Jayme Stone’s Folklife

Rachel Ries, hailing from the prairies of middle America, crafts sly and compassionate songs for the crooked-hearted. With an electric guitar and piano; a clear voice and steady hand; she deftly pulls listeners in with disarming candor and holds them there with smart and tender poetry. In Spring 2016 Rachel released Cardinal; a handcrafted EP of songs written while on residency in Rouen, France. For Rachel, each of the songs is a key; a direction; a red-blooded essential for living – be it bravery, belief in one’s path or the bonds of family and blood. Each Cardinal includes a limited edition linoleum block art print, handmade by Rachel herself.

Recorded by the inimitable Jeremy Messersmith in Minneapolis, Cardinal is Rachel’s 2nd handcrafted EP and follows in the wake of Ghost of a Gardener (2014). A well-lauded, ambitious album co-produced by David Vandervelde, Ghost features a duet with Gregory Alan Isakov, members of Cuddle Magic and cameos by Devon Sproule, Carrie Elkin, Danny Schmidt and many others. Many may know Rachel by her longstanding collaborations with Anaïs Mitchell and their country ep (2008).

Proudly carrying the torch of a heritage rich in the domestic arts, Rachel’s homemade preserves and hand-stitched notebooks can often be found at shows, nestled amid 180 gram vinyl, cds and t-shirts. If you need comparisons, think Joni Mitchell, Carole King or Jeff Buckley. If you don’t – just listen.

Currently finishing up her Performance and American Roots Music degree at Berklee College of Music, Sumaia has immersed herself deeply in folk traditions including Old-Time, Jazz and Bluegrass. The rhythmic aspects of her background in old-time and Celtic fiddle styles, creates her smooth but driving sound as a fiddler and tune writer.

Sumaia grew up studying classical music in California and about eight years into her studies, she was captivated by traditional Irish and Scottish fiddle music. Throughout her teenage years she attended music camps across the country and has had the opportunity to study with and play with some of the most talented and innovative acoustic musicians in the acoustic music scene now including Jeremy Kittel, Christian Howes, Tristan and Tashina Clarridge, Scott Nygaard, Alasdair Fraser, Billy Contreras, Rushad Eggleston, Tony Trischka, Darol Anger, Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project, Jayme Stone’s Folklife, and more.

Born and raised in Toronto, Joe Phillips started studying classical guitar at age 9 at the University Settlement House Music School. He attended Oakwood Collegiate, and after some time playing the clarinet, he discovered the double bass. Time spent playing in various blues bars, Irish pubs and booze cans and four years studying with renowned classical virtuoso Joel Quarrington have led to a busy and diverse career. When not playing principal bass in Orchestra London Canada, Joe can be found making music with artists as varied as The Art of Time Ensemble, Via Salzburg Chamber Orchestra, Group of 27 Chamber Orchestra, cabaret siren Patricia O’Callaghan, songwriters Jenny Whiteley, Sarah Slean, Ruth Moody, the Wailin’ Jennys, Corin Raymond and Rita Chiarelli, jazz bassist/cellist/composer Andrew Downing, banjoist Jayme Stone, Canadian fiddlers Pierre Schryer and Shane Cook and Irish flute and whistle virtuoso Nuala Kennedy. Joe has performed with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Les Violons du Roy, I Musici de Montréal, Tafelmusik and the Festival of the Sound and is an annual participant in the Sweetwater Music weekend in Owen Sound, Ontario.