Scottish fiddle player Doug Dorward first moved to Newfoundland from Scotland in 2014. His 2016 debut album “Waves”, recorded with the help of many familiar faces of the St. John’s folk scene, blended the traditional tunes of Scotland and Newfoundland and was nominated for ECMA traditional instrumental recording of the year. Having lived in Ontario for the last 6 years, Doug has recently moved back to Newfoundland. For his first performance back in St. John’s, Doug will be joined by Andrew Dale.
Expect an evening of fiddle tunes from several regions and centuries of the Scottish tradition, tunes from Newfoundland, and brief visits to Cape Breton and Quebec.
Photo credit: Marc Serge
Daniel Champagne lives and breathes live music. The Australian virtuoso has been described as “the finest guitar player of this generation”, “a leading light in acoustic music” and “a performer that must be seen to be believed” and from March to June 2024, music lovers across Canada will be treated to an intimate live experience not to be missed!
Growing up in the Bega Valley, on the Far South Coast of New South Wales Australia, the story goes that the young singer-songwriter and one of a kind guitar virtuoso first picked up his instrument of choice as a 5-year-old following in the footsteps of a musical father. He began writing songs at 12, training classically throughout his teens and performing wherever he could, honing his craft and developing the dynamite live show that he is renowned for today. At 18 he finished school, turned professional and hit the road without looking back.
The following 15 years have seen him independently release 7 studio albums, tour relentlessly around the globe, play some of the biggest festivals under the sun and share stages with the likes of Tommy Emmanuel, INXS, John Butler, Lucinda Williams, Ani DiFranco, Judy Collins and Rodrigo y Gabriela.
Playing upwards of 250 shows a year, Daniel is passionate about spreading live music around the world and on the back of a sold out 2022 tour tour, his return trip will include 56 shows from Vancouver Island all the way out to Newfoundland!
WHAT THE PRESS SAY..
“The word Prodigy seems to entirely fall short of this soft-spoken young man’s skills, he coaxes sounds and melodies out of his instrument that literally drop jaws.” The Calgary Herald, CANADA
“Today I saw the future of Folk – Festival goers flocking in the thousands towards the main stage to witness a young musical phenomenon from Australia dish out an absolute show-stopper.” The Firefly Column, USA
“Daniel Champagne is a crossroads. Fusing the strong traditions of Blues, Folk and other roots art with pop showmanship and admirable lyrical ability. I firmly believe that he will become an ambassador for roots music in a time where it desperately needs representation.” The Indie Blender, CANADA
“reinventing roots guitar” Rhythms Magazine, AUSTRALIA
“Watching Daniel Champagne perform is a once in a lifetime experience. He is a true prodigy that plays like no one else could possibly play unless they spent at least two lifetimes studying the art.” BW Review, NEW ZEALAND
“Daniel Champagne exudes a natural ease on stage, as he sings poignant lyrics and beautifully crafted melodies that invariably whisk the heart up with grand romanticism. Coupled with an exhilarating guitar talent that transcends mere acoustic playing to replicate a whole band, Champagne is just magical” Themusic.com.au, AUSTRALIA
“You feel as if he just invented the instrument yesterday and was discovering its possibilities afresh” Ted Gioia (American jazz critic and music historian)
Dolya (meaning “fate” in English) is the first Ukrainian folk dance Company of Newfoundland and Labrador. We have come together to build a Ukrainian Dance base for newcomer Ukrainians, Canadians of Ukrainian descent, and all in St. John’s who are interested in learning about and participating in this dance genre. Formed in September 2022 by just 4 dancers, Dolya is currently comprised of 14 dancers. Our goal is to promote and develop Ukrainian folk and Cossack stage dance and to popularize it in our beautiful province and beyond. The current repertoire of Dolya encompasses 2 folk dances, the 1st being a Ukrainian cossack (“kozak” in Ukrainian) number entitled “Kubansky Tanok”, and the 2nd being an excerpt from the most celebrated Ukrainian social genre dance “Hopak”. The music for the 2 traditional Ukrainian folk dances was arranged, performed and recorded by musician and composer Myroslav Gutej from Perth, Australia. Our greatest need is to fundraise and develop our costumes (Ukrainian national dress) for performances. Our current folk costumes are “on loan” from the Suzirya Ukrainian Dance Theatre of Calgary, who have kindly supported the efforts of the Dolya dancers in St. John’s to perform on stage, so they can effectively fundraise to make their own. The cloth, materials used and the embroidery required is very detailed, the maiden floral head-dresses, necklaces, and the red boots and ribbons all contribute to the wonder of a Ukrainian dance performance, and the Dolya dancers are keen to replicate that for our St. John’s audiences.
Formed by singers and multi-instrumentalists Pierre-Luc Dupuis, Éric Beaudry and David Boulanger, De Temps Antan provide a surprising – and surprisingly exploratory – experience, rooted in time and memory. “…there is no better group to apply this magical tonic than the Quebecois power trio known as De Temps Antan” University of Dayton Arts Series, USA In 16 years, De Temps Antan has performed over 1000 concerts in 18 countries (North America, Europe, Russia, Malaysia), produced four critically acclaimed albums ( Traditional Album of the Year in 2014 ( Ce monde ici-bas) & 2018 (Notre album SOLO) at ADISQ,nominations for the Canadian Folk Music Awards etc.) and produced several important professional showcases including APAP 21, Folk Unlocked 21, RIDEAU 2019, FOLK ALLIANCE 2019, BABEL MED, WOMEX and the PAY. The trio of virtuosos is taking trad music to the next level with their fifth album Pesant, to be released in the fall of 2021. An ambassador for traditional Quebec music, the group enjoys an enviable international reputation. Accessible and dynamic, the trio’s music brings people together. Folk fans will find something to their liking, as will those looking for a festive atmosphere, as well as fans of francophone music.
Dan started out at CBTG’s hosting Tuesday’s with Mast & DT in 2007. She has been booking and promoting alternative rock and folk shows for 16 years, creating a positive performance space and opportunities for queer and other outsider artists. She released her first solo album Horses with Lasers in 2009. Dan has completed several solo and band tours across Canada. She is currently part of the group Sweet Baby Angels and is in the process of releasing an album in the new year.
Doug Dorward is a fiddle player from Dundee, Scotland. He grew up playing music with family and friends, and spent many summers immersed in Scottish music at Alasdair Fraser’s fiddle camps on the Isle of Skye and in California.
Doug moved to St. John’s in 2014. Inspired by the local traditional music scene, the tunes of Newfoundland and Labrador quickly entered his repertoire and developed his distinct voice on the fiddle.
In 2016, Doug recorded his debut album Waves. Featuring a stellar lineup of Newfoundland traditional musicians and produced by Aaron Collis (The Dardanelles, Rum Ragged), the album combines the traditional music of Scotland and Newfoundland and Labrador. Waves was nominated for “Traditional Instrumental Recording of the Year” at the East Coast Music Awards and for three MusicNL awards in 2017.
The Doug Dorward Collective is a one-time gathering of musicians for this year’s Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival. Don’t miss this unique blend of Scottish and Newfoundland fiddle music!
Andy Chatham and Kris Morey aren’t from Newfoundland and Labrador, but they are often mistaken for it. Both their fathers were born there and ended up on the mainland married to New Brunswick girls. Their lifelong interest in the time-honoured tunes of the East Coast, along with their love of the Maritime JamBand scene led to Dram & A Draw, where the button accordion and the acoustic guitar are brought together in a traditional, yet modern way.
Upbeat, infectious melodies combine with interwoven vocal harmonies overtop a deep bass and a powerful stomp to create a rich, full, and exciting sound. Classic Celtic tunes are reimagined for today and original songs are crafted in the old style. Dram & A Draw is a modern East Coast Kitchen Party that’ll get you up on your feet and dancing with the crowd!
