The Folk Music Podcast

Anna Ekborg is currently one of the most prominent fiddlers on the Swedish Folk Music scene.

In this conversation we speak about Anna’s musical background and her feelings about releasing an album completely solo. We also touch on a number of different things concerning the musician lifestyle, like how to best organize your life and career, how to deal with stage fright, work/life-balance, relationship with social media and how to develop your own style.

Please see the show website to learn more: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/solo-with-anna-ekborg

Jeffrey Wasserman grew up in the hamlet of East Norwich, New York. As a young man he fell in love with the progressive folk music movement of the 70s and started playing and writing music in a wide variety of genres like bluegrass, old-time, blues and Celtic music. Since 1983 he has been living in Norway enjoying a successful career as a songwriter for big Norwegian artists like Dance with a Stranger, Jonas Fjeld and Silje Nergaard.

In later years though, he has returned to his roots as an artist and songwriter in the world of acoustic folk music, with the albums «Jeffrey & The Free Radicals» (2009) and «The Meeting Of The Waters» (2018)

In this conversation, which was recorded at the Norwegian showcase festival Folkelarm in 2021, we speak about his career as a songwriter for other artists, how streaming has impacted the industry, his return to writing and performing folk tunes and his diverse musical background.

Andy Irvine has been an immensely influential folk singer and songwriter for more than 60 years. Through his work with bands like Sweeneys Men, Planxty, Patrick Street, he has been a central piece of shaping the sound of modern Celtic Music.

We meet Andy Irvine in Oslo just before he is about to play a solo show there. The conversation revolves around his work and inspirations as a songwriter, and the pivotal moments in his career that led him to the place he is today.

For more info please visit: thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/andy-irvine-with-andy-irvine

In a small coastal town almost as far south you can get in Norway, Lars Jakob Rudjord creates instrumental music that takes you to places you’ve never been before. Though often compared to the likes of Nils Frahm, Olafur Arnalds or Joep Beving, Lars Jakob Rudjord has most certainly established his very own sound in the modern classical world. His melodies are just as well inspired by classical music, as by Norwegian folk music and Nordic folklore.

In our conversation we touch on a bunch of different topics like the relationship between different genres like classical, jazz and folk, ways to explore your voice as a composer, the piano as a folk music instrument, the challenges of approaching folk music coming from other genres, small town life as a musician and more!

For links and more info, please visit: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/indiepiano-with-lars-jakob-rudjord

Nell Ní Chróinín is one of the most prominent people in the world of traditional Irish Sean Nós singing. She has won numerous top prizes in traditional Irish music competition like the Fleadh Cheoil and An tOireachtas from the age of 12 and onwards. She was the youngest ever recipient to receive ‘TG4’s Gradam Ceoil Traditional Singer of the Year‘ award in 2012. Today she's both a teacher and a professional performing artist - solo and with the Irish band Danu!

In the episode she talks about her own journey in music, the history and regional styles of Sean nós, and its place in modern traditional Irish music.

For more info, see: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/sean-ns-singing-with-nell-n-chrinn

Mejram is a Swedish folkpop band with an appealing blend of American, Celtic and Nordic flavours. Just like the herb they take their name from, Mejram is Swedish for Marjoram, their music is subtle, sweet and intriguing.

Their second album «From Town» came out earlier this year, and just like their first release «Mejram» (2019) it features captivating lyrics in both English and Swedish.

In this conversation with Gabriella Josefsson and Marcus Fenn from the band we speak about their approach to songwriting, production and recording, and reflections about working together as a band.

Fiddle player Dave Sheridan has been a highly respected musician on the Irish scene for a number of years, well known for his energetic and warm approach to the traditional repertoire. Originally from Tubber in Co. Offaly, he now lives in Carlow where he his a vital part of the local traditional music scene.

He has released two brilliant albums with the band Raw Bar Collective and is currently out with a brand new duo album with whistle player and Piper Brian Hughes.

This conversation is recorded with a live audience at a small folk festival in Norway called «Irskhælj», and the conversation flows through many different topics, like different approaches to producing traditional music recordings, the difference between learning to play music now vs in the pre-internet era, regional styles vs personal style, his various musical projects and more!

Multi-instrumentalist Anna Massie is one of Scotland’s most renowned traditional musicians, known for her work with Blazin Fiddles, RANT and Mairead Green among others. We were able to sit down together for a chat during a busy weekend at the Førde International Folk Music Festival this summer. We talk about her musical background, her guitar style and views on different tunings, her work with Blazin Fiddles, the state of the Scottish trad scene, and decided ones and for all what is and isn’t folk music!

For more info, links and video, check out the show website: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/how-cool-is-traditional-music-with-anna-massie

Danish Accordion player Anders Trabjerg first came to Galway in the 90s because of his deep interest in Irish Traditional music. There he first met Japanese fiddler Mayo Yanachi, who had come there for the same reason, and today they are a married couple with two kids. For many years now, they have been working as professional musicians on the city’s vibrant music scene.

Check out the website for more info: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/the-galway-scene-with-anders-trabjerg-and-mayo-yanachi

Bouzouki player Eoin Ó Neill has been a vital part of the Clare music scene, in Western Ireland, for more than 40 years. Through the years he has played and recorded with players like Mary Custy, Sharon Shannon, Kevin Griffin and Miko Russell, as well as tons of local talent both young and old. In 2015 he was given the MÓRglór award for outstanding contribution to traditional music in County Clare.

We meet up in Ennis during the Fleadh Nua festival. Since the town is very busy, we record the podcast in Eoin’s car just outside town.

Eoin is a passionate and spontaneous person, and our conversation bounces around between different topics, including the story of how he discovered his love for the music of Clare, his playing style, his new album “In Session 2”, his passion for discovering and encouraging new talent, how music allows for important ways for people to connect with each other, and many other things!

Learn more at: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com

Michael Barrett Donovan, originally from Northern California, moved to Norway from New York City in 2019 after finishing a masters degree in music composition and gigging within a wide array of musical genres. Since coming to Norway Donovan has fronted the original-music-performing trio Buster Sledge with guitar player Jakob Folke Ossum and banjo player Mikael Jonassen, and immersed himself in the many folk fiddle-scenes that can be found around Oslo.

I speak with him and the rest of Buster Sledge at the Norwegian folk festival Folkemusikkveka the day after the release of their second album «Call Home»

Topics we touch are Michael’s meeting with the Norwegian folk scene, how his eclectic musical background affects his thinking about composing and arranging music, classical vs folk, the importance of boundaries is music making and differences between the American and Norwegian folk scenes. We also speak about Buster Sledge’s new album, how they arrived at their sound and how they work together as a band.

Americian fiddler Liz Knowles has been a prominent member of the Irish music scene worldwide for several decades. She’s been working with Cherish the Ladies, String Sisters and Martin Hayes Quartet, just to mention a few.

In addition to being a performer she is also a sought-after teacher, and it's her thoughts about practicing music that is the theme of this episode’s conversation.

Topics we touch on are, the concept og «single foucus», scheduling practice sessions, setting goals for your practice, the importance of giving your brain a break, how everyone’s goals are different, what goes in to having a «convincing sound», how to practice for speed, and more!

Annbjørg Lien from Norway and Catriona MacDonald from Shetland have been among the most exiting fiddlers on the traditional music scene for more than 30 years.

I got to speak with Annbjørg and Catriona prior to their duo show at the Norwegian national folk music venue, Riksscenen and we had an interesting chat, talking about their long relationship as friends an musical colleagues, the link between Shetland and Norway and the very important topic of gender representation and equality in the folk music scene.

For more info, please see: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/annbjrg-amp-catriona

Hans Martin Austestad is a Norwegian singer, songwriter and producer. In addition to all of that, he is also one of the most innovative and knowledgeable banjo players on the Norwegian folk scene. In this episode I have a conversation with him about how the banjo has shaped his musical career, and how it has led him down some very interesting and unexpected paths!

For videos, links and more info, please visit: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/the-banjo-episode-with-hans-martin-austestad

Todays’s guest is Martin Green, member of the groundbreaking folk trio Lau and an accomplished composer and solo artist.

I had a great time chatting with Martin, and we touched on a number of different topics, including what defines folk music for different people, creative techniques, band politics, approaching a band as an actual job, the current state of the music industry and lots of other things. The conversation jumps around quite a bit, but I find these episodes, where the conversation just flows naturally, to be the best ones!

This episode is on the longer side, but it’s all very interesting stuff I think, Martin has a lot of great insight into these things and I’m sure you’ll find it valuable as well.

In this episode I’m speaking with English piano accordion player Karen Tweed. Karen is known for her smooth, playful style on the accordion and is regarded as one of the finest performers of Irish Music on the instrument. 

In this conversation we talk surprisingly little about the accordion, as we end up visiting a lot of different topics as diverse as creativity, art, role models, musical colors and cartoons(!)

For show notes, videos and bonus material, please visit: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/accordion-art-and-jellyfish-with-karen-tweed

In this episode I’m joined by Norwegian fiddler and composer Bjørn Kåre Odde. He is one of the most exiting folk musicians in Norway at the moment and he has just released his debut solo album titled Folk Chamber.

I got to sit down with him right after his concert at Osafestivalen this weekend and we had an interesting conversation about his work and creative process. We also got into important topics like having the right mindset and how to stay sane while doing what he does!

We're kicking of the second season of the show with legendary Swedish folk- and world musician Ale Möller. In this conversation we're focusing on Ale's approach to folk music and how he's able to maintain his own unique voice across all his various projects.

In episode 15, I’m speaking with Swedish folk guitarist Oskar Reuter. Oskar is a versatile musician who is currently in high demand on the Scandinavian folk scene.

In August he released his first solo album, called «Current State», featuring a collection of mostly original tunes played on fingerstyle guitar. Highly recommended!

I had a great time chatting with Oskar about his approach to folk music, his guitar style, his journey from jazz into the folk world, his solo album, his experiences in learning the nyckelharpa, and a bunch of other things!

Please visit the show website for videos, links and more info about the episode: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/swedish-folk-guitar-with-oskar-reuter

In episode 14 I’m speaking with Scottish fiddler Lauren MacColl about her latest album, her creative process and the art of approaching old traditional material, whether it being in written or recorded form.

For links, video and additional resources, visit the show website: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/landskein-with-lauren-maccoll

In this episode I’m traveling to the Norwegian city Røros to speak with Olav Luksengård Mjelva, one of the busiest fiddlers in Norway. I’ve been a fan of Olav’s work for a long time, so it’s a real treat to be able to have him as a guest on the show. 

In our conversation we discuss his approach to musical collaborations, how to succeed as a touring musician and the importance of finding your own voice as a musician.

For show notes and additional resources, please se: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com

In this episode I’m speaking with Folk singer and guitarist Matthew Byrne from Newfoundland about storytelling, tradition, creativity and guitar picks!

For video, links and other resources, please visit the show website: https://www.thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/the-art-of-storytelling-with-matthew-byrne

Emma McPhilemy is the musical director of the Riverdance. On this episode we speak about her work with the show and also how she approaches the music industry as a classically trained musician.

In this episode of the show I’m speaking with Ragnar Finsson and Oscar Beerten from the Faroese-Belgian duo Raske Drenge. Topics covered include their new album, the history of the Faroe Islands, the art of being in a successful band together and how push the boundaries of the folk music genre.

For links, resources and videos, please visit the show website: https://bit.ly/2PjMyac

This week I’m joined by Norwegian Harmonica player Richard Gjems.

Richard has been one of the most respected harmonica players in the Norwegian blues scene for a long time, but he has been working in pretty much every musical genre there is, and a lot of his style comes from mixing different genres and techniques in an original way.

Topics we touch on in this conversation includes Nordic Folk Music on the Harmonica, similarities between the blues scene and the folk scene, what it means to play the blues in 2020, how to balance tradition and innovation, branding, and a bunch of other things. Classic podcast conversation in other words!

For links, resources and videos, please see the episode page: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/chicago-blues-amp-finnskogspols-with-richard-gjems

This episode is all about the phenomenon known in Irish circles as «the session», which basically means a gathering of musicians playing Irish traditional music together in an informal way. Everyone that has been involved in Irish music, one way or another will be familiar with this. As any other social gathering, it comes with its own set of unwritten rules and etiquette, and that is something I find very interesting to observe. 

For links, video and other resources, please see: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/the-session

Today's guest is Swedish percussion player Jens Linell. Jens is a well-known musician on the Scandinavian trad scene, through bands like SVER and GKN5. He is also a very thoughtful person with a lot of interesting views on folk music, so I knew he would be a great person to have on the show!

In this conversation, we touch on topics like the role of percussion Scandinavian traditional music, the relationship between music and dance, and what it means for a drummer or a guitar player to identify as a folk musician today. 

In this episode I’m speaking with Scottish fiddler Sarah-Jane Summers. As well as being a tradition bearer of the Scottish old Highland style of fiddling, she has managed to create her own musical universe with a strong influence from free improvisation.

In our conversation we touch on different topics like Scottish music, how to approach improvisation as a traditional musician, and how having a family impacts your work as a musician.

For links and more info, please visit: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes/sarah-jane-summers

In this episode I’m speaking with Danish fiddler Maja Kjær Jacobsen. Topics we cover in this episode includes the Danish folk scene, what it means to be a bearer of traditions, and how to find ones musical identity.

For resources and links mentioned in the episode, visit: https://thefolkmusicpodcast.com/episodes

In this episode I’m speaking with Norwegian Hardanger fiddler Guro Kvifte Nesheim. She is a very innovative and productive musician, and I've been a fan of her work for some time now.

I’m very happy that Guro could join me for this episode, because she has a lot of experience when it comes to today’s topic, which is Scandinavian traditional music played in bands. Yes, this is how nerdy and niche the show is already on episode three (!)

In our conversation we touch on things like why the Scandi music has been mainly a traditionally a solo tradition, how the the folk revival in the 1970s affected the scene, how to transfer the hardanger music into a band forma, why there are more folk music bands in Sweden than in Norway and some predictions about the future.

Links:

Bands mentioned in the episode (Spotify links)

In this episode I’m speaking with Swedish musician Joel Andersson. Joel is a harmonica player and harmonica customizer who specializes in Irish traditional music. Since I dabble a bit in harmonica playing myself, I knew that I would have a great time chatting with Joel. We talk about the instruments history in Irish music, as well as its place in the scene today. We also go through the different types of harmonicas and talk about some influential players and recordings. Predictably, there are some pretty nerdy moments, but I think that anyone curious about the harmonica in folk music will get great value out of our conversation.

In this first episode of the show, I speak with my friend Patrik Ahlberg. Patrik is a wonderful fiddle and guitar player, and although he is Swedish he has been living in Chicago for the last eight years.

I highly recommend everyone to check out his album «Gitarrlåtar» (guitar tunes) where he plays Swedish and Norwegian Fiddle arranged for nylon string guitar.

Topics we cover in this conversation is differences between the folk music scene in Scandinavia and America, his approach to playing Swedish folk music on the guitar, being a folk musician in a post-modern world, preservation vs innovation and various other rabbit holes!

Listen to Patrik's album Guitarrlåtar: https://spoti.fi/36r5pbq

The awkward first episode. Listen to learn more about me and my vision for this show!