I’m thrilled to announce that composer Andrew Downing has been commissioned to write me a banjo concerto that’ll premiere at the Home County Folk Festival on July 22 with memebers of Orchestra London. The show will also include some of mine and Andrew’s tunes arranged for chamber symphony. This new body of work will be the centerpiece of my forthcoming album, due out in spring 2013. The piece is stunning and I’m having an incredible time working on it!
05
Dec
Canadian Folk Music Award
I just won a Canadian Folk Music Award for Instrumental Artist of the Year. My gratitude goes out to all the brilliant musicians who helped build the Room of Wonders: Casey Driessen, Grant Gordy, Greg Garrison, Nick Fraser, Kevin Turcotte, William Carn, Sandra Wong, Andrew Downing, Joseph Phillips, Jaron Freeman-Fox, Olov Johansson & Sasha Luminsky. Thanks to the Canada Council for Arts for their continual support.
16
Jun
Bumbershoot
The secret’s out: I’m set to play Bumbershoot, Seattle’s legendary music and art festival, on September 3rd. I’m also excited to catch sets by Mavis Staples, Väsen and Broken Social Scene while I’m there. Woot!
01
Feb
Juno Nomination!
I’m excited and overwhelmed that Room of Wonders just got a Juno nomination for Instrumental Album of the Year. Kudos also to producer David Travers-Smith on his Recording Engineer of the Year nomination. Extra loud shout-out to everyone who played on the record and thanks to you for listening! Look out for 2011 tour dates all over the map.
13
Jan
Tour Videos
Happy new year, friends! I just played a couple of shows on the eastern seaboard and you can watch a video of our set on the Kennedy Centre website. There are also lots of videos from my recent tour with fiddler wunderkind Casey Driessen over in the video section.
01
Oct
Hidy Ho, Hurrah, Howdy!
Welcome to my new digital digs. Have a look around, make yourself at home. The site launched today, alongside the Canadian release of my brand new album, Room of Wonders. Though the official rest-of-the-world release isn’t until 2011, you can get advance copies of the album now on CD Baby, iTunes and even right here on the site.
28
Sep
Canadian Folk Music Awards
We’re thrilled that Africa to Appalachia won Best World Music Group at the Canadian Folk Music Awards in November. Kudos
27
Sep
Winter Jazz Festival
I’ll be showcasing a new version of my Africa to Appalachia project at the Winter Jazz Festival in New York
27
Sep
New Album Coming Soon!
I’m at work on a new album based on folk dances from around the world: reels, rachenitsas, morescas and sambas
20
Dec
John Hartford Tribute
John Hartford was a songster, a banjoist, a guitar-picker, fiddler, river boat captain, calligrapher, folklorist and old-time music revivalist. Join
