La Bottine Souriante
Gig Seeker Pro

La Bottine Souriante

Montréal, Quebec, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 1976 | INDIE

Montréal, Quebec, Canada | INDIE
Established on Jan, 1976
Band World Celtic

Calendar

Music

Press


"La Bottine Souriante: Appelation d’Origine Contrôlée"

The French-Canadian supergroup La Bottine Souriante has a rollicking new disc by the classy-sounding title of Appelation d’Origine Contrôlée. If that sounds vaguely familiar, you may have seen it on the label of a bottle of French wine. Literally translated, it means “controlled designation of origin.” In English, we’d probably say something like “all others are counterfeit.”

That’s not to say that La Bottine Souriante (which means “the smiling boot,” a reference to the appearance of an old worn-out work boot) is the only authentic Quebecois folk ensemble. But LBS is definitely the only group that makes music like this!

The current iteration of La Bottine contains 11 members. They include the usual players of fiddles (David Boulanger and Jean-François Gagnon-Branchaud), guitar (Éric Beaudry), accordions (Pierre Belisle and frontman Benoit Bourque) and bass (François Marion), with a couple of those players doubling on the music’s distinctive foot percussion. To this basic lineup they’ve added piano, electric piano and organ, trumpet, saxophone and a couple of trombones, and the world-class step-dancing of Sandy Silva. I saw this big band headline a dance at the Festival du Bois in Maillardville, a suburb of Vancouver, B.C., in 2009, and it was utterly fantastic. They kept a huge tentful of beer-drinking West Coast francophones dancing, shouting and singing along late into the evening.

On record, the music isn’t quite that powerful, but it’s still lots of fun. At times it sounds like Quebecois folk crossed with Chicago Transit Authority — the late-1960s, lean, hungry version of the jazz-rock fusion band that became Chicago, that staple of soft-rock radio.

From the first track, “Cette Bouteille-Là,” a song about the perils of drink paired with a reel called “Bouchonné,” the album consists mostly of upbeat folkdance tunes (reels for the most part) and Quebecois music’s call-and-response vocals with a driving beat and jazzy arrangements. This one starts with just the foot percussion, but quickly adds more elements one by one and two by two — guitar, fiddles, fretless electric bass, the horns, and Silva’s step-dancing. For me the big thrill is when the organ comes in with a big glissando like something out of Al Green’s songbook.

The second track, “Mon Pere,” a contemporary song after the style of traditional French-Canadian vocal music, adds a number of non-traditional touches. The response vocals are in jazzy multi-part harmonies with a droning bass under-layer that, paired with some non-trad percussion, gives it an afro-celtic sound. “Reel a Roland” starts off very traditional also, but slowly adds additional elements, particularly piano and horns. A little later on, “Chus Chatouilleux” incorporates some R&B and Caribbean sounds, with electric guitar and some percussion that sounds like a marimba. And “André Alain en sol Majeur” with its funky electric piano, makes this reel sound like something out of the 1970s west coast jazz scene.

“Au Rang d’Aimer” is a lovely Louisiana Creole song whose title in English is “Starting to Love.” They play it fairly straight on, with button accordion, mostly acoustic instruments and subtle use of the horn section. The vocals are particularly beautiful on this one. There’s also a Basque-inspired song (“Intsusadi“), an homage to the Calgary Stampede that sounds like something from the Louis Beaudrault songbook, and a traditional Quebecois tune paired with a Cape Breton reel (“The Smith’s Burn”).

Appellation is not for the purists, although most followers of French-Canadian music have known not to expect that from La Bottine since the 1980s. While it doesn’t quite match the live experience, it’s probably the next best thing. Lively, melodic, rhythmic and supremely inventive. - Sleeping Hedgehog A Journal of An Untraditional Nature


"La Bottine Souriante at Edison Theatre"

Quebec’s La Bottine Souriante are living legends of French North American roots music, an explosive ten-member ensemble whose distinctive sound infuses traditional folk with the quickness of jazz, the energy of salsa and the breadth of world music.

In November, “the best band in the world!” (according to folk magazine Dirty Linen) comes to Washington University in St. Louis as part of the Edison Theatre OVATIONS! Series.

The special, one-night-only event begins at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15. Tickets are $28 for the general public; $23 for seniors and students; and $14 for Washington University students and children under 12. Tickets are available at the Edison Theatre Box Office and through all MetroTix outlets. Edison Theatre is located in the Mallinckrodt Student Center, 6445 Forsyth Blvd. For more information, call (314) 935-6543.

La Bottine Souriante formed in 1976 as a Quebecois folk quintet, taking their name, which means “smiling boot,” in reference to both the worn-out soles of workingman footwear and their own exceptionally tight, dance-till-you-drop live sets.

The original line-up featured four traditional musicians — Pierre-Luc Dupuis (vocals, button accordion, harmonica), Éric Beaudry (foot tapping, mandolin, guitar, vocals), André Brunet (fiddle, guitar, vocals) and Pierre “Pedro” Belisle (piano, piano accordion) — along with jazzmen Régent Archambault (acoustic and electric bass). In 1990, they added a four-piece brass section comprised of Jean Fréchette (saxophone and arrangements), Robert “Bob” Ellis (bass trombone), André Verreault (trombone) and Jocelyn Lapointe (trumpet). Rounding out the group is percussive dancer Sandy Silva.

“The urban and the rural, the now and then fuse wonderfully in the music of La Bottine Souriante, [which] slams together French-language chanson with Latin music, jazz, pop and Irish, Cajun and Acadian folk,” writes Cary Darling of the Orange County Register. “This band makes a wicked noise and the longer they play, the more you’ll love them,” concurs Rogue Folk Review, while The Vancouver Courrier calls them “one of the most innovative and uplifting bands playing contemporary roots music anywhere.”

La Bottine Souriante has gained an international following both through constant touring (more than 2200 live shows!) and 11 albums, released since 1982 on their own Les Disques Mille-Pattes label, that have collectively sold more than a half-million copies. Three of these — Je Voudrais Changer D’Chapeau (1988), En Spectacle (1996) and Fire In the Kitchen (as guests of the Chieftains in 1998) — have reached gold status and one, La Mistrine (1994), reached platinum.

In 2001, La Bottine Souriante celebrated its 25th anniversary with Anthology, a collection of songs illustrating their musical evolution as well as key musical influences. The group’s most recent release, Cordial, received a 2002 Juno Award from the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences for Best Roots & Traditional Album and a 2002 Felix Award (French Canada’s equivalent to the Juno) for Best Traditional Album.

Other honors include Juno Awards for Je Voudrais Changer d’Chapeau and Jusqu’aux P’tites Heures (1992), and Felix Awards for Jusqu’aux P’tites Heures and La Mistrine. They have appeared at folk festivals around the world — notably the prestigious Tønder Festival in Denmark and WOMAD (World of Music Arts and Dance) Festival, founded by Peter Gabriel — and in 1999 were named Best Live Act by the BBC.

Edison Theatre’s OVATIONS! Series serves both Washington University and the St. Louis community by providing the highest caliber national and international artists in music, dance and theater, performing new works as well as innovative interpretations of classical material not otherwise seen in St. Louis. Focusing on presentations that are interdisciplinary, multicultural and/or experimental, Edison Theatre presents work intended to challenge, educate and inspire.

Edison Theatre programs are supported by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency, and the Regional Arts Commission, St. Louis. - Washington University


"La Bottine Souriante"

When accordionist Yves Lambert turns round at the end of a long gig, sweat stains his shirt in the shape of a heart. It's a good symbol for his band of 25 years, the hard-working, emotional La Bottine Souriante. Michel Bordeleau, the second longest-serving member, is similarly drenched, beaming with pleasure as he gets up for the first time in the set.

Playing guitar, fiddle, mandolin, percussion and snare drum, Bordeleau never stops. He constantly taps an amplified foot board. Appropriately, it's the soles of his shoes, customised with drawing pins, that give LBS (the name means "smiling boot") their underlying rhythmic drive. Actually, Bordeleau does stop for a moment, in the middle of a foot-stamping solo, to enjoy the applause before restarting and building up to a crowd-pleasing climax.

The current, brass-heavy incarnation of the Quebecois band has been going strong for more than a decade, with two trombones, trumpet, sax, keyboards, bass and violin as well as Lambert and Bordeleau. They draw on French-language Acadian traditions and on their Celtic roots with instrumentals such as the asymmetric Aimé and the relentless Le Reel du Forgeron, an exciting, dense patchwork of syncopated fiddles, accordion and horns. As you can hear from their 25th-anniversary compilation Anthologie, and their latest CD Cordial, it's a pretty unique sound (though the Cauld Blast Orchestra had a similarly happy knack for welding jazz to traditional tunes). It's as if Jimmy Shand's band were touring with the JBs, listening to Weather Report and the Chieftains on the band bus. The reels swing like crazy - you can't keep your feet still.

Other influences season the stew: shakers, bongos and middle-eastern scales for Dans Paris y'at'une Brune, and African guitar for Viens-tu Prendre une Bière? Le Rap à Ti-pétang had a touch of ragga, with the portly, pony-tailed Lambert taking the mike. He got the crowd dancing - or at least jiggling - through charm and will-power, but this was one number where you longed to hear a regular drum kit. During the stomping closer, the front line performed their own heads-up, heads-down, no-nonsense boogie while executing saxophonist Jean Fréchette's tricksy charts from memory. And it's nice to see a band that meets the 20% trombone quota: always guarantees a good time.
- The Guardian UK


"La Bottine Souriante"

They are Québec's premiere roots music ensemble, but La Bottine Souriante are not strictly folk musicians. Nor can their music really be called "Celtic," despite its obvious affinities with the Irish tradition. La Bottine's concerts involve the tautly-wound energy of Irish dance music, the sexy pulse of salsa, and the swinging abandon of brass band jazz, all wedded to the French-language song tradition of Eastern Canada. The result includes powerful new renderings of medieval ballads, serious and jocular songs about life in the lumber woods and historical towns of Québec's past, and lots of over-the-top instrumental music in which the driving foot-tapping of Michel Bordeleau underpins a huge, hot, happy sound that blends traditional music on accordion, fiddle, and mandolin with jazz sounds from piano, double bass and brass quartet.

Mention the name "La Bottine Souriante" to a musician or critic on the English or Celtic roots music scene, and you'll hear responses ranging from worship to mere adulation. When they play in England, Folk Routs reports, most of the country's professional folk musicians are in the audience. The same publication has called them "the tightest and most exciting band of any nature anywhere." Members of Mabsant from Wales and Dervish from Ireland have told me of their brilliance, and John McCusker, of Scotland's Battlefield Band, recently said of them, "It's official: They're the best band in the world."

What makes their music so appealing, and how did it get that way? In an interview recorded before a recent Philadelphia concert, several of the members of La Bottine Souriante explained the history of the group and their perspective on music. Their frontman, singer and accordionist Yves Lambert, did most of the talking, but contributions also came from multi-instrumentalist and foot percussionist Michel Bordeleau, brass section arranger and saxophonist Jean Fréchette, and pianist Denis Fréchette. We spoke in French, the only language with which they are truly comfortable, but we lapsed occasionally into Franglais, of which the larger-than-life, gregarious, mustachioed Lambert is the world's reigning master.

According to Lambert, La Bottine Souriante has come a long way from humble beginnings in rural Québec. He explained that La Bottine weren't even really a band at first, but "a gang of young guys in search of adventure, a little group of musicians from the country who played in a hotel for the weekend." The original "gang" included pioneers André Marchand and Mario Forest, who were later on some of La Bottine Souriante's many albums, but none of the members who are currently in the band. Indeed, the loose assemblage of players had yet to decide that their focus was traditional music. "They played their own compositions, jazz, a little South American ... it was really a weekend jam," said Lambert. Soon after the jam sessions started, before the creation of the group per se, Lambert began attending the weekly get-togethers.

The first step in the transformation from an informal jam session to a working band was the selection of a name for the group. Lambert recalled that it was the proprietor of the hotel who asked them to find a name, so that he could advertise their performances. La Bottine Souriante, or The Smiling Boot, was the name they came up with. It refers to the way a work boot appears to "smile" when the sole begins to peel away from the upper in front. That's a great image for a band playing rural working-class music, but that fact hadn't occurred to the group yet, as Lambert explained: "We wanted it to be a little harebrained, but we could just as well have chosen 'The Flying Tie' or something like that." A few weeks later, in the fall of 1976, the band definitively chose the path of traditional music. They saved their original name, which, as Lambert pointed out, "had become amusingly appropriate."

As a traditional music band, La Bottine Souriante was lucky to come from Québec's Lanaudière region, around the town of Joliette. The region has some of the most extensive and rich traditions of song, dance and music in Québec. This is partly explained by the area's relative isolation from the homogenizing effects of Anglophone and American culture, but it is also based in part upon Lanaudière's unusual history as a meeting-place of different strands of Franco-Canadian tradition. After the expulsion of the Acadian population from Nova Scotia in 1755, for example, many Acadians settled in the Lanaudière region, bringing their musical traditions with them. The resulting cross-fertilization was extremely healthy for Lanaudière folk music. When La Bottine hit the scene in 1976, they carried these vigorous traditions with them, a fact that helped them stand out from other folk music acts.

La Bottine Souriante were also fortunate in that they chose an opportune moment to begin playing folk music: 1976 was a watershed year for the Québec cultural revival. The Montrea - Stephen D. Winick


"La Bottine Souriante in Concert: Quebec's Greatest Band Renews Itself Again"

"It was like Cajun music on steroids," remarked one audience member in the wake of La Bottine Souriante's (LBS) September 27 two-hour concert at the Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College. La Bottine SourianteWith cut-rate prescription drugs increasingly flowing from Canada to the US, the cascade of endorphins dispensed by Quebec's premier world music ensemble to a grateful American audience was yet more life-saving medicine from Canada. In truth, though, appearances by the nonet are too infrequent this side of the border. So are La Bottine's recordings on its independent Mille-Pattes label. You can't find them across the street from the Hopkins at the Dartmouth Book Store, nor can you buy them at the well-stocked shops at my Amherst/Northampton, Massachusetts haunting grounds. (No trouble in Amherst to buy new releases by a half dozen etoiles from land-locked Mali, but the latest release from nearby Quebec's best band?—let's just say that NAFTA hasn't yet made a difference.)

Fifteen minutes before showtime, I was perplexed to discover program notes with no mention of group founder, Yves Lambert, who I later learned had peYves Lambertrformed his final gig with LBS during its annual New Years Eve concert in Montreal. More than anyone else, the avuncular, mustachioed lead singer/accordionist had been synonymous with the 26-year-old ensemble. Founded in 1977, La Bottine Souriante was for its first dozen years entirely acoustic, featuring fiddle, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, and Yves' three-row accordion. And of course, the group always brought along its perpetual foot percussion—hence, the band's name [in English], The Smiling Boot. During its first decade, LBS established a repertoire that emphasized reels, jigs, an occasional ballad, and irreverent, call-and response burlesques lampooning everything from men of the cloth to couples under the sheets. It wasn't until the end of the 1980s though that the band began to move toward its current configuration, with the arrival of jazz bassist Reginald Archambault and jazz pianist, saxophonist, and arranger, Jean Frechette. By 1990, Frechette had moved full-time to saxophone and the group had added a jazz pianist, two trombones and a trumpet. It was the beginning of an entirely new genre—the planet's first synthesis of traditional Quebec-Celtic music with jazz-based horn arrangements. Now, thirteen years later, with Archambault and Jean Frechette as the band's elder statesmen, a single question loomed large: would the tail (the horn arrangements) decisively wag the dog of tradition?

The answer during the two-hour, 24-number concert was both yes and no. The evening began with La grondeuse (The Grumbling Woman ), a spirited reel which opened with an acoustic trio of guitar, fiddle, and percussive feet stating the chorus. Behind the band's front line of acoustic virtuosos in their twenties, stood the brass players—a full generation older—poised to play. Next, the saxophonist joined the acoustic musicians in restating the chorus, adding a few extracurricular riffs of his own. Then, the electric bass, electric piano, and the remaining horns weighed in, serving up a funky interlude that set the table for the full nonet—now including Lambert's young successor, Pierre-Luc Dupuis, on button box. That cranked-up climax thoroughly won the audience over, immersing them both physically and emotionally in the music.

In its build-up of instrumental fire power, La grandiose mirrored La Bottine's own evolution from a spirited acoustic ménage to a high-octane, musical hybrid. That synthesis, in truth, owes more than a little to the impeccable, inventive ensemble arrangements of the Jean Frechette & the LBS horn sectionband's saxophonist, Jean Frechette. Throughout the two-hour concert, the horns, electronic keyboard, and electric bass never obscured the acoustic instruments. You could always hear each voice and instrument distinctly—a testament to Frechette's (and the LBS soundman's) mastery of ensemble balance and dynamics. Unlike jazz and musette ensembles, LBS seldom swings. Instead, like much rock music, the band drives forcefully and at considerable volume on the beat. But this was no rock concert-especially with the band's traditional acoustic instruments and their indefatigable traditional dance rhythms always front and center. (A further nod to the band's roots in dance was the addition of Sandy Silva, a percussive dancer with fluency in Celtic, jazz, and flamenco forms. In the up-tempo offerings, her lithe, mercurial stage presence consistently goosed up the players and their audience to higher energy levels.)

All night long, Frechette's horn arrangements conveyed an eclectic bag of tricks. The horns periodically laid down a feel-good, dynamically controlled harmonic bed behind the other instruments. They reinforced melodic statements and forward momentum with their collective syncopations and drive. Frequently, the horns divided forces, unleashing polyrhythms again - Filbert.com


"New smiling shoes in La Bottine Souriante"

As one of the old established bands of the Canadian folk music scene, La Bottine Souriante became internationally famous when they added some 10 years ago a brass section to their up to then more typical folk band line-up. Since then, they have often been described as the best live band in the world. Hardly noticed by the press (and not even properly announced on the La Bottine Souriante website), this wonderful band has gone through a major line-up change. One of their first gigs in the new line-up was at the Sidmouth International Festival this August. I decided to pay a visit, on my way back from a Devon holiday...

La Bottine Souriante, press picSo what has happened in this latest and most significant line-up change? Both La Bottine Souriante's icon and lead singer/musician Yves Lambert (the one with the hat, accordion and funny dialect), and one of the musical geniuses of the band, Michel Bordeleau (fiddle, string instruments and sitting stepping) have left the band, being replaced by two young musicians, Pierre-Luc Dupuis and Éric Beaudry. The rest of the line-up remains unchanged: André Brunet (fiddle, guitar, vocals); Pierre « Pedro » Belisle (piano, piano accordion), Régent Archambault (acoustic and electric bass), and the four piece brass section, part of La Bottine since 1990, featuring Jean Fréchette (saxophone and arrangements), Robert «Bob» Ellis (bass trombone), André Verreault (trombone) and Jocelyn Lapointe (trumpet). Plus finally dancer Sandy Silva.

Obviously, there is a strong pressure on these two new lead musicians of the band. Purely listening to the music, the change might not be noticed to most people - the instruments of the replacement musicians are the same as of Yves and Michel, and even the voices are similar. They are excellent musicians, and the sound of La Bottine Souriante remains nearly as strong as ever. It is very obvious that these musicians have been chosen because they very much sound like the old lead musicians, while other criteria took a less important role.

The live performance has lost significantly - to replace Yves Lambert, the unique key character of the band, is difficult enough. However, the burden was fully laid upon Pierre, who simply could not fill the gap, and seemed also a bit uneasy in this role. Even though he had no hat, it seemed like he tried to imitate the gestures and even the dialect of Yves Lambert (and, of course, failed), instead of trying to be himself and developing his own style. Similarly Éric; the replacement of Michel Bordeleau, did not take a centre position on stage.

This means that the band did not have a central figure. This can be fair enough, as it might create more of a band experience, where all musicians have an equally important role. However, in this case, the band lost the communication with the audience. One of the strength of the old La Bottine Souriante had been the combination of magnificent music, plenty of movement on stage and the communication with the audience. This is what made them the best band in the world. They still do have magnificant music and plenty of movement, but at the moment the communication with the audience is very weak.

The new line-up is still very new, and time should be allowed for the new musicians to settle, and for the band to reinvent their performance. However, if they want to keep their fabulous image, they will need to work hard to get things right.

La Bottine Souriante are still a brilliant band, with inspiring, enthusing and terrific music; and the audience in Sidmouth was enthusiatic enough about their appearance. However, the concert did not present the best live band in the world. Hopefully, they will get back to this reputation soon.

- FolkWorld Live Review


"Foot-Tapping Good"

La Bottine Souriante

Appelation D’Origine Controlée (Borealis Records BCD 211, 2012)

One of Quebec’s finest musical exports, La Bottine Souriante has a new recording titled Appelation D’Origine Controlée. La Bottine Souriante is more than a Quebecois folk music band. The large ensemble includes traditional musical instruments as well as a powerful brass section and electric bass and piano.

Appelation D’Origine Controlée contains a thrilling mix of galloping rhythms, Celtic fiddling, fascinating call and response vocals, funk bass, jazz piano and organ, and the big band sound provided by the brass performers.

Most of the pieces are adaptions of traditional folk songs from various parts of
Quebec (Canada) and Louisiana (USA), including drinking songs, reels, love songs and humorous pieces.

La Bottine Souriante includes Éric Beaudry on vocals, responses, guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, and foot tapping; Pierre Pedro Belisle on piano, Rhodes, B-3, piano-accordion; David Boulanger on fiddle, responses, foot tapping; Benoit Bourque on vocals, responses, diatonic accordion, bones, and jaw harp; Jean-François Gagnon-Branchaud on vocals, responses, fiddle, guitar, and foot tapping; Robert Bob Ellis on responses, bass trombone; Jean Fréchette on responses, saxophone, tin whistle, and percussion; Jocelyn Lapointe on trumpet; François Marion on responses, double bass, electric bass; Sandy Silva on percussive dancing; and André Verreault on trombone.

Appelation D’Origine Controlée features a guest appearance by Spanish Basque musicians Oreka TX, playing the rare chalaparta percussion instrument.

Appelation D’Origine Controlée is another superb album by La Bottine Souriante, the great innovators of Quebec folk music. - World Music Central.org


Discography

Appellation D'origine Controlee - 2011

J'ai Jamais Tant Ri - 2003

Anthologie - 2001

Cordial - 2001

Rock and Reels - 1998

En Spectacle - 1996

La Mistrine - 1994

Jusqu'aux P'Tites Heures - 1992

J'voudrais Changer D'Chapeau - 1988

Tout Comme Au Jour De L'an - 1987

La Traversee de L'atlantique - 1986

Chic & Swell - 1983

Y'a Ben Du Changement - 1978

Photos

Bio

La Bottine Souriante first appeared on the Quebec music scene in 1976 and is a living legend of French North American roots music. In over twenty-five years, they have released twelve albums, four of which are certified Gold (over 50,000 copies sold) and three went Platinum (over 100,000 sold). In 2001, they also released a musical anthology to celebrate their 25th anniversary. Altogether, they have sold over half a million albums! The group has won dozens of awards and headlined festivals around the world. La Bottine Souriante is no longer simply a Quebecois/Canadian musical phenomenon. The group and their explosive sound have crossed borders the world over and left in their wake countless enchanted audiences. They have now developed a distinctive sound that successfully allies an homage to tradition with a dash of jazz, salsa and pure folk, while at the same time perfectly representing the symbol of vitality and pride of its mother culture. It is truly World Music in the best of that tradition. 

La Bottine has developed an exceptionally tight, cohesive sound, with their unique flavour of celebratory music. These two elements, music and celebration, characterised by pulsating rhythm, breathtaking sound, and exuberant spirit, have been inseparable. And it is directly into this turbulent energy that La Bottine Souriante sweeps its rapturous public. It is no wonder that the US-based Dirty Linen magazine has proclaimed La Bottine The best band in the world!

This musical blend is generated by eleven solid, traditionally rooted musicians: Benoit Bourque (vocals, button accordion, foot tapping and dance); Eric Beaudry (vocals, foot tapping, mandolin, bouzouki, guitar); David Boulanger (vocals, fiddle, foot tapping, percussion); Jean-Francois Gagnon-Branchaud (vocals, fiddle, foot tapping); Pierre Belisle (piano, piano-accordion, trumpet) taking up the swing with jazzman Francois Marion (acoustic and electric bass). Since 1990, a 4-piece brass section has added an even more exciting dimension to La Bottines incomparable sound, featuring the musical direction and brass arrangements of Jean Frechette (saxophone, percussions and arrangements), with Robert Ellis (bass trombone), Andre Verreault (trombone), Jocelyn Lapointe (trumpet), and powerhouse rhythm from Sandy Silva (percussive dance).

La Bottine Souriante has taken part in numerous folk festivals around the world, among them the TONDER FESTIVAL and the prestigious WOMAD. The group has appeared on many collaborations, notably with Kepa Junkera (Bilbao 00:00h) from the Basque country as well as with Paddy Mollony and The Chieftains (Fire in the Kitchen).


Band Members