Canada's Music: Two Rising Stars to Discover

Two Canadian musicians in their twenties who draw on Celtic tradition while bringing in their own interests and experiences…

Image by Stephen Cruickshank from Pixabay

Morgan Toney is a fiddler, singer, and songwriter. A member of Wagmatcook First Nation, he grew up singing traditional songs of the Mi’kmaq people, accompany himself on the drum. In his teens, Morgan took up the fiddle. He found two separate audiences for his music performances: one for traditional song, a different one for fiddle music. While he was at Cape Breton University studying music, he thought: what if I put the two together? What is I tried playing fiddle music with traditipnal song? He did that. It worked, for Morgan as a creator and performer, and for those who came to hear him, both First Nations audiences and other.

Morgan’s mother had often had Cape Breton music playing – Buddy MacMaster, Natalie MacMaster, Ashley MacIsaac, and others like those top class players. That’s the kind of fiddle music Morgan drew on when he began playing the fiddle and when he began connecting fiddle playing with Mi'kmaq song.

With his friend Keith Mullins, a multi intrumentalist and producer, he worked on tradtional songs and worked on writing his own as well. They created a music that they call Mi’kmaltic.

Morgan has won two Juno awards so far, and gaiend other recognitions for his ideas in music, and his ideas about connections among communites, Indigenous and beyond.

There's connection to Cape Breton in the life and music of Mary Frances, too. She grew up in Ontarion, though, where she was exposed to and learned Scottish, Irish, Cape Breton, and Ontario fiddle and and folk music.

That came naturally, you could say: her paretns are Natali MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, both award winninf fiddle players who make their livings with their music.

It hasn't been expected for the kids to perform or join their parents on stage while growing up, but they have-- because they wanted to. Donnell has made a sports analogy, saying that as in sports, with music you practice and you practice and then you want to get into the game. Performing on stage, for an audience, finding out what that's like, is getting into the game in music.

It's not expected that Natalie and Donnell's children (Mary Frances is the eldest of seven) will choose music as a profession. It's just part of their family life, and of their education.

Mary Frances, thought, has decided on music as her profession. She comes to that with that performing experience, more than six hundred show, she estimates, with her parents and a spart of the family band with ther sibings, esepecially at their Christmas season cocnerts. She also knows the ups and downs of touring, and has kad a good bit of expereince recording too.

Mary Frances used her time during the pandemic tp focus on writing music, and also learning about recording, as her parents decided to build a recording studio at their home so they could coninute their own work.

Mary Frances is grounded in the Cape Breton and Celtic music styles she knows well. She has also found other influences drawing her in especially Latin and jazz, and at time other strands that have crossed her path as she and her parents and siblings have traveled and met other styles of music.

Mary Frances has released one album thus far, of all original fiddle music.

You may als like to see

A story about Natalie and Donnell's album Canvas, which include two tunes written by Mary Frances and some of her playing as well

Another fiddle player whose work you will wante to know Hanneke Cassel That link take you to a story about an earlier album of Hanneke's, and here's a piece about a more recent one

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Fiddle Players: 3 to discover +bonus ideas

Fast paced dance tunes, quiet slow airs, thoughtful backing of singers, classical orchestras and string quartets, bluegrass bands and ceilidh bands: fiddle players show up in all these, other places too. Whatever your choice of style, spring and summer make especially good times to hear the fiddle. Many festivals are underway or upcoming.

In mid May each year World Fiddle Day is on the calendar, too, to remind about exploring the creativity to be found in the work of fiddlers. And violinists. It's the same instrument,

Ideas to get you started on that exploring, some players you may know and some artists who may be new to you.

Alasdair Fraser, from Scotland, began his career as a scientist. That career took him to California. One day, as he found himself writing out a fiddle tune when he was meant to be focusing on his science work, he realized what he really wanted was to play the fiddle, compose tunes, and share with others his joy in music.

These days, Alasdair does all those things, through a range of musical experiences and partnerships, and as founder and instructor at several top class fiddle camps..

One of his musical partnerships is with cellist Natalie Haas. They've appeared all over the world, and though they've recently announced that they will be working on individual projects going forward, they've made many fine albums still to be enjoyed.

There's a bit more to the the ongoing fiddle story for each of them too: Alasdair's son, Galen, plays in the duo San Miguel Fraser with his wife Maria San Miguel,. Natalie's sister, Brittany Haas, is part of the band Hawktail, and plays with other bluegrass and Americana groups and artists including the Punch Brothers, Crooked Still, and Carrie Newcomer.

Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh grew up in and Irish speaking area of Donegal in Ireland's northwest. Mairead learned fiddle early, and trained as a teacher, thinking that she and her husband, flute player Frankie Kennedy, would teach through the school years and in summers follow their love of playing music.

Call of music proved too strong though -- and also, they were really good at it.

Mairead on fiddle (she is a singer and composer too) and Frankie on flute formed the band Altan with several friends.

Band members came and went, Frankie took ill and passed on at a young age. Mairead, though, is still one of Ireland's top fiddle players and composers, leading the band Altan in sharing Donegal music across the world, and working on other projects, including String Sisters, T with the Maggies, and teaching lessons over the internet. Mairead's daughter Nia Byrne, herself a fine fiddle player, sometimes plays with Altan. >Hanneke Cassel is based in Massachusetts in the US. Her music is grounded in the sounds of Scotland (she's studied and taught there) and Cape Breton, with now and then hints of her US background and of other places she's traveled as well.

There are so many great fiddlers, from Ireland, Scotland, Cape Breton, the US who work in Celtic styles. If this sort of music is new to you, the work of the artists named above is a great place to started exploring. You will find more in the archives here, and I'll have more to share in future too

You might also enjoy learning about these players
John McCusker: Best of
Nicola Benedetti: Homecoming
Cape Breton Music: essentials for exploring

To support my work here at Music Road, here's a way to chip in at Papypal

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Straw Against the Chill

Straw Against the chill: that is an image of winter, certainly, and perhaps, an idea of hope and future.

It is also the title Bob Franke chose for his story of winter an the Christmas season,

Kathy Mattea sings it here.

Among those who join her are her longtime musical collaborator Bill Cooley, and guest Joanie Madden of Cherish the ladies who adds whistles to the story Kathy sings.

Whether the Christmas is a season you celebrate or not, I think you will find ideas of human connection, of the quieter times of winter, and of the power of story and song as you listen.

May it be good companion to you through Advent, Christmas, and at the eyar’s turning.

You may also wish to see
Music for the peace of winter over at Wandering Educators, where this song is set in contect with others
A reflective winter song from Cara Dillon
About the album Calling Me Home from Kathy Mattea

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Advent: a song for reflection and a song for dancing

Advent.

It is a season of preparation, reflection, looking forward to Christmas and back at the year drawing to a close.

Perhaps Christmas and Advent are not of your faith or on your calendar of seasons.

Still it is a time of that invites reflection, that holds both solitude and connection.

Music is good companion to those different aspects of the season.

With that in mind, as Advent begins, a song for reflecting and a song for dancing, too.

The first day of Advent this year is also Saint Andrew;s Day. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, so it seems only right to begin with a song from one of Scotland’s top musicians.

Emily Smith comes from Dumfries and Galloway in the southwest of Scotland. A few years back, she found herself snowed in at her home.

During that time she wrote Winter Song, which considers the quiet of that deep snow covered landscape and the passage of winter days and nights into the New Year.

Celebrating and being with others is a part fo the preparation and celebration of Advent too.

That’s something Suzy Bogguss and her husband Doug Crider took inot full account when they were writing the song Two Step Round the Christmas Tree. Whether or not Christmas is your holiday or not, whether there’s a Christmas tree about or not, if you know how to dance the two step well or never heard of it, you will be drawn into the lively spirit of the song. Likely you will find yourself joining in on the singing of it, and perhaps dancing as well.

Quiet reflection, lively dance steps: both are good ways to begin and to refresh spirits as Advent begins.

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Also...

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You might also like to see
Another song of the season, about preparation, and a cat
Music for Starry Winter Nights, at Wandering Educators
About One More Christmas, from Christine Albert and Chris Gage. RIP this Chritmas, Chris.

Celtic Colours and Catching Up

It has been a bit quiet here. With all the noise going on in the world perhaps that’s been needed.

Time for a bit of catching up though. I do have great music coming up to write about for you here and in other places.

Right now, though: if you are new here, welcome. If you are regular reader, thanks for sticking with me. Music Road turned nineteen this past summer.

First, you’ll want to know about great concnerts you can tune in to live this week (10-18 October) or watch on replas through 31 October.

These are happening at the Celtic Colours International Festival on Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. Lots of Cape Bretoners, of course, and artists from Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the US, England, and many places across Canada also.

Next, a few greatest hits and stories you may have missed here at Music Road, followed by news of and several links to other related projects.

Spell Songs II: Let the Light In
Irish music, Irish landscape
Cathie Ryan: Through Wind and Rain
Music and Mystery: Carrie Newcomer

Over at Substack, I’ve begun a newsletter. It’s called Along the Music Road. Different or additional perspectives on artists you’ve met here and others you’ve yet to meet here, along with other related stories. There are subscriptions at no cost and paid ones if you’d care to support my work (hint: you can subscribe for as long or as short a term as you’d like) and you can also follow if you do not wish to subscribe.

Sunday Sessions: Traverse
Sunday Sessions: a song about hanging in through hard times
Songs of Protest, part 4: Onward

At Wandering Educators, I write a once a month (usually third Monday of the month, though this can vary slightly) series called Music for Shifting Times.

Music for Autumn's Connections, from an earlier autumn
The backstory of the series, along with links to all episodes, oldest first -- scroll all the way fown the page for the most recent

I’ve also several other sorts of stories in the archive at Wandering Educators, among them an interview with Rosanne Cash, a look at the story of Putumayp World Music, and a conversation with Scottish fiddle player and composer Sarah-Jane Summers.

At Perceptive Travel I write three stories a month, usually.
Travel as seen through music, history, and the arts, most often.

A preview story about this year’s Celtic Colours Festival
Passim: Music and History on Harvard Square
Glasgow in Six Statues
Northern Ireland: 4 Songs to Help You Understand

I hope you will enjoy exploring the archives here and learning about these others projects. Thank you for being here. Whether you are new to Music Raod or a long time reader, I invite you to stay tuned as explorations continue.

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Scotland's music: John McCusker --The Best Of

John McCusker: perhaps you’ve seen him play his fiddle on stage backing up folk singer songwriter Eddi Reader or rocker Mark Knopfler.

Could be if you follow Scotland’s music, you may recall his longtime stint as a member of the Battlefield Band as is career began, or his continuing presence as part of the ’hoose band’ backing musicians at Transatlantic Sessions at the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow and on the road.

McCusker is in demand as a producer and composer as well. He’s worked with Roddy Woomble, Eddo Reader, Heidie Talbot, Cathie Ryan, and others as producer and composed music for soundtracks for Heartlands and for Billy Connolly’s Tour of New Zealand, among other projects.

John has composed tunes for his own recordings as well. Among those recordings are Goodnight Ginger and Hello Goodbye.

Thinking about all these experiences and aspects of his work went into John’s thinking as he chose tracks for the recording John McCusker -- The Best Of.

It’s an interesting journey. There are tunes and songs, four newly composed pieces along with well known favorites and lesser known pieces, all sorts of collaborations alongside solo work.

There’s a lot to listen to and take in, to be sure. If you do not know John’s work, taking the tracks as he’s set them out will serve you well. Seeking out pieces which included your favorite guest artists is also a worth while way to begin.

That said, I’ll point out the sets Brian’s Jigs and Sadenia’s Air/Baron’s Air (Eddo Reader guests on that) as two varied ways to enjoy waht John does. ‘s Tusa Thilleas with Julie Fowlis is another to look out for, as is The Wishing Tree Set from the trio of McGoldrick, McCusker, Doyle. Listen out for the solo track Leaving Friday harbour, too.

There’s a lot more to explore of John McCusker’s work on this recording and in his other work.

I was fortunate to attend the release cocnert for this recording in Glasgow. It both was amd was not as expected. Was: a lot of great music, many guest musicians who appeared on the recording joined in. Was not: didn’t follow the list of tunes that appeared on the album at all -- which you’d rather expect of John anyway, in truth.

Some pieces from the recording, to be sure, but favostures from the guests. John persuaded Eddi Reader to sing her classic hit Perfect, for instance, with everybody on stage at City Halls and most in audience joining in.

It turned out to be a fine celebration of music, creativity, talent, and friendship.

You could say that of the album John McCusker: The Best Of-- as well.

You may also like to know that there’s a book called John McCusker: The Collection which includes 100 of John’s tunes.

Photographs by Kerry Dexter. made with permission of the artist and the venue. Thank you for respecting copyright.

You may also enjoy

A story about a song from Eddi Reader
Another fiddle player to know
More music from Scotland to explore

Your support is welcome, and needed, as Music Road is a reader supported publication. Thank you for considering...

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Eight Songwriters and a Scientist: The Darwin Song Project

Eight somgwriters were invited to take on a creative challenge...

When you think of Charles Darwin — should you think of him at all — you might call up images of the tropics in the Galapagos Islands, or the harsh climate of Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America, or possibly monkeys and courtrooms in Tennessee.

All of those have connections with the nineteenth century scientist, but with the exception of five years spent voyaging around the world on the HMS Beagle, Darwin spent most of his life and did most of his groundbreaking thinking and writing at home in rural Shropshire, in the English midlands, not far from the border between England and Wales.

It was there that eight songwriters gathered, in a farm house that was already old in Darwin’s time, to create a group of songs to mark the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth.

That in itself would have been challenging enough. Added in to The Darwin Song Project: although each musician was an accomplished writer and performer in the folk music world, for the most part they did not know each other at all.

In addition, they’d have to perform the songs at an already sold out concert at the end of the week they’d spend together, a concert which would be recorded for an album and taped for a program to be broadcast on the BBC.

A full set of challenges, then...

It seems only right that the song they decided on to open the concert and the recording was called Trust in the Rolling Ocean. It finds Darwin jumping head first into voyages to unknown lands.

That song was a collaboration among four of the writers, Karine Polwart, from Scotland, and Jez Lowe, Rachael McShane, and Stu Hanna, all from England.

Many of songs the group created are collaborations, while a a few, such as American Krista Detor’s meditation on time, change, and mystery called Clock of the World, were written by a single artist.

The flourishing strangeness and attraction of tropical lands comes up in another song, Turtle Soup. Darwin is on the run in the western outlaw style ballad We’ll Hunt Him Down, and From Miss Emma Brawley finds an indignant woman setting Darwin straight on man and monkeys.

Deep questions of faith, family, and facing change come into play beyond the science and the controversy, as well.

Mother of Mysteries, written by American Mark Erelli along with Karine Polwart, puts Darwin the questioner front and center. Erelli has a master’s degree in evolutionary biology, “but I felt that stuff was tangential to any songs we were going to write. It was really more about the man than the theory,” he said.

That’s a conclusion to which all of the artists came, although they each did differing sorts of research while preparing for the project.

“I wasn’t too bothered by the science side of things,” Emily Smith said. “I don’t grapple with evolution, it’s not really bothered me about where we come from or how old we are and what not.”

Smith, from Scotland, mixes both traditional material from Scotland and her own original songs in her work. “I was much more drawn to his personal life,” she said, “and his relationship with Emma and the children.”

Darwin and his wife Emma shared a deep love, and deep differences over ideas of faith.

Smith, along with Stu Hanna and Jez Lowe, get to the heart of that elegantly yet directly in Save a Place :

Farewell my love

Close though you be

Your mind is many many miles away

From your children and me

The world you spent traveling is here

at your feet:

Is there a way to make it all complete?

At the end of the week, all the songs, styles of collaboration and co writing, and differing voices and instruments came together for the live concert, and live recording at Theatre Severn, in Shrewsbury.

“The stage was brand new, too, and the day we had the concert, the theatre staff, the sound guys, us, the music — everybody was literally finding their feet everywhere, “ Smith recalled.

“There was such potential for things to go wrong, but I think there was such huge hope in all our hearts for things to go smoothly — and I’m still amazed at how good the recording sounds. If we’d gone into a studio, you wouldn’t have gotten that energy to it.”

A fine energy, indeed, excellent leads, creative backing vocals and instrumentation, and a range of thought provoking songs which reach beyond the specific details from which they arose.

Whether science, family, history, or creativity is your focus, the songs these musicians created for The Darwin Song Project will make good companions.

Another version of this story first appeared at Perceptive Travel. It is no longer available so it seemed a good time to bring The Darwin Song Project here, especially as you’ll find other stories about several of these artists here at Music Road.

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