Ottawa Bluesfest boss steps in after folkfest director steps down less than a year after hire
Bluesfest head Mark Monahan is in charge of booking acts for the 18th annual folkfest after the Ottawa Folk Festival?s artistic director Dylan Griffith stepped down before Christmas.
After less than a year in the job, the Ottawa Folk Festival’s artistic director Dylan Griffith quietly stepped down before Christmas, leaving Bluesfest’s Mark Monahan in charge of booking acts for the 18th annual folkfest.
“Basically he left by mutual agreement,” Monahan said. “There were decisions he had to make and issues around the changes, and we both decided that maybe it’s better if he went.”
Griffith had a two-word response to requests for an interview: “Old news,” he wrote, declining further comment.
Following a nationwide search, Griffith, a former Whitehorse resident, was hired last January to “hipify” the struggling festival and attract new audiences. He replaced Ottawa musician/facilitator Chris White, who co-founded the festival in 1994 and helped to build it into a family-friendly, musically adventurous weekend in picturesque Britannia Park.
Griffith booked a bold lineup for last August’s event that included hip-hop veterans Arrested Development, but the festival’s main stage was rained out on the final day, sending the event deeper into debt.
Bluesfest, Ottawa’s massive summer music festival headed by Monahan, stepped in and bailed out the cash-strapped folkfest in November by providing funds to pay outstanding debts. As part of the takeover, Bluesfest replaced a handful of the folk festival’s board of directors, bringing in experienced Bluesfest board members Bob Provick, Connor Grimes and James Leal, as well as the Black Sheep Inn’s Paul Symes.
White Cloud weaves Mongolian folk with American rock
David Bohatyretz, The Epoch Times
Photo: Pam McLennan of the Epoch Times
As dusk settled on Saturday August 14, Namgar thrilled the crowd at the Ottawa Folk Festival with its amplified versions of traditional folk songs.
Namgar (“white cloud” in Tibetan) was founded in Buryatia, a republic of Russia, by Namgar Lkhasaranova, from whom the band takes its name.
Possibly among the most obscure bands to appear in festival history, Namgar was well-received in the capital city, as it was nights previous in Vancouver, where it sold the last of its CDs. For this reviewer this came as a blow, which was softened greatly however when Bulat Gafarov, the violinist, gave me his own disk, which features an intriguing blend of hand percussion, strings, and vocals.
Read the full review @ The Epoch Times online: White Cloud weaves Mongolian folk with American rock
All Aboard the Festival Express! Ottawa Folk Festival To Provide Free Shuttle Service To Britannia Park
The Ottawa Folk Festival is making it easier for music lovers to take in the upcoming 17th edition of their much-anticipated annual event by offering free transportation to and from the festival site in Britannia Park during the August 13 – 15 weekend.
The Folk Fest Shuttle will run all weekend from Café Nostalgica on the University of Ottawa campus to the Lincoln Fields bus station, and then on to the festival grounds in Britannia Park. Festival-goers can catch the shuttle starting at 4:15pm on Friday and 9:00am on Saturday and Sunday, with the last shuttle returning from the festival site to downtown at midnight on each of the three nights. There is no charge for this service.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to get to the festival without having to drive,” says Festival Director Dylan Griffith. “Our motivation is partly to work towards our goal of producing a Zero Waste festival by our 20th anniversary in 2013, but also to encourage music fans who don’t have cars or rarely leave the downtown core to check out the fest. And of course we also want to provide plenty of options for folks who like to enjoy a few beers with their music!”
In addition to the Folk Fest Shuttle, the festival site in Britannia Park is served by a number of OC Transpo routes, including routes 16, 85 and 97. The festival site is also situated on the Ottawa River bike path, and the festival offers a free and secure bike lock-up area for festival patrons. While the NCC is doing some construction work on the path near Britannia Park, it is expected that this will involve only minor detours on the route to the festival.
Finally, for those who do chose to drive, the festival offers plenty of reasonably priced on-site parking.
The Folk Fest Shuttle schedule, directions to the site, information on the Ottawa River Bike Path and links to OC Transpo routes and schedules can all be found at www.ottawafolk.org, along with festival performance schedules, artist bios and other festival information.
The 17th annual Ottawa Folk Festival takes place from August 13-15 in Britannia Park and features performances by The Jim Cuddy Band, Calexico, Arrested Development, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Jenny Whitely, The Acorn, Delhi 2 Dublin and many more. For the full line-up, schedules and other information, visit www.ottawafolk.org or call 613-230-8234.
Weekend passes tickets and individual day tickets are available on-line at www.ticketbreak.com, by phone at 1-866-9-GET-TIX or in person at the Ottawa Folklore Centre, Ten Thousand Villages Westboro and all CD Warehouse locations.
Ottawa Folk Festival takes on new challenge
Phil Ambroziak | EMC
Organizers are hoping a new take on one of the city’s most popular summer music festivals will result in a new audience while still attracting longtime traditionalists.
The Ottawa Folk Festival is scheduled for Aug. 13 to 15 at Britannia Park and, while it will still feature everything that has made it a popular event in the past, this year’s festival plans on being bigger and better than ever.
Although all acts that will be appearing at the festival have yet to be confirmed, Mr. Griffith noted that long-time fans will be pleased to see such folk music legends as Ramblin’ Jack Elliott while new groups such as Arrested Development will have a somewhat different approach in terms of lyrical content and how they connect with the audience.
“There will be new artists and new genres, but they will all have a connection to our roots in folk music,” Mr. Griffith said.
Full story on the EMC website: Ottawa Folk Festival takes on new challenge
Final Audition Winners Clarksdale Moan and The Musettes to Play Ottawa Folk Festival
The 2010 Ottawa Folk Festival Final Auditions took place on Thursday, June 10th at the Library and Archives of Canada, awarding two exceptionally talented acts Clarksdale Moan, and the Musettes with performance slots at this year’s festival.
Judges Louise and Harvey Glatt, donators of the One Fret Less Award, Kay Kanbayashi, artistic programming coordinator at the NCC, and Dean Verger, long-time proprietor of legendary folk café Rasputin’s, had the difficult task of selecting the top act in each category.
The admittedly nervous performers each put on strong, crowd-pleasing performances, making the judges’ decisions tricky to say the least. In the end two acts stood out above the rest. To Bob LeDrew, OFF board member and MC of the Final Auditions, the judges panel was not an envious place to be.
“I was really impressed with all six performances. I would not want to be a judge. There was a great diversity present in the acts in the style of music being performed from more traditional delta-blues to singer-songwriter” said LeDrew.
Winner of the youth category (aged 16-25), The Musettes won not only the coveted festival performance slot but also the Galaxie Rising Star award and a cash prize of $1000. The three charming young women that form The Musettes met at Canterbury High School, where they graduated from the vocal program. The Musettes music is a cheerful blend of harmonized vocals, ukulele, acoustic guitar and the fiddle that has been compared to The Wailin’ Jennies and The Good Lovelies. The Musettes members Laura Inostroza and Rachel Harrison beat out the other two acts in their category despite being short a member, as fiddler and vocalist Meaghan LaGrandeur was overseas doing charity work. They will use their prize money to invest in new equipment to further improve their sound. To The Musettes the big payoff is the chance to play in this year’s festival.
“It means a ton to be performing in the Ottawa Folk Festival. It’s such an opportunity to be playing with such well known performers,” said Laura Inostroza.
Open category winners (aged 26+), Clarksdale Moan took home the One Fret Less award as well as their time slot and $1000 cash prize. From Chateauguay, Quebec, Clarksdale moan is comprised of vocalist Kevin Harvey and guitarist Kenny Pauze, who together play definitive blues, complete with heart-felt vocals, slide guitar, harmonica and pounding foot stomping. A true blues act, Clarksdale Moan took their stage name from 1930’s blues band Son House’s elusive recording “Clarksdale Moan”. The duo’s emotional performance was what set them apart from the competition.
The 2010 Ottawa Folk Festival will take place August 13-15 at Britannia Park. For tickets go to www.ticketbreak.com.
Ottawa Folk Festival Announces 2010 Line-Up, Early Bird Passes Now On Sale
OTTAWA – Just two weeks remain to purchase early bird passes to what is shaping up to be one of the most exciting events in Ottawa’s busy summer festival season. Last week, the Ottawa Folk Festival unveiled this year’s initial line-up, announcing an eclectic and dynamic mix of acts that stretch and redefine the term “folk music”.
“Folk music means different thing to different people, and I think it’s part of our job to explore the parameters and push the boundaries of what’s presented within the context of folk music” says Festival Director Dylan Griffith. “I’m interested in the connections between traditions and generations, and often these are found in very unexpected places.”
One unexpected act at the festival this year will no doubt be Arrested Development, the Atlanta-based hip-hop collective that rose to prominence in the early ‘90s and has been enjoying a critical and popular resurgence of late. Fusing together elements of hip hop, gospel, jazz, blues and soul, their music offers a deep human connection through sonic celebration, while the political and social themes explored in their lyrics will resonate with a broad spectrum of festival goers.
A more traditional but no less exciting choice for the OFF is folk legend Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, who will be making his long-overdue first appearance at the festival this year. A friend of Woody Guthrie, an inspiration to Bob Dylan and a five-time Grammy winner honoured just last year for Best Traditional Blues Album of the year, Ramblin’ Jack is a true pioneer who has managed to stay relevant to successive generations over the course of his over 40+ year career.
Acclaimed American roots-rockers Calexico are set to add to the ever-growing legion of fans of their compelling hybrid of South-western musical styles and influences, a sonic jamboree that fuses elements of folk, jazz, Tejano, mariachi, Morricone, surf-rock and
country to create a truly unique sound distinguished by equal parts cinematic grandeur and stunning quiet beauty. A dynamic group not to be missed.
Closing out the festival this year will be a home-grown legend in the making – founding member of iconic Canadian alt-country group Blue Rodeo and celebrated solo artist Jim Cuddy. Having appeared at the festival in 2005, Cuddy’s reputation as one of the country’s finest song-writers and most compelling live performers has only grown in the intervening years, making his return to Britannia Park a much anticipated highlight of this year’s event.
The 17th edition of the OFF will also feature a stellar contingent of Ottawa artists, including indie-folk outfit The Acorn, hometown favourite Jim Bryson backed by Winnipeg’s The Weakerthans, and festival favourite The Mighty Popo.
International highlights at this year’s festival include the award-winning traditional Scottish folk act LAU, British punk-folk troubadour Frank Turner, Welsh guitar virtuoso Gareth Pearson and the superbly original Namgar, whose unique fusion of traditional Buryat folk music with ‘70s rock elements has led to their being dubbed “the Mongolian Jethro Tull.”
Other boundary-pushing artists sure to electrify audiences this year include other-worldly Inuit throat-singer Tanya Tagaq, taboo-busting queer folk-pop collective The Hidden Cameras and global fusion ensemble Delhi 2 Dublin.
More traditional folk festival fare will include Toronto bluegrass outfit The Foggy Hogtown Boys, politically minded singer-songwriter Jon Brooks, and Yukon “sweet dark” old time country crooner Kim Beggs.
The 17th annual Ottawa Folk Festival will take place from August 13 – 15 in Britannia Park. A three-day celebration of music, dance, visual arts and community, the OFF will feature an eclectic mix of musical performances on two evening and five daytime stages, plus participatory music workshops, wellness activities, beer gardens, artisan and craft vendors, special children’s and family performances and much, much more.
Early bird passes are available until May 31st at the Ottawa Folklore Centre, Ten Thousand Villages in Westboro, all three CD Warehouse locations, on-line at ticketbreak.com or by phone at 1-866-9-GET-TIX. Adult weekend passes are $69; youth (16-15) and seniors $39. 15 and younger get in free.
Full line-up, ticket and other information available at ottawafolk.org.
2010 Ottawa Folk Festival Line-Up:
The Acorn
Aidan Knight
Arrested Development
Bahamas
Bruce Peninsula
Calexico
Carolyn Mark and the New Best Friends
Chris MacLean
Coco Love Alcorn
Delhi 2 Dublin
The Foggy Hogtown Boys
Frank Turner
Gareth Pearson
The Hidden Cameras
Horse Feathers
Hoots & Hellmouth
Jill Zmud
Jim Bryson and the Weakerthans Band
The Jim Cuddy Band
Jon Brooks
Kim Beggs
Ladies of the Canyon
LAU
The Mighty Popo
Namgar
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
Rock Plaza Central
Tanya Tagaq
Further artists to be announced soon!
New direction for Ottawa Folk Festival
TRACEY TONG, METRO OTTAWA
Arrested Development, Calexico, and the Jim Cuddy Band are just a few of the acts headlining at the 17th annual Ottawa Folk Festival this summer.
To be held at Britannia Park from Aug. 13-15, the festival has gone in a new direction with groups like Arrested Development, festival director Dylan Griffith said yesterday.
Read more: New direction for Ottawa Folk Festival
Ottawa Folk Festival Joins Forces with the Museum of Civilization for Unplugged Earth Day Celebration, April 22
The Ottawa Folk Festival and the Canadian Museum of Civilization have teamed up to host a candlelit, acoustic Earth Day Celebration at the Museum of Civilization on April 22.
Celebrating Earth day in true eco-friendly fashion, the event will be au natural. Lighting will be provided by candle as well as energy efficient LED bulbs. Entertainment will be acoustic, and refreshments will be low-impact and locally grown. The evenings’ festivities will include intimate, “unplugged” performances from popular local artists Ana Miura with Fred Guignion, Julien Lelièvre, Jill Zmud, Michel Sauvé, and Louis-Philippe Robillard, and awesome eco-chic DIY crafts.
The Ottawa Folk Festival’s participation in the Earth Day event is a natural fit for the green-inspired Festival, the first of the Ottawa festivals to ditch wasteful plastic water bottles for lower-impact public water. The public water initiative in partnership with CUPE, CUPE 503, Ottawa Riverkeepers and Council of Canadians, had water supplied by on-site Hydration Stations which were tapped into Ottawa’s public water, an effort that had a substantially positive effect on the eco-footprint of the festival.
“The festival’s water-bottle ban was also considered a success. Stainless-steel bottles were widely available, and close to 1,000 gallons of water were dispensed at the so-called hydration stations. According to water-station attendants, more than 7,000 plastic bottles were diverted from landfill sites.” – The Ottawa Citizen
The festival also was able to purchase reusable plates, bowls, cups and cutlery to serve the 600+ volunteers as well as the public throughout the festival weekend; made possible by the TD Friends of the Environment Fund.
This year’s festival will see the continuation of the bottle-free initiative and its resourceful, impact-reducing results.
With free admission to the Earth Day celebration, participants can enjoy the cozy atmosphere and music performances while taking part in eco-friendly arts and crafts with all supplies provided. Locally produced refreshments can be purchased from the cash bar.
The Earth Day Celebration will take place at the Ottawa Museum of Civilization in the Grand Hall and Riverview Lobby at Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 7pm. Admission, musical performances, and eco-crafts are free.
Award-winning Folk Rocker Timber Timbre Takes the Stage in Ottawa, April 30
The Ottawa Folk Festival is thrilled to present critically-acclaimed folk rock act Timber Timbre with opening act ferriswheel live on stage at the First Baptist Church April 30, 2010.
Timber Timbre, project of core member Taylor Kirk, has garnered praise from fans and critics alike. The power and distinctiveness of Kirk’s voice is the driving force of Timber Timbre and it is this power that stops people in their tracks upon hearing his music.
“His spare arrangements left notes and words lingering in the shadows, openly exposed to the listener, but he was able to add bursts of horns and execute tempo changes that hid the fragility of the songs at just the right moments. Basically he was the type of artist that could be playing alone in a bar and stop you dead in your tracks.” Herohill.com
The self-titled third album is suggested to be “the perfect soundtrack for burying someone alive” Adrian Pratt, Exclaim.ca. A combination of Kirk’s dusty voice, haunting lyrics, and understated guitar provides a bold, authentic experience that lingers with the listener. The sophistication of the latest album marks a natural progression for the act.
The album was released on Toronto-based Out of This Spark label in January 2009 and was awarded Eye Weekly’s “Album of the Year”. They have since signed on with Canadian label Arts & Crafts and released the album internationally.
With a rapidly growing fan base and the recognition of his raw, unique talent things are heating up for Timber Timbre. The Ottawa show is a one-night stop and a recent addition to the already hectic touring schedule which takes them overseas, performing their first European dates.
Opening for Timber Timbre will be ferriswheel, the instrumental project by pianist Mathieu Charbonneau (Torngat, The Luyas) and Timber Timbre guitarist Simon Trottier. Their sound, a rare blend of folk, indie rock and classical piano, will be a unique treat for those who come out to see the Timber Timbre show Friday night.
Timber Timbre will be performing at the First Baptist Church on Friday, April 30, 2010 at 8pm. Tickets are $17 in advance or $20 at the door and are available through the Ottawa Folk Festival Office, Ottawa Folklore Centre, CD Warehouse and Vertigo Records.
Singer Ana Miura reconciles with her musical muse: Folk festival’s new go-to woman content with her life
Lynn Saxberg, The Ottawa Citizen
Overall, Miura says it’s a happier album than her previous one. It will be released Sunday during a concert in the Acoustic Waves series at Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre. The series, in collaboration with the Great Canadian Theatre Company, is a fundraiser for the folk festival.
“It shows the departure I feel from more melancholy songs to stuff that’s a little more happy, cheery,” Miura says of the new CD.
Full article: Singer Ana Miura reconciles with her musical muse
