Fiddle & Banjo - Tunes From The North, Songs From The South

Canadian roots duo Karrnnel Sawitsky and Daniel Koulack chose a simple and straightforward name, Fiddle & Banjo. The duo delights in the deeply subtle interplay between their two chosen instruments. On their new album, Tunes From The North, Songs From The South, their goal is to unite the instrumental dance music of the Canadian North that they’ve known all their lives with the songs and tunes of the American South from which they’ve drawn so much inspiration. Fiddler Karrnnel Sawitsky grew up immersed in Canadian old-time fiddling. Banjo player Daniel Koulack came to Winnipeg at 3 years old in 1968, and over the years has come to be known as one of the best claw-hammer banjo players in Cananda. The two met at a jam session at a Canadian folk music camp and found a likeness in how they approached the roots music they loved.
Tunes From The North, Songs From The South is Fiddle & Banjo’s second album together. Their instrumentation is accompanied by the vocals of Canadian folk singer Joey Landreth of The Bros. Landreth. The expert instrumentation combined with Landreth’s vocals make for an excellent roots album.
The album opens with an instrumental piece featuring a frolicking banjo and a soft fiddle. “Goofing Off Theme” is a peaceful little number, one that’s just downright enjoyable to listen to. 8 tracks out of the 13 tracks on this record are instrumental. “Lullaby” sounds exactly how you’d expect a track called “Lullaby” to sound like. It’s soft and peaceful, a sweet little tune that barely exists, silence being the main sound on the track. I personally like it.
“Woodchuck Set” features an energetic fiddle with the banjo (cough cough) playing second fiddle in the instrumentation lineup. The fiddle and the banjo dance together in beautiful harmony on “Waltz Of Life”. The track is a sweet, slow waltz. Another subtle, quiet track on the album is “Rubin”. This duo are experts at crafting instrumental tunes! You find yourself filled with happiness and peace when listening. “Traditional Tune” is a track you’ll be tapping your foot along to, featuring energetic instrumentation. “Sally In The Garden” has a Celtic feel to it, and there’s a mournful/melancholy mood to it. Another energetic song, and one that’s easy on the ears, is “The Old French Set”.
Along with the instrumental tracks on the record, there are also 5 tracks featuring vocals by Joey Landreth. “Little Birdie” is the first track on the album that Landreth lends his soulful vocals to, a rollicking tune that excites the ears and engages the mind. It’s an interesting track because it’s put together differently, the choruses aren’t where you’d expect them to be. Another track that you’ll find yourself tapping your foot along to is the traditional folk tune, “Groundhog”. This is my new favorite version of this track. The song celebrates the groundhog – hunting and eating it. Fiddle & Banjo’s version is more subtle than the others that I’ve heard, easier and softer on the ears.
“Red Rocking Chair” is another new favorite version of a traditional song. The track starts out with a subtle banjo and Landreth’s vocals, then picks up tempo, adding the fiddle and a female vocal to harmonize with Landreth’s lead. By far the most soulful track on the album, “Killin’ Floor” is an excellent tune. The banjo and fiddle adds soul to the already soulful vocals by Landreth. The record closes out with the soft, soulful “How Does A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live”. It’s a track that addresses the struggles of living as a poor man and the cost of living. It’s a nice way to close out a beautiful album.
Overall, this album is a superb roots/folk album. The expert instrumentation is absolutely stunning and stellar, and definitely the main focus of the record. Joey Landreth’s vocals adds soul, texture, and character to the 5 lyrical tracks on the album. I’d recommend this record to anyone looking for great roots music, instrumentals, or just excellent music. Trust me, you’ll want to take a listen!