Tunes from the North, Songs from the South

Anyone with an ear for the deeply complex and exquisitely subtle reciprocation between the banjo and fiddle will be dazzled by this collection of 13 tunes, which draws from the Métis, Québécois and greater Canadian folk traditions, as well as from the south-eastern and Appalachian sections of the American songbook. Saskatchewan fiddler Karrnnel Sawitsky and Winnipeg-born banjoist Daniel Koulack are both renowned for their extraordinary contributions to the Canadian roots scene and the chameleon-like ease with which they move between old-time settings and more progressive collaborations, such as Sawitsky's violin ensemble The Fretless.

For all the instrumental acumen in the mix, the most remarkable aspect of Tunes from the North, Songs from the South is the keen imagination the duet brings to arranging time-worn classics, such as ‘Little Birdie’, ‘Groundhog’ and ‘Red Rockin’ Chair’. It's not unusual for musicians to interpret traditional songs with a certain measure of artistic licence, but Sawitsky and Koulack have mad skills in this department. The album also features singer-songwriter and dobro guitarist Joey Landreth whose fluid tenor voice lends precisely the right refined-but-rugged sensitivity to the session.