A year before Oliver Schroer’s untimely death in 2008 the Canadian fiddler/composer met the superb Irish flautist Nuala Kennedy at Scotland’s Celtic Connections Festival. That meeting was the genesis for the recording of Enthralled an album of original music that is adventurous, played with passion and humour while showcasing these two tremendous talents. Please read more here.

With Appellation D’Origine Controlée La Bottine Souriante continues to amaze with their energy, joie de vivre and superb musicianship. And as the title suggests this is music that could only be grown in Québec.
Borealis is enormously proud to be presenting La Bottine’s music for the first time. Please feel free to check out the new album here.

“The tightest and most exciting band of any nature anywhere…”
fRoots, UK

After “This Beautiful Mess” which was a true R&B/Country tour de force, Michael Jerome Browne has followed up with a return to his blues roots with “The Road Is Dark” The new album features Michael on National guitar, 12 string guitar, banjo and fiddle. and this array of acoustic instruments creates the perfect backing for a number of great new songs from Michael and partner B. Markus. Along with the original songs are a number of compelling classics like Rev. Gary Davis’ “Death Don’t have No Mercy” played as only someone this steeped in the tradition can. “The Road Is Dark“ is sure to be considered one of the best blues albums of the year and for some time to come.

Just back from the UK and Ireland, and following on a tremendous summer playing Canada’s major folk festivals, The Once have delivered “Row Upon Row Of The People They Know”. The new album follows their award-winning self-titled debut CD with ten new songs that go deeper and in some ways reflect even better the collective muse of this very talented trio.

To quote band member Phil Churchill: “Row Upon Row of the People They Know is made of pieces of the three of us as individuals over kitchen tables full of tea and happiness and pressure and frustration. It’s each of us putting ourselves out there in front of each other like we’ve never done. It’s the first step towards becoming the band we want to be rather than the band we’re expected to be.”

The Once will be touring across Canada this fall beginning with the launch of the new album in Toronto October 12^th at Hugh’s Room.

Launch details: “Row Upon Row Of The People They Know”
Hugh’s Room – 2261 Dundas St. W. Toronto  (416) 531 6604
Wednesday, Oct. 12^th 8:30 PM
Tickets: $20 Advance / $22.50 Door

“One of the world’s top composers for the ukulele and probably the best player on the planet”  Raif Mair

We can’t argue with Raif, and when the man who has dazzled listeners with his virtuosity on ukulele turns his mind to song-writing  he continues to amaze. “Man With A Love Song” contains a dozen great new songs in addition to dazzling instrumentals from this consummate musician. Quite simply …brilliant and not to be missed!

James will launch “Man With A Love Song” in Toronto September 22nd.
The Music Gallery, 197 John St. – Doors at 7:00 / Show at 8:00 – $15.00 at the door.

We are delighted to announce that The Mighty Popo has joined the Borealis family of artists. Popo’s first acoustic album “Gakondo” is written solely in Kinyarwanda, Rwanda’s only indigenous language. The title means origins or tradition in Rwandan, and on the recording Popo has taken a journey of discovery to his Burundian/Rwandan roots. Released independently in 2010 Gakondo was nominated for a JUNO award, for Best World Music Recording.

To say the music on “Gakondo” is inspiring would be a huge understatement.

We think Taj says it best…

“This is one excellent album.” – Taj Mahal

Each year, the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals (OCFF) honours the work of an individual or group that has made significant contributions to Ontario’s folk music community. The award is named after Estelle Klein, a long-time advocate of Canadian folk music and one of the early founders of the folk festival scene in this country. We are pleased as punch that our founding partner Paul Mills is this year’s recipient of this prestigious award.

From teenage folk groups and a member of the seminal folk scene of London, Ontario’s Smale’s Pace Coffee House (Bradstreet, Bennett, Rogers, Essig, MacArthur et al) Paul has continued to be a major contributor to the Ontario and Canadian folk scenes. As a producer at CBC Radio he created the national folk program Touch The Earth with Sylvia Tyson, and had a strong hand in the design of the Glenn Gould Studio theatre in the CBC’s new Broadcast Centre. As a record producer he has produced countless albums for the likes of Stan Rogers, Sharon, Lois & Bram and Ron Hynes. Paul is also one of the best finger picking guitarists on the folk scene today. Check out “Stubbs Stomp” on his album The Other Side Of The Glass written by his best friend Curly Boy Stubbs.

For over forty years Paul has been one of the strongest advocates, allies and musicians on the Canadian folk music scene and as far as we can tell there’s no slowing down in sight.

In between his production work at his own Millstream studio and his presence on the Boards of Folk Music Canada and the OCFF, he still finds time to perform extensively with Joanne Crabtree in the duo Crabtree & Mills. They are just completing their third recording together.

Wherever Estelle is right now, we are certain she’s heartily applauding this year’s decision by the OCFF. We too are proud to be Paul’s friends and partners in the folk music journey.

Bill Garrett & Grit Laskin

All our best to Newfoundland Trio and Borealis Recording Artists THE ONCE who were awarded Group Recording Of The Year  at this year’s East Coast Music Awards closing gala in Charlottetown. Geraldine Hollett, Andrew Dale and Phil Churchill have been impressing audiences with their amazing vocals and warm presence wherever they go and this award is most deserving. Catch them in concert or at a festival this summer.

Our congratulations to Nicolas, Olivier, Réjean and Simon on winning the 2011 JUNO award in the Roots/ Traditional Group category. All of us at Borealis raise a glass and toast Le Vent du Nord for this well deserved award. Bravo Boys!

Andrew Dale, Geraldine Hollett and Phil Churchill of The Once talk about the origins of the band name, how the band got together, recent and future works, and touring with Bill Garrett.