Episode 69: Esko Järvelä

Finnish fiddle powerhouse and founding member of the band Frigg, Esko Järvelä shares his journey from growing up in one of the most musical families in Finland to touring the world with Frigg, Baltic Crossing and Tsuumi Sound System. Along the way he explores the relationship between music for traditional folk dancing and music for the concert and festival stage and how some of his projects made that jump.

The opening tune of the episode is Marjaanan Viljamin siliavalssi (a trad tune from Kaustinen) and the closing tune is Engelska efter Vifast Björklund (Vifast was born in Finland but lived his life in northern Sweden in the river valley between Sweden & Finland).

Some links to more info about what Esko talks about in the episode:

Esko’s page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/esjarvel/

Frigg: https://frigg.fi/

Baltic Crossing on Bandcamp: https://balticcrossing.bandcamp.com/

Tsuumi Sound System: https://www.tsuumisoundsystem.fi/

JPP: https://www.thejpp.fi/

Information about the Finnish Kantele: https://centerforworldmusic.org/2017/10/kantele/

Episode 68: Cameron DeWhitt (Crossover with Get Up In The Cool)

In November 2023 Neil sat down with Cameron DeWhitt in Portland, Oregon to tape a crossover episode of TradCafe and Get Up In The Cool. Cameron is one of the top clawhammer banjo players in Old-Time music today who plays with Tall Poppy String Band and hosts the Get Up In The Cool podcast, which has a similar style to TradCafe but with a more specific focus on Old-Time music. Cameron and Neil traded off being hosts and interviewers for this episode and had a lot of laughs and tunes along the way. Listen in to hear some of Cameron’s musical journey and Neil’s too! Check out the links below to see more of what Cameron is up to and to listen to more of Get Up In The Cool:

camerondewhitt.com

getupinthecool.fireside.fm

tallpoppystringband.com

Episode 67: Caitlin Warbelow

Fiddler, organizer, teacher and co-founder of Tune Supply-- you never know what Caitlin Warbelow will be up to next! In this episode Caitlin shares her unique musical journey growing up in Alaska before moving to New York. She talks about her relationship to music as a means of survival and shares some of the stories behind joining the broadway production of Come From Away and starting up the website Tune Supply to help traditional musicians during the pandemic lockdowns.

Caitlin’s Website: www.caitlinwarbelow.com

Tune Supply: tune.supply

Caitlin’s Album: warbelowrange.bandcamp.com

Caitlin on FB: www.facebook.com/caitlinwarbelowmusic

Episode 66: Sam Sadigursky and Nathan Koci

In a special edition of TradCafe Neil sits down with Sam Sadigursky and Nathan Koci to talk about their recent triple album release The Solomon Diaries and how their musical lives have let up to this collaboration. Featuring some clips from the new project as well as the usual live music collaborations.

https://samsadigursky.com/

https://www.nathankoci.com/

Marissa Scheinfeld’s Borscht Belt Photos: http://www.borschtbeltrevisited.com/

Check out the Solomon Diaries at bandcamp:

https://samsadigursky.bandcamp.com/album/the-solomon-diaries-vol-i

https://samsadigursky.bandcamp.com/album/the-solomon-diaries-vol-ii

https://samsadigursky.bandcamp.com/album/the-solomon-diaries-vol-iii

The first time Sam and Nathan played together!

Episode 65: Maddie Witler

One of the top mandolinists working today, Maddie Witler joins Neil for a conversation about music making, creativity and her experiences working in the bands Della Mae and The Lonely Heart String Band.

https://maddiewitler.com/

https://www.dellamae.com/

Episode 64: Becky Tracy

Iconic New England fiddler Becky Tracy shares her journey through fiddling and folk dancing including her years as a core member of two of the most important bands in New England traditional music, Nightingale and Wild Asparagus. She now plays regularly with Rachel Bell in Eloise and Co. in addition to continuing to tour with Wild Asparagus and teaching/playing at music and dance camps around the US and beyond.

Becky and Keith’s primary online home: blackislemusic.com
For info on Eloise and Co.: rachelbellmusic.com/bands
Wild Asparagus: wildasparagus.com

Golden on Bandcamp: beckytracyandkeithmurphy.bandcamp.com/album/golden

Episode 63: Joe K. Walsh

Mandolinist Joe K. Walsh joins Neil to share thoughts and stories on community, identity and artistry in the bluegrass and new acoustic music worlds. The conversation ranges from growing up in the midwest, starting the band Joy Kills Sorrow, playing with the Gibson Brothers, Joe’s long friendship and musical relationship with Darol Anger and more. This is a unique episode in that it was recorded during the height of quarantine running long cables between Neil’s apartment downstairs and Joe’s apartment upstairs.

Opening music: Seneca Square Dance

Closing music: Verona (by Bill Frisell)

Links:

Joe’s Website: http://joekwalsh.com/

Mr. Sun: http://www.mrsunband.com/

Bluegrass and the Abstract Truth on Bandcamp: https://garrisongordyhargreaveswalsh.bandcamp.com/album/bluegrass-and-the-abstract-truth

Episode 62: Alasdair White

Alasdair White kicks off the new season with a wide ranging conversation about growing up on the Isle of Lewis, touring the world with the Battlefield Band, developing his unique fiddle style and more!

Opening Tunes: Keep the Country Bonnie Lassie, The White Houses of Shieldaig, Oran an Teine (Song of the Fire), Doctor MacPhail's Reel

Closing Tunes: Trip to Jordan Jig and Trip to Jordan Reel by Alasdair White

Alasdair's website: www.alasdairwhite.com

Albums on Bandcamp:

Solo Fiddle: https://katzandwhite.bandcamp.com/album/still-life

Fiddle and Pipes: https://katzandwhite.bandcamp.com/album/best-sets

James MacKenzie: https://jamesduncanmackenzie.bandcamp.com/album/f-bhig

Dàimh: https://daimh.bandcamp.com/

Episode 61: Natalie MacMaster

The one and only Natalie MacMaster shares insights from her remarkable journey. From first learning how to open up to an audience to touring the world to raising a musical family, listen in as she shares why music is still such a central part of her life.

More info: www.natalieanddonnell.com

Cape Breton Fiddlers Natalie mentions listening to: Buddy MacMaster, Arthur Muise, Jerry Holland, John Morris Rankin

Episode 60: Anna Massie

Brilliant Scottish multi-instrumentalist Anna Massie sits down with Neil in the middle of Celtic Connections to share her story growing up with traditional music in Scotland. Along the way she shares some of her strongest musical influences and tells the story of how she started playing with Blazin' Fiddles.

Anna’s website: www.annamassie.com

Blazin’ Fiddles: blazinfiddles.com

Rant: www.rantfiddles.com

Mairearad and Anna: www.mairearadandanna.com

Episode 59: Mark Hellenberg (Pokey)

This episode features a legendary innovator in the world of contradance music. Mark Hellenberg is known for pushing the envelope with the role of percussion in this traditional music and dance scene and over the years he has worked with many of the top bands driving dance halls around the US. In this conversation he chats with Neil about his journey, variety of musical tastes and his perspective on experimenting without destroying the core traditional feel. 

Tunes in this episode: Sweet Sue (opening) and Irishman's Heart to the Ladies (closing)

Pokey’s fan page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/191917007525334/

Some Bands Pokey plays with:

Wild Asparagus - http://band.wildasparagus.com/

Notorious

The String Rays - https://stringraysmusic.com/

Riptide - https://riptidedanceband.com/

Episode 58: Jani Lang

Janos (Jani) Lang is a Hungarian fiddler living in Glasgow and in this episode he shares a unique story of moving to Scotland to follow his love of Celtic music only to find himself tapping back into his roots playing Romanian, Hungarian and Roma music. He talks about the experience of immigrating to the UK and his current work with Ando Glaso, featuring traditional musicians from the local Roma community to build bridges between them and the mainstream Scottish culture.

Ando Glaso: https://www.andoglaso.org/

Dallahan: https://www.dallahanmusic.com/

Music in this episode: opening is a Romanian tune we learned from the Slovenian Fiddle Gang and the closing is a couple of tunes by Liz Carroll: Anne Lacey's and Sevens. 

Episode 57: Pete Sutherland

A pillar of the traditional music community of northern Vermont, Pete Sutherland is widely recognized across the US and beyond for his unique musical voice on fiddle, piano, banjo, song and as a songwriter. This conversation focuses in on Pete's work mentoring the next generation and his thoughts on tune and songwriting, but hits on many other subjects in the process. It was recorded at the Northeast Heritage Music Camp, partly in front of a live audience and completed later in the week at a spare moment. 

Music in this episode: The Dying Californian (opening) and Rye Straw (closing)

Pete's Posse: https://www.petesposse.com/

Episode 56: Chris Stone

A very special live episode taped at Alasdair Fraser’s Sierra Fiddle Camp. Chris Stone is an Australian fiddler/violinist, composer and co-artistic director of the Stringmania camp, along with Alasdair Fraser. In this conversation Neil and Chris delve into the modern world of traditional music and the questions facing young musicians looking to find their voice in a globally connected world. Chris shares his insights from the fiddling community in Australia and his work to make the fiddle camp community more diverse and inclusive by giving a platform to indigenous voices and other minorities.

Music: And That’s Ok (Chris Stone) and A Song for All Seasons (Oliver Schroer)

Chris’ group The String Contingent: https://www.thestringcontingent.com/

The Stringmania camp: https://www.stringmaniacamp.com

Episode 55: Flynn Cohen

Flynn Cohen has toured the world with major Irish music acts and been a mainstay in the Irish and Bluegrass music scenes of New England. In many ways his path is a classic example of a folk musician growing up in the wake of the folk revival. In other ways it is a study in contradictions. In this episode Flynn shares his path discovering acoustic music through Led Zeppelin, Irish music while studying in America and Bluegrass while studying in England. 

Flynn’s Website: www.flynncohen.net

Flynn's new Irish Backup Guitar course on Peghead Nation: https://pegheadnation.com/string-school/courses/irish-backup-guitar/

Flynn’s band Low Lily: www.lowlily.com/

Episode 54: Jim Malcolm

One of Scotland's top folk singers, Jim Malcolm is well known for both his original folk songs and his interpretations of great traditional Scots songs. He and Neil sat down backstage before a show in Boston to talk about his journey from aspiring rock star to being a key member of legendary folk band Old Blind Dogs to arrive finally at his solo show, which features his voice, musicality and humor front and center. 

For more on Jim: www.jimmalcolm.com

Music in this episode is two songs by Jim: "The Road to New York" and "Lochanside" (based on the bagpipe tune by the same name)

Episode 53: Mary Jane Lamond

One of the biggest names in Gaelic song today, Mary Jane Lamond can just as easily be found at a small Gaelic community event on Cape Breton, at an academic conference in Scotland or thrilling an audience of thousands at a folk festival somewhere around the world. She sat down with Neil to talk about her unconventional journey and her thoughts on practicing a traditional art in the 21st century. 

www.maryjanelamond.com

www.patchwork.ca

languageinlyrics.com

maryjaneandwendy.com 

Music: The Blue Mountains Lullaby (Jeff MacDonald and Brian O hEadhra) and a medley of traditional Puirt a Beul

Episode 52: Ruthie Dornfeld

Ruthie Dornfeld's fiddling has been a huge influence on dance musicians in New England and her native Northwest and her work with Scandinavian musicians over the years has seen her tour overseas extensively. Neil caught up with her at her home in Seattle to talk about her musical journey from her first experiences with the fiddle to current creative projects in the US, Denmark and Finland. Along the way she talks about following her ear to all kinds of musical projects like writing an album of music for the medieval fiddle and more. 

Ruthie’s Website: ruthiedornfeld.com

3 Fiddlers 3 Traditions: www.3fiddlers3traditions.com

American Cafe Orchestra: www.facebook.com/americancafeorchestra

Ruthie’s Album of Original Music for the Medieval Vielle: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/ruthiedornfeld2

Episode 51: Bruce Molsky

A legend of American Old-Time music, Bruce Molsky shares his story and philosophy towards playing traditional folk music with reverence, respect, and personal expression. He talks about his story falling head over heels for American folk music and names some of his heroes and mentors in the Round Peak style that is one of the roots of his sound. 

Bruce’s list of musical mentors/models from Round Peak: The Camp Creek Boys, Tommy Jarrell, Paul Sutphin, Verlen Clifton, Earnest and Scotty East, Max Snow

Bruce’s website: www.brucemolsky.com

Molsky’s Mountain Drifters: www.mountaindrifters.com

Social media links:

www.facebook.com/mountaindrifters

www.instagram.com/mountaindrifters

www.youtube.com/brucemolskymusic

Photo by Knut Utler

Episode 50: Roger Tallroth

There's no better way to reach our 50th episode than with the third and final member of Väsen, legendary 12-string guitarist Roger Tallroth. Roger has developed his own style, sound and tuning for playing Swedish music on the 12-string guitar and has composed some of the most popular melodies played by fiddlers around the world, including Josephine's Waltz. He chats with Neil about how the limitations of acoustic traditional music can inspire more creativity and about his own journey with folk music, beginning midsummer’s day, 1979 at 2:15pm.

More info on Roger: http://tallroth.se/ and https://vasen.se

Video from Väsen’s collaboration with Snarky Puppy as part of their “family dinner” series:

photo by Mia Marin