THE GOOD FOLK OF OTTAWA
Local acts among those honoured
DAVID FRANCEY
Who is he? A singer-songwriter, born in Scotland 62 years ago, who moved to Canada as a teenager and worked in construction until he won a Juno Award in 2002. That’s when the music-related opportunities began to outnumber the construction jobs. He and his wife, artist and bee-keeper Beth Girder, make their home near Lanark.
What did he win? His 11th album, Empty Train, earned two awards: solo artist of the year and contemporary album of the year. They are his fifth and sixth CFMAs.
Reaction?
“They’re always a surprise. I just thought since we’re nominated for two, I’d better show up. I won the first and was really happy. I kind of relaxed a bit. I was dying of thirst so I chugged three beers really quick in the break. Then the second award came up at the end and we won that.”
Why folk music?
“One of the things I said when we won one of those awards was, ‘We’re the people who chronicle our times.’ That’s our job as folksingers, and we’ve just been given an immense amount of material to work with south of the border so I can’t wait until the songs start coming out.”
KAIA KATER Who is she?
A 23-year-old Montreal-born singer-songwriter-banjo player who grew up immersed in the music business, thanks to her mom, Tamara Kater, a former NAC staffer and past director of the Ottawa Folk Festival. They lived in the Ottawa area during much of Kaia’s childhood, including five years in Wakefield. “I kinda went between seeing stuff at the Black Sheep and the NAC,” she said.
What did she win?
The CFMA for innovation in folk music, the Oliver Schroer Pushing the Boundaries Award, went to her sophomore full-length album, Nine Pin, which includes traditional and original numbers, rendered in an old-time, Appalachian style, with lyrics that don’t shy away from current socio-economic issues. It’s Kater’s first major award.
Reaction?
Kater is thrilled at the recognition, although she wasn’t able to make it to the gala because she was in Savannah, Georgia, teaching music to schoolchildren as part of the Savannah Music Festival’s Musical Explorers program. The award “is definitely capping off a really big year for the record and for my career in general,” she said.
Why folk music?
“I think the songwriter is a poet, and I think that poets are needed in these times the same as they were needed in the civil rights movement. I feel like there’s still an appreciation for good writing and good music, and the desire for human connection, and to go see live shows is still the same.”
TWIN FLAMES Who are they?
Chelsey June, a Métis singer-songwriter from Ottawa, and Jaaji, an Inuk from Quaqtaq, Nunavut, first met around a campfire in northern Quebec. Both had public service careers and played music on the side until he visited her in Ottawa. “We were just going to play some music and then we decided to spend the rest of our lives together,” said Chelsey, 30. Her fiancé is 39. A year and a half ago, they quit their jobs to pursue music full-time.
What did they win?
Their first album together, a selftitled effort, earned Twin Flames the award for aboriginal songwriters of the year.
Reaction?
“We were completely ecstatic,” Chelsey said. “We have so much respect for the other people in our category. It’s amazing to be recognized for our work and what we do. It shows people are listening, and that our messages and our music is getting across.”
Why folk music?
“Folk has been what we’ve always fit into. It just depends on what you feel in your heart. We always write songs that have meaning, and songs that people can listen to. Pop music is a bit different. It’s more about partying or being in a certain mood, not necessarily the songs that make a difference. We always try to write with messages of hope and healing. We really believe that music has this crazy power to reach people in a way that speaking doesn’t.”
SULTANS OF STRING Who are they?
A Toronto-based world beat band led by violinist Chris McKhool, who was born and raised in Ottawa.
What did they win?
The world group or artist of the year award went to the Sultans’ album, Subcontinental Drift, which features sitar master Anwar Khurshid.
Reaction?
“It was a big surprise,” McKhool said. “It was really nice for us on so many levels with this particular project because it was a collaborative project. Some of the songs are very personal for him. They’re about Anwar’s experience coming to Canada (from Pakistan) and the freedom he found here. It was such a nice moment to have him there with us.”
Why folk music?
“For many years, folk was considered a four-letter word. But it’s not a genre that’s going to go away. If anything, it’s going to keep going because the traditional music of all the people who come to Canada is folk music.”