Folk

“Dala seem bound for a loftier place where substance stands equal to style.”
– The Irish Times

Juno nominees and winners of the 2010 Canadian Folk Music Award for Vocal Group of the Year, Amanda Walther and Sheila Carabine of Dala write and sing in harmony best described as angelic. These two best friends met in their high school music class in 2002; they have since released five albums and toured extensively across North America. Darlings of the Canadian music scene, Dala are now poised to bring their fresh brand of acoustic pop music to the world.

Drawing upon influences like The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, Dala write songs that are both catchy and insightful. Amanda’s ethereal soprano voice blends seamlessly with Sheila’s velvety alto, creating the lush harmonies that have become their trademark.

“There’s nothing pretentious about Dala’s music; it’s stripped down and laid bare. That’s not to say it is without polish – far from it. Sheila Carabine and Amanda Walther have worked hard to exploit every facet of their extraordinary musical blend, and it would be just as at home in a 1960s coffeehouse as it is now on the contemporary concert stage”.
-Andrew Craig, Host of CBC “Canada Live”

The sheer joy with which they perform is infectious, turning first-time listeners into instant fans. Dala are equally entertaining between songs, telling funny and down to earth stories that make every show unique. Dala have opened for artists such as Tom Cochrane, Stuart McLean of the CBC’s Vinyl Café, Richie Havens and Arlo Guthrie. No strangers to the festival scene, they have also performed at The New Orleans Jazz Festival, The Edmonton Folk Festival, California’s Strawberry Festival and Mariposa. In 2009, they were the only Canadian act invited to play at the 50th Anniversary of the Newport Folk Festival.

Dala’s album “Everyone Is Someone” was released in 2009 to critical acclaim. It earned them their fifth Canadian Folk Music Award nomination, a Toronto Independent Music Award for Best Folk Group, and it was touted by The Irish Post as the Album of the Year. The song “Horses” was nominated by National Public Radio in the US as one of the “Top Ten folk songs of 2009”.

“Dala can sing! What beautiful flights of melody and harmony, reminiscent of the Everly Brothers, the Louvin Brothers, Emmylou Harris and associates; though Dala can trade a melody line and leave one wondering who is taking the lead and simply leave one behind when the harmonies kick in.”
-Peterborough Examiner

In the summer of 2010, Dala’s PBS special “Girls From The North Country” was broadcast across North America. This concert features Dala’s own songs weaved around classics by Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Gordon Lightfoot. The live cd and dvd for “Girls From The North Country” earned Dala the 2010 Canadian Folk Music Award for “Vocal Group of the Year”.

The live album was nominated for a 2011 Juno Award in the category “Roots and Traditional Album of the Year: Group”.

Dala’s latest album “Best Day” was released in June of 2012. It was nominated for three Canadian Folk Music Awards: English Songwriter of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year and Producer of the Year”

Newfoundland duo Fortunate Ones’ second album Hold Fast is a study in resilience and partnership.

And Catherine Allan and Andrew O’Brien know a lot about what it takes to make a good partnership. Their debut album, The Bliss was nominated for a JUNO Award, garnered two #1 singles on CBC Radio 2’s Top 20, won the 2016 “Rising Star” ECMA, the 2015 “Vocal Group” Canadian Folk Music Award, and four 2015 Music Newfoundland and Labrador Awards.

Over the last five years they have played over 300 shows together and have even garnered the attention of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when he singled out a track from their 2016 Christmas EP All Will Be Well, as one of his favourite listens for the holidays.

With the whirlwind that has been the band’s first 5 years it seems apt that the first track on this record, “Northern Star” calls on listeners to reflect, stay strong, and move forward.

“There’s a quickening of the blood / Inside the hammer of your heart / To know where you are going / You’ve got to find out where you are”

Catherine was moved to write the chorus of “Northern Star” after hearing stories of refugees moving to Canada, and imagining what that journey must be like… The loss of one’s home, having to uproot after trauma. The song reflects the need for some kind of compass, guidance and purpose on an uncertain path. When Andrew wrote the verses separately, not knowing the point of her inspiration, the chorus and verses aligned in a way that was surprising and exciting.

On that path to find home, we are certain to be tested, and Hold Fast is rich with songs about the trials and tribulations that one may face on the way. The title track, for example, creates a mantra of overcoming insecurities that hold us back.

“Don’t be weighed down by the past / Or fooled by the seedlings / Of that greener grass”

Hold Fast also celebrates friendship and partnership. The song “Steady As She Goes” is dedicated to all those affected by the Fort McMurray wildfire of 2016, especially the first responders. Inspired by a true story, it speaks to how one person relies on another in the face of loss and insurmountable challenge.

“I still have you beside me / I still have hope inside me now / And I won’t quit riding on / No I was born to ride it out”

Fortunate Ones were supported by a remarkable array of collaborators on Hold Fast, including songwriters Alan Doyle (Great Big Sea), Tim Baker (Hey Rosetta!), and Meg Warren (Repartee). Musically, the cast here includes Jim Bryson, Good Lovelies, Alexa Dirks (Begonia), Kinley Dowling (Hey Rosetta!), and the multi-talented Ledwell who produced the album at his studio in Lake Echo, Nova Scotia.

This collective effort has yielded songs from a band whose humility and quiet dignity belies a roaring artistic heart, which has been captured beautifully on the yearning Hold Fast.

Tony Dekker is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Most noted as the leader of the indie folk band Great Lake Swimmers, he has also released two solo albums.

Born and raised in Wainfleet, Ontario, Dekker studied literature at the University of Western Ontario. Both of the band's first two albums, Great Lake Swimmers and Bodies and Minds, were recorded in Wainfleet, in an abandoned grain silo[4] and a Catholic church, respectively. By the time of the band's third album Ongiara, Dekker and the band were based in Toronto full time.

In addition to his work with Great Lake Swimmers, Dekker released his debut solo album Prayer of the Woods in 2013. He followed up in 2014 with Tony Dekker Sings 10 Years of Zunior, an album of covers of other Canadian artists — including Old Man Luedecke, Chad VanGaalen, Christine Fellows, Ohbijou, Rae Spoon, Matt Mays, Martin Tielli, Jennifer Castle and Cadence Weapon — released to mark the 10th anniversary of Canadian web music store Zunior.

Separate Rooms, the third full-length album from Toronto singer-songwriter Megan Bonnell, is the timely and bold statement of a self-assured woman navigating an increasingly dark and perplexing world. Bonnell has never been easily pigeon-holed into the predictable mold of the singer-songwriter and Separate Rooms embraces this edict, turning traditional musical genres on their heads. With her hallmark honesty, Bonnell effortlessly tackles such intense subject matter as mental illness, early pregnancy loss, and the dissolution of love. But, the new album is also a contradiction - it’s a lover’s appeal for space and independence and, at the same time, a desperate yearning for young and innocent love.

Within its songs, Separate Rooms offers Bonnell’s raw account of some of life’s most profound moments. “Breakdown”, the upbeat album opener, embraces the blurred lines between sanity and insanity and challenges the sexist notion that emotional women are somehow unstable or crazy. “Separate Rooms”, the album’s title track and a co-write with Donovan Woods, is the mature realization that true love carries with it as much loneliness as it does companionship.

Despite the personal nature of the album’s lyrics, the production of Separate Rooms was a largely collaborative process. Joining the production team of Chris Stringer and Joshua Van Tassel, Bonnell manages to meld anthemic pop appeal with the textured, layered nuances of 70’s new wave, epic alt-rock ballads of the 90’s, and traditional folk craftsmanship.

Bonnell’s debut album, Hunt and Chase was a whimsical journey of growth from her rural Ontario upbringing to her emergence as one of the most unique voices in Toronto’s established independent music scene. Magnolia, Bonnell’s second release, was a considerably darker and sonically expansive work which painfully and expertly dissected the themes of love, and more importantly, love lost. Thematically, Separate Rooms treads even further into difficult emotional territory, finding Bonnell at her most

vulnerable but also her most courageous. Musically, the album is nuanced and meticulously executed; the cohesive creation of collaborators obsessed with the idea of making something original and important.

Megan Bonnell is quickly becoming one of Canada’s leading voices as a songwriter, performer, and artist. A two-time Canadian Folk Music Award nominee, Megan has spent the last three years touring Canada, the US, and making groundbreaking debut performances at European festivals including BIME Live Festival in Bilbao, the Barcelona Jazz Festival, and The End Festival in London.

OSSTF Human Rights & Status of Women Committee Presents:
WOMEN IN SONG VI
Original, Political or Canadian

Featuring:
Askher
Brenda Beaudoin & the Back Seat Girls
Elyse Booth
Gwen Stellar
Hannah Robinet
Linda Lucas
Mona Natvik
The Westies
The Wing Nuts

OSSTF Human Rights & Status of Women Committee Presents:
Women in Song V
Love in all its permutations

Featuring:
Elyse Booth
Gwen Stellar
Linda Lucas
The Cedar Sisters
Lori Girard
Westbound
The WingNuts
Hannah Robinet
June Cole
Mary Ashton
Lynn Devine
Weeping Willows
Brenda Beaudoin & the Back Seat Girls

For those who don’t know of Madison Violet, it all began in 1999. Brenley and Lisa met over weak coffee and broccoli omelettes, in a restaurant called The Green Room, in Toronto. It was a chance meeting, 1900 kms away from the small town where both Lisa and Brenley’s fathers were born. That was 17 years ago, and the pair have been writing and creating beautiful music together ever since. When you hear them, the first thing you’ll notice is that their voices blend together, symbiotically, like family: Born to sing the same songs. And over the past decade and a half, the pair have taken to genre-bending, moving effortlessly from folk to pop to electronic to Americana. In a word, they are musical chameleons. Madison Violet’s first 2 studio albums, 'Worry the Jury' and 'Caravan', were recorded with notable producer John Reynolds (Sinead O'Connor, U2, Damien Dempsey) and were critically acclaimed, garnering the pair several ECMA and CFMA nominations. Their 3rd and 4th releases, 'No Fool for Trying' and 'The Good In Goodbye' are homegrown collections, recorded in Ontario with producer Les Cooper at the helm. Their 5th studio recording, ‘Year of the Horse’ was recorded in Toronto by acclaimed producer, Tino Zolfo (Carly Rae Jepson, Soul Decision, Hawksley Workman), and solidified the duo as musically versatile powerhouse songwriters. This past Christmas, Madison Violet released their first holiday album, 'Sleigh Bells In The Snow' to rave reviews. It is an eclectic mix of Christmas songs, old and new, which also featured their good friend, Ron Sexsmith, on 'Frosty The Snowman'. And finally, their newest collection of songs 'The Knight Sessions' is a mix of stripped back, acoustic takes on some of their more upbeat musings as well as a new batch of poetic and heartfelt tunes. Over the years, Madison Violet have acquired quite a few accolades, including a Juno nomination, a Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Vocal Group Album of the Year and a Critic’s Choice award from Country Music People’s Magazine. Their songs have been featured in the notorious music magazine MOJO’s Top 10 Playlist, and received a mass of acclaim from outlets such as the BBC, the CBC, Maverick Magazine and NPR, and have earned the duo the Grand Prize in the 2010 Maxell John Lennon Song Writing Contest (which was voted on by a panel of distinguished artists including Elton John, Tim McGraw, Black Eyed Peas, Fergie, John Legend, Enrique Iglesias and Mary J. Blige). Madison Violet were on Germany’s WDR's list of ‘Best Bands of All Time’ as well as having song placements on various television shows. Their recent single ‘These Ships’ was released on one of the largest dance labels in the U.S., Ultra Records, and has garnered over 1,000,000 plays on Spotify already. Brenley and Lisa are singer-songwriters. Multi-instrumentalists. Harmonizers. Dog lovers. Nature walkers. Painters. Tennis fanatics. Amateur chefs. They have been described as pop, roots, indie, dance and Americana, but think that this quote sums them up best...

Madison Violet has suddenly appeared like a ray of sunshine on a rainy day."

                                                             - No Depression

Join us for Local Folk 6 and the official release party for Aaron Allen's newest album "Judgement Day". Special guests TBA.

Aaron Allen and The Small City Saints is the brainchild of singer/songwriter Aaron Allen. Debuting as a solo artist in mid-2000, Aaron created a buzz for himself amongst the country/folk and bluegrass scene in Southern Ontario with his first release (‘Self Titled’ 2006). In 2007 he released a record called ’Aaron Allen And The Small City Saints’, which was his first offering as a full band, followed by the critically acclaimed ’A Place Called Hell’ in 2009. He began touring as a solo artist, as well as with a band, and received national airplay, as well as appearing on shows such as JR Digg’s ‘Man With A Van’ (which he wrote the title track for). After touring extensively, he released another solo record called ‘IV’ in 2011, which was followed by the EP ‘Small City Saints’ in 2012. He really cut his teeth performing opening for such acts as Joel Plaskett, Thomas Rhett, Tim Hicks, The Sheepdogs, Dallas Smith, The Trews, Matt Mays, Tom Wilson, Aaron Pritchett, just to name a few. In 2013 Aaron took a break from music to start a family, which inspired a boost of creativity, and in 2015 he released another critically acclaimed full-length album ‘Better Days’.

The Small City Saints have seen numerous members over the years. The band currently consists of Juno award winner Dan Broadbeck, Tara Dunphy (of The Rizzdales), Glen ‘Archie’ Gamble (formerly of Helix/The Joys), Corey Cameron and Simon Larrochette.

OTHER EVENT SPONSORS
CHRW 94.9 Radio Western
London Music Office
331arts

Please join us for Eco Folk 2019 - annual benefit concert for the Thames Talbot Land Trust - held at London’s Historic Aeolian Hall, Sunday, March 31st, 2 – 4 p.m.  This special concert event features noted Canadian musical artists Rant Maggie Rant, Karen Emeny, Coming Up Roses, JR Fillion & the Rap Pack, “Newland, Zegers, Jones”, and Fake Plastic Strings (the music of Radiohead in classical style).

The Thames Talbot Land Trust (TTLT) is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting environmentally significant lands through acquisition, conservation easements, landscape restoration and education - lands and waters with significant natural, scenic, cultural or agricultural value.  They currently protect over 1400 acres, habitats of at least 30 species at risk in Middlesex, Elgin, Perth and Oxford Counties.  These areas are made available to the public and preserved for future generations. To learn more about the TTLT visit www.thamestalbotlandtrust.ca.

 

Eco Folk is an annual concert in benefit of the Thames Talbot Land Trust featuring performances of well-known, environmentally conscious, London and area musicians. Thames Talbot Land Trust is a Southwestern Ontario charitable organization that works to conserve land with natural, recreational, scenic, historical, or agricultural value for the benefit of future generations. Come, learn about the Land Trust and enjoy an afternoon of earth music.

Thames Talbot Land Trust and the Aeolian are pleased to have Anderson Craft Ales as a participant in Eco Folk 2018. Before the performance and during the intermission, there will be a free beer-sipping event at the Aeolian. We look forward to Anderson’s collaboration with TTLT at the third annual Eco Folk Enjoy!

Emm Gryner
One of Canada’s most prolific and respected musical artists Emm Gryner has forged a creative path of innovation and integrity. True to her vision and craft Emm has continually challenged herself and her audience with a wide range of projects from the hard rock of Trapper to the Canadian roots of Trent Severn – from songs in space with astronaut Chris Hadfield to support vocals on tour with David Bowie. A composer, performer, producer, actor, CBC radio host Emm is truly an artist of our time. Her latest album Only of Earth offers yet another dimension to a creative journey filled with ingenuity and inspiration.

Supernatural Buffalo
Born on the shores of Lake Erie, Supernatural Buffalo are an earthly and other worldly musical experience, consisting of lead guitarist/singer Chris MacGillivary, rhythm guitarist/vocalist Lee Seburn, and percussionist Curtis Doherty. Grounded like a majestic prairie beast, their music soars to ethereal heights of big sky dreaming and peaceful reflection. Having honed their psychedelic folk sound with performance across Canada they are set for a full album release in early 2018.

Christine Newland
Well known and loved principle cellist of Orchestra London since 1976 – Christine has travelled extensively working and studying with some of the finest musicians in her field. She is active performing, recording and composing classical, popular, roots and rock music, with many local and international acts. Christine is an accomplished visual artist whose work can be seen here at the Aeolian Hall. She also has a deep love for the natural world and shares a concern with the protection of species and ecological areas.

Brent Jones
A voice of soulful searching and insight, Brent Jones creates a cinematic musical world of thoughtful introspection. Through his solo albums, collaborations, and production work he explores music’s potential as a vehicle for meaning and possibility. Rural Southwestern Ontario is home to Jones’s Quiet Earth Studio and facility – and site of the Back To The Garden Music Festival happening this August 18th and 19th.

Psalm Trees
With keyboards bathed in melody tones - looping layers - pulsing bass and jazz-steady drumming - acoustic picking and strumming, Psalm Trees spring an oasis of spirit and sound. Psalm Trees began as a song writing and sound experimentation project between brothers Shawn and Derek Durant, and has since evolved into a full band experience with the additions of percussionist Issac Grant, multi-instrumentalist Joseph Flynn and Molly Roach. The group is currently working on their full-length album and performing live in the region with dates scheduled throughout 2018.

The Cedar Sisters
Blending organic textures with synthetic sonics The Cedar Sisters build a darkly beautiful electro-folk pop world – filled with sunny colours and nostalgic shading. The Cedar Sisters - Jane Carmichael and Elle Hermansen - released their first single, “Wait”, in May of 2017 and their most recent, “Forgive My Heart”, in November. Their songs are haunting and honest expressions of personal emotion and experience – full of magic and mystery. They are currently writing and recording material for their debut EP to be released later this year.

Black Heart Machine
Quiet and cool like January snow – sharp like the point of a knife – Black Heart Machine paints spacious landscapes of mood and contemplative observation. The creation of musicians Robert Thompson, Brent Jones and percussionist Fil Beorchia, Black Heart Machine offer a musical picture of mortality, politics and human relations, in the chaos of the age. Over two albums, Ruins of Our Greatness (2015) and, On Its Head (2017) Black Heart Machine have explored the boundaries of sonic restraint and visual imagery - framing a curious and comforting scene in recordings and live performances.