KURATED NO. 282
VANCOUVER FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL 49
Introducing a few Day Stage Acts
• Two and a half days of entertainment from around the world
Guest writer Fiona Black –
Artistic Director of the Vancouver
Folk Music Festival – introduces the
Collaborative Stage artists for this year’s edition
CONTENTS
- PLAYLIST: FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL 49: a 35-song artist sampler
curated by AD Fiona Black - THE FESTIVAL ON INSTAGRAM
- VANCOUVER FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL:
– buy weekend passes and check out the artist biographies
More than 40 performers will fill the Festival’s three daytime stages over two and half days playing collaborative sessions and concerts. Check out the schedules for Friday afternoon plus all day Saturday and Sunday here.
THE SOUNDS OF SPONTANEOUS COLLABORATION
Making it up on the spot, musicians jam, groove and improvise
by Fiona Black
Festival Artistic Director
Canadian folk festivals are unique cultural events that have their own distinctive programming and traditions. One such tradition that is particularly singular to our Canadian festivals is the ‘workshop’ stage. At VFMF, our workshop stages have been one of the most beloved of our traditions.
For many they’re the heart of the festival where the real magic happens. These spontaneous and unscripted collaborations sometimes continue after the festival with connections made that have a life beyond
VFMF. This year, we’ve made the bold move to rename our workshop stages as “collaborative sessions” which more accurately describes the intent of this programming.
As the Artistic Director, I am tasked with curating each collaborative session. I look for synergies between the artists/groups and I also look for connections that may not be obvious. Sometimes the differences make for the best surprises.
Saturday stage to watch …
Tennyson King (centre) will host a collaborative session at the Eastern Sunrise workshop with Aysanabee (left) and Sauljaljui (right) along with Japanese folk fusion band Mitsune (below).
ON SATURDAY I encourage everyone to arrive early and catch the Eastern Sunrise stage which will feature Canadian-based, Hong Kong-born Tennyson King as the host. He performs in English, Mandarin and Cantonese with a mix of both traditional and modern instruments. Tennyson has collaborated with both Aysanabee and Sauljaljui, so this grouping seemed very organic. With their familiarity, expect them to get comfy quickly and dive in for some deep connections and collabs. Completing the line-up is Mitsune, a Japanese folk fusion band that bring musical influences from Japan, Germany and Australia to the mix. I expect they’ll be open to the confluences of both Eastern and other folk traditions including Indigenous indie-soul with Aysanabee and Indigenous Taiwanese folk with Sauljaljui.
… and on Sunday
Alberta Métis fiddler Brianna Lizotte will host the Trad-ically Hip collaborative session on East Stage featuring a diverse set including Quebec’s La Déferlance, The Slocan Ramblers (Ontario), Joshua Burnside (Northern Ireland) and Scottish small pipes master Brìghde Chaimbeul (below).
JOIN US ON SUNDAY at midday on the East Stage for Trad-ically Hip which will feature five groups for an extended and very diverse set. The mix of trad styles includes Metis fiddling with Brianna Lizotte (Alberta) who is taking on the hosting duties; Quebecois trad with La Déferlance; Bluegrass with The Slocan Ramblers (Ontario), Irish trad mixed with contemporary elements with Joshua Burnside (Northern Ireland) and completing the grouping is Scottish small pipes master Brìghde Chaimbeul who is
shaking up all conceptions of this instrument with her experimental approach and use of drone – modern and primal all at once.
Trad musicians love to play together and I believe there are lots of synergies between these groups and the fun will be in experiencing the connections in real time – live and off the floor.
Joshua Burnside (above) and La Déferlance.
Meanwhile on the West Stage:
Gord Grdina (above) will reprise his 2025 hosting duties bringing together his band and Montreal-based Kazdoura (below) and two other acts.
THE WEST STAGE HAS BECOME the stage with the most upbeat, danceable bands as it has the most open space for the party vibe. Last year, local oud/guitar maestro, Gord Grdina, hosted and led one of the most talked about and engaged workshop stages with a mix of global bands. It demanded a reprise with We Be Jammin’ on Sunday afternoon this year, featuring Gord and his trio –Kenton Loewen, drums/ Tommy Babin, bass – as hosts as well as Brazilian powerhouse Bia Ferreira; BIM, a collective from Benin that mix rock, rap and traditional voodoo rhythms; and Montreal-based Juno Award winners Kazdoura bringing soulful Arabic fusion. Grdina has a long deep history in Arabic folk and avant garde free jazz, and will easily find common ground with Kazdoura, and make bridges with the other bands to bring the session to an all-out jam, directed by his unique talents and creative vision.
Benin International Musical aka BIM (above) and Bia Ferreira (below).
EDITOR’S NOTE: Vancouver’s Folk Music Festival has always stood apart from the usual. Its introduced hundreds of thousands of music lovers to the rare and the esoteric be it far flung global sounds or those just around the corner.
Festival 49 continues the tradition. Its collection of artists is one-of-a-kind and inspiring. The event reflects an ongoing commitment to diversity and authenticity. As a forward looking arts organization the Festival promotes broad cultural diasporas to enrich us and enlighten. They make this troubled world a better place.
Kurated is tuned in
26 June 2026
