Martha Wainright and Grupo Fantasma at Roots and Blues
Mar 6, 2010 Music
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The Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, taking place August 13th – 15th at the Salmon Arm Fairgrounds, is pleased to announce the addition of Martha Wainwright and Grupo Fantasma to its 18th Annual line-up! Diversity has always been the key to a great Roots and Blues experience and this year will be no exception as the Festival presents fifty of the finest world, roots and blues acts on its six outdoor stages.
Performing a beautiful selection of rare and acclaimed Edith Piaf songs, Martha Wainwright bears it all with a depth and passion you won’t want to miss. As the sister of Rufus Wainwright, and the daughter of Loudon Wainwright III and the late Kate McGarrigle, Martha is proving to have some pretty incredible chops of her own as she adds to the legacy of one of the world’s most acclaimed families of song. She has been a devoted fan of Edith Piaf since childhood when Rufus found a box of Piaf albums, which belonged to their mother. “I remember the sensation – that complete abandon that her voice evokes,” says Martha. “I would sing along at the top of my lungs and imagine myself on a giant swing in the middle of the living room.”
The result of this inspired revelation was Martha’s 2009 release, “Sans Fusils, Ni Souliers, A Paris”, a collection of covers of the French chanteuse’s songs, and a starkly genuine stage performance that Martha will be bringing to Roots and Blues. Both are faithful to the spirit of Piaf but also wonderfully fresh and full of life, incorporating a thrilling, slightly seat-of-your-pants intensity in Martha’s renditions. This stunningly brilliant performance sold out at the UK’s Barbican Theatre, home to the London Symphony Orchestra, so be sure to include it on your Roots and Blues must-see list this Festival.
A bit more on the spicy side, if your foot doesn’t immediately start tapping to Grupo Fantasma’s raucous blend of horns and the rhythmic assault of the band’s slew of drummers, you may need get your hearing checked. Widely acclaimed as the funkiest and hardest working Latin orchestra to come of Texas in the last decade, this ten man funk machine is bursting with energy and spontaneity, playing an assortment of Latin flavors that extend from Cuban son to Colombian cumbia.
The progressive genius of Grupo Fantasma, now in its tenth year of a long and intriguing musical journey, comes to life with the May release of their fourth studio album, “El Existential”, on the National Geographic music label. This highly anticipated and self-produced CD is a follow-up to their 2008 Grammy nominated, “Sondidos Gold”, and is considered the apex of their work to date. Make no mistake about it, Grupo Fantasma is set to blast the groove meter clear off the register, moving the Festival grounds with seismic intensity as their wild and boisterous Latin dance party takes you over.
Just two incredible acts of fifty that are sure to make this year’s Roots and Blues the place to be this summer. For more information on the line-up and to purchase tickets, log onto www.rootsandblues.ca or call 250-833-4096.
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