MESSAGE FROM OUR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Peter Narvaez

The 31st Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival promises to be an amazing event. Two thematic programs will prevail. The first is our Common Ground theme “Over the Border,” which highlights the influence of American folk music genres (including blues, country, jazz, bluegrass, old timey and gospel) on the development of the folk arts both in Newfoundland and Labrador as well as Canada. Featured mainland artists whose repertoires reflect such connections will include: the Québécois band of fiddler extraordinaire, Claude Méthé and Dana Whittle, a powerful singer-rhythm guitarist, representing musical traditions from country music and ‘downeast’ New England, as well as Quebec; Dyad, a sensational trio from British Columbia who have studied Southern Appalachian instrumental and singing traditions through direct fieldwork in the region; and Little Miss Higgins, the exciting acoustic blues duo of Foy Taylor (guitar) and Miss Higgins (guitar and vocals), from Nokomis Saskatchewan, whose music reflects the vaudeville blues tradition of the blues queens. In-province representatives of US musical influence will include: Crooked Stovepipe, Newfoundland’s premier bluegrass band for over thirty years; the country influenced duo of Sherry Ryan and Mark Bragg; and soloist Sean Panting, whose well-known original songs are often indebted to rock.

The second theme focuses on the contribution of the guitar to development of musical traditions in the province. While the guitar was rarely heard in Newfoundland and Labrador until the 1940s, by now it has become an integral component of much traditional musical performance and it is the most popular musical instrument in the province. As part of this theme we are fortunate to be able to include the ‘Six String Nation Guitar’ at the Festival, a project initiated by CBC Radio's Jowi Taylor. This unique guitar has been crafted using more than eighty pieces of historically significant wood from across the country. It includes wood from Pierre Trudeau's canoe paddle, and from Paul Henderson's hockey stick, as well as wood from the lighthouse at Cape Race and labradorite from Nain. A quintessentially Canadian instrument, it will be at Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa, and other folk and community festivals this summer. This will be the guitar's first appearance in Newfoundland, and we are delighted to be involved in bringing it here.

To cap off the Festival, we're planning a special guitar session. This Main Stage performance, will feature some of the province's finest guitar players performing together, and taking turns playing the guitar. Each player may be asked to interpret a traditional Newfoundland song in their particular style. Invited performers include: Pamela Morgan, Gordon Quinton, Sandy Morris, Eric West and Jean Hewson.

Beyond these themes, the Festival will again be presenting some of the finest traditional musicians, storytellers and dancers in the province, on the Main Stage, the Neil Murray Stage, and in workshops. In part, these will include: Kelly Russell and the Planks; Richard Neville; the Ray Walsh Family; Crowd of Bold Sharemen; Andy Jones; Chelsea Parsons; and the Petty Rogues. In addition, no one will want to miss the special musical tribute to the late great Dermot O'Reilly organized by his close friend and musical colleague Fergus O'Byrne. All in all, this year's Festival is a must, so get your tickets now!