass Brothers Stage
Saturday, 2:30 pm
Rokia Traore is a relative newcomer to the world music scene. Having rapidly established herself as the new voice of Malian music since her debut in 1998, Traore sings emotional, socially conscious songs. Madagascar's D'Gary is equally respected by fans and musicians alike. While he first gained widespread international exposure through a collaboration with blues guitarist David Lindley, he has since proven to be a guitar virtuoso who combines western pop influences and instruments with traditional Malagasy music. Together Traore and D'Gary are two of the most important African artists to come to prominence in the last several years. Michael Franti (the leader of Spearhead) is a cutting edge hip hop musician who might seem to be a bit of an anomaly in this context. There is, however, a political sensibility about his songwriting that tempts me to compare him to Fela Anikulapo Kuti or any number of socially conscious African artists who combine traditional and modern musical styles. Don't necessarily expect stylistic similarities, but recognize that there is a correspondence between the songs of Michael Franti and longstanding African musical traditions.
· Strings Attached
Harry Manx
Pedro Pascual
Sandra Wong
Liu Fang
A&B Stage
Sunday, 10:30 a.m.
With more than 60 strings involved in this workshop, it has the possibility of turning into a nightmare featuring numerous repetitions of the old standard "Tu Ning." On the other hand, it also provides a unique opportunity to experience the sound of a wonderful combination of multi-stringed instruments from Asia and Europe, including the nyckelharpa, pipa, bouzouki and mohan veena amongst others. Expect to hear music from China, India, Italy and Sweden performed like you have never heard it before.
· Y Not?
Anne Loree Trio
Rokia Traore
B'net Marrakech
The Night Gallery Stage
Sunday, 4:30 p.m.
The last workshop of the weekend may also turn out to be the best. I expect that many people will be following both Rokia Traore and B'net Marrakech around the island for much of the weekend, and it will be your final opportunity to see them. Calgary's own Anne Loree Trio (Loree, Chantal Vitalis and Diane Kooch) lead the way in this collective of strong and outspoken female artists. All are known for writing songs which champion women's rights and issues from both a personal and a communal perspective, so it may be that the performers decide to take that particular approach to the theme. Or it may be that you get something completely different. Whatever happens you can expect lively performances to wrap up this portion of the folk festival.
MARTIN KEMP'S PICKS
· Ceilidh
Rory McLeod
Fairport Convention
Dervish
The Night Gallery Stage
Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
Ceilidh is, by the way, the Gaelic word for informal musical gatherings, such as a kitchen party. Except in this case, they've moved out of the kitchen into the big backyard. Featuring Rory McLeod, folk music superstars Fairport Convention and the whirling tunes of Dervish.
· Redemption Songs
David Essig
Dan Bern
Michael Franti
Rory McLeod
Ship and Anchor Stage
Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
We all need a little redemption, don’t we? Here’s the chance to get it with British troubadour Rory McLeod, the wonderfully unpredictable Dan Bern, blues master David Essig and, from Spearhead, the activist’s activist, Michael Franti.
· Accordion Crimes
Swamperella
Shane Mitchell
Filippo Gambetta Trio
Ship and Anchor Stage
Sunday, 11:30 a.m.
Come for the title, stay for the music. With Canada’s Cajun outfit Swamperella, Shane Mitchell of Dervish, and the Filippo Gambetta Trio. More accordions than you can shake a lawn chair at.
· Uncorrected Personality Traits
The Sadies
Anne Loree Trio
Robyn Hitchcock
Peter Case
Bass Brothers Stage
Sunday 2:30 p.m.
The name says it! The Sadies and Robyn Hitchcock are among the uncorrected personalities taking to the stage. They’re joined by Peter Case and Calgary's own Anne Loree. Let the quirkiness ensue.
JAIME FREDERICK'S PICKS
· Tell Her Lies and Feed Her Country
The Brothers Cosmoline
The Sadies
Carolyn Mark
Ralph Boyd Johnson
Saturday, 11:40 a.m.
Great potential for a country hoedown here, as accomplished Canadian artists assemble under a rural banner. The Brothers Cosmoline play it slick and clean, while The Sadies like it rough and dirty. Calgary's Ralph Boyd Johnson is probably the heavyweight of the bunch, but he's a sensitive troubadour whose songs touch the soul. And Carolyn Mark? Well, as the lone woman, the charming and happy-go-lucky party girl is likely to find herself in plenty of duets on this stage.
· Too Bad Faulkner Couldn't Be Here
The Sadies
Jim White
Mary Gauthier
Ralph Boyd Johnson
A & B Stage
Saturday, 3:20 p.m.
"Too bad The Handsome Family couldn't be here" is more like it. Prepare to venture into the dark heart of the American South with Florida's Jim White and Nashville resident Mary Gauthier as they rummage through their repertoires for the gloomiest of gloomy songs. The Sadies will undoubtedly chip in with the melancholy beyond-the-grave narration of "120 Miles Per Hour," and Ralph Boyd Johnson has been known to sing a murder ballad or two. And you thought reality TV was creepy.
· One Chapter in the Book
Robyn Hitchcock
Billy Cowsill
Nick Lowe
Warren Zevon
Sleepy LaBeef
Bass Brothers Stage
Saturday, 4:10 p.m.
What's this? The old white guys session? With this many music legends on one stage, you'd better hope that none of ’em are packing their egos. It'll be interesting to see whether these guys actually jam together – I'm hoping that we'll get to hear Nick Lowe backed up by Sleepy LaBeef on guitar, or – imagine this – Lowe crooning together with Billy Cowsill. Add the offbeat eccentricity of Robyn Hitchcock – sure to get the crowd riled up with his wacky political diatribes – and you've got one entertaining mix. Just between you and me, though, I'll bet Warren Zevon gets left in the dust. |
