Folk music continues to capture our imagination with captivating, global-minded stories. New releases by both veteran folk musicians and promising upstarts provide fresh musical inspirations.
Jennah Bell, a Berklee College of Music graduate whose songs stand out as more lively and vibrant than most singer-songwriter songs. A skilled picker with no fixed style in her repertoire.
1. Le Vent du Nord
Le Vent du Nord (“The Wind of the North”) is one of Quebec’s beloved folk bands, and one of its driving forces in the progressive francophone folk movement. Combining hard-driving traditional music with global influences – giving rise to a sound both old and new with timeless appeal – they create something truly compelling and memorable!
Le Vent Du Nord brings all of the energy and mirth of a Saturday night kitchen party to its performances, revitalizing Quebec with fresh, contemporary air. Since 2002, they have performed over 1,800 concerts worldwide and earned numerous prestigious awards such as Grand Prix du Disque Charles Cros, two Junos (Canada’s Grammys), Felix at ADISQ, Canadian Folk Music Award as well as “Artist of the Year” award at North American Folk Alliance’s gala event.
On their 20th anniversary album, appropriately entitled 20 Printemps (“20 Springtimes”), the group mixes classic original and traditional songs that made them famous with new sounds to keep things interesting and challenging themselves musically. While it would be easy for such an accomplished group to wallow in nostalgia and old glory, their musicians understand it is also crucial to continuously expand and develop.
This group’s members include multi-instrumentalists and singers who play guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, fiddle, accordion and the hurdy-gurdy. Their music incorporates Celtic influences while also drawing upon jazz and indigenous American rhythms.
Le Vent du Nord’s performances offer an exhilarating and eclectic blend of foot-tapping dance tunes, beautiful ballads and intimate duets that leave audiences laughing out loud! No matter where they perform – be it an elegant concert hall or on an outdoor festival field – Le Vent du Nord always delivers with their trademark camaraderie and joie de vivre.
2. Kouyate & Fran Foote
Kouyate & Fran Foote’s debut album from Here Records offers an intimate and honest glimpse into life in rural England, through authentic renditions of traditional songs performed a cappella a cappella style by mother and daughter duo Kouyate & Fran Foote. Their renditions of mostly Essex-collected tunes showcase the timeless value of this genre.
As our world continues to grapple with an unprecedented social upheaval, folk has proven itself an effective unifier. Although not explicitly political in its content, folk music offers comfort through its ability to communicate truths across language and cultural barriers in ways that resonate deeply with listeners – creating captivating moments such as Fran Foote, Dori Freeman and Emily Sprague who master communicating these experiences via folk music.
Folk continues its expansion into 2019, paying genuine homage to both old and new influences. Banjolectric brings new sounds to banjo, Kelly Hunt reveals an exhaustive history of Southern Depression-era banjo traditions, while Emily Sprague presents minimalist folk that highlights her powerful voice and emotionally charged lyrics.
Alexandra Sauser-Monnig brings freshness and intimacy to an age-old concept with her debut, Daughter of Swords. Her tender depiction of heartbreak from its initial stages to its lasting aftermath makes finding love again seem both possible and elusive at once. Additionally, this record exhibits her exceptional sensitivity that sets her apart from typical female folk singers while showing that heartache can become something beautiful with enough skill and honesty.
3. Gailanne Amundsen
No matter your musical taste, chances are that you have come across music that could fall within the scope of folk. As our world seems more in turmoil than ever before, music that resonates with humanity seems even more essential. 2019 has seen artists push the limits of what defines them as folk acts – whether traditional instruments, new production techniques or inspiring worldly narratives give these acts something we can believe in and find hope from.
Gailanne Amundsen brings the spirit of an ancient and beloved tradition into her debut album OUT OF THIN AIR: folk revival. Her fiddle and banjo playing are deeply rooted in Americana music while her songs often draw from traditional or historical narratives.
She draws from various musical traditions–old-time bluegrass to modern country and jazz–to craft a sound reminiscent of what you might find on NPR’s Songcatcher or at church services or backyard barbecues.
Gailanne has performed throughout the United States and internationally. She is a regular guest instructor at Suwanee Banjo Camp and Janie’s Jumpstart camps; in addition to releasing two solo CDs she also co-leads a duo called Hen’s Teeth with Nathan Bontrager.
Molly Tuttle may be considered the internet influencer of folk music: her YouTube videos range from vintage guitar test runs and clawhammer banjo tutorials, garnering hundreds of thousands of views online. But she is more than an internet celebrity; as an accomplished classically trained violist who won first-time female guitarist of the year at International Bluegrass Music Association first female guitarist award ceremony, her skills cannot be overlooked.
Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves are pushing the limits of what it means to be folk musicians. De Groot has become one of Canada’s premier clawhammer banjoists while Hargreaves has established herself as an esteemed fiddle player. Together they form an irresistibly dynamic duo; their raucous sounds reflect modern tensions while remaining true to folk traditions that define its unique sound.
4. Richard Dawson
Folk music can be hard to define; its definition has changed so dramatically over time that it’s now almost indefinable. Banjolectric’s reinvention of an instrument or Kelly Hunt’s blend of Depression-era banjo traditions with Southern-influenced, acoustic pop harmonies are just two examples. Now more than ever, folk continues its expansion through innovative artists paying authentic homage to their influences from years past and present.
Richard Dawson has spent the past half decade exploring history through music. His 2017 release Peasant provided insights into Middle Age life while his 2019 effort 2020 explored modern northeast England. Now with Henki, Richard continues his explorations while looking ahead.
The opening track on this 41-minute album, ‘The Hermit’, starts with expansive instrumental atmosphere building – from rhythmic brushes of percussion, moody winding riffs of guitar, and occasional stately harp or earthy violin flourishes to fragmented flourishes from stately harp or earthy violin flourishes – before relaxing into it and hearing Dawson’s vocal lines cohere into patterns augmented by sympathetic ensemble playing.
Through out his album, Dawson explores various musical styles – from singing with an upbeat melody and distinctive Newcastle accent, to acapella passages showcasing his impressive range of falsetto singing, stretching out each syllable of “morning” on “Weaver”, or moaning in pained tones on “Ogre”.
Dawson draws influence from an array of sources ranging from Sufi devotional music and various forms of African guitar playing, as well as Derek Bailey’s mind-boggling free improvisation (Dawson often works alongside pedal harpist Rhodri Davies). But his talent lies in turning these influences into something entirely his own; whether with stories about medieval witchcraft or of modern women fleeing countries filled with demons made flesh; no one in folk music quite matches him! This uniqueness stands him out. This rareness in folk music makes Dawson an important folk musician who stands apart.