Winterfolk 2012 (Translated)

Reprinted from Gazeta Dziennik Polonii w Kanadzie, March 2012 Winterfolk 2012

Jack De Keyzer

Danny Marks

HOTCHA!

Lenka Lichtenberg

Bob Ryder

Translation – original text below

Last weekend  in Toronto, the  tenth Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival. The four stages were in located in the Delta Chelsea Hotel in the center of the city, and music occurred on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, more than 100 artists.

With a large number of artists, both the level and style of the music presented was highly entertaining. But since the majority of performances admission was free, viewers are able to choose any of the things they liked most. And there was plenty to choose from.

Jack De Keyzer, seven times nominated best blues artist in Canada, did not disappoint the audience, which filled the Monarch Pub. By the second track, they danced rhythmically on every available piece of floor. On the border of the stage, the energetic blues rock and roll can not be ignored, especially when it is well presented.

Few of blues performers were better known more than Danny Marks, who presents a weekly program on Jazz FM. The festival became known not only as an expert and presenter of music, but above all as a performer. Danny made a great connection with the audience, so that each of us had the feeling that we’re meeting old friends and talk about the music that we all like, and this conversation is interspersed with illustrations playd on Live.

As for the real folk and roots festival, of course, do not run too old folk music, or at least that sounded like the old. HOTCHA! The duet played old songs not only quickly , but at even pace with great precision, a sense of rhythm and vocal artistry.

Lenka Lichtenberg presented a truly Canadian sound and the mix of music combined all sorts of styles. Until shiver passed on the back when I listened to her performance with lovely lullabies sung in Romany, iddish, Russian and English. Typically a combination of klezmer clarinet playing of backing the Arab-sounding drums and electric cello travels took listeners on a musical yet imaginative ride.  

Traditional country music presented including The Wanted, and Sarah Green joined the team. Both groups are admittedly amateur (in The Wanted play including lawyers), but presented a level not inferior to many professional performers.

One of the main objectives of Winterfolk is not only a collection of well-known artists but also to find and present talent. The youngest performer in this group was (Robert Kniat – Kniat son Tom, our webmaster). We invite you to listen to and their own assessment of the fifteen Robert was able to handle. His performance was very well received by the audience, and positively commented by a much more experienced artists.

At a time when the music industry is undergoing tremendous changes, such as Winterfolk festivals play an increasingly important function: help artists and audience contact. It’s not a festival but a real music festival and a source of joy for many of those who take part in it.