A strong aboriginal presence at the Roots and Blues Festival has been on artistic director Peter North’s wish list for some time.
This year, he finally managed to book enough artists to fulfill his wish.
Digging Roots will be the foundation of a thematic show based on Native North America (Vol. 1): Aboriginal Folk, Rock, and Country 1966-1985, a two-CD boxed set released in 2014.
“It’s all great roots, folk and blues recorded between 1966 and 1985 – all really good songs,” says North of the 34-track anthology of music that was once nearly extinct and off-the-grid.
“Indigenous groups will mine the music in the set and present it at the festival as a historical document,” he says. “It’s not that they haven’t been making awesome music for decades – Mack MacKenzie from Montreal’s Three O’clock Train was one of the best root rock bands I ever heard.”
North says there will be a strong slate of artists who will perform in “a really big show,” as well as doing their own thing in concerts and workshops, providing a very strong component of Canadian world music.
Coming back to the festival for the third time, Delhi 2 Dublin will rock the stage wherever they perform.
Delhi 2 Dublin started as a unique musical project, inspired by the music of Cheb i Sabbah, Afro-Celt Soundsystem, Transglobal Underground and Dhamaal Soundsystem.
This exciting musical collective has drawn a phenomenal response for their multi-dimensional mix, and have rapidly built a name for their infectious rhythms and uplifting live performances.
The five world-fusion artists, blend traditional folk melodies of North India and Ireland with cutting-edge dance rhythms. Their electro-acoustic collaborations include amazing vocals and instrumental excellence paired with great audience interaction.
The project fuses the traditional sounds of tabla, dhol, fiddle, and sitar to create a highly charged multi-cultural dance celebration.
With their combined experience and musical talent, Delhi 2 Dublin continues to attract new fans wherever their music travels.
“I saw them last summer at the Hinton Wild Mountain Music Festival and they absolutely stole the weekend,” North says.
Aware the loonie might drop in value, North began working through the Canadian roots and blues field last fall, booking acts before they were committed elsewhere. He is looking at U.S. bands with the intention of bringing solo members to play with other groups.
Pleased with how the festival is shaping up, North says Roxy Roth has signed on to make off-stage entertainment an even bigger project this year.
Ticket sales are going well and website traffic is stronger than ever.
The Folk Music Society meeting takes place tonight, Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. in the community room at Askew’s Uptown.
