36... BULl.El1N de musiquefolklorique canadienne30.3 (1996)
Emphasizedduring all instruction is the unique fiddling I have been in touch with the South Island Metis Nation style of Andy De Jarlis and the sensitiveexpression of feeling, board membersand they are thrilled to have the De Jarlis music meaning and character flowing through his playing. brought to Vi<;toria and BC. I am a mature UVic Education Interestingly, the titles of his compositions are mainly for student doing a music concentration,and I am privileged and people, placesand of historical interest in the Red River Valley proud to take the leadershipin this resurgenceand revival of the areain Manitoba, which he loved. beautiful fiddling music of my special friend, Andy De Jarlis (1914-1975). TheAndy De Jarlis Entrance Scholarshipis in place at the University of Victoria, and the first one ($I,
A Peak in Darien
New recordingsand publications which have crossedour desk recently. Somewill be reviewedin upcomingissues.
Books Ken Perlman. TnditilHlal Dance TIIDCaf.. AcooItic Oui Mel Bay Publicati~ Inc., '4 ID4i1S1ria1 Ken Perlman. The PickDc Music of Prince EdW8rd lIJUII: Ce~ and Ac8diaD To- in Living Drive, Pacific, MO 6~-~, USA Tndin Mel Bay PublicatioosInc, #4 ~ Drive, Pacific, MO 63!XfJ-fXX»,USA
Lowry ()Iaf1OO.GOIMi In_Ii RR9402. River Rec..III, Box 40, 1450JOOnSIIJII Rd., Wbi1l:Rock, B.C. Recordings V4B 5E9 Jennifer~. Silc Carrico Me. EW21. J. ~, 852 Lake Twinlrec Cra. SE, Calsary, Aha. T2J L.JWIYOIIfDl. Wind ud RaiD. W9201. RiverRecmls, Box 40, 14S0JobDsIIXIRd., WbiteRtXt, B.C. 2W3 V4B 5E9
Daisy DeBolt. I CaD. DCD-I03. DeBoh Publicatims, Box 99, T.x..tto's Fin! PIMtOffice, T«OtIto, Oot. LIxeIto Reid... Brian Tabeny. Celtic Metde. RCPCD 90042. Reia Ceo! PndIctims, 1561Winialn8p(Xt MSA INI. Feaivai Dj.,Irioou..., 1351 Gr8Dt St., V_vcr, B.C. V5L 2X7. Dr., MiJSiJSIUga,Oul. L4X 11"7
Fear of Drinking. ODe MorDiDl W~ I We8t to Wu. Bia City BC 010. Bil City PnWctKms, 1323 AJxkew Roblin ... dIC p,.,, Mwntain Men. Pcril... Pllnllil. UpstaJt 1003. AJxkew Roblin, 213 N. 916 W.. BI'-"WIy, Vaocwver, B.C. V5Z IK7 TbiJd St., Emmaus, PA 18049, USA
Rick Fines. Arcadia. RAFOOI. Rick Fines, Box 2384 Petelb Lewis & MoIeswo1h.~SoBIaek. SMCDI. Statioo- Music, 4 SycknhamSt, Guelph, Oot. NIH 2W2 Reviews/Comptes rendus Maybe it's a good time to remind people: opinions expressedin reviewsare those of the authors only, and don't necessarily expressthe views of the editors of the Bulletin, or the views of the Canadian Societyfor Traditional Music. Letters respondingto reviewsprobably won't be printed unlessthey bring newfacts to our attention or raise substantiveissues likely to be of interest to thefolk music communityin general. Books Orderingfolksong books? Wereyou everfrustrated? althoughI've had many of my ordersfilled, at times I've waited Skimming lists of books-in-print, I occasionallyspot one in vain for booksespecially from smallpublishers. A message1 from a small publisher which looks interesting. In Vancouver, from the bookstore comesto me that the book is unavailable, a well-establishedbookstore, Duthie's, hastaken my orders, and out-of-print or whatever.When a new catalogue,(say, Bowker's j CanadianFolk Music BUUEl1N 30.3 (1996) 37 1995-1996)appears and the item is still listed, I order again to examined the invoice, did not charge me the GST plus that no avail. I point out to the bookstorethat the book is still listed; annoying $5.00 processingcharge!) they say they'll check, and eventually the samemessage comes The book is great! In addition to "The Wreck of the Old 97" back. It appearsthat in some casesthe ordering is through a and "The Wrec'k of the Number Nine," both well-rooted in broker in the USA. Who's to blame? Canadathrough the old Vernon Dalhart 78 rpm's, twenty-four Recently I spent over a year trying to get Katie Letcher other disasters are recounted in detail, with pictures, maps, Lyle's Scalded to Death by the Steam: Authentic Stories of documents,first handrecollections, etc. To accompanythe texts, Railroad Disasters and the Ballads That Were Written about twenty-two tunes are provided. As well as being an historian, Them. It was publishedin 1991 by Algonquin Books of Chapel Lyle has informed herself through such folklorists as Malcolm Hill, North Carolina, a division of Workman Publishing, New Laws, Norm Cohenand Albert Lord. All the wreckswere in the York. [ISBN 0-945575-{J1-7(pbk)].Perhaps to quieten me, States,the songsmade in Missouri and eastward.Although some David Duthie suggestedI phone the company. We looked the work hasbeen done on railway songsin Canadaby Tim Rogers, publisher up in Books-in-Print, Volume 9: Publishers, and I wonder if there is enoughmaterial on Canadiantrain wrecksto found there was an 800 number [800-722-7202]. So at no cost produce a Canadiancounterpart. It may be that some of the I phonedNew York, confirmed the book was available,ordered Lyle's songs really knew no borders, as did numbers of one, gavethem my Mastercardinformation for payment.In less American and Canadianrailroads. than a fortnight, the book arrived, costing in US funds $12.95 -Phil Thomas plus $5.00 postage.(Fortunately CanadaCustoms, while they Vancouver,BC Gale de Vos. Tales, Humors, and Gossip: Exploring Contemporary Folk Literature in Grades Seven to Twelve. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, 1996. If ballads, milrchen (wonder tales), and tall tales were the whole. She also discussesthe role of the print and electronic primary types of popular folk narrativesto be enjoyed and ap- media in the rise of popular interest in thesemodem folk tales, preciated by folks in times and generationspast, then it is and how newspapers,television, and books have addedfuel to equally valid to say that the dominant and most popular type of popular acceptanceof contemporarylegends, often believed to folk narrative to emergeduring the secondhalf of the twentieth be true happeningsby both tellers and generallisteners. De Vos century is what folklorists have referred to as urban legends, has amassedan impressivearray of sources,citations, and ref- also known by someas urban belief tales. Although thesemod- erencematerials, including local newspaperaccounts, many of em folk narrativeshave been studied and analyzedby folklorists them from her own home city of Edmonton, folklore journals and studentsof oral culture since at least the late 1940s,it was and other academicpublications, and books relevant to this field, not until 1981, and the publication of a pioneer volume, The both legend collectionsand folklore treatises. Vanishing Hitchhiker, compiled and written by Ian Harold The secondportion of de Vos' s treatmentcenters on several Brunvand, that the phenomenonof the urban legendreally came major types of contemporarylegends: legends dealing with such into its own, viz., in the popular imagination; Brunvand was areasas scienceand technology, contaminatedfoods, animals subsequentlyto publish four further volumes,and with the work and pets, thievesand thievery, legendsdealing with children and of such other academicsand collectors as Gary Allan Fein, young adults(including stolenbody parts, abduction,AIDS lore, RodneyDale, and Paul Smith, the interestin thesecontemporary and Satanicritual), and scaryand ghostly urban legendspopular legendswould becomemore pronounced.Thus enters Gale de amongchildren and young teenagers.Two chaptersare devoted Vos, who, although not a folklorist, is a teacherand specialist to two specific legends:the vanishinghitchhiker and fa llorona, in library science,and who has been a professionalstoryteller the weeping woman, most prevalent in Hispanic and Latin for over ten years. American traditions. Although it is not prevalent in Canada,it This book is a first on several levels. It is the first major is interestingthat de Vos hasresearch this centuries-oldtradition work on the subjectof contemporarylegends by a Canadianwho in depth; sheexplains that it hasbeen a personalfavorite of hers has studiedthe phenomenonfor many years; it is the first major for years. work to examine the contemporarylegend primarily as it in- Urban legends are a global phenomenon, and this is volves its popularity, transmission,and acceptanceby younger reflected in de Vos's work, in which variants are reportednot tellers, listeners, and fans, especially those inhabiting the only from Canadaand the USA, but also from Brazil, the United academicarena of studentsin gradesseven to twelve. Kingdom, Russia, Scandinavia, South Mrica, Japan, and In the first portion of the book, de Vos defines, analyzes, Australia, among other places. One fascinating aspect of de and discussesvital terms necessaryto the understandingof con- Vos's treatmentof thesemodem legendsis her interest in their temporarylegends, including the differencesamong "legends," historical antecedents,as well as in their folkloric cousins, "rumors," and "gossip," and other important conceptssuch as analogues from distant cultures and in parallel plots from "redemption," "ostension," and "legend-tripping." De Vos literature and mythology. Media accountsare also included, plus spendsmuch time analyzinghow theseurban legendsfunction in a look at how cinema, television, and novels and short stories the larger context of social interaction, between the students haveadapted these urban legendsto their own unusualretellings. themselves,and between studentsand the larger society as a As de Vos, among other specialistsin this genre of folk 38. BUUEl1N de musiquefolklorique canadienne30.3 (1996) literature, is quick to point out, many contemporarylegends Vos lists possibletopics for classdiscussion, such as Scapegoats speak to the darker side of human nature and often reflect in History and Magic and the Supernatural,just to mention two. concernsabout crime, poverty, distrust of outsidegroups, racial lf this were simply a collection of urban legendswithout any aOOethnic antagonisms,concern for the safetyof children, large, further comment: it would still be a worthy effort, but with de impersonalcorporations and their seemingdomination of modem Vos's excellentscholarship and impressivediversity of sources, life, and doubtsabout the ever-increasingdependence upon tech- this books becomes much more. It is truly entertaining, nology. This is certainly reflected in the types and kinds of sometimesamusing, more often disturbing, and presentsa less- urban legends popular today: Killer in the Backseat, the than-admirablepicture of how society's tenuousbonds may be Kentucky Fried Rat, the Poison Dress, and a host of other dis- stretchedthrough the transmissionof such urban belief tales. quieting, and often grisly belief tales commonly in circulation, This is a most worthwhile and notable addition to the general which, even as they are debunked,are nonethelessstill believed folklore canon,and in particular, to the still popular field of the and acceptedas true. As de Vos so cogently states,as long as contemporary legend, and just as in the case of Brunvand's there is distrust of different ethnic and racial groups, suspicions work, which hasbecome a classicin this genre, I predict that in about large mercantile combines, and uncertainty about new years to come, Gale de Vos will be recognized as another technologicaladvances, no matterhow improbablemany of these pioneerin this areaof modernfolklore. The field of folklore and belief tales may be, they will be willingly transmittedby those oral culture will hear a lot more from this Edmontonstoryteller wishing to find easy scapegoatsto blame for one ill or another. in years to come, and I for am quite pleasedat that prospect. The appendixwill be a huge aid to thoseteachers who wish -Robert Rodriquez to engagetheir studentsin fruitful dialogueon this subject. De NYC Mike Ballantyne.Pint Pot and Plough: Thirty-One English Traditional Folksongs. Barley Wine Music, PO Box 312, CobbleHill, BC, VOR 1LO). ISBN: 0-9695840-0-8. Like many other performing folk-music enthusiasts,I have the music has beencomputer-set and printed cleanly on smooth a bookshelf devoted to songbooks. Some of these have been white paper. The music is well-spaced,with no crowding of gifts, but of those I have chosen for myself most have been notes or words to save paper but hamper legibility. Although bought on the strengthof one or two unusualsongs ("I've never Mike performs thesesongs unaccompanied, he has generously seen that song in print before!") or for their encyclopedic provided chordsto aid thosewho prefer harmonicsupport when completeness("This book has everything!"). Truth to tell, how- they perform. The notesthat accompanyeach song are witty and ever, there are few of these books that I consult with any informative without being pedantic; additional referencesare regularity. Most of these song collections are compiled on the provided to direct the keen student to more detailed sources basisof a particular musicalstyle, a discretehistorical period, or without overpoweringthe non-specialist.Of particular interest a commonnarrative theme,and this just isn't that useful to me. are the referencesto recordings and to other versions of the When I go through a song book, a book of fiddle tunes, or songs.Although Mike has given the song as he sings it, he has what-have-you,I usually find that the wheat-to-chaff ratio is no illusions aboutthe existenceof any definitive or authoritative small; that is, there are few" good" items in most collections. versions. (Let me hastento point that I am using a strictly idiosyncratic Standoutsfor me in this collection are, not surprisingly, the and operational definition: a "good" song is one that at any same ones that I most enjoyed on the tape: "Artichokes and given time interests me thematically and that I enjoy singing. Cauliflowers," "The Nutting Girl," and "TavistockGoosey Fair" My selectionof "good" songsfrom a particular collection will come immediately to mind. Curiously, the high quality of the be different from that made by any other singer; as well, recording on Pint Pot and Plough might be thought to work although my assessmentof certain songs will vary with the againstthe marketingof this book, sinceMike's superblyclean passageof time, the core of "good" songsthat I identify in a diction makestranscripton of lyrics a straightforwardprocess, if song book is fairly consistent.) somewhattedious when many verses are involved. Mike has Attentive readers of these pages will recall my glowing cleverly included some additional songs in the book. This review of Mike Ballantyne's Pint Pot and Plough, a brilliant materialmeets the samehigh standardsby which the tapedsongs recordingof unaccompaniedsongs (Bulletin 26.3). The songson were selected,and my experimentsin the shower suggestthat this tape are English in origin and include ballads, drinking thesesongs should also be suitablefor unaccompaniedvoice. songs, shantiesand music hall favorites; the common feature A budding folksinger would be well advised to use this uniting the songs is that they are all suitable for a capella book to establisha core repertoire of "good 'uns"; almost any performance.Accompanying the tape is a splendid song book performer will find material herethat they canadopt with profit. that shows the samecare and attention to detail that made the Pint Pot and Plough is a working songbook, and one that is recording such a delight. By my definition above, this book is frequently left out on my desk, rather than gatheringdust on my full of "good" songs: it is all good grain, with no detectable bookshelf. If you liked Mike's tape, you'll want to have this chaff. book. Passingbriefly over the physical production of the book: it -Michael Pollock is spiral-boundto makefor easyuse on table or music stand,and CalKary, Alberta Canadian Folk Music BULlE7JN 30.3 (1996) ...39 LawrenceNowry. Man of Mana: Marius Barbeau. New CanadaPublications, NC PressLtd., Box 452, StationA, Toronto, Ontario M5W lA8 Prior to reading this book I was very ill-informed con- whoseincongruous and sometimesunsympathetic auspices Bar- cerning the life of Marius Barbeau,founder and longtime presi- beau's work was conducted. dent of this Society. Now I can say that I know much more It seemsthat Barbeauin his younger days left a string of aboutour illustrious forebear,one of the pioneeranthropologists broken heartsbehind him, from Paristo Oklahoma,and through- and ethnologistsof Canada,and I certainly recommendthe book out his life was a "great admirer of the fair sex" (287). The to CSTM memberson that basis. Many of us will think first of amour which is documentedmost fully in the book, with a Barbeauas the collector of songswhich becamestandards in the Wyandotschoolteacher in Oklahoma,was doomed, Nowry hints, folk repertoire, such as "Mary Ann" and "Blanche comme la becauseof her Native ancestry. She was "the pretty Indian neige." Yet his extensive work with the traditions of French womanhe fell for but would never havemarried" (302). In fact, Canadawas in fact only an offshoot of his career, and a radical it is in the area of Barbeau's relationships with his Native offshoot at that-his main work was with autochthonicpeoples, informants that Nowry most often strays from impartiality and mostly the Huron/Wyandot and various Pacific Northwest comesclose to taking his subjectto task. groups. European-basedfolklore was at the time virtually Barbeauin fact seemsto havebeen genuinely liked by many ignored by others working in the field in Canada. We have of the Native people with whom he worked, and Diamond Barbeauto thank for recognizing the value of the traditions of Jenness,on going into an area where Barbeauhad worked ear- his own peopleand getting the ball rolling on preservingthem. lier, is quoted as writing "...everyone welcomesme becauseI In that sense, all members of the CSTM are his spiritual am a friend of Mr. Barbeau." Barbeau championed Native descendents. cultural causes,and particularly opposedthe outlawing of the In 1965 LawrenceNowry interviewed Barbeauat length (3 potlatch, a piece of cultural genocidewhose ill effects are still 1/2 hours of taped material), and these reminiscencesin Bar- felt today. On the other hand, Barbeau's advice to aspiring beau'sown words (but in English only) havebeen the "centreof fieldworkers on how to approach subjects with a view to gravity" for many projects since then, including this book. obtaining information from them (211-12; from the 1965 inter- Nowry also drew on reminiscencesof numerous friends and view) gives the impressionthat privately he viewed the people acquaintancesof Barbeau,as well as documentsand civil service as mere subject matter for his researches.Barbeau's dealings records. with William Beynon, seenby Nowry as a world-classethnolo- Despiteall theseauthoritative sources, I cameaway from the gist who was not taken seriously becauseof his Tsimsyan book without a feeling of really knowing Marius Barbeauas a ancestry,are criticized. So is Barbeau'shabitual useof the term person. Although Nowry saysin his introduction that it was "a "halfbreed," surely a pejorative then as it is now. rare, brief privilege to have sharedthe confidenceof this fine Barbeau also participated in the practice, pretty well man" (11), he damnswith faint praise. I get the impressionthat universalin thosedays, of buying or otherwiseacquiring impor- Nowry didn't really warm to Barbeauthe person, as opposedto tant cultural and religious objects from his informants, thus Barbeauthe scholar, and doesn't want to let us know that, so distancingthe peoplefrom the tangibleaspects of their heritage. tries to stay uninvolved personally. However, sometimes,by A poignant story is told of Barbeau'sattempt to buy a large accidentor design, the maskof anonymity slips, for examplein totem pole from an elderly chief, who refusedwith the ironic the occasionaluse, without elaboration, of the word "vanity." commentthat he would trade his ancestors'pole for Governor While somemight think it admirablethat Nowry allows readers Douglas's tombstone-"a dignified rejection of a degrading to make up their own minds, basedon the facts that he chooses request" (235). Barbeausimply waited for the old man to die, to present,I would have preferredmore guidanceon the search then bought the pole from his heirs. (It can still be seenin the for the human face of Barbeau,or perhapsmore candourfrom Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.) Barbeausupplemented his Nowry as to his own point of view. income by acting as agent for museumsand collectors buying Barbeau was a government employee, and his constant artifacts, so he probably had a handin alienatingenormous num- struggleswith underfunding and the civil service mentality are bers of objectsfrom their spiritual owners. The defencecould be detailed at length. Barbeau appearsto have been the sort of that "everybodywas doing it," but it's hard to believe that Bar- personwho believesthat .'It's easierto explain afterwardsthan beau gave no thought to the implications of the artifacts trade. to get permission beforehand," and his overspending and Most of theseattitudes were surely receivedby Barbeauas requests for extra funds recur with depressing regularity part of the culture of his times. Perhapshe struggled,sometimes throughouthis career. Perhapsfor this reasonalone, certain of successfully,to rise abovethe prevailing mentality. Or perhaps, his superiorsin the bureaucracywere overtly hostile, and made as Nowry hints, he was vain, hypocritical and self-serving. things difficult for him. For his own part, Barbeauhad friends Obviously Barbeauwas a great man with someless than saintly in high places, and did not hesitateto go over his superiors' attributes. He certainly did great work, for which all Canadians heads,even invoking (successfully)his friend Louis St-Laurent should be thankful. Nowry's book details much of this work, after the latter becamePrime Minister. Being Barbeau'ssuper- while leaving many questionsabout Barbeau'scharacter unan- visor must have beena thorny task, especiallyfor civil servants swered,or touchedon only obliquely. in the Departmentof Mines (underwhatever other names).under Lastly, Barbeau'srole in founding the CanadianFolk Music 40. BULlEl1N de musiquefolklorique canadienne30.3 (1996) Society is dealt with briefly, as part of a four-page section music than its scholarly study" (383). Obviously he hasnot been entitled "Folk Music Societies,"including the InternationalFolk paying attention to what we've been doing all these years. Music Council. I expectthat our memberswho are scholarswill Nevertheless,this is a book which has been much needed,and take exceptionto Nowry's statementthat "Later CanadianFolk which all CSTM membersmay read with profit. Music Societyemphasis became more the interpretationof folk -JL Recordings JackieDunn. Dunn To A 'Tt. JAD-CD Jackie Dunn, RR#7, Antigonish, NS B2G 2L4. Jackie Dunn, a Nova Scotian step-dancer, pianist, and Scotia, is excellent. Back up by Hilda Chiasson-Cormieron fiddler, has put out a fine CD of East Coast tunes. From the piano, Dave MacIsaac on guitar, and Jeannie Henman-Beks, upbeat opening set of "Dan Hughie MacEachem's/DownThe vocals on "M=EOiri Bhan Og (Mary Young And Fair)," gives River/JackieI Hardly Knew" to the "Grand Finale" set, her en- Jackiewonderful support. One has the feeling that Jackie, Dave thusiasmis catching, and her talent is obvious. A student of and Hilda spent a lot of time researching, rehearsing and Gaelic music, Dunn comesfrom a musical family. Her mother polishing this project. The effort shows. is a fambUsstep-dancer and her grandfatherwas a notedfiddler. I'm sure we'll be hearing more of Jackie in the future. Sheeasily capturesthe feel of the music, from the reels and jigs -Gordon Fisch to the slow airs. Regina, Saskatchewan The production, as on so many recordingsfrom Nova Natalie MacMaster. Fit as a Fiddle. NMAS-CD 1972. CBC/Maritimes. Natalie McMaster, RR#1, Port Hastings, CapeBreton, NS BOE2TO. Fit as a Fiddle is a brilliant album. Thirteen tracks, mostly MacIsaacon guitars, Howie MacDonald and Tracy Dares on setsof strathspeysand reels or jig setswith a couple of airs and piano, Tom Roachon drums and guestspots by JamieMacInnis a waltz thrown in, fairly jump off the CD with excitementand on Highland pipes and SandyMoore on Celtic harp. The piano driving rhythms. "My DungannonSweetheart," a GrahamTown- work stands out repeatedly, complimenting the fiddle with sendtune, was my first favourite, but many setshad me dancing bouncing partial chords splatteredin syncopation around the along. keyboardand many a relatedchord to add tension to the repeti- Having seenNatalie live, I was a disappointedat first not to tive nature of many of the Scotstunes. be able to watch the smiling and charmingNatalie leaping about The production is clear with a great mix; the fiddle sound the stage,but the CD is a close second. is wonderful, full-bodied yet catching just enough of the bow Her playing does justice to those slow but methodical grabbing the strings to add that rough tinge that makes you strathspeyswith their suddensurprises of multiple triplets, and jump; the liner notes give plenty of detail on the origin of the the jigs and reels are infectiously fun. Her snappy bow work tunes. adds bounce to the tunes. She knows how to "drive 'em," as This is a great package,and Natalie should be proud. they say down East. -Gordon Fisch The backup is top notch, with the ever-presentDave Calvin Vollrath. Instrumentally Y~urs-Something Different. BPR-1050C.Bonnie Pearl Records, 9212 .150Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, T5E 2N8. Calvin's 17th recording finds him back in the studio with a swing to Metis to Ukrainian. Calvin's tone and techniqueare full band, after severalyears of recording direct to DAT in his wonderful to hear. No one can match his sliding double stops, basement.For those not familiar with Vollrath, he is a North which add a specialtouch to somebeautiful waltzes. His swing American Fiddle Champion from Edmonton who has worked tunes,such as "Zupfngeign" (namedafter the "Plunking Fiddle" tirelessly as a guest artist at fiddle contests, teacherat fiddle pub in Germany)show a great lyrical senseof melody, with the camps,leader of the country band Wheelhossand sessionplayer band obviously in their element. The "Smokin' Bow Reel" is for many other artists. He is also a collector of Metis tunesand typical of the old-time tunes, with many quick rolls and fast a writer in the old-time, swing, and Metis traditions with over licks. "Before the Sunrise"shows off his Metis sensibilities,and 100 tunes to his credit. "Jean Duperrault" the French-Canadian,with their rhythmic This album features15 of Calvin's originals with four tunes phrasingand time changes.His bow work capturesthe beat, or co-written with others. Most are namedafter various fiddle and off beat, to drive the tunesalong, while many melodic surprises dancefriends of Calvin's from acrossthe country. The fiddling spice things up. is flawless, with many styles represented,from old-time to The production is good, with the fiddle soundingfull and Canadian Folk Music BULlEl1N 30.3 (1996) ...41 warm. Not as bright as an East Coastdance hall (as capturedby has been touring each spring for four years, so he wanted to many fiddle recordings from Halifax, which fairly leap out of have "instrumental" in the title to make it obvious there was no the stereoat you) but more like a warm and friendly club on the "singing." Even so, I don't find the title very evocative.If there outskirts of Edmonton, where the band plays old-time, the men is a problem witfl this album, it might be the lack of focus in wear cowboy boots and bolo ties, and the dancefloor is always material, as it has quite a wide range. But that's what Calvin full. While this is a "fiddle" album, the arrangementsgive plays. If you are looking for variety, done by a Westernfiddle Richard Chemeskyon lead guitar and Trent Bruner on piano a masterwith a great backupband, this is your album. chanceto take the spotlight, giving the album a nice balance. -Gordon Fisch Calvin sayshe sells a lot of recordsin Germany,where he Michel Faubert. Care-meet Mardi gras. MPDC 1095. Les ProductionsMille-pattes, 168, rue du Canal, Joliette, QuebecJ6£ 4T8. Avec Careme et Mardi gras, Ie chanteur folkloriqe Pour rendre res chansons,il se sert d'arrangementsrock quebecoisMichel Faubert en est a son seconddisque. Si son qu'il use avec beaucoupd'a-propos, se servant de l'opposition premier disque, Maudite memoire (Mille-pattes MS 995) a ere et du contrastemarques entre les genrespour creer une fusion. princi-palement consacre aUK chansonsde tradition fran~is, Contrairementa d'autresgroupes oil la chansonfolklorique etait celui-ci s'inreressea une tradition plus pres de nous, plus locale. au service du rock, ici au contraire, et c'est cela qui est heureux, Le choix deschansons est marquepar la reflexion, par Ie devenir c'est Ie rock qui se met au service du folklore. Ce n'est passans de l'etre humain. II n'hesite pas a aborderdes themescomme la rappelerpar momentIe groupefranc;ais Malicome. Cetteopposi- miseredans les chantiers,la mort, les liens familiaux, la charire, tion des genresa l'avantagede mettre en evidencela force des l'eloignement et la solitude, des themesqui conservent,encore melodieset desrhythmes traditionnels, comme Ie prouventparti- d'aujourd'hui, toute leur actualite et leur universalire. Michel culierementles chansons"Care-me et Mardi gras" et "La Veillee Faubertdelaisse ainsi Ie ton leger et dansantsi caracreristiquede chez Gervais." Toute l'energie deployee par cette musique et la production folklorique quebecoisepour rechercherdavantage contenuedans cette poesieprennent Ie pas sur la nostalgieet Ie de profondeur et d'authenticire. Cela en fait un disque plus patriotismequ'inspirent habituellementres chansons.n ne s'agit se::rieux,mais au pouvoir d'evocation plus fort. pas d'un disque a message,didactique. Au contraire. Faubert C'est ainsi qu'on retrouve entre autres sur ce disque des recherchepour chacunedes chansons une atmospherequi lui soit complaintescomme "La Misere dansles chantiers," "La Mort en propre, qui la prolongue en quelque sorte, au dela des mots et camion"et "La Chansondu vieux Sandy," Ie dialoguelegendaire des notes. Pour ce faire, il s'est associed'excellents musiciens de "Caremeet Mardi gras" et une energiquechanson de veillee, rock qui Ie serventbien. "La Veillee chezGervais (On est parti une gang)." A ce bouquet Cela dit, il s'agit d'un disqueresolument modeme pour une traditionnel, s'ajoute deux chansonsde la plume meme de tradition bien enracinee, qui nous propose d'aller hoTSdes Michel Faubert, composees dans «Ie style traditionnel., sentiersbattus et de s'arreter pour ecouter. "Sabbatique"et "Le Banquetdes soixante," cettederniere ecrite -Donald Deschenes sur une melodietradi-tionnelle. Le melangeest heureux,quoique Sudbury. Ontario Ie fil conducteur des textes est parfois renu et pas toujours apparent. Killiecrankie. The Haggis Egg. CD464693. Killiecrankie, PO Box 27016, Cambridge,Ontario NIR 8Hl While the band's first release,the cassette-onlyHigh Road combinationsof instruments,while the album closeswith some to Linton, was a fine recording, their new CD is a winner on lovely old tunesin 3Mtime on which the band is joined by har- every count. The production is exquisite, the arrangements monica player Ian Duncan. delightful, the musicianshipand singing first-class. Besideswriting many of the tunes on the album, guitarist It's true there are a few old chestnuts-"The Lowlands of Aitken handlesmost of the vocal chores as well. He did the Holland," Leezie Lindsay," "The Bonnie Ship the Diamond" sameon High Road to Linton, but whether it's the difference -but there are far more less-familiar and original pieces, and in production values, or that he's maturedas a singer, his voice Allison Lupton doessuch a lovely job of "Lowlands" that I cer- seemsto havemore resonanceon the new album, as well as im- tainly don't mind hearing yet one more version of it. Lupton proved phmsing, and the songsare the better for it. also plays a meanflute, aided and abettedby Andrea Barstadon Killiecrankie may be based in Ontario, but their take on fiddle, and Bill Aitken and Martin Smit on various plucked Scottish music is as good as anything originating in Scotland string instruments. itself and The Haggis Egg is an album you'll return to again The tune sets are well-considered, with nice interplay and again, becauselike the best traditional music, its appealis betweenthe flute and fiddle on Dougie MacLean's "The Osprey" timeless. and a particularly fine version of the great Nathaniel Gow air, -Charles de lint "Coilsfield House," by Bars¥ on the fiddle. The rest of the sets Ottawa, Ontario mix airs, strathspeys, ~ls and jigs featuring various 42. BULlEl1N de musiquefolklorique canadienne30.3 (1996) Elysian Dream. Celtic Collision. EDO595.Elysian Dream Productions,PO Box 112, Glen Morris, Ontario NOR lWO I've listenedto this album a few times now, trying to get a generalracket in the place. handle on it, and I still can't figure it out. I get the sensethat On the other hand, Pettit proves she has a lovely voice on the band (a duo made up of Dave Pearsonon vocals, guitar, other songs such as the opening cut, "Old Greybeard," and harmonica and the like, and T.C. Pettit on vocals, bass and Pearsonshows off somefine instrumentalskill and subtlety on percussion)couldn't make up their mind what kind of album a handful of instrumentals. they wantedeither. The end result is a disjointed album, one that won't entirely On the one hand there are some very dull versions of pleaseeither the Irish Roverscrowd, who might go for the more standardsongs ("Wild Mountain Thyme," "Star of the County enthusiastic numbers, or those interested in more traditional Down," "Loch Lomond") performed with far more enthusiasm Celtic music. In that sense,I supposethe title forewarned us: than skill, the kinds of songs you can hear in any generic Celtic collision, indeed. Irish/Scotspub-if you can actually make them out above the -Charlesde Lint Will Millar. The Lark in the Clear Aire. CHACD 042. ChacraAlternative Music Inc., 3155 Halpern, St-Laurent,Quebec H4S IPS. The Irish Rovers are arguably Canada's most successful perhapsjust not there); it's out front mostly on the slow airs, Celtic music group, with many hit records and a TV show to which he plays competentlyand pleasantly.But I'd like to hear their credit over the years. However, it must be said that they him cut loose! His other instrument, the "lude" (presumablythe achievedtheir successby emphasizingentertainment rather than cittern-like creature in the inside photo), doesn't come to the musicianship. So the chanceto hear the group's former front forefront often enoughto make its presencefelt. man, Will Millar, on an instrumental album highlighting his All but two of the tracks are medleys, and three of those whistle playing is intriguing. Turns out, though, that the album medleysare labelledthematically ("Islands," "Factory Girls" and isn't quite what I was hoping for. "The Irish Brigade-1864"), which doesn't really add anything, Which isn't to say that it's inferior. On the contrary, this in my view. My other quibble, a relatively minor one, is that all collection of Celtic tunesis impeccablyrecorded. Many quality but one of the tunes in "The Irish Brigade" in fact have little musiciansmake contributions, including someRovers members. connection to the American Civil War. Particularly, it's The arrangementsare lush and rich. The tunes are Irish and becomingirritating that people regard "Ashokan Farewell" as a Scottishclassics, with a couple of American tunes thrown in as tune from that era-it's a recently-composedmelody which hap- well. pened to be usedas a theme for the "Civil War" TV documen- One of my reservationsis that the tuneswill be well known tary. A marvellous tune, currently in danger of dying from to anyonewho listens to Celtic music with half an ear. Yes, they overexposure,and travelling under a false identity. got to becomeclassics because they're wonderful melodies,and In its performanceand recording quality this CD is much I derive pleasurefrom listening to them, but there's no adven- superior to the "Celtic Favourites" albums sold in craft shops, ture in the selection. Nothing here challenges the listener but in its contentand concept,that's where it belongs. familiar with the genre. Nor is there excitementin Will Millar's -IL whistle playing. Often his instrument is buried in the mix (or Grit Laskin. A Few Simple Words. Borealis Recording Co., 26 Noble Street, Toronto, Ontario MOK 2c9. A Few Simple Words is a meta-musical!autobiography2. In the title meta-song, "a few simple words," Grit's One might worry that an autobiographymight be self-serving. articulateguitar fingerpicking combineseffectively with a simple Grit himself sings, "forgive the boast, but it's clear the most hammereddulcimer. "Guitar Maker" is a joyous celebrationof predominantinstrument is guitar." Somehow,though, this album the rich variety of soundthat can be createdby 6 (or 12) strings. comesacross more as a tribute to Ken Whiteley, Grit's musical To a lilting Caribbean-stylebongo rhythm, we hear acoustic inspiration and the sourceof someamazing musical moments on guitar, joined one by one with archtop guitar, bassguitar, tenor the CD, and to Judith, the love of his life. Though his voice and guitar, classicalguitar, slide guitar, and 6 and 12 string electric his guitar are the constants,Grit comesacross as humble and guitars. Though his harmoniesare wonderful, Grit's trademark admiring of the singular talents that light up the individual use of unison soundis heardat its best near the end of the tune, songs. when all of the guitars join up in a single round of the old Jani Lauzon's native flute becomesa haunting looncall on folksong "Matilda." "Ojibway Country." DennisPendrith's tuba brings hilarity to the Grit doesget serious,in "One SundayNight," a dark ballad lighthearted"Let my stomachbe soft and round." Thoughwacky retelling a 1993 casein which three women accuseda man of both in its lyrics and in its crazy jugband sound, this song is a deliberately infecting them with HIV. I was disturbed by the messagesong about being who we are and "living with the code heavy bassin the music and by the lyrics. I supposethat was that's in (our) genes." It has becomea daily singalong in our intended.The messagesare strongin "The Never-EndingQuick- house,round about desserttime. step Waltz" and in "A Begging I Will Go," Grit's NAFTA- Canadian Folk Music BULl.El1N 30.3 (1996) .,.43 inspired take on the traditional song. talking about fiddles, gripping messagesongs followed by a And then comes a delicious break, with a song that has messagesong whose messageis that it has nothing to say, nine "Nothing to Say.,r The album ends with a soothing lullaby for different typesof guitarstelling aboutguitars in a guitar-maker's overstressedadults. Both "Won't SomebodySing Me a Lullaby" song about guitar!.making,and a lullaby that croons, "Won't and" Soft and Round" have the potential to becomesingalong SomebodySing Me a Lullaby." songsfor all of us. 2Autobiography: bare-souled, honest lyrics and melodiesthat let A Few Simple Words, a meta-musicalautobiography, sings us into Grit's distinctive world, a world in which all sensations of honesty: of being true to ourselvesand honestto our lovers. and all events are experiencedas music. I trust Grit on this. Grit Laskin bares his soul to us, and lets us love him as much Honesty come through as a major theme in his lyrics, and I as we love his guitars. believe that he truly does experiencehis life as a changing melody. -Nomi Kaston IMeta-musical:music about music, a song about song, a fiddle Calgary,Alberta Barry Luft. Lean a Little. Lofty Folk 623667-2 Barry Luft's new recording offers some of his favourite five-string echoesthe lyrics, bendingand stretchingthe melody music from across a wide range of folk and contemporary like a Delta blues guitarist. He also varies the sound with lead musical styles. There is a solid core of songsand instrumentals instrumental tracks on the autoharp, guitar, concertina and from the bluegrass/gospeltraditions of British-rooted North harmonica,and is well supportedby the instrumentaland vocal America, the cowboy poetry of western rural life, somedarker contributions of several fine musicians, notably Jim Dauncey contemporary urban themes and a sprinkling of Folk Club (guitar), Elmer Udahl (fiddle) and Alan Law (dobro). humour to balancethe mix. Family and friends are integral to the material and The first track, after the openingdrummer's call to join the performanceson this CD. In a harmonicaduet with his father, song circle, is the stirring shanty "What's the Life of a Man?" he pays tribute to Dad's guidancein starting him on his musical with its rousing 88-man chorus. The unique recording session path. DaughterToupey joins him in singing her own "Song for for this track is documentedfully in Richard Scholtz's article in Etty. " In bringing us this album of music that he loves and leans the June 1995 Bulletin (Vol. 29, No.2). Any song following on, Barry Luft has "leaneda little" on all of the foundationsof this track could not be anything but anticlimactic, so Barry his life: his environmentand its history (and climate!); his faith wisely follows with a self-pennedinstrumental with a related and those he sharesit with; his family; and his friends and theme-not the life of a man, but pathwaysin life followed by colleagues. The result is a work filled with joy, humour, his two daughters. thoughtful questionsand, at the root of it all, sincerity. Barry's primary instrumentis the banjo, well-miked on this -Pat Keenan recording, with a clean and resonant sound. In "God Who Calgary, Albel1a Stretchedthe SpangledHeavens," his work on the fretless Keith Walker. Give Me Your Hand. DMSOO1.Keith Walker, 2012 BownessRoad NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 3K8. Keith Walker is a Calgary musicianwho has been playing Unexpectedtempo changesadd to the pleasantnessof the hammereddulcimer for over 12 years. His first CD, Give Me music, but there is no gimmicky speedplay to show how fast the Your Hand, featurestraditional tunesand someclassical pieces. musician can move the hammers.Instead, harmony is empha- Keith spent three years learning the instrument from Calgary sized, using both hammers, rather than long stretches of musician Christy Cook, and one of Christy's compositionshas continuous single note melody playing. During a short been included, "Molly's Welcome." interview, Keith said that he doesplaya couple of overdubbed duets, on " Greensleeves" and "Molly's Welcome." I was sure The openingtune, "Fanfarinette" by Jean-PhilippeRameau, is nicely performed, with additional accompanimentby synthe- that "Jesu,Joy of Man's Desiring" had somethingextra added, sizer. The compositionsby O'Carolan lend themselveswell to but Keith said, "No, that's the way I play it." the dulcimer, and Keith has developedsome into short medleys The quality of the recording is extremely clear, and Keith or as solo pieces. Hidden in the backgroundof the tunes "Give has taken great care to preserve the natural sound of the Me Your Hand," "Aldivalloch" and "Bonny Portmore/TheAsh dulcimer. This is an excellent first releaseby an artist who Grove" is guitar, recorderand guitar/recorderrespectively. This obviously enjoys this intriguing instrument. accompanimentis provided by JessicaErnst, and adds a subtle -Dave Foster touch to thesetunes. Keith also providesoccasional background Calgary, Alberta with synthesizer, but does not overwhelm the beauty of the dulcimer. 44... BUUE17N de musiquefolklorique canadienne30.3 (1996) KathleenYearwood. Book of Hate. SW 0394. Amatish Music, 6840 14thAvenue, Markham, Ontario L6B 1A8 Myoid colleagueGeorge Lyon requestedthat I review this Lizzie, now eight. Lizzie has a thing for female vocalists-her CD, a responsibility I promptly attemptedto dodgeby explain- favorites are PeggyLee, Ella Fitzgerald, Maria Muldaur, Dolly ing that it might take me years to get around to listening to it, Parton,and Kateand Anna McGarrigle-so it wasrelatively easy my pile of unlistened-todiscs was that massive,and since most to slide the Yearwooddisc in. of my days at home are spent in my recording studio I rarely OccasionallyI bomb out with thesefemale vocalist choices, listen to anything at all by the time I finish up to 12 hours of suchas the time I put on Astrid Gilberto, so surethe bossanova editing, production, mixing, playing. lilt would have Lizzie snoring in minutes. Instead the disc Besides,the review would not be unbiased.I am already a included someuptempo parade-style numbers, and I was told the KathleenYearwood fan, basedon a performanceI attendedyears disc madeLizzie "too excited" to sleep. ago at the Winnipeg festival. I had dragged my six-year-old Yearwood was not too exciting for her. No, just too daughterMolly to this particular workshop becauseI wanted to frightening, especially the prison song, "Who Killed Phillip," see Townes Van Zandt. Molly had other ideas and was not with its simple but hauntingarrangement, and the strangedirge, impressedby Van Zandt. While the rest of the crowd went "AmsterdamStreet." googa over the Texas C & W (Cult and Weirdo, not Country Lizzie not only found the contentof somesongs disturbing, and Western)hero, Molly said, "This sucks!" in a loud voice. but the continual reachingfor new effects and striking arrange- When Yearwood came on, her attitude changed.Here was her mentswas simply too much for her. Which to me is one of the favorite kind of person: a young lady. best thingsabout Yearwood's music. Although certainartists can I'll never forget Yearwood's commentsto the audience, be proud of their broad and instant appeal with children, let's mostly directed at Van Zandt. She said that she couldn't really face it, some music children are willing to listen to over and rise to the occasionof the workshop (Tragic Ballads) because over is wimpy. If KathleenYearwood is wimpy, then I am Lord since she had a middle-classupbringing in Calgary, she really Nelson. didn't know anything about real tragedy. Then sheproceeded to Sorry about the delay in reviewing this, but I hope the play, I think, a Scottishballad, thrash-rockstyle. Marvelous. latenessof my praise won't prevent thosewho like challenging This is really a great CD. I managedto step it forward into music from checkingout this fine recording. my listening time by taking it out of my disc pile and getting it -Eugene Chadbourne into the nighttime listening regime of Molly's younger sister, Greensboro,North Carolina [EugeneChadbourne was one of the first acoustic guitarists to assimilate the insights of such composersand performers as John Coltrane, OrneUeColeman, John Cage,and Karleinz Stockhausen.He beganhis solo perfonning career in Calgary, returnedto the Statesat the end of the 70s, and has performed widely as a soloist and in a variety of contexts,with such different al1ists as Tony Trischkaand Carla Bley. Kathleen Yearwoodalso beganperfonning in Calgary.] Leigh Cline. Orient Express. SRD912. Scimitar Records,PO Box 148, Station 0, Toronto, Ontario M4A 2M8 Canadianguitarist and mix engineerLeigh Cline hascreated The great thing is that theseauthentic instruments maintain their a rock version, or perhapsa world-beat version, or shall we say distinctive Turkish-Greek-Armenian flavour throughout the a celtic-jazz-blues-synthesizer-fusionversion, of the exotic East- recording. Each has its moment of solo glory. The kementche ern Mediterraneanmusical styles he learnedover twenty years player, Michael Kaliontzidis, is particularly attuned to Cline's of performing with Greek, Turkish, Arabic, Israeli, Iranian, daring concept. Assyrian, and Indian musicians. There are momentsof true brilliance in this zany musical Cline hasa real feel for the intricate polyrhythms of Eastern eclecticism.The "Sabresof Paradise"begins with a long, mysti- Mediterraneanmusic. He shifts from 22/16 to 15/16 as glibly as cal santur solo. (The santur, played here by Ali Koushkani, is he mixes kementchewith synthesizer.Kementche is an ancient a variety of hammereddulcimer.) Suddenly, like a wind from stringed instrument you might see in Byzantine paintings. Azerbaijan, the synthesizersblow in, and the piece turns into Imagine uncovering some archaic picture of early musicians some wild rock concert. Leigh Cline's Orient Express is playing their saz (long-neckedlute), their zils (finger cymbals), technically impeccable,and acousticallythrilling. and their tulum (double chanter bagpipe) in a high tech rock -Nomi Kaston studiowith cutting edgeelectric guitars, synthesizersand drums. Bob Stark. One Candle Burning. SRR 532. Snowy River Records,PO Box 4655, Station E, Ottawa, Ontario KIS 5H8. Bob Stark offers up eleven selections, all original, and vocalsby SusieVinnick and Meg Lunney, are highlights on this suppliesvocals and acousticguitar on this effort. Lyrics tend to journey through Mrican-influenced, folk and country melodies. be oblique, requiring explanatoryremarks for each song in the -1im Williams booklet. Fine production by Ian Tamblyn, and lovely backing Calgary, Albel1a