"21st-century eclectics, mixing Roma, roots and plain-old
rambunctious whimsy...[The Boxcar Boys] are guaranteed to put a
smile on your face and a spring in your step.”
John Terauds, The Toronto Star
"There's vintage jazz, humour, Klezmer, blues, hillbilly vocals and
more here, and you surely can dance to this circus music.”
Geoff Chapman, Whole Note
The Boxcar Boys create their distinct, energetic and at times maudlin sound by weaving together a captivating bevy of folk traditions, Dixieland jazz and Klezmer performed with a good ole time New Orleans spirit. Their presence on the Canadian music scene over the last 5 years, including 2 full length albums Don’t Be Blue (2011) and Rye Whiskey (2012) has earned them a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination as well as a place on EJazzNews list of Best Canadian Jazz Bands.
This Toronto based six piece is comprised of clarinetist John Williams, violinist Laura C. Bates, trombonist Karl Silveira, accordionist Kelsey McNulty, sousaphonist Rob Teehan and washboard player Justin Ruppel. The band’s close-knit dynamic is clear on their third full length album, Cicada Ball which will waltz you across genres with whimsy and humour and dip you back in time. The title track of the album is a sonic interpretation of Cicadas giving up their tireless singing in the heat of the summer to instead throw down and party. In the spirit of celebration, the Boxcar Boys included some talented friends on selected tracks throughout the album including Lotus Wight on vocals and cello banjo (Sheesham and Lotus), Adrian Gross on mandolin (The Slocan Ramblers) and Michael Eckert on dobro (The Double Cuts).
The album launch and official release party will be marked by a hoedown and concert at the Burdock Music Hall in Toronto on September 11th. Canadian bluegrass super-band, The Slocan Ramblers will ready the stage and warm up the dancers. The Boxcar Boys will follow this release with an east coast tour in mid-late September including a performance at the notorious Deep Roots Music Festival. Upcoming tour dates include:
9/11 - Burdock Music Hall (Toronto ON)
9/19 - Boscawen Inn (Lunenburg, NS)
9/20 - Parrsboro Music Hall (Parrsboro ON)
9/22 - Baba's Lounge (Charlottetown PEI)
9/23 - Red Herring Pub (Saint Andrews, NB)
9/24 - Cafe Cempoal (Halifax, NS)
9/25 - 9/27- Deep Roots Music Fest (Wolfville, NS)
9/28 - All City Music Program (Halifax, NS)
9/29 - The Townhouse (Antigonish, NS)
9/30 - House Concert (Cape Breton ON)
I have a sweet spot for any band that includes the Tuba. Having played the baritone in my youth I always wanted to get to tuba. Finally in High School a Tuba spot opened up and I jump on it hoping for the glory of Sousa, Unfortunately High School Tuba played very few notes so few in fact I would fall asleep wanting and miss my 2 or 3 bars per piece.
ReplyDeleteThe Boxcar Boys Cicada Ball is a lot of fun sort of Americana meets Texas Polka and Klezmer!!! Beyond fun the second to last track "The Buster" shows an emotional maturity and sense of interpretation well beyond their ages. I love seeing groups like this one or the Carolina Chocolate Drops play great old time music with the training and chops apparent in the musicianship. It excite me to hear young people play roots music at an incredible high level.